JP2008105674A - Turn indicator control device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a turn indicator control device for a vehicle capable of operating a turn indicator for set time and stopping it only by one-touch switch operation. <P>SOLUTION: By making a turn indicator lever 11 contact with a right contact point 12 or a left contact point 13 for a short time, pulse signals are generated. A timer circuit 3 receives the pulse signals, and first signals are output to an output circuit 2 for set time corresponding to detection signals of vehicle speed from a vehicle speed sensor 4. While the first signals are being output, the output circuit 2 outputs second signals to a flasher control circuit 6 to wink the turn indicator 8. When output of the first signals is completed, winking of the turn indicator 8 is stopped. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a winker control device for a vehicle.

  The turn signal lamp of a car is also called a turn signal lamp, and is a turn signal lamp that blinks at the time of turning left and right to notify the movement in advance. The winker is also used when changing lanes. This winker switch is usually attached as a lever that protrudes horizontally on the front side of the steering wheel. When the lever is pushed lightly up or down, it is half-pressed (hereinafter referred to as half-press). When blinking further, pressing the button further keeps the switch on (hereinafter referred to as full depression) even if you release the lever, and the blinker continues to blink. That is, when the switch is half-pressed, the contact point of the switch comes into contact, and when fully pressed, the contact state is fixedly held. When you release your hand from the half-pressed state, the switch turns off and the blinker stops blinking. On the other hand, in the fully-pressed state, in order to turn off the switch, it is necessary to push the lever in the opposite direction or turn the steering wheel back to the blinker blinking side after a predetermined angle or more. When turning left or right, just by turning the steering wheel as in the latter, the winker switch turns off from the fully depressed state, but when changing lanes, the steering wheel turning angle is small, so if the switch is turned on by fully pushing, the switch It is necessary to push the lever to the opposite side again like in the former to turn off the vehicle. Another way is to hold the lever with your hand halfway and release your hand when you have finished changing lanes. Things have been done.

  However, when overtaking on an expressway, etc., press the blinker switch fully to blink for a short time as described above, then push the lever again to turn it off, or overhold while keeping it half pressed This is not preferable from the viewpoint of safety. That is, on the highway, releasing the hand twice from the steering wheel and pressing the switch or releasing the hand and continuing to press the lever is an operation to handle the steering wheel with one hand, and the steering operation can be mistaken. There is room for improvement.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a winker control device for a vehicle that drives and stops a winker for a set time only by a one-touch switch operation. is there.

  In order to achieve the above object, the control is performed so that the winker is driven for a predetermined time by the pulse signal from the switch.

  Specifically, the invention of claim 1 is directed to a winker control device for a vehicle connected to an operation switch of the winker and an electric power unit that drives the winker.

  And when the operation switch emits a pulse signal, output time setting means for outputting a first signal for a set time after receiving the pulse signal, and while receiving the first signal, Signal output means for operating the winker by outputting a second signal to the power unit.

  If it is the structure of Claim 1, the driver | operator of a motor vehicle can blink a blinker only for the set time only by one-touch of an operation switch, and it is not necessary to perform switch operation for stopping blinker blinking. In this way, a pulse signal is generated by one-touching the operation switch. As an operation switch, for example, if a lever that is a winker switch is used as it is, a pulse signal is generated by pressing the lever once and briefly for a short time. Therefore, the operation of pushing the lever again becomes unnecessary, and the safety of the operation during driving, particularly during high-speed driving is increased. Here, the set time is, for example, the time during which the blinker is blinked to change the lane, and is about 1 to 3 seconds. Note that when a continuous signal is input with the lever fully depressed, the signal activates the power unit so that the blinker continues to flash as long as the signal continues as well as the set time.

  Examples of the output time setting means include a timer or an electronic element or circuit having a timer function. An example of the signal output means is a signal output circuit, and the output time setting means and the signal output means may be one electronic element or one circuit.

  Further, the device of the present invention is a simple device and can be easily retrofitted to existing automobile equipment.

  Next, according to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the output time setting means is connected to the vehicle speed detection means of the vehicle provided in the vehicle, receives the detection signal of the vehicle speed detection means, The set time for outputting the first signal is changed in accordance with.

  If it is the structure of Claim 2, since the blinker of the optimal blinker can be selected according to a vehicle speed and a blinker can be driven, the driver of the car and the driver of the surrounding car who will see a blinker signal are Can drive comfortably. The vehicle speed detection signal is received from a vehicle speed sensor which is an existing vehicle speed detection means. The blinker blinking time is preferably shortened as the vehicle speed increases.

  The present invention is implemented in the form as described above, and has the following effects.

  A blinker signal is received from the operation switch and the blinker blinks for a set time, so that the blinker operation for changing the lane can be performed with one touch operation, and the driving operation can be performed safely. Since it is a simple device composed of output time setting means and signal output means, it can be easily retrofitted to existing equipment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
The configuration of the winker device according to the first embodiment (see FIG. 1) is obtained by adding a control device 1 and a vehicle speed sensor 4 to the configuration of a conventional winker device (see FIG. 4). In the conventional configuration, as shown in FIG. 4, when the blinker lever 11 that is the operation switch 5 is pressed and brought into contact with the right contact 12 or the left contact 13, a signal is input to the flasher control circuit 6 connected to the power source 7. The flasher control circuit 6 drives the right or left blinker 8 to blink. Here, the power source 7 and the flasher control circuit 6 correspond to the power unit. On the other hand, the control device 1 of the present embodiment operates when a pulse signal is input from the operation switch 5. The control device 1 includes a timer circuit (output time setting means) 3 and an output circuit (signal output means) 2, which is connected to an external vehicle speed sensor 4 and receives a vehicle speed detection signal. .

  The pulse signal is generated by pressing the winker lever 11 once for a short time halfway. That is, a pulse signal is generated by lightly pressing the winker lever 11 with a hand to bring it into contact with the right contact 12 or the left contact 13 for a very short time and then immediately releasing the hand. Such a pulse signal usually has a signal length of 0.5 seconds or less. When this pulse signal is input to the timer circuit 3, a first signal is output to the output circuit 2 for an output time set in advance according to the vehicle speed detection signal. While this first signal is output, the output circuit 2 outputs a second signal to the flasher control circuit 6 to blink the blinker 8.

  The blinker blinking time according to the vehicle speed is, for example, 3 seconds when it is less than 60 km / h, 2.5 seconds when it is 60-80 km / h, 2 seconds when it is 80-100 km / h, and more than 100 km / h If the speed is high, such as 1.5 seconds, the shorter the time, the faster the intention to change lanes can be displayed smoothly on the surrounding vehicles. It feels comfortable because it is blinking time.

  Further, when it is desired to stop blinking for some reason while the blinker 8 is blinking by sending a pulse signal, the pulse signal in the reverse direction is sent by pressing the blinker lever 11 halfway to the opposite side of blinking. Then, the timer circuit 3 receives it as a cancel signal and stops blinking of the blinker 8 in the middle.

  When the signal is continuously input with the blinker lever 11 fully pressed, the timer circuit 3 does not output the first signal, but this signal is input to the flasher control circuit 6 and the signal continues. While blinking, blinker 8 blinks.

  According to the winker control device 1 of the present embodiment, the winker 8 flashes for a set time only by pressing the winker lever 11 once and briefly for a short time. Only the operation is required, and it is possible to minimize an unfavorable state of safety such as one-hand operation at high speed. In addition, since an appropriate blinking time according to the vehicle speed is set, it is possible to drive comfortably. Further, in order to enable such winker control, the control device 1 having a simple configuration including the timer circuit 3 and the output circuit 2 is simply attached to the existing winker device, so that it can be easily retrofitted.

(Second embodiment)
In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a dedicated operation switch 9 is connected to the control device 1. In addition, since parts other than the operation switch 9 of the control apparatus 1 are the same as 1st embodiment, description is abbreviate | omitted. The operation switch 5 is a first operation switch, and the operation switch 9 is a second operation switch.

  The operation switch 9 is, for example, a lever switch 14 that automatically returns to a neutral state after contacting the right contact 15 or the left contact 16 and generates a pulse signal indicating right or left. The switch 9 is attached to the steering wheel so that the switch 9 can be operated without removing the hand from the steering wheel. In the present embodiment, the pulse signal may be a signal that is longer in time than the first embodiment, for example, a 1-second signal. Also in this embodiment, when it is desired to stop blinking for some reason while the pulse signal is sent and the blinker 8 is blinking, the lever switch 14 is pushed to the opposite side to the blinking pulse signal. When the timer circuit 3 is sent, the timer circuit 3 receives it as a cancel signal and stops blinking of the blinker 8 halfway.

  According to the winker control device 1 of the present embodiment, since the dedicated operation switch 9 is provided on the steering wheel, it can be operated without releasing the hand from the steering wheel, and the safety during driving becomes higher. Other functions and effects are the same as in the first embodiment.

(Third embodiment)
In the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the same control device 1 as the first embodiment includes a flasher control circuit 17 dedicated to the present control device 1. The power source 7 of the flasher control circuit 17 shares the power source 7 for controlling a normal blinker. By attaching the dedicated flasher control circuit 17 and the control device 1 to the automobile as a set, the winker control of the present invention can be performed without diverting a normal winker control device. Other functions and effects are the same as in the first embodiment.

(Other embodiments)
The embodiments described so far are just examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, the timer circuit 3 and the output circuit 2 may be a single MPU, or the control device 1 may be incorporated in the flasher control circuit 6 from the beginning. In addition, the vehicle speed sensor 4 and the timer circuit 3 are not connected, and the blinking time may not be changed according to the vehicle speed. The dedicated operation switch 9 may be a push button type switch or any switch, and the installation location may be in the vicinity of the steering wheel. The operation switch 9 may be mounted at a position where the hand is separated from the steering wheel when the dedicated operation switch 9 is operated. The setting of the blinker blinking time is not particularly limited.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of 1st embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of 2nd embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of 3rd embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the conventional blinker control apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control apparatus 2 Output circuit (signal output means)
3 Timer circuit (output time setting means)
4 Vehicle speed sensor (vehicle speed detection means)
5,9 Operation switch 6,17 Flasher control circuit (power unit)
8 Winker

Claims (4)

In addition to the existing winker control device of the vehicle provided with the first operation switch, it is connected to a power unit that drives the winker,
A second actuating switch,
The second operation switch emits a pulse signal when operated,
An output time setting means for outputting a first signal for a set time upon receipt of the pulse signal when the second operation switch generates a pulse signal;
A signal winker control device for outputting a second signal to the power unit to activate a winker while receiving the first signal. In claim 1,
The winker control device for a vehicle, wherein the second operation switch is a lever switch attached to a steering wheel. In claim 1 or 2,
There are two types of pulse signals, right turn and left turn. When the first signal is output by one type of the pulse signal, the output time setting means receives the other type of pulse signal. The output time setting means stops the output of the first signal. In any one of Claim 1 to 3,
The output time setting means is connected to the vehicle speed detection means of the vehicle provided in the vehicle, receives the detection signal of the vehicle speed detection means, and changes the set time for outputting the first signal according to the vehicle speed. A vehicle winker control device.

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