Foot pedal force transducer

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG.
1, in an illustration of the in-use application of the foot pedal force transducer of the present invention, the transducer 10 includes a slipper having a base place, or sole 12 and an upper portion 14 in the form of a strap or sheath, which is attached to the sole and which is adapted to releasably engage the foot 16 of the human operator.
The transducer includes a piezoresistive strain gauge 18 attached to the bottom surface of the sole in a region which is coextensive with a force transmitting portion of the sole, namely that portion of the sole which engages, generally, the ball of the foot of the operator.
The strain gauge has two planar parallel major surfaces including a mounting surface attached to the sole and a bearing surface adapted for contact with the face of the brake pedal 20 of the automobile brake pedal assembly 22.
The strain gauge provides the transmission path for the force applied by the operator, from the force transmitting portion of the sole to the brake pedal 20.
As such the strain gauge is compressively loaded by the entire applied force.
The entire force applied by the operator is distributed across the bearing surface of the strain gauge which is in contact with the brake pedal.
The strain gauge provides a signal at a magnitude representative of the force applied through interconnecting lines included in an umbilical cord 24, which includes a plug 26 for interconnecting the transducer 10 with the diagnostic test equipment.
The cord 24 is typically attached through a strain relief clamp 28 to the sole 12 to prevent the cord from breaking away from the strain gauge housing.
The transducer 10 is adapted for quickly engaging and releasing the operator's foot, such that the transducer is quickly put on or taken off as may be required for the production line diagnostic testing.
Since the brake test procedure involves a relatively short time interval and, for a high volume diagnostic test line, a comparatively high frequency of use (two to three minute intervals) the present foot pedal force transducer provides for a highly practical device since it may be quickly slipped on or off the operator's foot