An accelerator pedal device for use in a vehicle has: a housing fixed to a vehicle body; an accelerator arm that has a drum at one end and a pedal at the other end; a friction pad that has a pad shaft; and a spring that is interposed between the accelerator arm and the friction pad. The drum has an arm pivoting shaft that pivotally supports the accelerator arm and a recess that is recessed from a periphery of the drum toward the arm pivoting shaft, the friction pad has a friction part that is pressed against the recess by a spring force of the spring, the friction part has a side surface member having a side surface in an arched cross section to face the recess, and the side surface member has a contact part that is brought into point-contact with the recess of the drum.

The invention relates to a foot pedal control unit for an ophthalmic surgery system. The unit has a base and a treadle that is configured for pivotal pitch movement and for pivotal yaw movement relative to the base for generating control signals to an ophthalmic surgery system. The unit further comprises an inlay cover that is removably placed on the treadle. Optionally, the unit comprises a locking element that is movable between a lock position wherein the treadle is locked against pivotal yaw movement and a release position wherein the treadle is enabled to perform pivotal yaw movement.

An apparatus for providing control signals to a remotely piloted unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which includes a pedal input mechanically connected to a base enclosure using a linkage system which allows for the angular movement of the pedal input. The apparatus further includes a potentiometer which provides a first control signal to a central controller indicating a detected angular position of the pedal. The central controller includes circuitry to translate the received first signal into a control signal which the central controller may transmit to one or more UAVs via a transceiver and antenna.

An accelerator device having an organ structure includes a pad, a case, an inside movable mechanism, an arm, and a cover. The pad is pressed by a driver. The case is attachable to a vehicle body and includes a front wall, a rear wall, and an opened side. The inside movable mechanism is housed in the case and includes a shaft, a pedal, and a bias member. The arm penetrates an opening of the case so as to connect the pad to the pedal. The cover covers the opened side. The case on the vehicle body includes a drain passage positioned below a lowest position of a root of the pedal in a movement track while the pedal is moved from an accelerator idle state to an accelerator full-throttle state.

A method for operating an input device. An input element of the input device is manually operated to perform an input into a computer device operatively connected to the input device. Mobility of the input element can be selectively delayed, blocked, and enabled by a controllable magneto-rheological braking device. The mobility of the input element is selectively adjusted by the computer device at least as a function of at least one input condition stored in the computer device. The input device may be a computer mouse.

A pedal apparatus for a vehicle is provided. The pedal apparatus includes a pedal arm coupled to a pedal housing such that the pedal arm is rotated with respect to a first axis by an actuating force applied to a pedal pad disposed on a distal end of the pedal arm, a pressing member for applying a force to a proximal end of the pedal arm in response to the pedal arm being rotated, a pedal reaction force generating unit disposed between the pedal arm and the pressing member to generate a pedal reaction force corresponding to the actuating force, a first friction member disposed at the pressing member to contact the proximal end of the pedal arm, and a second friction member disposed at the proximal end of the pedal arm to contact an inner surface of the pedal housing.

An operating element for finger operation, which has an improved tightness against the ingress of dust and water with simultaneously increased degree of freedom of movement is provided. The operating element includes a thumbwheel, wherein the thumbwheel as an operating lever, which can be rotated about at least one first axis of rotation, a mounting box, wherein a point of intersection of the first axis of rotation with the thumbwheel is formed within the mounting box, as well as an integral sealing system having at least one seal. The sealing system and mounting box can be connected by a two-component injection molding. The mounting box has injection channels for injecting a material of the sealing system, in which corresponding injection channel connections of the sealing system are formed. The seals are connected to one another via the injection channel connections, and wherein a seal partially surrounds the operating lever.

A cooking apparatus including a heating device, a regulating device including a regulating shaft and configured to control the heating device according to an operation of the regulating shaft, and a knob assembly provided to operate the regulating device. Where the knob assembly includes a knob body, a knob shaft coupled to the regulating shaft and a shaft holder provided to move together with the knob body. The shaft holder including a first shaft guide configured to guide the knob shaft to operate the regulating device and a second shaft guide configured to guide the knob shaft to prevent operation of the regulating device.

A railcar safety lock incorporates a rectangular channel having an open top face and a pair of opposing open ends. An “L”-shaped bracket is pivotally secured within the channel. A pad lock aperture is secured within the channel adjacent a second open end opposite a first open end. The safety is configured to lockingly engage the bracket over a single lever railcar hand brake, thereby preventing the hand brake lever from being released.

In embodiments, a work vehicle magnetorheological fluid (MRF) joystick system includes a joystick device, an MRF joystick resistance mechanism, and a controller architecture. The joystick device includes, in turn, a base housing, a joystick, and a joystick position sensor. The MRF joystick resistance mechanism is controllable to selectively resist movement of the joystick relative to the base housing. The controller architecture is configured to: (i) when detecting operator rotation of the joystick in an operator input direction, determine whether continued joystick rotation in the operator input direction will misposition the work vehicle in a manner increasing at least one of work vehicle instability and a likelihood of work vehicle collision; and (ii) when determining that continued joystick rotation will misposition the work vehicle, command the MRF joystick resistance mechanism to generate an MRF resistance force deterring continued joystick rotation in the operator input direction.