GB2386411A

GB2386411A - Direction adjustable device for an automobile with a steering linkage

Info

Publication number: GB2386411A
Application number: GB0206045A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chian-Yin Tseng
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-03-14
Filing date: 2002-03-14
Publication date: 2003-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 2022-03-14
Also published as: GB2386411B; GB0217646D0; GB0206045D0; DE60322996D1; GB2386412A; GB2386412B; ATE405453T1

Abstract

A direction adjustable device 1 includes a turnable unit 6, a motor drive unit 5 for driving the turnable unit 6 to turn, and a sensor assembly 2 which includes a housing 21, a force transmitting member 24, a cable 3, a rotary control switch 22, a signal processing unit 23, and a restoring member 4. The cable 3 has first and second ends 322, 321 connected to the force transmitting member 24 and a steering linkage 12, respectively. The rotary control switch 22 is coupled to the force transmitting member 24 such that pivoting movement of the latter is transmitted to the former to generate a corresponding electrical output. The signal processing unit 23 receives the electrical output of the rotary control switch 22, determines direction and extent of pivoting movement of the force transmitting member 24, and controls the motor drive unit 5 accordingly. The restoring member 4 restores the force transmitting member 24 to the initial position. The turntable rotates synchronously with the vehicle front wheels and may support a headlamp or a camera.

Description

1 238641 1

DIRECTION ADJUSTABLE DEVICE FOR AN

AUTOMOBILE WITH A STEERING LINKAGE

The invention relates to a direction adjustable device, more particularly to a direction adjustable 5 device for an automobile with a steering linkage.

GB 2346435A discloses a rotatable automobile front lamp apparatus thatiscapableof rotating in accordance withthesteeringofasetoffrontwheelsofanautomobile so es to reduce the possibilityofan accident end entrance 10 safety especially when driving along a winding road.

However, since most ears have different accessories installedin different positions belong the engine hood, the space for installing other equipment between the steering wheel end the two front wheels is very limited.

15 Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a direction adjustable device for an automobile with a steering linkage that can be easily installed in an automobile without occupying too much space. 20 Accordingly, a direction adjustable device of this invention is adapted to be installed in an automobile.

The automobile has an automobile body, a set of automobile wheels mounted on the automobile body, a steering wheel, and a steering linkage interconnecting 25 the steering wheel and the automobile wheels. The direction adjustable device comprises a burnable unit, a motor drive unit, and a sensor assembly. The motor

drive unit is adapted to be mounted to the automobile body, and is coupled to the burnable unit for driving the burnable unit to turn. The sensor assembly includes a housing, a force transmitting member, a cable, a rotary 5 control switch, a signal processing unit, and a restoring member. The housing is adapted to be mounted to the automobile body adjacent to the steering linkage. The force transmitting member is mounted pivotally to the housing. The cable has a first end connected to the force 10 transmitting member, and a second end adapted to be connected to the steering linkage such that movement of the steering linkage in a first lateral direction results in corresponding pivoting movement of the force transmittingmember from en initial position. The rotary 15 control switch is mounted to the housing, and is coupled to the force transmitting member such that pivoting movement of the force transmitting member is transmitted to the rotary control switch to enable the rotary control switch to generate a corresponding electrical output.

20 The signal processing unit is connected electrically to the motor drive unit and the rotary control switch, receives the electrical output of the rotary control switch, determines direction and extent of pivoting movement of the force transmitting member from the 25 electrical output, and controls the motor drive unit to drive the burnable unit to turn by an angle corresponding to the direction and extent of pivoting

movementoftheforcetransmittingmember.Therestoring member provides a restoring force to restore the force transmitting member to the initial position.

Other features and advantages of the present 5 inventionwillbecomeapparentinthefollowingdetailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference

to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a schematic fragmentary top view illustrating an automobile that incorporates the first 10 preferred embodiment of a direction adjustable device according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a partly exploded inverted perspective view showing a sensor assembly of the first preferred embodiment; 15 Figure 3 is a schematic fragmentary top view of the sensor assembly with a force transmitting member in an initial position; Figure 4 is a schematic sectional view illustrating a burnable unit and a motor drive unit of the first 20 preferred embodiment; Figure 5 is another schematic sectional view, illustrating the burnable unit and the motor drive unit when viewed from a different angle; Figure 6 is another schematic fragmentary top view 25 of the sensor assembly, illustrating the force transmitting member when moved from the initial position;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 4, illustrating how the burnable unit is turned when driven by the motor dr ive uni t; Figure 8 is a schematic fragmentary top view 5 illustrating an automobile that incorporates the second preferred embodiment of a direction adjustable device according to the present invention; Figure 9 is a schematic fragmentary top view of a sensor assembly of the second preferred embodiment i 10 Figure 10 is a schematic fragmentary top view illustrating an automobile that incorporates the third preferred embodiment of a direction adjustable device according to the present invention; and Figure 11 is a schematic sectional view illustrating 15 a burnable unit and a motor drive unit of the third preferred embodiment.

Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the 20 disclosure.

Referring to Figures l to 7, the first preferred embodiment of a direction adjustable device 1 according to the present invention is shown to be adapted to be installed in an automobile (not shown). The automobile 25 has an automobile body (not shown), two automobile wheels 14, a steering wheel 11, and a steering linkage 12 interconnecting the steering wheel 11 and the automobile

wheels 14. The steering linkage 12 includes a swing arm IS connected to the steering wheel 11, and left and right tie-rods 121 connected to the automobile wheels 14, and a steering assist unit 13 connected to the swing arm 5 15 and the tie-rods 121 and provided with a hydraulic cylinder 131. When the steering wheel 11 is rotated, the swing arm 15 moves at the same time such that through the control of the hydraulic cylinder 131 of the steering assist unit 13, the tie-rods 121 move to turn the wheels 10 14 accordingly. In this embodiment, the direction adjustable device 1 is installed in a position proximate to the tie-rods 121 and the hydraulic cylinder 131, and comprises two burnable units 6, two motor drive units 5, and a sensor assembly 2.

IS The sensor assembly 2 includes a housing 21, a force transmitting member 24, a first cable 3, a rotary control switch 22, a signal processing unit 23, and a restoring member 4. The housing 21 is adapted to be mounted to the automobile body (not shown) adjacent to the steering 20 linkage 12, and includes a flat top plate 211, a surrounding plate 212 extending upwardly from a periphery of the top plate 211, and a cover plate 213 disposed on top of the surrounding plate 212 and parallel to the top plate 211. The top, surrounding and cover 25 plates 211, 212, 213 cooperatively define a hollow receiving chamber 214. The top plate 211 has a plurality of upright screw posts 2110, and includes a rear part

215 and a front part 216 opposite to and wider than that of the rear pert 215. The surrounding plate 212 is formed with a notch 217 at the rear part 215 of the top plate 211. The front part 216 of the top plate 211 is formed 5 with alongitudinal guide slot 218. The cover plate 213 is formed with a plurality of through holes 2130, and is fastened to the top plate 211 by a plurality of screws 8 that pass through the through holes 2130 in the cover plate 213 and that engage the upright screw posts 2110 10 on the top plate 211.

The force transmitting member 24 is disposed in the receiving chamber 214, and is mounted pivotally on the top plate 211 of the housing 21. The force transmitting member 24 includes a telescopic rod 242 with opposite 15 first and second ends 2421, 2422, a driving gear 241 fixed to the first end 2421 of the rod 242 and mounted rotatablyin the receiving chamber 214, and a cable seat 244 mounted on the second end 2422 of the rod 242. The cable seat 244 is formed with a guide stud 245 and two 20 pivot holes 246, 247 disposed on opposite sides of the guide stud 245. The guide stud 245 projects into the guide slot 218 in the front part 216 of the top plate 211 so as to guide pivoting movement of the force transmitting member 24 i n the housing 21 O 25 The first cable 3 includes a tubular sleeve 31, a wire member 32 freely movable along the length of the tubular sleeve 31, and a cable frame 33 mounted on the

hydraulic cylinder 131. The sleeve 31 has two ends secured on the housing 21 and the cable frame 33, respectively. The wire member 32 has a first end 322 that extends into the housing 21 and that is connected S securely to one of the pivot holes 246, 247 in the cable seat244Of the force transmitting member24,andasecond end 321 opposite to the first end 322. The second end 321 is adapted to be connected to one of the tie-rods 121 such that movement of the steering linkage 12 in 10 a first lateral direction (shown in Figure 3 by a solid arrow line) results in corresponding pivoting movement of the force transmitting member 24 from an initial position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure 6.

The rotary control switch 22 is mounted on a rear 15 extension of the rear part 215 of the top plate 211, and includes a rotary sensor 221 clamped between two clamp plates 220, a sensor rod 222, a signal wire 223, and a driven gear 224 mounted on the sensor rod 222.

The sensor rod 222 extends through the rear part 215 20 of the top plate 211, is disposed adjacent to the notch 217 in the surrounding plate 212, and is operably associated with the rotary sensor 221. The driven gear 224 meshes with the driving gear 241 of the force transmitting member 24 such that pivoting movement of 25 the force transmitting member 24 is transmitted to the rotary control switch 22 so as to enable the latter to generate a corresponding electrical output in a known

manner. The signal processing unit 23 is connected electrically to the motor drivounits5 end to the rosary control switch 22 via the signal wire 223, receives the 5 electrical output of the rotary control switch 22, determines direction and extent of pivoting movement of the force transmitting member 24 from the electrical output, and controls each motor drive unit 5 to drive the corresponding burnable unit 6 to turn by an angle 10 corresponding to the direction and extent of pivoting movement of the force transmitting member 24.

The restoring member 4, in this embodiment, is a torsion spring that is coupled to the sensor rod 222 of the rosary controlewitch22, andprovidesarestoring IS force to restore the force transmitting member 24 to the initial position.

The motor drive units 5, as best shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5, are adapted to be mounted separately on left end right front parts of the automobile body(not shown).

20 Each of the motor drive units 5 includes an outer easing 50, a motor support frame 51 secured in the outer easing 50, a motor unit 52 mounted on the motor support frame 51 and connected electrically to the signal processing unit 23, and a first sector gear 53 coupled to the motor 25 unit 52. In this embodiment, the outer casing50 of each motor drive unit 5 is a lamp housing, and includes a front transparent lamp cover 501, a cover support 502

connected to the lamp cover 501, and a back cover 503 connected to the cover support 502. The lamp cover 501, the cover support 502, and the back cover 503 cooperate to confine a receiving space 504.

5 Each of the burnable units 6 in this embodiment is a lamp, and includes a rotatable base frame 54 mounted pivotally in the outer casing 50, a second sector gear 55 mounted on the base frame 54 and meshing with the first sector gear 53, a reflector 61, and a light bulb 10 (not shown). When the reflector 61 and the light bulb are securely connected to each other, they will turn with the base frame 54. When the reflector 61 and the light bulb are separated from each other, only the reflector 61 will turn with the base frame 54. The light 15 bulb will remain stationary in the outer casing 50.

Referring toFigures3 and 4, when each burnable unit 6 is in an initial position, the guide stud 245 of the force transmitting member 24 is positioned et the middle portion of the longitudinal guide slot 218.

20 When the driver steers the steeringwheelllto rotate inadirectionshownLyanarrowinFigurel,the steering linkage 12 moves rightward for driving the two wheels 14 to turn accordingly.Atthe sametime,thefirstcable 3 pulls the force transmitting member 24 to pivot 25 rightward with the driving gear 241 serving es a fulcrum.

As such, the sensor rod222 of the rotary control switch 22 is driven by the driven gear224to rotate accordingly

1 0 since the driven gear 224 meshes with the driving gear 241. The direction and extent of pivoting movement of the force transmitting member 24 are detected by the rotary sensor 221 and are transmitted to the signal S processing unit 23 via the signal wire 223. The signal processing unit 23 responds by activating each motor unit 52 accordingly. As such, each burnable unit 6 can rotate synchronously with the steering wheel 11 due to the meshing of the first and second sector gears 53, 10 55, as best shown in Figure 7.

When the steeringwheel 11 is rotated in a direction opposite to the arrow shown in Figure 1, since leftward movement of the steering linkage 12 willloosen the wire member32,therestoring members will restore the force 15 transmittingmember24totheinitialposition. As such, the wire member 32 will be pulled by the force transmittingmember24tomoveleftward(showninFigures 3 and 6 by a broken arrow line). When the force transmitting member 24 pivots leftward, the direction 20 and extent of pivoting movement are similarly transmitted to the rotary switch control 22 via the drivengear224sothatacorrespondingelectricaloutput can be generated. The electrical output is received by the signalprocessingunit23,which activates the motor 25 unit52 of each motor drive unit 5 to rotate in a reverse direction, thereby turning the corresponding burnable unit 6 synchronously with the steering wheel 11.

1 1 Referring to Figures 8 and 9, the second preferred embodiment of a direction adjustable device 1' for an automobile having a steering linkage is shown to be substantially similar in construction to the first 5 preferred embodiment. Unlike the first preferred embodiment,the restoring members' includes a flexible second cable having a first end 41' connected to the other one of the pivot holes 246, 247 of the force transmitting member 24, and a second end 42' adapted 10 to be connected to the other one of the tie-rods 121 such that subsequent movement of the steering linkage in a second lateral direction opposite to the first lateral direction results in corresponding pivoting movement of the force transmitting member 24 to the Is initial position.

It is nosed that the design of each motor drive unit 5 should not be limited to the disclosed embodiment.

What is important is that the motor drive unit 5 can rotate the burnable unit 6 synchronously with the 20 steering wheel 11.

The third preferred embodiment of a direction adjustabledevicel" for en automobile haying a steering linkageisshowninFigureslOandll to tee substantially similar to the first preferred embodiment, the main 25 difference residing in the construction of the burnable unit. In this embodiment, the burnable unit 6" is an infrared camera, and a monitor 62" is electrically

connected to the camera 6" and is disposed adjacent to the steering wheel 11. The camera 6'' rotates synchronously with the steering wheelll, end theimages captured by the camera 6" are transmitted to the monitor 5 62" to enable the driver to view the road conditions.

The burnable unit 6" can also be in the form of another device with a sensor function.

In this invention, a cable 3 is designed to transmit movement of a steering linkage to a force transmitting 10 member 24. Since such a design uses a flexible element, the sensor assembly 2 can be easily installed in an automobile without occupying too much space.

Claims

CLAIMS:

l.A direction adjustable-device adapted Lobeinstalled in an automobile having an automobile body, a set of automobile wheels mounted on the automobile body, a 5 steering wheel, and a steering linkage interconnecting the steering wheel and the automobile wheels, said direction adjustable device comprising: a burnable unit; a motor drive unit adapted to be mounted to the 10 automobile body and coupled to said burnable unit for driving said burnable unit to turn; and a sensor assembly including a housing adapted Lo be mounted to the automobile body adjacent to the steering linkage, 15 a force transmitting member mounted pivotally to said housing, a first cable having a first end connected to said force transmitting member, end a second end adapted to be connected to the steering linkage such that 20 movement of the steering linkage in a first lateral direction results in corresponding pivoting movement of said force transmitting member from an initial position, a rotary control switch mounted to said housing 25 and coupled to said force transmitting member such that pivoting movement of said force transmitting member is transmitted Lo said rosary controlewitchto enable said

rotary control switch to generate a corresponding electrical output, a signal processing unit connected electrically to said motor drive unit end said rotary control switch, 5 said signal processing unit receiving the electrical output of said rotary control switch, determining direction and extent oLpivoting movement of said force transmitting member from the electrical output, and controlling saidmotordrive unit to drive said burnable 10 unit to turn by an angle corresponding to the direction and extent of pivoting movement of said force transmitting member, and a restoring member for providing a restoring force to restore said force transmitting member to the 15 initial position.
2. The direction adjustable device as claimed in Claim

1, wherein said restoring member includes a torsion spring coupled to said rotary control switch.
3. The direction adjustable device as claimed in Claim 20 1, wherein said restoringmember includes a second cable having a first end connected to said force transmitting member and a second end adapted to be connected to the steering linkage such that subsequent movement of the steering linkage in asecondlateral direction opposite 25 to the first lateraldirection results in corresponding pivoting movement of said force transmitting member to the initial position.
4. The direction adjustable device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said rosary control switch includes a rotary sensor, asensorrodoperablyassociatedwithsaidrotary sensor, and a driven gear mounted on said sensor rod.
5 5. The direction adjustable device as claimed in Claim 4, wherein said force transmitting member includes a telescopic rod with first and second ends, a driving gear mounted on said first end of said telescopic rod and meshing with said driven gear, and a cable seat 10 mounted on said second end of said telescopic rod and connected to said first end of said first cable.
6. The direction adjustable device as claimed in Claim 5, wherein said housing includes a top plate, a surrounding plate extending upwardly from a periphery 15 of said top plate, and a cover plate disposed on top of said surrounding plate, said top, surrounding and coverplatescooperativelydefiningareceivingchamber, said force transmitting member being disposed in said receiving chamber, said driving gear being mounted 20 rotatably in said receiving chamber.
7. The direction adjustable device as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said top plate is formed with a longitudinal guide slot, and said cable seat is formed with a guide stud that projectsinto said guide slot to guide pivoting 25 movement of said force transmitting member in said housing.
8. The direction adjustable device as claimed in Claim

1,whereinsaidmotordrivounitincludesanoutercasing, a motor unit disposed in said outer easing end connected electrlcallytosaidsignalprocessingunit, andafirst sector gear coupled to said motor unit.

5
9. The direction adjustable device as claimed in Claim 8, wherein said burnable unit includes a base frame mounted pivotally in said outer casing, and a second sector gear mounted on said base frame and meshing with said first sector gear.
10 lo. The direction adjustable device es claimedin Claim 1, wherein said burnable unit is a lamp.
11. The direction adjustable device es claimedin Claim 1, wherein said burnable unit is a camera.
12. The direction adjustable device substantially as 15 hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.