CN219668314U - Steering device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model provides a steering device for a vehicle, which can achieve both steering performance of the steering device for a vehicle and ease of driving posture of a driver. A steering device for a vehicle includes: a steering shaft; and a steering wheel provided on the steering shaft to rotate the steering shaft, wherein the steering wheel has spokes extending in a vehicle width direction in a steering neutral state, and a rim supported by the spokes, and a connecting portion is provided between the spokes and the rim, the rim has a lower rim portion extending downward from the connecting portion, the rim has a rear surface side corresponding to the steering shaft, and a surface side opposite to the rear surface side, the rim has a most surface portion closest to the surface side as viewed in cross section, the lower rim portion of the steering wheel is formed with a grip surface facing a passenger side, and the grip surface is formed at a position further inside the rim than the most surface portion.

Description

Steering device for vehicle

Technical Field

The present utility model relates to a steering device for a vehicle.

Background

In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transport systems that also take into account people in a wealthy standpoint among traffic participants are being activated. In order to achieve the object, research and development on driving assistance technology is being conducted to further improve safety or convenience of traffic. However, in the driving support technique, steering performance of the vehicle steering device and ease of driving posture of a driver who operates the vehicle steering device are problems.

For example, in the related art, a driver can hold a steering wheel with his/her hand to keep the steering wheel balanced, and can turn the steering wheel in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to rotate a steering shaft, thereby driving a vehicle to steer by being connected to steering wheels via a transmission mechanism. In the normal driving mode, the driver generally holds the steering wheel with both hands on the rightmost and leftmost sides (i.e., the 3 o 'clock and 9 o' clock directions) in the vehicle width direction, respectively. At this time, the steering performance of the steering device for a vehicle is most stable. However, such a driving posture causes the driver's elbows to hang, and fatigue tends to be accumulated for the driver. Accordingly, in the driving assistance mode, since the driving of the vehicle is being assisted by the driving assistance system, the driver can hold both hands on the left lower side and the right lower side of the steering wheel (i.e., the lower sides in the 3 o 'clock direction and the 9 o' clock direction), or hold the left lower side or the right lower side of the steering wheel with one hand, respectively. At this time, the elbow of the driver is close to the body side, and the fingers of the driver do not need to grip the steering wheel, so that the driver can have a relatively easy driving posture. However, when the driving condition of the vehicle is switched from the driving assistance mode to the normal driving mode, the driver still needs to quickly change to the driving posture in the normal driving mode, resulting in that the driver cannot really relax based on the safety consideration. If the driver still adopts a relatively easy driving posture, the steering performance of the vehicle steering system is unstable and there is a safety concern.

The present utility model has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present utility model is to achieve a vehicle steering system that can achieve both of steering performance and ease of driving posture of a driver. And, in turn, helps to develop sustainable delivery systems.

Disclosure of Invention

The utility model provides a steering device for a vehicle, which can achieve both steering performance of the steering device for a vehicle and ease of driving posture of a driver.

The steering device for a vehicle according to the present utility model includes: a steering shaft; and a steering wheel provided on the steering shaft to rotate the steering shaft, wherein the steering wheel has spokes extending in a vehicle width direction in a steering neutral state, and a rim supported by the spokes, and a connecting portion is provided between the spokes and the rim, the rim has a lower rim portion extending downward from the connecting portion, the rim has a rear surface side corresponding to the steering shaft, and a surface side opposite to the rear surface side, the rim has a most surface portion closest to the surface side as viewed in cross section, the lower rim portion of the steering wheel is formed with a grip surface facing a passenger side, and the grip surface is formed at a position further inside the rim than the most surface portion.

In one embodiment of the present utility model, the steering wheel includes a first virtual line extending from a center of the steering wheel to the connecting portion, a second virtual line extending from the center of the steering wheel to below the rim, and a third virtual line extending from the center of the steering wheel to a middle between the first virtual line and the second virtual line, and the grip surface is formed at a portion intersecting the third virtual line on the lower rim portion.

In one embodiment of the present utility model, the grip surface extends from an intersection point of the lower rim portion and the third virtual line toward the connecting portion.

In one embodiment of the present utility model, the lower rim portion is formed with a rising portion that rises toward the inside of the rim on a lower side than the grip surface.

As described above, in the steering device for a vehicle according to the present utility model, the lower rim portion of the steering wheel is formed with the grip surface facing the passenger side, and the grip surface is formed at a position further inward of the rim than the outermost surface portion of the rim. In this way, regardless of the driving mode of the vehicle, even if the driver takes a relatively easy driving posture to hold the vehicle on the lower rim portion with his/her hand, the thumb of the driver can be placed on the holding surface on the inner side of the rim than the outermost surface portion to increase the contact area with the steering wheel, thereby improving the steering performance of the steering device for the vehicle. Accordingly, the vehicle steering device according to the present utility model can achieve both the steering performance of the vehicle steering device and the ease of driving posture of the driver.

In order to make the above features and advantages of the present utility model more comprehensible, embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a steering device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the vehicular steering apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a rim for the steering device for a vehicle shown in FIG. 1, taken along section line A-A';

fig. 4 is an enlarged partial schematic view of the vehicular steering apparatus shown in fig. 1.

Reference numerals illustrate:

100: a steering device for a vehicle;

110: a steering shaft;

120: a steering wheel;

122: spokes;

124: a rim;

124a: a most surface portion;

124b: a lower rim portion;

126: a connection part;

128: a grip surface;

129: a rising part;

130: an operation interface;

c: a center;

l1: a first virtual line;

l2: a second virtual line;

l3: a third virtual line;

p: an intersection point;

s1: the inner side;

s2: a surface side.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is a schematic front view of a steering device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present utility model, fig. 2 is a schematic side view of the steering device for a vehicle shown in fig. 1, fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a rim for the steering device for a vehicle shown in fig. 1 along a cross-sectional line A-A', and fig. 4 is an enlarged schematic partial view of the steering device for a vehicle shown in fig. 1. The specific composition of the vehicular steering apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 1 to 4, but this is only one example of the present utility model, and the present utility model is not limited thereto, and may be adjusted according to the requirements.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, in the present embodiment, a steering device 100 for a vehicle includes a steering shaft 110 and a steering wheel 120. Among them, the steering shaft 110 is, for example, connected to a steering wheel (not shown) of a vehicle via a transmission mechanism, and the steering wheel 120 is provided on the steering shaft 110 with its planar direction intersecting perpendicularly with the extending direction of the steering shaft 110 (as shown in fig. 2). In this way, the driver can hold the steering wheel 120 with his/her hand to maintain the balance of the steering wheel 120, and can turn the steering wheel 120 in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction to rotate the steering shaft 110, thereby driving the vehicle to steer by being connected to the steering wheel via a transmission mechanism, not shown. However, the present utility model is not limited to the specific structure of the steering device 100 for a vehicle, the specific structure of the vehicle to which it is applied, and the like, and may be adjusted according to the need.

Specifically, in the present embodiment, the steering wheel 120 includes spokes 122 extending in the vehicle width direction (i.e., the left-right direction in fig. 1) in the steering neutral state (i.e., the state in fig. 1), and a rim 124 supported by the spokes 122, and a connecting portion 126 is provided between the spokes 122 and the rim 124. As an example, the center C of the steering wheel 120 is provided with an operation interface 130, and the spokes 122 extend outward in the vehicle width direction from the operation interface 130 and are parallel to the vehicle width direction. Accordingly, the rim 124 having a continuous annular structure surrounds the spokes 122, the operation interface 130, and the like as an outer peripheral member of the steering wheel 120, and is supported by the spokes 122. In this way, the connecting portions 126 between the spokes 122 and the rim 124 are located substantially on the rightmost and leftmost sides of the rim 124 in the vehicle width direction. However, in other embodiments not shown, the rim 124 may be a non-annular continuous ring structure (e.g., D-shaped or square) or a non-continuous structure (e.g., a pair of arcuate grips disposed on the outside of the spokes 122). The connection portion 126 between the spoke 122 and the rim 124 may be located on the upper side or the lower side of the steering wheel 120 (for example, the spoke 122 extends obliquely upward or downward from the center C of the steering wheel 120).

The specific structure of the steering wheel 120 is not limited by the present utility model, and may be adjusted according to the need.

Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 2, the rim 124 has a rear side S1 corresponding to the steering shaft 110, and a front side S2 opposite to the rear side S1. As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the rim 124 has a surface-most portion 124a closest to the surface side S2 as viewed in cross section. I.e. the one that is the one. The point closest to the surface side S2 on each cross section of the rim 124 is taken as the most surface point, and the most surface points on each cross section are connected along the shape of the rim 124, so that a most surface portion 124a formed in a circular ring shape as shown by a broken line in fig. 1 is obtained, and the most surface portion 124a is the most convex portion on the surface of the rim 124 corresponding to the surface side S2. As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the rim 124 has a lower rim portion 124b extending downward from the connecting portion 126. The lower rim portion 124b of the steering wheel 120 is formed with a grip surface 128 facing the passenger side (corresponding to the front surface side S2), and the grip surface 128 is formed at a position further inside the rim 124 than the outermost surface portion 124a. That is, the grip surface 128 is located on the lower rim portion 124b at a position facing the passenger side, and is further inward of the rim 124 than the outermost surface portion 124a closest to the surface side S2. In particular, the grip surface 128 is formed to be recessed toward the inside of the lower rim portion 124b, so as to be able to accommodate the thumb of the driver.

As can be seen from this, in the present embodiment, when the driver holds the rim 124 of the steering wheel 120 with his or her hand to operate the steering wheel 120, the palm of the driver is located on the rim 124 at a position that is outside the outermost surface portion 124a and the fingers of the driver are located on the rim 124 at a position that is inside the outermost surface portion 124a. In the normal driving mode, the driver can avoid the spoke 122 with both hands holding the rightmost and leftmost (i.e., 3 o 'clock and 9 o' clock) portions of the steering wheel 120 in the vehicle width direction, respectively, and slightly above the connecting portion 126. At this time, the grip surface 128 is located on the lower rim portion 124b below the connecting portion 126 without interfering with the driving posture of the driver in the normal driving mode. Accordingly, in the driving assistance mode, since the driving of the vehicle is being assisted by the driving assistance system, the driver can hold both hands on the left lower side and the right lower side (i.e., the lower sides in the 3 o 'clock direction and the 9 o' clock direction) of the steering wheel 120, or hold the left lower side or the right lower side of the steering wheel 120 with one hand, respectively. At this time, the driver's hand can move toward the lower rim portion 124b and grip the portion near the grip surface 128. The driver's elbow is close to the body side and the driver's fingers do not need to grip the steering wheel, so that the driver can have a relatively relaxed driving posture.

Further, in the present embodiment, since the grip surface 128 is located on the lower rim portion 124b at a position facing the passenger side and further toward the inside of the rim 124 than the outermost surface portion 124a, it can correspond to the thumb of the driver. The driver can grip the inner peripheral side of the lower rim portion 124b with fingers while wrapping the outer periphery of the lower rim portion 124b with the palm, and the thumb of the driver is caught on the grip surface 128 to increase the contact area. That is, even if the driver adopts a relatively easy driving posture, the steering performance of the vehicle steering device 100 can be maintained while maintaining the operation stability with respect to the steering wheel 120. Thus, when the driving condition of the vehicle is switched from the driving assistance mode to the normal driving mode, the driver can still operate the steering wheel 120 with a relatively easy driving posture (without having to quickly change to the driving posture in the normal driving mode). In this way, regardless of the driving mode of the vehicle, even if the driver takes a relatively easy driving posture to hold the vehicle on the lower rim portion 124b with his or her hand, the thumb of the driver can be placed on the holding surface 128 on the inner side of the rim 124 than the outermost surface portion 124a to increase the contact area with the steering wheel 120, thereby improving the steering performance of the vehicle steering device 100. Accordingly, the vehicle steering device 100 can achieve both the steering performance of the vehicle steering device 100 and the ease of driving posture of the driver.

Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 1, the steering wheel 120 has a first virtual line L1 extending from the center C of the steering wheel 120 to the connecting portion 126, a second virtual line L2 extending from the center C of the steering wheel 120 to below the rim 124, and a third virtual line L3 extending from the center C of the steering wheel 120 to the middle between the first virtual line L1 and the second virtual line L2. That is, the first virtual line L1 extends along the extending direction of the spoke 122 (in this embodiment, parallel to the vehicle width direction, but may extend obliquely upward or downward), the second virtual line L2 extends downward, and the third virtual line L3 extends downward to the right lower side or the left lower side of the lower rim portion 124b, so that an angle between the first virtual line L1 and the third virtual line L3 is equal to an angle between the second virtual line L2 and the third virtual line L3.

Accordingly, in the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 1, the grip surface 128 is formed on the lower rim portion 124b at a portion intersecting the third virtual line L3. That is, the grip surface 128 is formed at a position lower than the spoke 122 to provide a driver with a more relaxed driving posture, but not excessively located at the lower side to cause bending of the elbow of the driver between the steering wheel 120 and the driver in an unnatural posture, so that it is preferable to form the grip surface 128 at a position not too far from the spoke 122 (for example, at an angle of 45 degrees downward with respect to the center C). In this way, when the driver holds the grip surface 128 with his or her hand at a portion of the lower rim portion 124b that is close to the grip surface 128 (i.e., at a portion of the lower rim portion 124b that intersects the third virtual line L3), and grips the grip surface 128 with his or her thumb, the driver can maintain the steering performance of the vehicle steering device 100 while maintaining a comfortable driving posture (i.e., with his or her elbow on the body side). In other embodiments not shown, an armrest (arm rest) corresponding to the elbow of the driver may be provided in the driver seat corresponding to the vehicle steering device 100, and the position of the armrest may correspond to the aforementioned easy driving posture (i.e., the elbow is on the body side). In this way, the driver's ease in this driving posture can be further improved, and even if the driver drives in a normal driving posture, the elbow of the driver is far from the body side without being interfered by the armrest. The utility model does not limit the arrangement of the armrests, and can be adjusted according to requirements.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 1, the grip surface 128 extends from the intersection point P of the lower rim portion 124b and the third virtual line L3 toward the connecting portion 126. In particular, the gripping surface 128 extends to an end of the spoke 122 that corresponds to the connection portion 126. In this way, when the driver holds the portion of the lower rim portion 124b near the holding surface 128 with the hand (i.e., the portion of the lower rim portion 124b intersecting the third virtual line L3), the driver is not limited to being able to grasp the holding surface 128 with the thumb only at the intersection point P of the lower rim portion 124b and the third virtual line L3, but is able to grasp the holding surface 128 with the thumb in the range between the intersection point P and the connecting portion 126. When the driver shifts from the relaxed driving posture to the normal driving posture and moves his hand from the lower side to the upper side, the thumb of the driver can move upward via the guidance of the grip surface 128, and the driver can smoothly pass over the spoke 122 and grip the rim 124 on the upper side of the connecting portion 126 to control the steering wheel 120 (or vice versa), thereby providing a more relaxed operation. The holding surface 128 may be a plane or a cambered surface with a chamfer, and the shape and the extension range (size) of the holding surface 128 are not limited in the present utility model, and may be adjusted according to the requirement.

Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 1 and 4, the lower rim portion 124b is formed with a rising portion 129 that rises toward the inside of the rim 124 below the grip surface 128. Further, the rising portion 129 is provided on the inner side of the lower rim portion 124b side by side with the grip surface 128, and thus the rising portion 129 corresponds to an end portion on the lower side of the grip surface 128, and the rising portion 129 protrudes inward from the recessed grip surface 128 to be an inclined surface inclined downward from the grip surface 128. In this way, when the driver holds the lower rim portion 124b with his or her thumb and grips the holding surface 128 with his or her thumb, the lower side surface of the driver's thumb can be abutted against the rising portion 129 to increase the contact area with the steering wheel 120, thereby improving the steering performance of the steering device 100 for a vehicle and having a more relaxed operation manner. However, the shape, size, and arrangement of the rising portion 129 are not limited, and may be adjusted according to the requirements.

As described above, in the steering device for a vehicle according to the present utility model, the lower rim portion of the steering wheel is formed with the grip surface facing the passenger side, and the grip surface is formed at a position further toward the inner side of the rim than the outermost surface portion of the rim. Preferably, the steering wheel has a first virtual line extending from the center of the steering wheel to the connecting portion, a second virtual line extending from the center of the steering wheel to below the rim, and a third virtual line extending from the center of the steering wheel to the middle of the first virtual line and the second virtual line, and the grip surface is formed at a portion intersecting the third virtual line on the lower rim portion. In this way, regardless of the driving mode of the vehicle, even if the driver takes a relatively easy driving posture to hold the vehicle on the lower rim portion with his/her hand, the thumb of the driver can be placed on the holding surface on the inner side of the rim than the outermost surface portion to increase the contact area with the steering wheel, thereby improving the steering performance of the steering device for the vehicle. Accordingly, the vehicle steering device according to the present utility model can achieve both the steering performance of the vehicle steering device and the ease of driving posture of the driver.

Finally, it should be noted that: the above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical solution of the present utility model, and are not limiting; although the utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that: the technical scheme described in the foregoing embodiments can be modified or some or all of the technical features thereof can be replaced with equivalents; such modifications and substitutions do not depart from the spirit of the utility model.

Claims (4)

1. A steering device for a vehicle, comprising:

a steering shaft; and

a steering wheel provided on the steering shaft to rotate the steering shaft, wherein

The steering wheel has spokes extending in the vehicle width direction in a steering neutral state, and a rim supported by the spokes, and a connecting portion is provided between the spokes and the rim,

the rim has a lower rim portion extending downward from the connecting portion,

the rim has a rear side corresponding to the steering shaft and a surface side opposite to the rear side,

the rim has a most surface portion that is closest to the surface side as viewed in cross-section,

the lower rim portion of the steering wheel is formed with a grip surface facing the passenger side, and the grip surface is formed at a position further inward of the rim than the outermost surface portion.

2. The vehicular steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

the steering wheel has a first virtual line extending from the center of the steering wheel to the connecting portion, a second virtual line extending from the center of the steering wheel to below the rim, and a third virtual line extending from the center of the steering wheel to the middle of the first virtual line and the second virtual line, and

the grip surface forms a portion on the lower rim portion that intersects the third virtual line.

3. The vehicular steering apparatus according to claim 2, wherein,

the grip surface extends from an intersection point of the lower rim portion and the third virtual line toward the connecting portion.

4. A steering apparatus for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein,

the lower rim portion is formed with a rising portion that rises toward the inside of the rim and is located below the grip surface.