An accelerator device includes a pedal lever, a power transmission mechanism, and a control unit. The pedal lever is movable in response to a pedal depression operation, and is biased in a return direction by a pedal biasing member. The power transmission mechanism includes an actuator lever that is contactable with the pedal lever and is biased in the return direction of the pedal lever by an actuator lever biasing member, and is capable of applying a reaction force to the pedal lever, which is a force in the return direction by a driving force of a drive source via the actuator lever. The control unit controls energization of the drive source, and performs a brake control in which a return speed of the actuator lever is reduced when the pedal lever returns to a fully closed direction.

A vehicle includes a drive unit configured to generate a drive torque in driving relationship to wheels of the vehicle, and a gas pedal constructed in the form of an active accelerator pedal which is adjustable over a pedal travel. A control device activates the drive unit in response to a desired torque given by a driver through actuation of the accelerator pedal. Operatively connected to the control device is an actuator which applies a resistance force upon the accelerator pedal, thereby generating a pressure point for the accelerator pedal, with the resistance force increasing in a locally limited pedal travel interval up to a maximum force which can be overridden by the driver. An evaluation unit of the control unit generates a deactivation signal within the pedal travel interval, when the accelerator pedal reaches a predefined limit hold time.

An active vibratory pedal comprising a pedal housing and a pedal housing cover. A pedal arm extends into the pedal housing. An electric vibratory motor is mounted on the pedal arm. A power cable extends from the motor into the end of the pedal arm extending into the pedal housing. A motor power connection assembly includes, in one embodiment, electrical contactors coupled to the end of the power cable and located in an open recess defined in the drum of the pedal arm. Conductive tracks are formed on the cover of the pedal housing. The contactors are in sliding contact with the contactor tracks. Power connection terminals extend through the cover and into electrical contact with the conductive tracks. In another embodiment, terminals extend through the cover and into electrical contact with the end of the power cable extending into the open recess defined in the drum of the pedal.

A method for the operation of at least one actuator for a force controller of a device, for which a user of the device is provided with a haptic feedback message about at least one operating state of the device by a force, which is predetermined in its strength and acts by way of at least one actuator on the force controller, when the force controller is brought by the user to at least one predetermined point on a track of movement of the force controller. The at least one actuator is controlled in such a way that the strength of the force acting by way of the at least one actuator on the force controller is reduced after another predetermined period of time.

Provided is a pedal reactive force controller including: a reaction force adding unit for adding reaction force to a pedal operated by a driver; and an information transmission unit for converting a depression amount of the pedal detected by a stroke sensor into visual information, and conveying the depression amount to the driver by displaying the visual information in an operation amount display section.

A method for controlling a device, in which a control command for controlling the device is produced via a force controller that is actuated by a user. A control unit of the device controls at least one actuator in such a way that the at least one actuator provides the user, at a predetermined path point of the force controller, with a feedback message about at least one state of the device at the force controller. The control unit further controls the at least one actuator in such a way that, in case of a change in the predetermined path point of the force controller to a changed path point lying in the direction of deflection of the force controller in front of the predetermined path point, the at least one actuator shifts the force controller to a desired path point.

A force-feedback assembly includes a first shaft with a shaft end. The first shaft is movable between a shaft first position and a shaft second position. The force-feedback assembly also includes a compliant element arranged to exert a return force on the first shaft and bias the first shaft toward the shaft first position. The force-feedback assembly additionally includes a ramp in sliding engagement with the shaft end. The force-feedback assembly further includes an operator input device operatively coupled to the ramp. The operator input device has a device first position and a device second position. Moving the operator input device from the device first position to the device second position slides the ramp relative to the shaft end and moves the first shaft from the shaft first position to the shaft second position.

A dashboard assembly for a vehicle includes a dashboard defining a receiving niche. The niche is alignable with a driver seat location, and is selectively fillable by each of a removable steering module and a removable filler module. The removable steering module includes a steering module base. A steering wheel support is fixed to the steering module base. A steering wheel is rotatably fixed to the steering wheel support. A steering wheel connector connects the steering wheel to a vehicle steering actuator. The removable filler module includes a filler module base.

An accelerator device includes a pedal lever, a reaction force adjuster and a controller. The pedal lever operates according to a stepping operation. The reaction force adjuster is driven by an actuator, and is capable of adjusting a reaction force that is a force in a direction of pushing back the pedal lever. The controller includes a target operation amount setting unit and a drive control unit. The target operation amount setting unit sets a target operation amount, which is an operation amount of the pedal lever according to a vehicle speed. The drive control unit controls a drive of the actuator. The controller controls the reaction force according to the target operation amount so that the operation amount of the pedal lever is within a target range when switching from an automatic drive to a manual drive.

A reaction force pedal device provided with pedal members operated by a driver, a motor which applies a reaction force to the pedal members through an arm member which is always connected to the pedal members, and a clutch arranged between the motor and the arm member. When the pedal members are displaced, the clutch is temporarily released.