JP2005170217A - Lighting switch - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate recognition of ON/OFF of an automatic lighting function, in regard to a lighting switch of a vehicle having the automatic lighting function. <P>SOLUTION: The lighting switch 15 is structured to switch an automatic lighting operating position for making an automatic lighting function effective, an ON position for lighting a head lamp 14 after making the automatic lighting function invalid, and an OFF position for extinguishing the head lamp 14 in order to automatically light and extinguish the head lamp 14 in response to an illuminance signal from an illuminance sensor 19 for outputting the illuminance signal corresponding to the illuminance outside the vehicle. This lighting switch 15 is provided with a switch body 16 having a bulb 25, and the switch body 16 is in a condition capable of lighting when an ignition switch 23 is switched to a position except the OFF position, and lighting of the switch body 16 is inhibited when the lighting switch 15 itself is positioned in the automatic lighting operating position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a lighting switch that performs a lighting operation of a lighting device of a vehicle, and more particularly to a lighting switch that can recognize a lighting state of a lighting device from the inside of the vehicle.

Conventionally, in vehicles such as automobiles in which a switch body of a column switch is provided in the vicinity of the steering handle, a light source that illuminates the switch body is provided on the steering handle, and visibility of switch body display marks and the like is improved at night. There are some (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).
In addition, a light source is built in the switch body, and when a predetermined operation is applied to the switch body, the light source emits light in a different display form according to the operation content so that the switch body can be operated accurately at night. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2).
JP 2001-354064 A JP 2000-82360 A

By the way, in a vehicle such as an automobile, the driver can easily recognize ON / OFF of a device having an indicator in the meter or a wiper device. Since it may be difficult to recognize the lighting state of the lighting device, it is desirable that the lighting switch for performing the lighting operation of the lighting device take such points into consideration.
However, in the above prior art, the former needs to read the switch body display mark etc. to confirm the switch position etc., and also in the latter case to confirm the situation other than the operation contents at the time of switch body operation, Since it is necessary to read the display mark on the switch body, the lighting state of the lamp cannot be easily recognized.
In particular, in recent years, an increasing number of vehicles have an auto light function that automatically controls ON / OFF of a lighting device such as a headlamp according to the brightness outside the vehicle. There is a demand for a lighting switch that can easily recognize ON / OFF of the light function.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to make it possible to easily recognize ON / OFF of an autolight function in a lighting switch of a vehicle having an autolight function.

  As a means for solving the above problems, the invention described in claim 1 is directed to the vehicle (for example, the automobile 1 of the embodiment) according to the illuminance signal from the illuminance detection means (for example, the illuminance sensor 19 of the embodiment) for detecting the illuminance outside the vehicle. An auto light operation position for enabling the auto light function to automatically turn on or off the lighting device (for example, the headlamp 14 in the embodiment), and ON for turning on the lighting device after disabling the auto light function. In a lighting switch (for example, the lighting switch 15 of the embodiment) that can be switched between a position and an OFF position for turning off the lighting device, the display unit (for example, the switch of the embodiment) having a light source (for example, the bulb 25 of the embodiment) Body 16), and this display unit is provided with an ignition switch (for example, the ignition switch 2 of the embodiment) of the vehicle. ) Is becomes an illuminable status when in a position other than the OFF position, characterized in that the lighting of the display unit is prohibited when in at least the auto light operation position.

  According to this configuration, when the ignition switch is in a position other than the OFF position, the vehicle can run, and when the lighting switch itself is not in the auto light operation position, the display unit is lit, so driving Can easily recognize that the auto light function is disabled. In addition, for example, at dusk, the lighting of the display unit is relatively conspicuous, so it is easy for the driver to notice that the autolight function is disabled and the driver is requested to turn off the display unit. That is, it is required to enable the auto light function. On the other hand, when the lighting switch itself is at the auto light operating position, the lighting of the display unit is prohibited, that is, the light is turned off, so that unnecessary light in the vehicle is suppressed.

  The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that lighting of the display section is prohibited even in the ON position.

  According to this configuration, when the ignition switch is in a position other than the OFF position, the vehicle can run, and when the lighting switch itself is not in the autolight operation position and the ON position, that is, the lamp is turned off. Only at certain times will the display be lit.

  The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that the display section is disposed in the vicinity of a steering column (for example, the steering column 4 of the embodiment) and in the front view of the driver of the vehicle.

  According to this configuration, the lighting of the display unit naturally enters the eyes of the driver of the vehicle.

According to the invention described in claim 1, the driver is required to easily and surely recognize that the autolight function is invalid even at twilight, and to enable the autolight function. As a result, early lighting of the lamp can be promoted. On the other hand, when the auto light function is effective, unnecessary light in the vehicle can be suppressed to improve the merchantability and to save power.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the case where the auto light function is effective, the lighting of the display unit is prohibited even when the lighting device is turned on by manual operation. Light can be suppressed, and further commercial improvement and power saving can be achieved.
According to the invention described in claim 3, it is possible to make the driver more surely recognize that the autolight function is invalid, and to prompt early lighting of the lamp.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, descriptions of directions such as front, rear, left and right are the same as the directions in the vehicle.
In the automobile (vehicle) 1 shown in FIG. 1, the steering handle 2 is rotatably supported by the vehicle body, and the steering wheel 2 is operated by a driver seated on a seat 3 in the vehicle interior. The front wheel 6 can be steered through a steering shaft 5 or the like that passes through the wheel. The steering column 4 is covered with a resin column cover 8 similar to the instrument panel 7 or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the steering handle 2 includes a pad portion 9 located on the center side, a rim portion 10 on the outer peripheral side, and a plurality (three places) of spoke portions 11 that connect the rim portion 10 and the pad portion 9. Have A combination switch body 13 of the column switch 12 is disposed in front of both side portions of the rim portion 10. The column switch 12 has a base portion (not shown) provided integrally with the steering column 4 and a pair of combination switch bodies 13 extending from both side portions of the base portion through the column cover 8.

  As for each combination switch body 13, for example, the one on the right side has a function as an operator of a turn signal switch or a passing switch, and the one on the left side has a function as an operator of a wiper washer switch for a wiper device or a washer device. . A horn switch and an airbag device are disposed inside the pad portion 9.

Here, the portion in the vicinity of the steering column 4 (in the vicinity of the column cover 8) is located in the front view of the driver seated on the seat 3 (the range in side view is indicated by E in FIG. 1). When viewed from a person, the upper portion of the column cover 8 is visible from between the rim portion 10 and the pad portion 9 of the steering handle 2.
On the top of the column cover 8 is a lighting switch for switching ON / OFF (lighting and extinguishing) of a later-described headlamp (lighting device) 14 of the automobile 1 and ON / OFF of the auto light function of the automobile 1. 15 is disposed.

  The lighting switch 15 includes a dial-shaped switch body 16 having a substantially cylindrical shape as an operation element. The switch body 16 is supported by the base portion of the column switch 12 so as to be rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the vehicle width direction. By rotating the switch body 16, the headlamp 14 is turned on / off and the auto light function is turned on / off. An opening is formed in the upper part of the column cover 8, and the switch body 16 is arranged so that its upper half protrudes from this opening, so that the switch body 16 can be operated by a driver seated on the seat 3. And it can be visually recognized in the front view of the driver.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the autolight device 17 that performs the autolight function includes, for example, a pair of headlamps 14, a control unit 18 that controls lighting of each headlamp 14, and an illuminance that detects an illuminance outside the vehicle. It is a well-known thing provided with the illumination intensity sensor 19 which is a detection means. The illuminance sensor 19 is connected to the control unit 18, and an illuminance signal output as a detected value of illuminance outside the vehicle can be input to the control unit 18. When the auto light function is effective, when the outside of the vehicle becomes dark and the detection value of the illuminance sensor 19 becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value set in advance, the control unit 18 automatically turns on each headlamp 14 and Becomes brighter and the detection value of the illuminance sensor 19 becomes higher than the predetermined value, the control unit 18 automatically turns off each headlamp 14.

  Two electric paths 21 and 22 are connected to the control unit 18 of the autolight device 17. When electric power is supplied from the electric path 21 to the control unit 18, the control unit 18 is connected to the autolight. The function is disabled and manual operation of the headlamp 14 by the lighting switch 15 is enabled. When electric power is supplied from the electric path 22 to the control unit 18, the control unit 18 automatically controls lighting and extinguishing of the headlamp 14 by enabling the auto light function. In addition, when the manual operation of each headlamp 14 is effective, for example, when the combination switch body 13 is operated, the high beam (HI) and the low beam (LO) can be appropriately selected, and the auto light function is effective. For example, lighting control is performed in a state of being set to a low beam.

  Reference numeral 23 denotes an ignition switch of the automobile 1. The ignition switch 23 includes an OFF position that cuts off the power supply from the vehicle power source to each part, an ACC position that enables only power supply to the auxiliary equipment other than the engine ignition system, and various parts including the engine ignition system. It is configured to be able to switch between an IGN position (ON position) that enables power supply to the. Note that the ignition switch 23 switches to the STARTER position that enables power supply to the starter motor to start the engine only when a switch operating force is further applied from the IGN position. Then, only when the ignition switch 23 is at the ACC position or the IGN position, power can be supplied to the auto light device 17 via the lighting switch 15.

  The lighting switch 15 includes an auto light operation position (AUTO position in the figure) where the auto light function is enabled (ON), an ON position where the auto light function is disabled (OFF), and each headlamp 14 is turned on or off. It can be switched to the OFF position. Switching between these positions is performed by the switching unit 24 in the lighting switch 15. The switching unit 24 is connected to the control unit 18 of the autolight device 17 through the electric paths 21 and 22. When the lighting switch 15 is in the autolight operating position, the switching unit 24 conducts power from the ignition switch 23. When the lighting switch 15 is in a position (ON position and OFF position) other than the automatic light operation position, the electric power from the ignition switch 23 is passed through the electric path 21 when the lighting switch 15 is in a position other than the automatic light operation position. The controller 18 can be supplied.

  The lighting switch 15 has a bulb (light source) 25 such as a small light bulb in the switch body 16. The valve 25 is connected to a transistor 26 provided at an intermediate portion of the electric path 21, and the transistor 26 becomes conductive only when the lighting switch 15 is in the ON position and the OFF position and a current flows through the electric path 21. A current flows through the bulb 25 and the bulb 25 emits light. The switch body 16 is made of, for example, a translucent resin material or the like, and the entire switch body 16 is lit when the bulb 25 inside it emits light. That is, the switch body 16 has a function as a display unit that displays that the lighting switch 15 is in the ON position and the OFF position.

  In the lighting switch 15 having the above-described configuration, when the automobile 1 is in a travelable state, that is, when the ignition switch 23 is in the IGN position, the lighting switch 15 is the manual operation position of the headlamp 14. When in the position or the OFF position, power is supplied to the control unit 18 of the autolight device 17 through the electric path 21 to enable manual operation of the headlamp 14, and the transistor 26 is turned on to supply current to the bulb 25. Flows and the switch body 16 provided with the valve 25 lights up.

  Further, when the automobile 1 is in the travelable state and the lighting switch 15 is in the auto light operating position, power is supplied to the control unit 18 of the auto light device 17 through the electrical path 22 to perform the auto light function. Becomes effective, the transistor 26 is cut off, the current to the bulb 25 is cut off, and the switch body 16 including the bulb 25 enters the non-light emitting state.

  According to the above embodiment, the auto light operation position that enables the auto light function to automatically turn on or off the headlamp 14 of the automobile 1 in accordance with the illuminance signal from the illuminance sensor 19 that detects the illuminance outside the vehicle; The lighting switch 15 is configured to be switchable between an ON position where the headlamp 14 is turned on and an OFF position where the headlamp 14 is turned off after disabling the autolight function, and a switch body 16 having a bulb 25 is provided. The switch body 16 can be turned on when the ignition switch 23 of the automobile 1 is in a position other than the OFF position, but the switch body 16 is prohibited from being turned on when the lighting switch 15 is at least in the auto light operating position. Configured to be.

As a result, when the ignition switch 23 is in a position other than the OFF position, the vehicle 1 can run, and when the lighting switch 15 itself is not in the autolight operation position, the switch body 16 is lit. The driver can easily recognize that the auto light function is invalid. In addition, for example, at dusk, the switch body 16 is relatively turned on, so that the driver can easily recognize that the autolight function is disabled and the driver turns off the switch body 16. , That is, requesting that the auto light function be enabled. On the other hand, when the lighting switch 15 itself is in the auto light operating position, the switch body 16 is prohibited from being turned on, that is, turned off, so that unnecessary light in the vehicle is suppressed.
For this reason, the driver is required to easily and surely recognize that the autolight function is invalid even at twilight or the like, and to enable the autolight function. Can be lit. On the other hand, when the auto light function is effective, there is an effect that unnecessary light in the vehicle can be suppressed to improve the merchantability and to save power.

In addition, since the switch body 16 is disposed in the vicinity of the steering column 4 and in the front view of the driver of the automobile 1, the lighting of the switch body 16 is naturally in the eyes of the driver who is driving the automobile 1. Will enter.
For this reason, the driver can be surely recognized that the autolight function is invalid, and the headlamp 14 can be promptly turned on.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and for example, the lighting of the switch body 16 may be prohibited even when the lighting switch 15 itself is in the ON position. Specifically, when the lighting switch 15 is in the ON position, power may be supplied to the control unit 18 of the autolight device 17 via the electric path 22 (see FIG. 3). Thereby, the ignition switch 23 is in a position other than the OFF position so that the vehicle 1 can run, and the lighting switch 15 itself is not in the autolight operation position and the ON position, that is, the headlamp 14 is turned off. Only when the switch body 16 is in the position, the switch body 16 is lit. In other words, in addition to the case where the auto light function is effective, even when the headlamp 14 is turned on by manual operation, the lighting of the switch body 16 is prohibited, so that unnecessary light in the vehicle can be suppressed, There is an effect that further improvement in merchantability and power saving can be achieved. Here, by combining with the illuminance sensor 19 of the auto light device 17, the switch body 16 may be lit only when the detection value of the illuminance sensor 19 is equal to or less than the predetermined value.

The switch body 16 of the lighting switch 15 is not limited to the dial type, and may be a slide type or a lever type, for example. Further, the light source of the switch body 16 may be an LED. Furthermore, the lighting device that is turned on by the lighting switch 15 is not limited to the headlamp 14, but may be a position lamp, a fog lamp, or the like.
Here, a display unit indicating the position of the lighting switch 15 may be provided separately from the switch body 16 or the display unit may be provided in the meter. However, since the position of the switch body 16 can be grasped, the display The part and the switch body 16 are preferably integrated.
Moreover, the position of the lighting switch 15 and the relative layout with respect to the steering handle 2 are not limited to the above embodiment, and in particular, a so-called steer-by-wire in which the steering wheel 5 is eliminated and the front wheel steering mechanism and the steering handle 2 are electrically linked. Various changes can be made in the case of a car that employs.
And the structure in the said Example is an example, and it cannot be overemphasized that a various change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the summary of invention.

It is side explanatory drawing which looked at the motor vehicle in the Example of this invention from the left side. It is the perspective view which looked at the steering wheel periphery of the said motor vehicle from the vehicle inner side. It is a block diagram which shows the principal part of an ignition switch, a lighting switch, and an auto light apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

1 Automobile (vehicle)
4 Steering column 14 Head lamp (lighting device)
15 Lighting switch 16 Switch body (display part)
19 Illuminance sensor (illuminance detection means)
23 Ignition switch 25 Bulb (light source)

Claims (3)

  An auto light operation position that enables the auto light function to automatically turn on or off the vehicle lighting device according to the illuminance signal from the illuminance detection means that detects the illuminance outside the vehicle, and the auto light function is disabled. The lighting switch is configured to be switchable between an ON position where the lamp is turned on and an OFF position where the lamp is extinguished. The lighting switch includes a display unit having a light source, and the display unit is configured to turn off the ignition switch of the vehicle. A lighting switch characterized in that it can be turned on when it is at a position other than the position, but lighting of the display unit is prohibited at least when it is at the auto light operation position.   2. The lighting switch according to claim 1, wherein lighting of the display unit is prohibited even in the ON position. The lighting switch according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is disposed in a vicinity of a steering column and in a front view of a driver of the vehicle.

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