JP2010234936A - Steering assist device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To recognize the fact of operating a device of operating when a vehicle turns, without imposing a burden on a driver. <P>SOLUTION: Variable grip parts 32 and 33 are respectively vertically arranged on the right and left of the steering rim 31 of a steering wheel 8 of four spokes, and high pressure air from an air pump 38 is supplied to the respective variable grip parts via a passage 35 arranged in the spokes 30. For example, when a lateral driving force distributing device and a four-wheel steering device are operated as the device of operating when the vehicle turns, an operation state of the device is felt by a gripping part in a turning operation state of steering by inflating the variable grip parts by supplying a high pressure fluid, and the necessity of peeping into multi-information is eliminated, and the operation state of the device can be easily and quickly recognized. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a steering assist device, and more particularly to a steering assist device including a variable grip portion that is expanded by being filled with a high-pressure fluid.

  Conventionally, in a steering wheel, a resin foam having a jacket is provided on the steering grip, and a fluid is press-fitted into the resin foam to adjust the thickness to a steering grip according to the driver's preference. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1). Further, the steering wheel is provided with a screw cable that moves, a first moving member that moves along with the movement, and a second moving member that moves in a radial direction in contact with the first moving member at an inclination. There is one in which the grip diameter is variable (for example, see Patent Document 2).

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-183257 JP-A-6-305426

  However, when the vehicle is traveling, there are cases where it is necessary to steer with a strong steering wheel, and there are cases where it is not necessary to grip the steering wheel so strongly. On the other hand, in each of the above-mentioned patent documents, since the setting is only made according to the preference of the driver, if the grip diameter is set to correspond to the case of steering with a strong grip, it does not have to be gripped strongly. There was a problem that the gripping force was too thick even in a good situation, and the gripping force was too strong.

  On the other hand, there are vehicles equipped with devices for left / right driving force distribution and four-wheel steering. In such vehicles, the operation of the device is displayed using visual information means such as multi-information to drive It may be possible to inform the person that the device for controlling the vehicle behavior during turning is operating. However, when performing a high-G turn or the like, there is a problem that the driver cannot afford to look into the multi-information, which is insufficient for recognizing that the device is operating.

  In order to solve such a problem and make it possible to recognize that the device that operates when the vehicle turns is operated without burdening the driver, in the present invention, the steering rim ( 31) The variable grip portion (32, 33) provided at the gripping portion and inflated by being filled with the high-pressure fluid, and the high-pressure fluid selectively to the variable grip portion (32, 33). The high-pressure fluid supply means (38) for supply and the supply of the high-pressure fluid by the high-pressure fluid supply means (38) are stopped in the operation stop state of the device (26, 11) that operates when the vehicle turns. In the operating state of the devices (26, 11), the control means (12) for supplying is provided.

  According to this, when a left and right driving force distribution device or a four-wheel steering device is operated as a device that operates when the vehicle turns, for example, a high-pressure fluid is supplied to inflate the variable grip portion, so that in a steering turning state. The operating state of the device can be felt in the gripped portion, and there is no need to look into the multi-information, and the operating state of the device can be recognized easily and quickly.

  In particular, the variable grip portions (32, 33) are provided on the left and right sides of the steering rim (31), respectively, and the high pressure fluid supply means (38) supplies the high pressure fluid to the steering rim (31). It is good to carry out with respect to the variable grip portion (32, 33) on the turning direction side. According to this, since the left and right hands are positioned between the left and right variable grips on the left and right, for example, when turning left, the variable grips on the thumb side of the right hand and the little finger side of the left hand swell and turn operation Sometimes the side on which the force is applied swells to facilitate the application of the force, and it is possible to prevent the unnecessary supply of the high-pressure fluid to the unnecessary side.

  The high-pressure fluid may be high-pressure air, and the variable grip portion (32, 33) may be provided with a blowing port (41) for blowing out the high-pressure air. According to this, since not only it swells but also blows out air, it can recognize the operation of the device more reliably, and it has the effect of suppressing palm sweating, even more reliably when putting power into steering I can hold it.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the operation of the device that operates when the vehicle turns can be recognized by the driver by inflating the variable grip portion provided in the portion that is gripped when the steering rim is steered. Thus, it is possible to reliably recognize the steering operation without depending on the visual recognition means. Further, since the variable grip portion swells, the steering rim can be easily gripped, a large steering force can be applied to the steering, and more accurate handling is possible.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automobile to which a steering assist device to which the present invention is applied is applied. (A) is a front view which shows a steering wheel, (b) is a figure corresponding to (a) which shows the state at the time of left turning. (A) is a principal part expanded sectional view of the variable grip part seen along the arrow III-III line of Fig.2 (a), (b) is a figure corresponding to (a) which supplied the high pressure air. . It is a flowchart which shows the control point of air pressure adjustment. It is a figure which shows the relationship of the target air pressure with respect to handle | steering-wheel holding force. It is a figure which shows the relationship of the correction | amendment air pressure with respect to the operation amount of a device.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, a four-wheeled vehicle equipped with a steering assist device to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG.

  The four-wheeled vehicle V of the present embodiment has left and right front wheels 3L and 3R and left and right rear wheels 5L and 5R. The front wheels 3L and 3R are fitted with tires 2L and 2R, respectively, suspended by the vehicle body 1 by left and right front suspensions (not shown), and attached to the vehicle body 1 by knuckles so as to be freely turned. The rear wheels 5L and 5R are fitted with tires 4L and 4R, respectively, suspended by the vehicle body 1 by left and right rear suspensions (not shown), and attached to the vehicle body 1 by knuckles so as to be freely turned.

  The vehicle V includes a front wheel steering device 9 that directly steers the left and right front wheels 3L and 3R by steering the steering wheel 8. The front wheel steering device 9 has a steering shaft 21 connected to the steering wheel 8, a pinion 22 attached to the steering shaft 21, and a tooth portion meshing with the pinion 22 so as to be capable of reciprocating in the vehicle width direction. Rack shaft 9. Both ends of the rack shaft 9 are connected to left and right knuckles by tie rods 23. The left and right front wheels 3L, 3R are steered (turned) by the rack shaft 9 moving in the vehicle width direction by the rotation operation of the steering wheel 8.

  The steering shaft 21 is provided with a steering angle sensor 14 that detects a steering angle that is a rotation angle of the steering wheel 8 corresponding to the actual steering angle of the front wheels 3L and 3R.

  The automobile V has one end connected to the vehicle body 1, the other end connected to the left rear wheel 5L knuckle and a left toe angle control electric actuator 11L, one end connected to the vehicle body 1, and the other end to the right side. And a right-side toe angle control electric actuator 11R connected to a knuckle of the rear wheel 5R. The left and right electric actuators 11L and 11R are constituted by an electric motor (DC motor) and a feed screw, and the rotation of the electric motor is converted into a linear motion by the feed screw, and is expanded and contracted by the linear motion of the feed screw. Accordingly, the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 5L, 5R are individually and independently changed.

  Further, the automobile V of the present embodiment has an engine 24 mounted on the front portion of the vehicle body 1. The engine output is transmitted to the left and right front wheels 3L and 3R via a gear device 25 having a differential device. The gear device 25 has a driving force distribution device 26.

  The automobile V is provided with a control device (ECU: Electronic Control Unit) 12 as a control means in the present invention as well as overall control of various systems, as well as a vehicle speed sensor 13, a steering sensor 14, a yaw rate sensor 15, and the like. Various sensors (lateral acceleration sensors, etc.) are arranged at appropriate positions. Detection signals from the sensors are input to the control device 12 and used for turning control and behavior control of the vehicle.

  The control device 12 includes a microcomputer, ROM, RAM, peripheral circuit, input / output interface, various drivers, etc., and is connected to each sensor 13, 14, 15 and the like via a communication line, A cable is connected to the driving force distribution device 26 and the electric actuators 11L and 11R as devices that operate during turning. Further, the control device 12 calculates the rear wheel toe angle to be controlled based on the detection results of the sensors 13, 14, 15 and the like during normal traveling, determines the displacement amount of the electric actuators 11L, 11R, and then the rear. Toe angle control of the wheel 5 is performed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2A, the steering wheel 8 has upper and lower variable grip portions 32L and 32R and a lower variable portion respectively above and below the left and right gripping portions of the steering rim 31 in the straight traveling state. Grip portions 33L and 33R are provided. In the present embodiment, each of the variable grip portions 32 and 33 is provided in the vicinity of each of the spokes 30 of the four-spoke steering wheel 8 with a predetermined circumferential length. Note that, in a normal state (such as a straight traveling state), the variable grip portions 32 and 33 have a thickness that is the same as the outer diameter of the steering rim 31.

  As shown in FIG. 3A showing the upper right side as a representative, the outer shape is formed by the stretchable jacket 34 that surrounds the core 31a of the steering rim 31. Has been. The outer cover 34 is provided so as to cover the outer peripheral surface of the core 31a with almost no gap in a contracted state.

  On the other hand, in FIG. 2, the four-spoke 30 is formed with a passage 35 communicating the upper right variable grip portion 32R and the lower left variable grip portion 33L, and the lower right variable grip portion 33R and the upper left variable grip. A passage 36 communicating with the portion 32L is provided. Semi-circular portions 35 a and 36 a that bypass the steering shaft 21 are provided in the intermediate portions of both the passages 35 and 36.

  An arc groove 37 that does not move with respect to the steering wheel 8 is provided on the side of the steering shaft 21 corresponding to each of the semicircular portions 35a and 35a. The arc groove 37 is provided so as to correspond to a predetermined steering angle range at a position where it does not communicate with any of the semicircular portions 35a and 36a when the steering wheel 8 is in the straight traveling state. On the other hand, the semicircular portions 35a and 36a are provided with communication holes 35b and 36b that can communicate between the arc groove 37 and a predetermined steering angle range by turning to the left and right, respectively. For example, when turning left as shown in FIG. 3 (b), only the semicircular portion 35a communicates via one communication hole 35b, and when turning right, only the semicircular portion 36a communicates via the other communication hole 36b.

  As shown in FIG. 1, high-pressure air (high-pressure fluid) from an air pump 38 as high-pressure fluid supply means is fed into the arc groove 37. An electric motor 39 is connected to the air pump 38, and the electric motor 39 is appropriately driven by a control signal from the control device 12. The actuator 40 may be connected to the high-pressure air supply path from the air pump 38. In that case, the air pump 38 can be downsized.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a groove 31 b that connects the passage 35 and the inner side of the outer jacket 34 is provided at the connection portion between the core 31 a of the steering rim 31 and the spoke 30. Although FIG. 3B shows the upper right variable grip portion 32R, the same applies to the other variable grip portions.

  Next, the operation point of the present invention will be described. When the steering wheel 8 is steered during traveling, the control device 12 indicates that each device (the driving force distribution device 26 and the electric actuators 11L and 11R) that controls the vehicle behavior is operated to perform a stable turn according to the vehicle speed and the like. Is determined, the electric motor 39 is driven by the control device 12.

  At this time, the steering wheel 8 is rotated by the start of steering. For example, when turning to the left, the communication hole 35b is positioned in the arc groove 37 shown in FIG. 3B, and high-pressure air from the air pump 38 is fed to the semicircular portion 35a. It is sent. Then, high-pressure air is sent from the groove 31b to the upper right variable grip portion 32R and the lower left variable grip portion 33L through the corresponding passages 35 as indicated by arrows in FIG. 3B, and each variable grip portion 32R. , 33L bulges outward in the radial direction of the gripping portion.

  As a result, the hands holding the variable grip portions 32R and 33L can feel the swelling of the variable grip portions 32R and 33L, and the device can be recognized directly and immediately. In the case of visual means such as multi-information, the device can be visually confirmed after it has been sensed, or the recognition may be delayed, but it can be directly felt by the steering hand. There is no delay, and there is no sense of incongruity when driving.

  When turning right, high-pressure air is supplied to the variable grip portions 32L and 33R, and in either case, the variable grip portions 32 and 33 form a pair of left and right that are on the steering (turning) direction side during turning steering. Only high-pressure air is supplied to the other side, not to the other pair. As a result, only the force applied during turning steering is inflated. Taking the left turning in FIG. 2B as an example, the variable grip part 32R on the thumb side of the right hand holding part and the little finger of the left hand holding part Since the variable grip portion 33L on the side is thickened, it is easy to grip when applying force, and the steering operation can be assisted. Further, since high-pressure air is supplied only to the pair corresponding to the turning direction and not supplied to the other, it is only necessary to have a necessary and sufficient amount of air supply capacity, and the air pump 38 can be downsized.

  Each upper variable grip portion 32L, 32R has a blowing port 41 for blowing a part of the supplied high-pressure air toward the outside of the steering wheel 8 as indicated by an arrow A in FIG. Is provided. On the other hand, the outlet 41 provided in each of the lower variable grip portions 33L and 33R directs a part of the supplied high-pressure air to the inside of the steering wheel 8 as indicated by an arrow B in FIG. It is provided to blow out. Thereby, air can be blown out to the hand that grips with force during turning steering, and it is possible to prevent the steering wheel 8 from being difficult to grip due to perspiration and to assist safe operation.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various forms are conceivable. For example, the supply amount of high-pressure air may be increased as the degree of device operation increases. As a result, the operating state of the device can be recognized with the sense of the hand, and a more appropriate response can be made. In addition, since the amount of balloons increases, it becomes easier to recognize. Further, a pressure sensor 42 is provided in the air supply from the air pump 38 (see FIG. 1), or a pressure sensor is provided in the passages 35, 36, so that the external pressure (driver's gripping force) in the variable grip portions 32, 33 is increased. Can be detected.

  A control procedure for adjusting the air pressure with respect to the handle holding force will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step ST1 in the figure, the target air pressure is set from the handle holding force. In this case, for example, the target air pressure may be increased in accordance with an increase in the handle holding force shown in FIG.

  In the next step ST2, it is determined whether or not the steering angle of the steering wheel 8 is greater than or equal to the switching angle communicating with the semicircular portions 35a and 36a. When the steering angle is equal to or greater than the switching angle at which the steering wheel communicates with the semicircular portions 35a, 36a, the steering wheel rotates from the neutral position in the straight traveling state and begins to communicate with either the arc groove 37 and each of the circular portions 35a, 36a. More than a corner. If it is determined in step ST2 that the steering angle is greater than or equal to the switching angle, the process proceeds to step ST3.

  In step ST3, it is determined whether or not the vehicle V is turning at a high G in turning. In the determination of the high G turn, the handle holding force (grip force) for holding the steering wheel 8 of the driver is obtained from the pressure value by the pressure sensor 42, and the handle holding force is equal to or greater than a threshold value (see FIG. 5). And In addition, as a threshold value, it can be set to about half of a general woman's grip strength. If it is determined in step ST3 that the vehicle is turning at a high G, the process proceeds to step ST4.

  In step ST4, the air pressure is corrected from the operation amount of the device, and the corrected air pressure is added to the target air pressure. As shown in FIG. 6, the corrected air pressure may be set so that the corrected air pressure increases as the rear turning angle (or the absolute value of the driving force left-right difference) increases as the device operation amount.

  In step ST5, the air pump 38 is controlled to achieve the target air pressure, and the process returns to step ST1. If it is determined in step ST2 that the steering angle is not greater than or equal to the switching angle, or if it is determined in step ST3 that the vehicle is not turning at a high G, the process proceeds to step ST5. In these cases, the target air pressure is not corrected.

  In the air pressure adjustment, for example, after supplying high-pressure air, the supply is stopped or a small amount of constant supply is performed, and the handle holding force (grip force) due to the grip force of the driver in that state is detected. Control is good. This makes it possible to adjust the air pressure to an appropriate level, for example, to prevent a person with weak grip strength from swelling too much, or to prevent a person with strong grip strength from feeling with a weak supply pressure. Can be avoided.

11 Electric actuator (device)
12 Control device (control means)
26 Electric actuator (device)
31 Steering rim 32 Upper variable grip portion 33 Lower variable grip portion 38 Air pump (high-pressure fluid supply means)
41 Outlet

Claims (3)

A variable grip portion provided at a portion gripped by the steering rim when steered and inflated by being filled with a high-pressure fluid;
High pressure fluid supply means for selectively supplying the high pressure fluid to the variable grip portion;
A steering assist device, comprising: control means for stopping the supply of the high-pressure fluid by the high-pressure fluid supply means when the device operating when the vehicle turns is stopped, and supplying the high-pressure fluid when the device is operating. . The variable grip portion is provided on each of the left and right sides of the steering rim,
2. The steering assist device according to claim 1, wherein the high-pressure fluid is supplied to the variable grip portion on a turning direction side of the steering rim by the high-pressure fluid supply unit. The high-pressure fluid is high-pressure air;
The steering assist device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a blowout port for blowing out the high-pressure air is provided in the variable grip portion.

Images