1. A pedal assembly, comprising:
a bracket;
a pedal lever pivotally mounted to the bracket along a first axis, the pedal lever pivotal about the first axis in a first plane, and the pedal lever having opposing first and second ends and a middle portion disposed therebetween;
a roller mounted to the pedal lever at the middle portion;
a spring mounted to the bracket; and
a cam pivotally mounted to the bracket along a second axis oriented perpendicularly to the first axis, the cam pivotal about the second axis in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, and the cam engaging one end of the spring so as to load the spring as the cam pivots;
wherein the cam has a pre-determined cam profile and the roller engages the cam profile to pivot the cam in the second plane and load the spring during the stroke of the pedal lever in the first plane.
2. A pedal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cam twists the spring.
3. A pedal assembly comprising:
a bracket;
a pedal lever pivotally mounted to the bracket along a first axis, the pedal lever pivotal about the first axis in a first plane;
a roller mounted to the pedal lever;
a shaft fixedly secured to the bracket;
a spring fixedly mounted on the shaft; and
a cam pivotally mounted to the bracket along a second axis oriented perpendicularly to the first axis, the cam pivotal about the second axis in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, and the cam directly engaging one end of the spring so as to load the spring as the cam pivots;
wherein the cam has a pre-determined cam profile and the roller engages the cam profile to pivot the cam in the second plane and load the spring during the stroke of the pedal lever in the first plane.
4. A pedal assembly comprising:
a bracket;
a pedal lever pivotally mounted to the bracket along a first axis, the pedal lever pivotal about the first axis in a first plane;
a spring mounted to the bracket; and
a cam pivotally mounted to the bracket along a second axis oriented perpendicularly to the first axis, the cam pivotal about the second axis in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, and the cam directly engaging one end of the spring so as to load the spring as the cam pivots;
wherein the cam has a pre-determined cam profile and a portion of the pedal lever engages the cam profile to pivot the cam in the second plane and load the spring during the stroke of the pedal lever in the first plane.
5. A pedal assembly according to claim 4, wherein the spring includes one end bearing against the bracket and an opposing end bearing against the cam.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A method for manufacturing electrode plates for a battery, comprising:
mixing a solvent into a polyolefin-based resin used as a binder;
heating the mixture of the polyolefin-based resin and the solvent at a temperature at which at least part of the polyolefin-based resin will melt, thereby producing a viscous, gelled adhesive solution;
kneading a mixture of a conductive material, a battery active material, and the gelled adhesive solution to produce a paste mixture;
coating a collector with the paste mixture to form a mixture layer;
heating and drying the collector on which the mixture layer is formed; and
press-molding the mixture layer to a specific thickness.
2. The method for manufacturing electrode plates according to claim 1, further comprising a step of cooling the adhesive solution to a temperature between 175 C. and 30 C. prior to mixing thereof with the conductive material and the battery active material.
3. The method for manufacturing electrode plates according to claim 1, wherein the temperature in the heating and drying step is set to be over the boiling point of the solvent in the adhesive solution and under the melting point of the polyolefin-based resin.
4. The method for manufacturing electrode plates according to claim 1, wherein the polyolefin-based resin is polyethylene, and the mixture of the polyethylene and the solvent is heated to a temperature between 30 C. to 160 C.