JP2002234459A - Steering wheel turn indicator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a steering wheel turn indicator allowing confirmation (visual check) of the turning direction and its angle of a steering wheel previously for recognition of the tilting direction and its angle of the steering wheel in parking of an automobile to a garage or a parking lot or in departure from it for preventing a contact trouble due to unexpected movement in starting/ backing the automobile by correcting a turning angle of the steering wheel. SOLUTION: By means of this steering wheel turn indicator 12 mounted to a dashboard 11 in the automobile or to an instrument panel attached to the dashboard, the turning direction and the turning angle of the steering wheel are measured and displayed according to the operation of the steering wheel.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of confirming (visually recognizing) a turning direction and a turning angle of a steering wheel before moving a car into and out of a garage or a parking lot. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering wheel turning indicator capable of correcting a turning angle of a steering wheel so as to prevent an unexpected movement when starting (retreating) a vehicle and causing a contact trouble.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The operation of various automobiles is performed with skill and intuition based on the experience of the driver. And, when driving on a normal road, not so fine control is required, but when parallel parking or garage parking, obstacles such as curbs, other automobiles, or garage walls are close. Therefore, it requires extremely precise control as well as accurate situation judgment, and many drivers are not good at it. In recent years, the number of private homes has increased rapidly, and garages for private cars have often been installed on residential premises. However, because they are installed on small premises, there are many narrow garages that cannot take up enough space. In a parking lot such as a shopping street, in order to increase the number of customers, a parking area per vehicle is reduced to increase the number of vehicles accommodated. In addition, in the case of ordinary cars and small cars or mini cars, even if they enter these garages or parking lots, space is secured between the garage walls and adjacent cars, but in recent years even ordinary cars are extremely large cars. Is increasing,
A sufficient space cannot be secured between a garage wall and an adjacent car, and it is often inconvenient for a driver to get in and out of the vehicle and even to load and unload luggage.

[0003] Therefore, even when a skilled driver enters or leaves a garage or a parking lot, the driver may accidentally operate a steering wheel to contact an obstacle or contact an adjacent vehicle to cause damage to the vehicle. are doing. Elderly drivers are experienced, but in addition to age-related declines in visual acuity, narrowing of the visual field, delay in judgment, etc. In many cases, it is difficult to confirm the positional relationship of obstacles and the like. In particular, in taking in and out of a car in a narrow garage, a parking lot, or the like, it often takes time even when a passenger is present with a passenger. Furthermore, in the case of single driving, it takes time to check the rear of the vehicle, not only disturbs the driver of another vehicle, but also sometimes comes into contact with an obstacle or an adjacent vehicle to damage the vehicle. In addition, beginner drivers are cautious in their operations, but they are extremely inexperienced and may cause accidents due to misjudgment due to abnormal excitement. In particular, when starting from a garage or parking lot, it is sufficient if the inclination state of the steered wheels is sufficiently visually recognized, but if the vehicle is moved forward or backward as it is, the vehicle moves in an unexpected direction As a result, the vehicle may come into contact with an obstacle or an adjacent vehicle, or may be confused in a hurry to cause an erroneous operation. As a countermeasure, a shock absorber (cushion) is attached to the bumper of the car, a device that sounds an alarm (buzzer) by detecting approach to an obstacle is attached, or, for example, the vehicle width is easily seen at the left front end. Devices that attempt to solve the above-described problem by attaching a pole for the purpose are commercially available.

[0004]

[0005] There are many problems with a vehicle that is closely connected to life, such as a car, to be immediately switched to public transportation just because it is old. In recent years, in particular, in the current situation where retail stores are decreasing due to the opening of large stores and procurement locations for daily necessities etc. are retreating from their residential areas, automobiles are the most convenient for elderly people to procure them. is there. Further, the impact absorbing material (cushion), the proximity sensing device, the pole, and the like do not have a sufficient effect, and a more effective method and device have been demanded. Therefore, the present inventor can quickly confirm the turning direction and the turning angle of the steering wheel by visual observation, for example, when starting from a garage or a parking lot,
If the inclination direction and the inclination angle of the steered wheels are detected in advance and the turning angle of the steered wheels is corrected at the time of starting so that the car does not move abnormally when it starts moving, the vehicle may be damaged due to contact problems with obstacles or adjacent vehicles. It aims at a device that can prevent damage.

[0005]

In order to prevent the above-mentioned contact trouble, it is necessary to reduce the visual acuity coming from the age peculiar to the elderly, to narrow the visual field, to slow down the movement of the body, and to turn the hardened body or neck. The turning direction and turning angle of the steering wheel of the car are set forward so that the elderly driver who does not turn as expected and the operation of checking backwards etc. is slow can be easily put in and out of the car in the garage or parking lot even for elderly drivers. It is possible to check the tilt direction and tilt angle of the steered wheels in advance by checking the indicator and the positional relationship with the adjacent vehicle, etc. At this time, if the vehicle is moved after the steering wheel is appropriately operated to correct the turning angle of the steered wheels, it is possible to prevent a contact trouble in a garage or a parking lot. That is, the present invention is a steering wheel turning indicator attached to a dashboard of an automobile or an instrument panel attached to the dashboard, and measures and displays a turning direction and a turning angle in conjunction with operation of a steering wheel. The present invention relates to a steering wheel turning indicator.

[0006]

The steering wheel turning indicator of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure is arranged on the front dashboard so that the driver can easily see it without turning his or her body or neck. Since the turning direction and turning angle of the steered wheels are displayed in conjunction with the operation, it can be used not only when entering and leaving the garage or parking lot, but also when traveling on narrow roads with many obstacles or yotsutsuji. it can. Further, the present invention has a high practical value as a steering wheel turning indicator that is effective not only for elderly people but also for all drivers as well as beginner drivers and female drivers.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A steering wheel turning indicator according to the present invention comprises:
It is linked to the operation of the steering wheel. That is, since the handle operation is an operation of rotating the handle shaft clockwise and counterclockwise,
What is necessary is just to make it interlock with rotation of a handle shaft. There are various methods and mechanisms for measuring and displaying the turning direction and the turning angle, but any method and mechanism may be used. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the needle 11 is allowed to swing right and left from the center, and when the handle is turned right (clockwise), the needle 11 is allowed to swing right.
Needle 11 when the handle is turning left (counterclockwise)
Is swung to the left, the turning direction of the steering wheel, that is, the inclination direction of the steered wheels, can be easily detected depending on whether the needle 11 is rightward or leftward from the center. Further, if the needle 11 is made to swing in accordance with the cutting depth of the steering wheel, the turning angle of the steering wheel, that is, the inclination angle of the steering wheel can be easily detected at the position of the needle 11. In the figure, 12 is a dashboard,
Reference numeral 13 denotes a steering wheel turning indicator, and reference numeral 14 denotes a scale. The scale 14 is an index of a turning angle, and it is not necessary to exactly match the turning angle.

[0008] The turning direction may be illuminated by, for example, a right arrow or a left arrow. When turning right, only the right arrow lights up.On the other hand, when turning left, only the left arrow lights up, and when neither turning right nor turning left, that is, when turning straight (Or within the right and left two-degree inclination), both arrows should be in a state where none of them are lit.

Further, the turning angle may be displayed numerically, for example. When the vehicle is turning right, the numerical value display unit on the right side lights and displays a numerical value of, for example, 1 to 9 (or 1 to 99), and a larger numerical value indicates that the turning angle is larger. When turning, the numerical display on the left side lights up the numerical value of 1 to 9 (or 99), and when not turning right or turning left, that is, displaying 0 when turning straight. It is good.

[0010] At this time, a scale may be added to the edge of the handle so as to correspond to the turning angle required to increase (decrease) the numerical value by one.

[0011] Further, in combination with the lighting display of the arrow,
Numerical display units may be provided on the left and right, respectively, but only one numerical display unit may be provided at the center.

Alternatively, in order to distinguish the left and right more clearly,
Coloring of the lighting display may be performed. For example, one (right turning) may be green, the other (left turning) may be orange, and the center may be white. In addition to the display, the turning state of the steering wheel may be notified by voice.

Further, the steering wheel turning indicator of the present invention may be mounted or incorporated in an instrument panel 23 attached to the dashboard 22, as shown in FIG.
In the drawing, 21 is a needle, 24 is a steering wheel turning indicator, 25
Indicates a scale.

For example, a steering wheel turning indicator 1 shown in FIGS.
When the vehicle is started from a garage or a parking lot, for example, if the hands 11 and 21 point to "right 2" when the engine is started, the steering wheel of the vehicle (the front wheel in the case of the FF vehicle) is used. ) Is seen to have tilted relatively deep to the right. Therefore, the vehicle may be started (forward or backward) by returning the steering wheel to the left until the hands 11, 21 of the steering wheel turning indicators 13, 24 point to "center 0".
As described above, the steering wheel turning indicator of the present invention can easily confirm the inclination direction and the inclination angle of the steered wheels visually without turning the body or the neck. It is possible to fundamentally avoid erroneous operation caused by contact with the vehicle or an adjacent vehicle, or confused in a hurry.

Also, for example, when entering a car into a garage or a parking lot, if the car is entered while checking (storing) the state (turning direction and turning angle) of the steering wheel turning indicator along the guidance of a passenger, By operating the steering wheel so as to be the same as the stored state of the steering wheel turning indicator, it is possible to easily enter the vehicle even in single operation. Especially because it is an operation that you do every time, such as putting it in your garage,
For example, a trained driver performs a typical driving, and checks (stores) the state of the steering wheel turning indicator in the passenger seat, or checks while driving along with the passenger's guidance as described above ( Remembering) greatly assists in situation determination, and enables fine control.

Such a steering wheel turning indicator is used not only for ordinary passenger cars (private cars) but also for rental cars used by many people. In other words, a slight difference in the interval may cause a contact accident even in a car model of relatively similar size, so this steering wheel turn indicator, which helps elderly drivers, novice drivers and female drivers to determine the situation, is a rental car , It is possible to drive with a sense of security and to easily get in and out of a garage or parking lot.

In the near future, the current navigation system will become more sophisticated, the position of the garage or parking lot to be entered and the position of the car will be grasped, and the turning direction and turning angle of the steering wheel will be indicated by an image. Alternatively, a system for instructing by voice may be commercialized. Even in such a case, the steering wheel turning indicator enables accurate and precise steering operation.

[0018]

As described above, the steering wheel turning indicator according to the present invention is provided on the front dashboard so that the driver can easily see it without turning his or her body or neck. , The turning direction and the turning angle of the steered wheels are displayed, so that the driver can always sense the state of the car he is driving and operate the steering wheel. Therefore, when starting the car from the garage or parking lot, it is only necessary to correct the steering wheel inclination while checking the steering wheel turning indicator, then start the car, move in an unexpected direction and move The problem that the user makes contact with or confuses in a hurry and causes an erroneous operation can be fundamentally solved. Also, when entering a car into a garage or parking lot, the driver can easily enter the car even by independent operation by operating the steering wheel while checking (remembering) the state (turning direction and turning angle) of the steering wheel turning indicator. Becomes possible. further,
Not only when entering and leaving a garage or parking lot, but also when traveling on narrow roads with many obstacles or on a four-pointed tsuji, it is a great assistance in determining the situation and fine control is possible. Therefore, not only elderly people, beginner drivers,
It is of very high practical value for all female drivers as well as female drivers.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a steering wheel turning indicator of the present invention disposed on a dashboard.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a steering wheel turning indicator of the present invention incorporated in a dashboard instrument panel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11,21 needle 12,22 dashboard 13,24 steering wheel turning display board 14,25 scale

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A steering wheel turning indicator mounted on a dashboard of an automobile or an instrument panel attached to the dashboard, which measures and displays a turning direction and a turning angle in conjunction with operation of a steering wheel. Features a steering wheel turning indicator.