A foot pedal assembly for controlling a robotic surgical system includes a foot pedal assembly base including an axle, a foot pedal slidably and pivotally coupled to the axle, and a sensor arrangement configured to detect an axial position of the foot pedal along the axle and a pivoted position of the foot pedal around the axle. Different combinations of different detected axial positions and detected pivoted positions are correlateable to different functions of the robotic surgical system.

An electronic vehicle clutch pedal comprising a pedal housing and a pedal arm coupled to and rotatable relative to the housing and including a distal drum rotatable relative to the pedal housing and defining a contact surface including at plurality of surface segments with different slopes. A force lever is pivotable about the pedal housing and has a first end abutted against the contact surface on the drum of the pedal arm. A compressible member has a first end abutted against a lower surface of the pedal arm and a second end abutted against a second end of the force lever. The pedal arm is rotatable about the pedal housing to cause the pivoting of the force lever relative to the pedal housing and cause the first end of the compressible member to exert a variable force against the pedal arm.

The present invention pertains to programming a foot pedal and switches located therewith that is used with a medical device and/or medical device system. A user may select any switch or directional movement available on the foot pedal for programming by activating the switch and/or moving a treadle located on the foot pedal or by selecting a foot pedal feature on a display. The programming options available for the selected switch or directional movement are displayed on the display screen. Using the foot pedal, the display screen, voice command or combinations thereof, the user can navigate through different options to select one or more options and confirm the chosen option(s) for the particular switch or directional movement. The control and feel of the movement of the treadle and/or switch provides the user with the ability to program custom settings that suit the user's foot position(s) and/or particular style of surgery.

The present invention pertains to programming a foot pedal and switches located therewith that is used with a medical device and/or medical device system. A user may select any switch or directional movement available on the foot pedal for programming by activating the switch and/or moving a treadle located on the foot pedal or by selecting a foot pedal feature on a display. The programming options available for the selected switch or directional movement are displayed on the display screen. Using the foot pedal, the display screen, voice command or combinations thereof, the user can navigate through different options to select one or more options and confirm the chosen option(s) for the particular switch or directional movement. The control and feel of the movement of the treadle and/or switch provides the user with the ability to program custom settings that suit the user's foot position(s) and/or particular style of surgery.

A bidirectional pedal assembly for a vehicle. The assembly includes a support mounted on the vehicle and a pedal pivotally coupled to the support about a pivot shaft. The pedal pivots between a neutral position and first and second operational positions. A biasing member is mounted within the support and continuously biases the pedal to the neutral position. A control mechanism is coupled to the support and the pedal to retard pivotal movement of the pedal as the pedal returns from the operational positions to the neutral position. A handle can be coupled to the pedal and pivot concurrently with the pedal. A frictional mechanism can be disposed within the support and provide increasing resistance as the pedal moves increasingly away from the neutral position. The biasing mechanism, frictional mechanism, and/or control mechanism are configured to force the pedal to the neutral position with no overshoot within a predetermined period.

A bidirectional pedal assembly for a vehicle. The assembly includes a support mounted on the vehicle and a pedal pivotally coupled to the support about a pivot shaft. The pedal pivots between a neutral position and first and second operational positions. A biasing member is mounted within the support and continuously biases the pedal to the neutral position. A control mechanism is coupled to the support and the pedal to retard pivotal movement of the pedal as the pedal returns from the operational positions to the neutral position. A handle can be coupled to the pedal and pivot concurrently with the pedal. A frictional mechanism can be disposed within the support and provide increasing resistance as the pedal moves increasingly away from the neutral position. The biasing mechanism, frictional mechanism, and/or control mechanism are configured to force the pedal to the neutral position with no overshoot within a predetermined period.

A hinge assembly includes a pivoting body attached to a base with a front surface. The pivoting body has a front end and rear end and at least one friction reducing member biased rearwardly against the front surface of the body. The friction reducing member is retractable relative to the pivoting body substantially parallel to the direction of the bias. The front surface has an inclined portion and an apex. When the pivoting body is in a rest position the at least one friction reducing member is maintained at the apex. The pivoting body is pivotable in a first direction to an activation that causes the friction reducing member to roll along the inclined portion with the friction reducing member retracting in the forward direction against the bias. When force is removed from the pivoting body in the activation position, the bias against the contoured front surface returns the pivoting body to the rest position via indirect forces.

A hinge assembly includes a pivoting body attached to a base with a front surface. The pivoting body has a front end and rear end and at least one friction reducing member biased rearwardly against the front surface of the body. The friction reducing member is retractable relative to the pivoting body substantially parallel to the direction of the bias. The front surface has an inclined portion and an apex. When the pivoting body is in a rest position the at least one friction reducing member is maintained at the apex. The pivoting body is pivotable in a first direction to an activation that causes the friction reducing member to roll along the inclined portion with the friction reducing member retracting in the forward direction against the bias. When force is removed from the pivoting body in the activation position, the bias against the contoured front surface returns the pivoting body to the rest position via indirect forces.

A vehicle interior structure includes a pedal-backward-preventive bracket against which a supporting portion of a control panel abuts when the control pedal controlled by a foot of a driver moves backward, the pedal-backward-preventive bracket being fixed to an instrumental panel support member extending in a vehicle width direction, a mount bracket on which a head-up display is mounted, the mount bracket being fixed to the instrumental panel support member, and a load transfer portion that is provided between the pedal-backward-preventive bracket and the mount bracket to transfer a rearward load input to the pedal-backward-preventive bracket to the mount bracket via the supporting portion.

A vehicle interior structure includes a pedal-backward-preventive bracket against which a supporting portion of a control panel abuts when the control pedal controlled by a foot of a driver moves backward, the pedal-backward-preventive bracket being fixed to an instrumental panel support member extending in a vehicle width direction, a mount bracket on which a head-up display is mounted, the mount bracket being fixed to the instrumental panel support member, and a load transfer portion that is provided between the pedal-backward-preventive bracket and the mount bracket to transfer a rearward load input to the pedal-backward-preventive bracket to the mount bracket via the supporting portion.