JP2006256356A - Turn direction indicating device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a turn direction indicating device for flickering a turn signal lamp, etc. at the time of turning an automobile facilitating an operation with a simple constitution. <P>SOLUTION: A control means 11 outputs a prescribed turn signal G according to an operation of a lever switch 1 and detects a rotation angle of a steering 7 via a steering angle sensor 4. When the steering 7 is held between an upper stipulated angle α and a lower stipulated angle β for a prescribed time T1 after rotated by the upper stipulated angle α or more, the turn signal lamp 6 is turned off after a prescribed time also when a gentle curve in left and right direction is continued after left and right turns by stopping an output of the turn signal G by the control means 11. The turn direction indicating device capable of preventing forgetting of turning off of the turn signal lamp 6 and facilitating the operation therefore can be obtained. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a turning direction indicating device that performs a direction indicating operation mainly when turning an automobile and blinks a turn signal lamp or the like.

  In recent years, a turn signal lamp in the direction to turn right or left is blinked using a lever switch or the like disposed under the steering of an automobile, and after the turn is finished by a steering operation, the blinking of the lamp is terminated. A turning direction indicating device is generally used.

  Such a conventional turning direction indicating device will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a conventional turning direction indicating device. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 1 denotes a lever switch as an operation means. The lever switch 1 is a lever 3 mounted on one end of a substantially box-shaped case 2. The switch contact (not shown) in the case 2 is configured to be electrically connected / disconnected by the swing operation.

  The lever switch 1 automatically returns to the neutral position when the lever 3 is released from the lever 3 by releasing the operation load after the lever 3 is swung upward or downward from the neutral position. Is a so-called automatic return type switch.

  Reference numeral 4 denotes a rudder angle sensor as an angle detection means, which is configured to detect the rotation direction and angle of the steering shaft by a steering operation using a built-in optical element or magnetic element.

  Further, reference numeral 5 denotes control means formed by electronic parts (not shown) such as a microcomputer. The control means 5 is connected to the switch contact in the lever switch 1 and the steering angle sensor 4, and the electronic circuit of the vehicle body. A turn direction indicator device is configured by being connected to the turn signal lamp 6 via a not shown (not shown).

  In the turning direction indicating device configured as described above, the lever 3 protrudes to the right below the steering 7 fixed to the steering shaft (not shown) as shown in the external plan view of FIG. And placed in front of the driver's seat in the car.

  In the above configuration, for example, when turning right at an intersection, when the lever 3 is swung in the lower right turn direction, the switch contacts in the case 2 are electrically connected and separated by this swinging operation.

  Thereafter, when the lever 3 is released and the operation load is released, the lever 3 automatically returns to the neutral position. However, the operation signal associated with the electrical contact and separation according to the operation of the lever switch 1 at this time is controlled by the control means. 5, a predetermined turning signal is output from the control means 5 to an electronic circuit (not shown) of the vehicle body, and the turn signal lamp 6 mounted on the right side of the vehicle body blinks.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 7, when the steering 7 is rotated from the straight traveling position C to the right by a predetermined angle, the steering shaft rotates and the tire turns to the right, making a right turn. If the rotation operation is performed by 100 degrees, the steering angle sensor 4 outputs a signal of the angle data of the steering wheel from the vicinity of 0 degrees, which is a substantially straight traveling state, to 100 degrees, which is a right turn state.

  Next, when the right turn is completed and the steering 7 is returned to the straight traveling state C, the vehicle is in a substantially straight traveling state, and angle data corresponding to the rotational operation of the steering 7 is output from the steering angle sensor 4 to the control means 5. .

  Then, the control means 5 makes a right turn by turning the steering 7 by a predetermined upper specified angle α, for example, 90 degrees or more, based on the angle data from these rudder angle sensors 4, and then lowers below the upper specified angle α. It is detected that the vehicle has returned to a specified angle β, for example, 20 degrees or less, and has gone straight, stops the output of the right turn signal, and the right turn signal lamp 6 is turned off.

  That is, according to the operation of the lever switch 1 at the time of turning left or right, the control means 5 outputs a predetermined turning signal, causes the right or left turn signal lamp 6 to blink, and the steering angle sensor 4 causes the control means 5 to steer. 7 is detected, and when the steering wheel 7 is rotated by the upper specified angle α or more and then returned to the lower specified angle β or less, which is substantially straight, the control means 5 stops outputting the turning signal. The turn signal lamp 6 is configured to be turned off.

  In the above configuration, for example, when turning right and then a gentle right curve continues, such as when entering an interchange on a highway, the steering wheel 7 rotates rightward by the upper specified angle α or more when turning right. However, in the subsequent gentle right curve, the steering 7 is not returned to the straight traveling state and is held between the upper specified angle α and the lower specified angle β.

  That is, after the steering wheel 7 is rotated by the upper specified angle α or more, the state where the steering wheel 7 is not returned to the lower specified angle β or more continues, so the turn signal lamp 6 flashed at the right turn remains flashing while driving on a gentle right curve. It becomes.

  For example, when a lane is changed from a running center lane to a right lane on a multi-lane road, the lever switch 1 is operated to blink the right turn signal lamp 6, and the lane is changed in a diagonal direction to the right. Even in this case, the steering wheel 7 may be rotated beyond the lower specified angle β, but may not be rotated beyond the upper specified angle α.

  That is, also in this case, since the steering 7 is not rotated more than the upper specified angle α, the turn signal lamp 6 remains blinking.

  Accordingly, when the steering wheel 7 is not rotated to the upper specified angle α or lower than the lower specified angle β as described above, for example, the lever 3 of the lever switch 1 is turned to the upper left, which is opposite to the right turn. The turn signal lamp 6 is configured to be extinguished by swinging in the direction.

As prior art document information related to the invention of this application, for example, Patent Document 1 is known.
JP 2004-142562 A

  However, in the conventional turning direction indicating device described above, it blinks when a gentle curve continues in the same direction after turning right or left as described above, or when the rotational operation angle of the steering wheel 7 is small, such as a lane change. Since the turn signal lamp 6 is not turned off, it is necessary to perform an operation such as swinging the lever 3 of the lever switch 1 in the reverse direction, and the operation is complicated.

  The present invention solves such a conventional problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a turning direction indicating device that is easy to operate with a simple configuration.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the control means outputs the turning signal when the steering is rotated beyond the upper specified angle and then held for a predetermined time between the upper specified angle and the lower specified angle. The turning direction indicator is configured to stop, and even if a gentle curve in the same direction continues after turning right or left, the turn signal lamp goes off after a predetermined time, so forgetting to turn off the turn signal lamp And a turning direction indicating device that is easy to operate can be obtained.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the control means stops the output of the turning signal when the steering is held between the lower specified angle and the lower specified angle for a predetermined time after being rotated between the upper specified angle and the lower specified angle. A turn direction indicating device is configured, and even when the steering operation angle is small, such as when changing lanes, the turn signal lamp is turned off after a predetermined time, so that a turn direction indicating device that is easy to operate is obtained. It has the effect of being able to.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an advantageous effect that it is possible to realize a turning direction indicating device that is easy to operate with a simple configuration.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part of the same structure as the structure demonstrated in the term of background art, and detailed description is simplified.

(Embodiment 1)
The invention of claim 1 of the present invention will be described using the first embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a turning direction indicating device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a lever switch as an operating means, which can swing at one end of a substantially box-shaped case 2. The movable contact 10A in the case 2 and the switch contact 10 including the fixed contacts 10B and 10C are electrically connected and separated by the swinging operation of the mounted lever 3.

  The lever switch 1 automatically returns to the neutral position when, for example, the lever 3 is swung upward or downward from the neutral position and then released from the lever 3 to release the operation load. This is a so-called automatic return type switch that switches between electrical contact and separation.

  Reference numeral 4 denotes a rudder angle sensor as an angle detection means, which is configured to detect the rotation direction and angle of the steering shaft by the operation of the steering 7 by using a built-in optical element or magnetic element.

  Further, 11 is a control means formed by an electronic component (not shown) such as a microcomputer, and this control means 11 is connected to the switch contact 10 of the lever switch 1 and the steering angle sensor 4, and the electronic circuit of the vehicle body. A turn direction indicator device is configured by being connected to the turn signal lamp 6 via a not shown (not shown).

  In the turning direction indicating device configured as described above, the lever 3 protrudes to the right below the steering 7 fixed to the steering shaft (not shown) as shown in the external plan view of FIG. And placed in front of the driver's seat in the car.

  In the above configuration, for example, as shown in the operation explanatory diagram of FIG. 3A, when the vehicle D makes a right turn at an intersection where the roads are orthogonal to each other, first, the lever 3 is swung in the right turn direction in the straight traveling state E1. When operated, the switch contact 10 in the case 2, that is, the movable contact 10A and the fixed contact 10B are electrically connected and separated by this swinging operation.

  Thereafter, when the lever 3 is released and the operation load is released, the lever 3 automatically returns to the neutral position. However, as shown in the waveform diagram of FIG. The control means 11 detects an operation signal F due to contact / separation, and a predetermined turning signal G as shown in FIG. 3C is output from the control means 11 to the electronic circuit to be mounted on the right side of the vehicle D. The signal lamp 6 blinks.

  Then, when the steering 7 is rotated from the straight traveling position C to the right by a predetermined angle, the steering shaft rotates and the tire turns to the right, and a right turn state E2 is reached. As shown in FIG. 5, a signal θ of the rotation angle of the steering wheel 7 that increases with the right turn E2 from the straight traveling state E1 is output, whereby the control means 11 detects in which direction and how much the steering wheel 7 is rotated. .

  For example, if the steering wheel 7 is rotated by 100 degrees, a signal θ of the angle data of the steering wheel 7 from the vicinity of 0 degrees which is substantially straight traveling state E1 to 100 degrees of the right turn state E2 is transmitted from the steering angle sensor 4 to the control means 11. Is output.

  Next, when the right turn is finished and the steering 7 is returned to the straight traveling state C, the vehicle D enters the straight traveling state E3, and the angle data signal θ corresponding to the rotational operation of the steering 7 is transmitted from the steering angle sensor 4 to the control means 11. Is output.

  Then, the control means 11 makes a right turn by turning the steering 7 by a predetermined upper specified angle α, for example, 90 ° or more, by the angle data signal θ from these steering angle sensors 4, and then the upper specified angle α. It is detected that the vehicle has returned to a smaller lower specified angle β, for example, 20 degrees or less and is in a straight traveling state E3, stops outputting the right turn signal G, and the right turn signal lamp 6 is turned off.

  Note that the upper specified angle α of the steering wheel 7 is appropriately set to a substantially lower limit of the angle of the steering wheel 7 that is normally considered to be a general right turn or left turn state, and the lower specified angle β is determined to be a normal straight traveling state. The approximate upper limit of the angle is set as appropriate.

  That is, according to the operation of the lever switch 1 at the time of turning left or right, the control means 11 outputs a predetermined turning signal G, blinks the right or left turn signal lamp 6, and the control means 11 is controlled by the steering angle sensor 4. When the rotation angle of the steering wheel 7 is detected and the steering wheel 7 is rotated by the upper specified angle α or more and then returned to the lower specified angle β which is substantially straight, the control means 11 outputs the turning signal G. The turn signal lamp 6 is turned off and stopped.

  Further, as shown in the operation explanatory diagram of FIG. 4A, after the vehicle body D makes a right turn E2 from the straight traveling state E1, as in the case of entering an interchange on a highway, for example, a gentle right curve E3 in the same direction When the vehicle travels, first, when the lever 3 is swung in the downward right turn direction in the straight traveling state E1, the control means is controlled by the operation signal F as shown in the waveform diagrams of FIGS. 4 (b) and 4 (c). 11, a predetermined turning signal G is output, and the turn signal lamp 6 on the right side of the vehicle D blinks.

  Next, when the steering wheel 7 is rotated rightward and a right turn E2 is performed, an angle data signal θ that is equal to or greater than the upper specified angle α is output from the rudder angle sensor 4 to the control means 11, but the subsequent gentle right curve In E3, the steering 7 is not returned to the straight traveling state, and the state where it is held between the upper specified angle α and the lower specified angle β continues.

  At this time, as shown in the waveform diagram of FIG. 4D, the control means 11 is held between the upper specified angle α and the lower specified angle β after the steering 7 angle becomes equal to or larger than the upper specified angle α. When a predetermined time T1, for example, 6 seconds or longer, is detected, the output of the turning signal G is stopped and the right turn signal lamp 6 is turned off.

  That is, after the steering wheel 7 is rotated by the upper specified angle α or more and the state where the steering wheel 7 is not returned to the lower specified angle β or less continues for a predetermined time T1, complicated operations such as swinging the lever switch 1 in the reverse direction are performed. Even if not performed, the control means 11 stops the output of the turning signal G, and the turn signal lamp 6 is turned off.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, after the steering 7 is rotated to the upper specified angle α or more, the control means 11 is operated when the predetermined time T1 is held between the upper specified angle α and the lower specified angle β. By stopping the output of the turning signal G, the turn signal lamp 6 is turned off after a predetermined time even if a gentle curve in the same direction continues after turning right or left, thus preventing the turn signal lamp 6 from being forgotten to turn off. Thus, a turning direction indicating device that is easy to operate can be obtained.

(Embodiment 2)
The second embodiment of the present invention will be described in particular.

  In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part of the structure same as the structure of Embodiment 1, and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in the configuration diagram of FIG. 1, a switch contact 10 is provided inside, and a lever switch 1 as an operating means having an automatic return type lever 3 and steering through a steering shaft. 7 by a steering angle sensor 4 serving as an angle detection means for detecting a rotation angle of 7 and a control means 11 connected to the lever switch 1 and the steering angle sensor 4 and connected to the turn signal lamp 6 via an electronic circuit of the vehicle body. The turning direction indicating device is configured as in the case of the first embodiment.

  Further, as shown in the operation explanatory diagram of FIG. 3, when a normal right turn or left turn is made, the control means 11 outputs a predetermined turning signal to the electronic circuit of the vehicle body according to the operation of the lever switch 1, and the turn When the signal lamp 6 blinks and the steering wheel 7 is rotated and the steering wheel 7 is rotated below the predetermined upper specified angle α and then becomes the lower specified angle β or less, the control means 11 outputs a turning signal. Is stopped and the turn signal lamp 6 is turned off as in the case of the first embodiment.

  In the above configuration, as shown in the operation explanatory diagram of FIG. 5A, for example, on a road with a plurality of lanes, the lane change E2 from the state E1 in which the vehicle D is traveling straight in the central lane to the lane on the right side, and straight travel In this case, first, when the lever 3 is swung in the lower right turn direction in the straight traveling state E1, a predetermined value is given from the control means 11 by this operation signal F as shown in the waveform diagrams of FIGS. A turning signal G is output and the turn signal lamp 6 on the right side of the vehicle D blinks.

  Next, when the steering wheel 7 is rotated slightly to the right and the vehicle proceeds in the diagonally right direction to change the lane E2, as shown in the waveform diagram of FIG. 5D, between the upper specified angle α and the lower specified angle β. An angle data signal θ is output from the steering angle sensor 4 to the control means 11.

  After that, when the steering 7 is returned to the straight traveling state and the vehicle D enters the straight traveling state E3, the angle data signal θ from the lower specified angle β to the vicinity of 0 degree is output to the control means 11, but at this time, When the control means 11 detects the time kept below the lower specified angle β and the predetermined time T1, for example, 6 seconds or longer, the output of the turning signal G is stopped and the right turn signal lamp 6 Goes off.

  That is, when the steering wheel 7 is rotated between the upper specified angle α and the lower specified angle β and then held for a predetermined time T1 below the lower specified angle β, the lever switch 1 is swung in the reverse direction, etc. Even if no complicated operation is performed, the control means 11 stops the output of the turning signal G, and the turn signal lamp 6 is turned off.

  Thus, according to the present embodiment, after the steering 7 is rotated between the upper specified angle α and the lower specified angle β, the control means 11 turns when the predetermined time T1 is held below the lower specified angle β. Stopping the output of the signal G prevents the turn signal lamp 6 from being forgotten to turn off because the turn signal lamp 6 is turned off after a predetermined time even when the rotation angle of the steering wheel 7 is small, such as when changing lanes. Thus, a turning direction indicating device that is easy to operate can be obtained.

  In addition, although the case where the predetermined time T1 held below the lower specified angle β detected by the control means 11 is 6 seconds has been described, it is usually 3 seconds to 10 seconds in consideration of the time required for the vehicle body to turn right or left. A time around seconds may be set.

  In the above description, the configuration using the automatic return type lever switch 1 that returns to the neutral position when the operation load is released has been described. The present invention can also be implemented using various switches such as two push switches arranged side by side.

  Further, in addition to the automatic return type switch as described above, the lever 3 can be moved up and down to use the switch held by the moderation means or the like at the upper position or the lower position. It is.

  The turning direction indicating device according to the present invention has a simple configuration and can be easily operated, and is useful for a turning direction indicating device that blinks a turn signal lamp or the like when the vehicle is turning.

The block diagram of the turning direction instruction | indication apparatus by embodiment of this invention Same external plan view Operation explanation diagram Operation explanation diagram Operation explanation diagram Configuration diagram of conventional turning direction indicating device Same external plan view

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Lever switch 2 Case 3 Lever 4 Steering angle sensor 6 Turn signal lamp 7 Steering 10 Switch contact 10A Movable contact 10B, 10C Fixed contact 11 Control means

Claims (2)

Operating means operable up and down from the neutral position, angle detecting means for detecting the rotation angle of the steering, and control means connected to the angle detecting means and outputting a predetermined turning signal in response to the operation of the operating means After the steering is rotated to the upper specified angle or more and then returned to the lower specified angle or less than the upper specified angle, the control means stops outputting the turning signal and the steering is turned to the upper specified angle. A turning direction indicating device in which the control means stops the output of the turning signal even when held for a predetermined time between the upper specified angle and the lower specified angle after being rotated as described above. Operating means operable up and down from the neutral position, angle detecting means for detecting the rotation angle of the steering, and control means connected to the angle detecting means and outputting a predetermined turning signal in response to the operation of the operating means And when the steering is rotated more than the upper prescribed angle and then returned to the lower prescribed angle smaller than the upper prescribed angle, the control means stops outputting the turning signal and the steering is A turning direction indicating device in which the control means stops the output of the turning signal even when it is rotated between an angle and the lower specified angle and then held for a predetermined time below the lower specified angle.

Images