Patent Application
20180257539
The present invention relates to an operation device for a vehicle.
Input devices for vehicles provided with a plurality of switches on the spokes of the steering wheel of a vehicle are known (see Patent Document 1, for example). Such input devices for vehicles include selection switches and function switches. Selection switches are used to select one mode from a preset plurality of modes. A toggle switch capable of being switched in the up-down direction by tilting the knob either up or down may be employed as the selection switch. Function switches are assigned different functions depending on the mode. Examples of modes include an audio mode, an air conditioning mode, a navigation mode, a cruise control mode, and the like. An installed cruise control device may include the function of automatically controlling acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle depending on the distance from it to a vehicle detected to the front by a radar or the like, or simply the function of maintaining the vehicle at a certain speed.
The function switches described in Patent Document 1 have different shapes depending on where the switches are disposed. Thus, the user can easily distinguish between a plurality of function switches by touching the function switch (without looking). Also, these switches have different methods of use and thus operate differently. This is to prevent a mistake in the operation of the function switches. Note that in Patent Document 1, the function switches preferably differ in shape and method of use, and in one embodiment, a rocker switch is used instead of a push switch.
According to the operation device for a vehicle of Patent Document 1, the function switches have different shapes depending on where the switches are disposed so that the user can easily distinguish a switch from a plurality of function switches. However, Patent Document 1 has not described nor suggested as to how the operational state of the function switches can be perceived via touch or sight. In particular, when the function switch is used in cruise control mode, it is important to be able to easily discern the operational state such as the on/off state of the function switch easily via touch or sight. Also, such demands can be expected to be raised for autonomous vehicles in the future.
An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle operation device for which the operational state such as the on/off state of a switch function can be easily discerned via touch or sight.
(1) A vehicle operation device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an operation portion mounted on a predetermined portion of a steering wheel. The operation portion is switchable via a tilt operation. When the operation portion is in a switched on state, a portion of the operation portion projects from a front surface of the steering wheel and a portion projects from a back surface of the steering wheel.
(2) The embodiment described in (1) may have a configuration wherein the predetermined portion includes a spoke portion of the steering wheel; the front surface includes a front surface of the spoke portion; and the back surface includes a back surface of the spoke portion.
(3) The embodiment described in (1) or (2) may have a configuration wherein, when the operation portion is in a switched off state, the operation portion does not project from the front surface or the back surface of the steering wheel.
(4) The embodiment described in any one of (1) to (3) may have a configuration wherein, the operation portion is housed in a housing; and the housing is housed and mounted in an attachment hole portion in the steering wheel, the attachment hole portion being a through-hole from the front surface to the back surface.
(5) The embodiment described in (1) may have a configuration wherein, when the operation portion is in a switched off state, the operation portion does not project from the front surface or the back surface of the steering wheel.
(6) The embodiment described in (2) may have a configuration wherein, when the operation portion is in a switched off state, the operation portion does not project from the front surface or the back surface of the spoke portion.
(7) The embodiment described in (1) may have a configuration wherein, the operation portion includes a projecting portion that projects from the front surface or the back surface of the steering wheel when the operation portion is in a switched off state.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle operation device can be provided for which the operational state such as the on/off state of a switch function can be easily discerned via touch or sight.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an operation device for a vehicle is a steering switch (steering switch R 10, steering switch L 20) mounted on a predetermined portion of a steering wheel 5. The steering switch is provided with an operation portion 12, 22 switchable via a tilt operation. When the operation portion 12, 22 is switched to on, a portion of the operation portion 12, 22 projects from a front surface 6a or a back surface 6b of the steering wheel 5.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The steering switch R 10 is mounted on the spoke portion 6 on the right side, and the steering switch L 20 is mounted on the spoke portion 6 on the left side. The steering switch R 10 and the steering switch L 20 are disposed at a location so to be operable primarily with fingers when the driver grips the wheel portion 7 with his/her hands. The steering switch R 10 and the steering switch L 20 are each required to be mounted on a predetermined portion of the steering wheel, which is a position where the steering switch R 10 and the steering switch L 20 are operable by a driver, however the mounting position is not limited to the spoke portion 6.
The steering switch R 10 is an operation device for a vehicle mounted on the spoke portion 6, which is a predetermined portion of the steering wheel 5 on the right side. In a similar manner, the steering switch L 20 is an operation device for a vehicle mounted on the spoke portion 6, which is a predetermined portion of the steering wheel 5 on the left side. The steering switch L 20 has a configuration and operation similar to that of the steering switch R 10, thus just the steering switch R 10 is described below.
The steering switch R 10, which is an operation device for a vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention, is mounted on a predetermined portion of the steering wheel 5 and includes the operation portion 12 switchable via an tilt operation. When the operation portion 12 is switched to on, a portion of the operation portion 12 projects from the front surface 6a or the back surface 6b of the steering wheel 5.
Here, “tilt operation” refers to the operation portion 12 being operated to rotate about a rotational shaft 11 in a range not greater than a predetermined angle. The rotation center of the operation portion 12 (tilt axis center) is not limited to being the center of the operation portion 12. Also, the front surface 6a of the steering wheel 5 faces the driver illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The operation portion 12 has six faces including a front operation face 12a disposed on the front surface 6a side of the spoke portion 6 and a back operation face 12b disposed on the back surface 6b side. The operation portion 12 is supported in the housing 14 in a manner allowing for tilt operation with respect to the rotational shaft 11, as described above. As illustrated in
In a neutral position, the front operation face 12a of the operation portion 12 is disposed substantially flush with the front surface 6a of the spoke portion 6. Alternatively, the front operation face 12a is disposed slightly recessed toward the inside of the housing from the front surface 6a of the spoke portion 6. Also, the back operation face 12b of the operation portion 12 is disposed substantially flush with the back surface 6b of the spoke portion 6. Alternatively, the back operation face 12b is disposed slightly recessed toward the inside of the housing from the back surface 6b of the spoke portion 6. In such a configuration, tilt operation of the operation portion 12 about the rotational shaft 11 makes a portion of the front operation face 12a of the operation portion 12 project from the front surface 6a of the spoke portion 6 and a portion of the back operation face 12b of the operation portion 12 project from the back surface 6b of the spoke portion 6.
Also, gaps d1, d2 between the operation portion 12 and the walls of the housing 14 illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Though omitted from the drawings, the detent portion 17 may also have a cyclic operation configuration in which with one press of the front operation face 12a of the operation portion 12, the operation portion 12 is held in the on operation position, and with another press of the front operation face 12a, the tip of the detent piece 17a and the groove portion 17b are released from their held state and the operation portion 12 returns to the neutral position (off position), urged by the return spring 16. For example, a configuration can be employed that incorporates known technology (technology used in retractable ballpoint pens for example) in which a cam mechanism enables the detent piece 17a to be alternately held and released by a tilt operation of the operation portion 12.
The operation of switching the steering switch R 10 to on from the neutral position (off operation position) illustrated in
In the on operation position, the front left corner portion 12d of the operation portion 12 projects from the front surface 6a of the spoke portion 6. By a portion of the operation portion 12 projecting from the front surface 6a of the spoke portion 6, the on operational state of the steering switch R 10 can be easily visually discerned. Also, by the gaps d1, d2 between the operation portion 12 and the walls of the housing 14 illustrated in
When the operation portion 12 is in the on operation position, the front left corner portion 12d of the operation portion 12 projects from the front surface 6a of the spoke portion 6 and a back right corner portion 12e of the operation portion 12 projects from the back surface 6b of the spoke portion 6. By a portion of the operation portion 12 projecting from the front surface 6a and the back surface 6b of the spoke portion 6, the projecting portion can be easily felt with fingers, and via this tactile sensation, perceptibility is improved.
Next, the operation of switching the steering switch R 10 to off from the on operation position illustrated in
As described above, in a configuration in which the on/off operation of the operation portion 12 is configured as a cyclic operation, when the operation portion 12 is in the on operation position illustrated in
The steering switch according to the second embodiment has a configuration in which, when in the neutral position (off operation position), a portion of the operation portion 12, specifically a front left corner portion 12f of the operation portion 12, projects from the front surface 6a of the spoke portion 6. Except for this, the configuration and operation is similar to that of the first embodiment and thus description thereof is omitted. Such a configuration allows the projecting portion to be felt by fingers in the neutral position (off operation position), and the projecting amount can be used to easily distinguish between whether the operation portion 12 is in the neutral position (off operation position) or the on operation position. This configuration has the same effects as the first embodiment and can further improve the perceptibility via tactile sensation of the finger.
In the third embodiment, the steering switch R 10 is applied to a cruise control device.
Cruise control is, for example, a way of restricting the vehicle 1 to a certain speed so that the vehicle 1 maintains a set speed (set vehicle speed Vc).
As illustrated in
The engine ECU 50 is, for example, a computer unit including primarily a CPU, and also includes an input/output interface, a timer, a counter, and the like. Also, the engine ECU 50 is connected to various sensors such as a gear position sensor, a brake pedal sensor, a throttle position sensor, and the like, and the output values from these sensors are input into the engine ECU 50. The engine ECU 50 functions to regularly control the engine on the basis of an accelerator position Ac by performing concentrated control of the fuel injection system (electronic fuel injection (EFI)), ignition timing system (electronic spark advance ESA)), idle speed system (idle speed control (ISC)), and the like.
An accelerator position sensor 60 is attached to the accelerator pedal and detects the gradient of the magnetic field induced by the accelerator position (operated level) Ac via a magnetic detection element as an output voltage. The accelerator position sensor 60 outputs the detected accelerator position Ac to the engine ECU 50.
A vehicle speed sensor 80 includes, for example, a wheel speed sensor attached to each wheel and a skid control computer. The wheel speed sensor outputs a wheel speed pulse signal. The skid control computer converts the wheel speed pulse signal to a vehicle speed square-wave pulse signal (vehicle speed signal). The converted vehicle speed square-wave pulse signal is ultimately output to the engine ECU 50 as a vehicle speed V.
The cruise control device 90 acquires the vehicle speed V from the engine ECU 50 and the set vehicle speed Vc from the steering switch ECU 25 over the onboard network 40, and, on the basis of this information, controls the engine to run maintaining the set vehicle speed Vc. Cruise control involves adjusting primarily the rotation angle of a throttle motor 70 on the basis of a difference between the vehicle speed V acquired from the vehicle speed sensor 80 and the set vehicle speed Vc.
By switching the steering switch R 10 to on to turn on the main power source of the cruise control system, and only after confirming that the gear position is in a predetermined gear position, cruise control is activated. In other words, cruise control is activated by the front right corner portion 12c of the operation portion 12 being pressed down into the housing by the thumb 200a from the neutral position (off operation position) illustrated in
In the on operation position, the front left corner portion 12d of the operation portion 12 projects from the front surface 6a of the spoke portion 6. By a portion of the operation portion 12 projecting from the front surface 6a of the spoke portion 6, the on operational state of the steering switch R 10 can be easily visually discerned. Also, by the gaps d1, d2 between the operation portion 12 and the walls of the housing 14 illustrated in
Control of cruise control is deactivated when: 1) the main power source of the cruise control system is turned off by an operation of the main switch; 2) the steering switch R 10 is switched to off; or 3) the brake pedal is operated to a predetermined level or greater.
In switching the steering switch R 10 to off, the following operations take place. As illustrated in
In the fourth embodiment according to the present invention, a steering switch L 20 is mounted on the left side of the steering wheel 5 and has the function of turning speech recognition on and off. In other words, a portion of vehicle controls or control functions of the onboard devices often used while driving the vehicle are assigned to the steering switch.
In
The neutral position illustrated in
As illustrated in
(1) According to the first embodiment, in a neutral position (off operation position), the front operation face 12a of the operation portion 12 is disposed substantially flush with the front surface 6a of the spoke portion 6. Alternatively, the front operation face 12a is disposed slightly recessed toward the inside of the housing from the front surface 6a of the spoke portion 6. Also, the back operation face 12b of the operation portion 12 is disposed substantially flush with the back surface 6b of the spoke portion 6. Alternatively, the back operation face 12b is disposed slightly recessed toward the inside of the housing from the back surface 6b of the spoke portion 6. In the on operation position, tilt operation of the operation portion 12 about the rotational shaft 11 makes a portion of the front operation face 12a of the operation portion 12 project from the front surface 6a of the spoke portion 6 and a portion of the back operation face 12b of the operation portion 12 project from the back surface 6b of the spoke portion 6. By a portion of the operation portion 12 projecting from the front surface 6a of the spoke portion 6, the on operational state of the steering switch R 10 can be easily visually discerned. Also, by the gaps d1, d2 between the operation portion 12 and the walls of the housing 14 illustrated in
(2) According to the second embodiment, when the operation portion 12 is in the neutral position (off operation position), a portion of the operation portion 12, specifically a front left corner portion 12f of the operation portion 12, projects from the front surface 6a of the spoke portion 6. Such a configuration allows the projecting portion to be felt by a finger in the neutral position (off operation position), and the projecting amount can be used to easily distinguish between whether the operation portion 12 is in the neutral position (off operation position) or the on operation position. This configuration has the same effects as the first embodiment and can further improve the perceptibility via tactile sensation of the finger.
(3) According to the third embodiment in which a steering switch is applied to a cruise control switch, (visual and tactile) perceptibility of the on/off operational state of the cruise control switch, which is a switch important to driving safety, can be improved. This configuration allows driving safety to be improved. Also, the steering switch according to this embodiment of the present invention has future application to autonomous vehicles, and can contribute to the driving safety of such vehicles.
(4) According to the fourth embodiment, a steering switch can be attached to a discretionary position on the steering wheel 5 and various functions can be assigned to the steering switch. For example, the steering switch may be assigned the on/off function for speech recognition. By such an often used steering switch being able to be moved physically closer in a similar manner to that of the cruise control example, operability is improved.
(5) By assigning a steering switch according to another embodiment of the present invention various functions important to the driving of the vehicle, the operational state such as the on/off state of the function switch can be easily discerned via touch or sight, thus also providing effects of driving safety. Also, with such demands being expected to be raised for autonomous vehicles in the future, the steering switch according to an embodiment of the present invention can be effectively applied to autonomous vehicles.
Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are merely examples and the invention according to the claims is not to be limited thereto. These novel embodiments may be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, changes, and the like can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, all the combinations of the features described in these embodiments are not necessarily needed to solve the technical problem. Further, these embodiments are included within the spirit and scope of the invention and also within the invention described in the claims and the scope of equivalents thereof.
An embodiment of the present invention can be applied to an operation device for a vehicle such as a steering switch mounted on a steering wheel of a vehicle.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-252785 | Dec 2014 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2015/083018 | 11/25/2015 | WO | 00 |
