Reply Brief in Support of KSR's Motion for Summary ... - Fried Frank

United States Patent (19)Smith et ala(11) Patent Number:(45) ,Date of Patent:5,063,811Nov. 12, 1991(54) ACCEERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY(75) Inventors: Ronald A. Smith, Milford; Joseph M.Pace, Livonia, both of Mich.(73) Assignee: Ford Motor Company, Dearborn,Mich.(21)(22)(51)(52)(58)Appl. No.: 550,257Filed: Jut 9, 1990Int. CI.s ........................ G05G 1/14; F02D 41/10U.s. CI. ................................... 74/513; 200/61.89;338/153Field of Search ............... 74/513,482; 200/61.89,200/86.5; 338/153(56) References CitedU.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS3,388,611 6/1968 Clary et al. .......................... 74/5133.630,326 1211971 Kawaguchi ....._................. 19213 S3,641,837 211972 Dean Jr. .............................. 74/5133,695,379 10/1972 Veileux ...................... 200/61.89 X3,857,304 1211974 Berndt .................................. 74/8774,087,776 5/1978 Donato ............................ 74/513 X4,297;550 10/1981 Leighton ......................... 200/61.894,335,689 6/1982 Abe et aI. .......................... 123/3394,703.823 11/1987 Yogo et aL. ......................... 180/1974,718,380 1/1988 Katayose et aI. .................. 123/3994;727,838 3/1988 Oshiage et al. .................... 123/3614.802,381 211989 Hsin-Hsin ............................ 74/5134.831.985 5/1989 Mabee et al. ...................... 123/3994,875.385 10/1989 Siirin ................................. 74/513 X4,883,037 11/1989 Mabee et ala ....................... 123/3994.944,269 7/1990 1moehl .............................. 74/513 X4.958,607 10/1990 Lundberg .......................:. 74/513 X4,976.166 12/1990 Davi et ala ..................... 338/153 XPrimary Examiner-Allan D. HernnannAssistant Examiner-Julie KrolikowskiAttorney, Agent. or Finn-Jerome R. Drouilard; RogerL. May(57) ABSTClAn electronic accelerator pedal asembly for vehiclesincludinga base bracket a,pted to bè secured to thefloor pan and having an upper housing fixedly supportingthe associated electronic componentry indicatingacclerator pedal position. including the output winngfree' from the hostie environment zone beneath theaccelerator pedal. The accelerator pedal is hingedlyconnected to the basic bracket member at a lower endand rotatably and slidably coupled to a spnng biasedfollower member at its upper end by a jointly radiatingcoupling, and the follower member tranmits pedaltrvel to the electronic componentry and includes astop member for retaning the accelerator pedal in idleposition.11 Clai,S Drawig Sheets4272