JP2007314062A - Vehicular direction indicator device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular direction indicator device capable of easily stopping a bracket at a neutral position when returning the bracket located at a left turn indication position or a right turn indication position to the neutral position with few constraints when installed, and preventing foreign matter from entering into a unit case. <P>SOLUTION: A click piece 8 of a click mechanism 11 for turn is arranged in a shaft direction of a shaft part 7a to be a rotation center of the bracket 7. The click piece 8 is energized to a click peak 10 for turn side provided in an internal surface of a cover 6 of the unit case by energizing force of a click spring 9. When the bracket 7 is returned to the neutral position from a located state at the left turn indication position or the right turn indication position, sliding resistance combined with sliding resistance between the click piece 8 and the click peak 10 for turn by the energizing force of the click spring 9 and sliding resistance between the bracket 7 and the unit case by reaction of the click spring 9 acts, and thereby the bracket 7 is easily stopped at the neutral position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular direction indicating device that facilitates stopping at a neutral position when a bracket positioned at a left turn instruction position or a right turn instruction position is returned to a neutral position.

  In the vehicular direction indicating device, for example, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a bracket 100 that is rotated by an operation lever is provided in a unit case so as to be rotatable around a shaft portion 101. A turn moderation mechanism 102 that selectively holds the bracket 100 at a neutral position, a left turn instruction position, and a right turn instruction position is provided between the tip of the bracket 100 and the unit case.

  The turn moderation mechanism 102 includes a moderation mountain 103 provided in the unit case, a moderation piece 105 movably provided in a receiving portion 104 provided at the tip of the bracket 100, and the moderation piece 105. It comprises a moderation spring (biasing means) 106 that biases the mountain 103 side. The moderation mountain 103 is formed with a neutral position valley 103a, a left turn position mountain 103b, and a right turn position mountain 103c. When the moderation piece 105 enters the neutral position trough 103a, the bracket 100 is held at the neutral position (see FIG. 8), and when the moderation piece 105 rides on the left turn position peak 103b, the bracket 100 is held at the left turn instruction position. Then, the bracket 100 is held at the right turn instruction position by the moderation piece 105 riding on the right turn position peak portion 103c (see FIG. 9).

  Then, when the bracket 100 is positioned at the left turn instruction position (see FIG. 9) or the right turn instruction position, the bracket 100 is moved via the cancel mechanism based on the rotation of the steering wheel in the direction opposite to the instruction direction. It is configured to return toward the neutral position. At this time, if the bracket 100 passes the neutral position and the opposite turn switch is turned on, the opposite turn signal lamp may be lit (so-called reverse lighting). In particular, in recent years, there is a situation where the reverse lighting is likely to occur due to the fact that there is no room in the contact portion of the turn switch as the unit is downsized, and countermeasures are desired.

As a countermeasure against the above-described reverse lighting, Patent Document 1 discloses the following. Protrusions are provided on the outer surface of the bracket, and two cantilever elastically deformable brake convexes are provided on the cover of the unit case that accommodates the bracket. When the bracket is in the neutral position, Is positioned between the two brake convex portions, and in a state where the bracket is positioned at the left turn instruction position, the convex portion is positioned beyond one brake convex portion. Then, when the bracket is rotated in the direction to return to the neutral position via the cancel mechanism, the convex portion of the bracket hits one brake convex portion and pushes up and passes through the brake convex portion. At this time, when the convex portion hits the convex portion for braking, the momentum of the bracket is weakened, the bracket is likely to stop at the neutral position, and the occurrence of reverse lighting can be prevented.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-231402 (FIG. 1)

  The thing of the above-mentioned patent document 1 has the following faults. The two brake convex portions provided on the unit case side cover must be displaced upward and escape when the bracket side convex portion hits. For this reason, a space for displacing the brake convex portion is required on the upper surface side of the cover of the unit case, which becomes a restriction when installing the vehicle direction indicator. In addition, the cover requires a slit (opening) for enabling elastic deformation of the brake convex portion around the brake convex portion, so that foreign matter may enter the unit case from the slit. There is.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and its purpose is to make it easier to stop at the neutral position when the bracket positioned at the left turn instruction position or the right turn instruction position is returned to the neutral position, and when installing. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicular direction indicating device that is less restricted and can prevent foreign matter from entering a unit case.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the vehicle direction indicator device of the present invention is provided with a unit case, and is provided in the unit case so as to be rotatable around a shaft portion. A bracket that is rotated between a position and a right turn instruction position, and provided between the bracket and the unit case, and selectively holds the bracket at the neutral position, the left turn instruction position, and the right turn instruction position. The moderation mechanism and a cancel cam that is rotated by a steering wheel in a state where the bracket is positioned at the left turn instruction position or the right turn instruction position are rotated in a direction opposite to the direction indicated by the bracket. And a canceling mechanism that applies an operating force in a direction to return to the neutral position. A nodule mountain provided on the inner surface of the unit case facing the one axial surface of the shaft part and an accommodation part formed in a portion of the bracket facing the nodule mountain It is movable along the axial direction of the shaft portion, and is urged toward the moderation mountain side by an urging means, and in cooperation with the moderation mountain, the bracket is moved to the neutral position, left turn instruction position, and right turn instruction. It is characterized by comprising a moderation piece that is selectively held in position.

  According to the present invention, the moderation piece of the moderation mechanism that selectively holds the bracket at the neutral position, the left-turn instruction position, and the right-turn instruction position is provided on the shaft portion serving as the pivot center of the bracket by the urging force of the urging means. It is biased toward the moderation mountain side along the axial direction. For this reason, when the bracket rotates, the urging force of the urging means generates a sliding resistance between the moderation piece and the moderation mountain, and the reaction force of the urging means presses the bracket against the unit case side. A sliding resistance is also generated between the bracket and the unit case by the reaction force of the biasing means acting in the direction. For this reason, when the bracket is returned to the neutral position from the left turn instruction position or the right turn instruction position, the sliding resistance between the moderation piece and the moderation mountain by the urging force of the urging means, and the urging means Because the sliding resistance combined with the sliding resistance between the bracket and the unit case due to the reaction force of the unit acts, the bracket is likely to stop at the neutral position, and the occurrence of reverse lighting can be prevented as much as possible. .

  And since the moderation mountain can be provided on the inner surface of the unit case, unlike the case where the elastically deformable brake convex part is provided on the unit case side, no special space is required on the outer surface side of the unit case. There are few restrictions. Further, since it is not necessary to form an opening in the unit case for forming the brake convex portion, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the unit case.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, in FIG. 4, a roll connector 1 that constitutes a power feeding connection portion is disposed below a steering wheel (not shown) and has a function of feeding power to electrical components on the steering wheel side. As is well known, the roll connector 1 has a configuration in which a belt-like flat cable is provided between a fixed portion and a rotating portion that rotates integrally with the steering wheel, and protrudes downward at a lower portion thereof. A canceling cam 2 is provided. The cancel cam 2 is provided in a rotating portion, and is rotated around a steering shaft (not shown) as the steering wheel rotates. In FIGS. 6 and 7, K indicates a rotation locus in a range in which the cancel cam 2 rotates.

  Now, the unit case 3 of the vehicular direction indicating device is provided in a fixed state below the steering wheel and on the side portion of the roll connector 1. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, the unit case 3 includes a hollow lower case 4, an insulator 5 provided at the bottom of the lower case 4, and a cover attached to the upper surface opening of the lower case 4. 6.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the bracket 7 is provided in the unit case 3 so as to be rotatable in the direction of arrow A in FIG. On the distal end side of the bracket 7, an accommodation portion 7 b having an upper surface opened is formed at a position close to one side, and the moderation piece 8 and the moderation piece 8 are moved outward in the accommodation portion 7 b. A moderation spring (biasing means) 9 for urging is provided. The accommodating portion 7b extends in the axial direction of the shaft portion 7a, and the moderation piece 8 accommodated therein can reciprocate along the axial direction of the shaft portion 7a. On the inner surface of the cover 6 in the unit case 3, a turn moderation mountain (a moderation mountain according to the present invention) 10 (see FIG. 1B) is provided. The tip is slidably pressed.

  Therefore, in this case, the turn mode mountain 10 is provided on the inner surface of the cover 6 facing the upper surface, which is the one surface in the axial direction of the shaft portion 7a. A moderation piece 8 is movably provided along the axial direction of the shaft portion 7 a in a housing portion 7 b formed at a portion facing the moderation mountain 10, and the moderation piece 8 is turned by the urging force of the moderation spring 9. It is biased toward the side of the moderation mountain 10 side.

  The turn moderation mountain 10 is provided with a neutral position trough portion 10a and a left turn position crest portion 10b and a right turn position crest portion 10c that are located on both sides of the neutral position trough portion 10a. As the piece 8 is selectively held by the neutral position trough portion 10a, the left turn position crest portion 10b, and the right turn position crest portion 10c, the bracket 7 is selectively used for the neutral position, the left turn instruction position, and the right turn instruction position. Is supposed to be retained. 1 and 6 show a state in which the bracket 7 is held in the neutral position. In this case, the moderation piece 8, the moderation spring 9, and the moderation mountain 10 for turn constitute a moderation mechanism 11 for turn.

  One end of an operation lever 12 is inserted into the bracket 7. In addition, the operation lever 12 is abbreviate | omitted in FIG.1, FIG.2, FIG.3, FIG.6 and FIG. The operation lever 12 rotates together with the bracket 7 in the direction of arrow A described above, and can rotate about the shaft portion 13 with respect to the bracket 7 in the direction of arrow B in FIG. It has become a structure. A housing portion 12a having an open front end is formed at the end of the operating lever 12 on the bracket 7 side, and a moderation piece 14 and a moderation spring for biasing the moderation piece 14 outward in the housing portion 12a. 15 are provided. A dimmer / passing moderation surface 16 is provided inside the bracket 7, and the moderation piece 14 is in pressure contact with the dimmer / passing moderation surface 16. In this case, the moderation piece 14, the moderation spring 15 and the moderation surface 16 for dimmer / passing constitute a moderation mechanism 17 for dimmer / passing.

  A holder operation member 18 is attached to the end of the operation lever 12 on the bracket 7 side. On the upper surface side of the insulator 5, a movable contact holder 20 having a movable contact 19 is provided so as to be slidable in the left-right direction in FIG. The lower end portion of the holder operation member 18 is inserted into the movable contact holder 20, and the movable contact holder is moved via the holder operation member 18 when the operation lever 12 is rotated in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 4. 20 is slid in the direction of arrow C (left-right direction), and accordingly, the movable contact 19 slides on the upper surface of the insulator 5. The insulator 5 is provided with a fixed contact 21 on a surface on which the movable contact 19 slides, and the fixed contact 21 and the movable contact 19 that contacts and separates from the fixed contact 21 constitute a dimmer / passing switch. .

  A cancel mechanism 24 of the vehicle direction indicator is disposed below the unit case 3, and the cancel mechanism 24 will be described below. An auxiliary bracket 25 is attached to the lower end of the bracket 7 so as to rotate integrally with the bracket 7. A mountain-shaped cam surface 26 is provided on the lower surface of the auxiliary bracket 25. A back plate 27 is provided below the bracket 7 so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction, and is always held at a predetermined position shown in FIG. A pair of pressed portions 29 are provided on the lower surface side of the back plate 27 so as to face each other. These pressed parts 29 are opened in a C shape so that the distance between them is wide on the auxiliary bracket 25 side when viewed from above.

  A ratchet 30 is disposed below the auxiliary bracket 25 and the back plate 27. A shaft portion 31 protrudes in the upper and lower sides at the middle portion in the longitudinal direction of the ratchet 30, and a lower portion of the shaft portion 31 is movably inserted into the guide hole 5 a formed in the insulator 5. The ratchet 30 has a tip 30a protruding outward from the lower case 4 of the unit case 3 and is urged by a ratchet spring 32 in the direction of arrow E (see FIGS. 4 and 6). Yes. In the state of FIG. 6 in which the bracket 7 is held at the neutral position, the upper portion of the shaft portion 31 is in contact with the apex of the peak portion of the cam surface 26 and is prevented from moving in the arrow E direction. At this time, the rear end portion 30 b of the ratchet 30 is inserted between the pressed portions 29, 29 of the back plate 27.

  A movable contact holder 33 that moves in response to the rotational movement of the bracket 7 is provided below the bracket 7, and a movable contact 34 for a turn switch is attached to the movable contact holder 33. The insulator 5 is provided with a movable contact 34 and a fixed contact (not shown) constituting a turn switch.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.
In the state of FIG. 1 and FIG. 6 in which the bracket 7 is located at the neutral position, as shown in FIG. 1B, the tip of the moderation piece 8 enters the neutral position trough portion 10a for the turn moderation mountain 10 for turn. It is in a state. At this time, the upper portion of the shaft portion 31 of the ratchet 30 is in contact with the apex of the peak portion of the cam surface 26, and movement in the direction of arrow E is prevented. In this state, the tip 30 a of the ratchet 30 protrudes outward from the lower case 4 of the unit case 3, but is positioned outside the rotation locus K of the cancel cam 2. Accordingly, in this state, the cancel cam 2 does not hit the ratchet 30 regardless of which direction the cancel cam 2 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the steering wheel.

  When the operation lever 12 is rotated, for example, toward the left turn instruction position in a state where the bracket 7 is positioned at the neutral position, the bracket 7 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 6 about the shaft portion 7a. The Then, the tip of the moderation piece 8 slides on the slope of the left turn position mountain portion 10b in the turn moderation mountain 10 and is held when the left turn position mountain portion 10b is ridden. As a result, the bracket 7 is held at the left turn instruction position shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, and accordingly, a left turn switch (not shown) of the turn switch is turned on. At this time, as the auxiliary bracket 25 moves together with the bracket 7, the ratchet 30 moves in the direction of arrow E so that the shaft portion 31 moves down the peak portion of the cam surface 26, and the tip portion 30 a moves to the cancel cam. 2 and the rear end 30b comes into contact with one of the pressed parts 29.

  When the steering wheel is rotated in the left direction (in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 7) in the left turn instruction position state in FIG. 7, the cancel cam 2 hits the ratchet 30 from the counterclockwise direction. However, as the ratchet 30 rotates in the clockwise direction around the shaft portion 31, the passage of the cancel cam 2 is allowed. Accordingly, in this case, the bracket 7 and the operation lever 12 are held at the left turn instruction position, and the turn switch is also turned on.

  In the state of FIG. 7, when the steering wheel is rotated in the right direction (clockwise direction) opposite to the direction indicated by the bracket 7 and the cancel cam 2 comes into contact with the ratchet 30 from the clockwise direction, The counterclockwise rotational force acts on the shaft portion 31 as a center. Then, the rear end portion 30b of the ratchet 30 presses one of the pressed portions 29, and an operating force is applied to the bracket 7 to rotate it in the clockwise direction (the direction in which the bracket 7 is returned to the neutral position). When the operating force at this time exceeds the holding force of the turning moderation mechanism 11, the tip of the moderation piece 8 passes the tip of the left turn position peak 10b toward the neutral position valley 10a, and the left turn position peak. The bracket 7 and the operation lever 12 are rotated in the clockwise direction by sliding on the inclined surface 10b.

  At this time, the moderation piece 8 of the turn moderation mechanism 11 is urged toward the turn moderation mountain 10 along the axial direction of the shaft portion 7 a that is the pivot center of the bracket 7 by the urging force of the moderation spring 9. Yes. Therefore, when the bracket 7 is rotated, a sliding resistance is generated between the moderation piece 8 and the turn moderation mountain 10 due to the urging force of the moderation spring 9, and the reaction force of the moderation spring 9 is generated by the bracket 7. Acts on the insulator 5 on the bottom side of the unit case 3 (see arrow F in FIG. 1B), and the reaction force of the moderation spring 9 causes the space between the bracket 7 and the insulator 5 of the unit case 3 to be Also, sliding resistance is generated. For this reason, when the bracket 7 is returned to the neutral position from the position where the left turn is instructed, the sliding resistance between the moderation piece 8 and the moderation mountain 10 for turning by the urging force of the moderation spring 9 and the moderation spring Since the sliding resistance that combines the sliding resistance between the bracket 7 and the insulator 5 of the unit case 3 due to the reaction force 9 acts, the bracket 7 tends to stop at the neutral position, and reverse lighting occurs. Can be prevented as much as possible.

  The above description is for the case where the operation lever 12 and the bracket 7 are rotated to the left turn instruction position. However, when the operation lever 12 and the bracket 7 are turned to the right turn instruction position, their movements are opposite to those described above. The operation is basically the same as the case of turning to the left turn instruction position.

According to the above-described embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
The moderation piece 8 of the turn moderation mechanism 11 is urged to the turn moderation mountain 10 side by the urging force of the moderation spring 9 along the axial direction of the shaft portion 7a serving as the rotation center of the bracket 7. When the bracket 7 is returned to the neutral position from the left turn instruction position or the right turn instruction position, the sliding resistance between the moderation piece 8 and the turn moderation mountain 10 by the urging force of the moderation spring 9 and the moderation Since a sliding resistance that combines the sliding resistance between the bracket 7 and the insulator 5 of the unit case 3 due to the reaction force of the spring 9 acts, the bracket 7 is likely to stop at the neutral position, and reversely lit. Generation can be prevented as much as possible.

  8 and 9, the moderation piece 105 in the turn moderation mechanism 102 is in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the shaft portion 101 at the distal end portion of the bracket 100 due to the urging force of the moderation spring 106. Was being energized. For this reason, when the bracket 100 is rotated, a sliding resistance is generated between the moderation piece 105 and the moderation mountain 103 due to the urging force of the moderation spring 106, but the reaction force of the moderation spring 106 acts on the bracket 100. It acts in the direction of pushing toward the portion 101 side (see arrow G in FIG. 8), and the sliding resistance generated between the bracket 100 and the shaft portion 101 is smaller than in the present embodiment. For this reason, in the conventional configuration, when the bracket 100 is returned to the neutral position from the state in which it is positioned at the left turn instruction position, it may be difficult to stop at the neutral position.

  In the present embodiment, since the turn moderation mountain 10 can be provided on the inner surface of the cover 6 in the unit case 3, unlike the case where the elastically deformable brake convex portion is provided on the unit case side, the unit case No special space is required on the outer surface side of the vehicle 3, and there are few restrictions on the installation of the vehicle direction indicator. Further, since it is not necessary to form an opening in the unit case 3 so as to form a brake projection, entry of foreign matter into the unit case 3 can be prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a plan view of a main part in a state where a bracket is in a neutral position, and (b) is a longitudinal sectional view of the main part along the line XX in the same state. (A) is a plan view of the main part in a state where the bracket is positioned at the left turn instruction position, (b) is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 (b) in the same state. Plan view with the control lever removed Longitudinal section Exploded perspective view Cross-sectional plan view of the main part with the bracket in the neutral position Cross-sectional plan view of the main part with the bracket in the left turn instruction position Fig. 2 is a plan view of a main part in a state where the bracket is in a neutral position, showing a conventional configuration. Cutaway plan view of the main part with the bracket positioned at the left turn instruction position

Explanation of symbols

  In the drawings, 2 is a cancel cam, 3 is a unit case, 6 is a cover, 7 is a bracket, 7a is a shaft part, 7b is a storage part, 8 is a moderation piece, 9 is a moderation spring (biasing means), and 10 is for a turn. Moderation mountain (moderation mountain), 10a is a neutral position valley, 10b is a left turn position, 10c is a right turn position, 11 is a turn moderation mechanism (moderation mechanism), 12 is an operating lever, and 24 is cancelled. The mechanism 30 indicates a ratchet.

Claims (1)

Unit case,
A bracket provided in the unit case so as to be rotatable around a shaft portion, and rotated between a left turn instruction position and a right turn instruction position around a neutral position together with an operation lever;
A moderation mechanism provided between the bracket and the unit case, and selectively holding the bracket at the neutral position, the left turn instruction position, and the right turn instruction position;
The bracket is returned to the neutral position based on the fact that the cancel cam rotated by the steering wheel in a state where the bracket is positioned at the left turn instruction position or the right turn instruction position is rotated in a direction opposite to the direction indicated by the bracket. In a vehicle direction indicating device provided with a cancellation mechanism that applies an operation force in a direction,
The moderation mechanism is
A moderation mountain provided on the inner surface of the unit case facing the one surface in the axial direction of the shaft portion in the bracket,
The bracket is provided at a portion of the bracket facing the moderation mountain and is movable along the axial direction of the shaft portion, and is urged toward the moderation mountain side by an urging means. A vehicle direction indicating device comprising: a moderation piece that selectively holds the bracket at the neutral position, the left turn instruction position, and the right turn instruction position in cooperation with the vehicle.

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