Pressure releasable vehicle pedal assembly

摘要

A releasable brake pedal system 10 for a vehicle includes a pedal assembly 12 operatively engageable by the driver of the vehicle and a hydraulic actuator assembly 20 for generating pressurized hydraulic fluid for actuating one or more brakes 44A-44D. The pedal system 10 further includes a pressure release valve 30 or 30' coupled in fluid communication with the pressurized hydraulic fluid. The pressure release valve 30 or 30' is operative to reduce the amount of pressure applied to the brakes 44A-44D during a detected vehicle deceleration indicative of a collision event. The pressure release valve 30 is responsive to a deceleration sensor 40 according to one embodiment, and valve 30' employs a deceleration sensitive inertial mass 76 according to another embodiment. Accordingly, the pedal system 10 reduces forces that may otherwise be transferred to the pedal assembly 12 during a collision.