JP2013071593A - Flasher switch for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the need to use an exclusive button for stopping a direction indicator and the need for a driver to remember the button.SOLUTION: The flasher switch for a vehicle includes a push type right turn button 11 and a left turn button 12. A control section 15 for direction indicator is included for controlling the action of a direction indicator 8 based on the operated state of the right turn button 11 and the left turn button 12. The control section 15 has the direction indicator 8 activated to indicate the same direction as these operation buttons 11, 12 when an operation for release by pushing the right turn button 11 or the left turn button 12 is only carried out once within a determined period. The control section 15 stops the direction indicator 8 when one of the buttons to which the operation has been carried out or the other button to which the operation has not been carried out is operated in a different way from previous operation.

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle flasher switch using a push-type button.

  A vehicle traveling on a public road is provided with a direction indicator (flasher). A flasher switch for operating the direction indicator is provided in the vicinity of the steering handle so that the occupant can easily operate the vehicle while traveling.

A flasher switch mounted on a vehicle such as a motorcycle or a motorbike is operated by a finger of a hand holding a handle grip of a steering handle. As a conventional flasher switch of this type of vehicle, for example, there is one described in Patent Document 1.
The flasher switch disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a push-type button that is operated by being pressed with the thumb of a hand holding a handle grip. There are two types of buttons, one for right turn and one for left turn.

The flasher switch operates the direction indicator so as to indicate the same direction as the operated button when the right turn button or the left turn button is pressed. That is, when the right turn button or the left turn button is pressed while the direction indicator is not operating, the direction indicator starts to operate so as to indicate the same direction as the pressed button.
This flasher switch can be configured such that, when the direction indicator is operating, the direction indicator stops when the button pressed immediately before is pressed again.

JP 2003-208831 A

  The flasher switch having a push-type button as disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem of placing an extra burden on the occupant. This burden means that the operation switch operated when operating the direction indicator must be stored until the direction indicator is stopped. That is, in order to stop the direction indicator, it is necessary to press the same operation switch as when the direction indicator is operated. In order to solve such a problem, it is conceivable to equip a dedicated button for stopping the direction indicator. However, when this configuration is adopted, the number of buttons increases, and the manufacturing cost increases.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and does not require a dedicated button to stop the direction indicator and does not require storing a button operated by an occupant. The object is to provide a switch.

  In order to achieve this object, a vehicle flasher switch according to the present invention includes a push-type right turn button and a left turn button, and an operation of a direction indicator based on the operation state of the right turn button and the left turn button. A direction indicator control unit for controlling the direction indicator, and the direction indicator control unit is operated only once within a predetermined time to release when the right turn button or the left turn button is pressed. Sometimes, the direction indicator is operated so as to indicate the same direction as these buttons, and one button where the operation is performed or the other button where the operation is not performed is different from the operation. When operated, the direction indicator is stopped.

  According to the present invention, in the above invention, the operation when the direction indicator stops is a double-click operation in which the operation to be pressed is performed twice in succession on the right turn button or the left turn button. Features.

  According to the present invention, in the above invention, when the direction indicator stops, the operation is a long press operation in which the pressed time is longer than the predetermined time in the right turn button or the left turn button. It is characterized by being.

  According to the present invention, in the above invention, the right turn button and the left turn button are arranged side by side in the left-right direction of the vehicle at a position adjacent to one handle grip in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and an occupant holds the handle grip. It is characterized in that it is arranged at a position where the thumb can be extended and touched in a state where it is gripped by.

  The present invention is the above invention, wherein one of the right-turn button and the left-turn button located on the center side in the left-right direction of the vehicle is provided at a position facing the vicinity of the fingertip of the thumb, and It is formed in a plate shape having a flat operation surface, the other button is provided in a position facing the vicinity of the first joint of the thumb, and a mountain shape in which the central portion of the operation surface protrudes compared to other parts. It is characterized by being formed.

  According to the present invention, in the above invention, the right turn button is provided at a position adjacent to the handle grip on the right side of the vehicle, and the left turn button is provided at a position adjacent to the handle grip on the left side of the vehicle. And

  According to the present invention, the right turn button or the left turn button is operated differently from the operation in which the direction indicator operates while the direction indicator is operating (hereinafter, this operation is simply referred to as a cancel operation). Stops the direction indicator. The canceling operation can be performed by one of the right turn button and the left turn button regardless of the direction indicated by the direction indicator.

For this reason, the occupant does not have to memorize the button operated to operate the direction indicator. Moreover, the occupant can perform a cancel operation with the button that is easier to operate among the right-turn button and the left-turn button. In addition, this flasher switch does not require a button for stopping the direction indicator exclusively.
Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle flasher switch that reduces the burden on the occupant while keeping the manufacturing cost low.

It is a top view of the flasher switch for vehicles concerning the present invention. It is the side view seen from the vehicles back of the flasher switch for vehicles concerning the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the vehicle flasher switch according to the present invention as viewed from the upper left rear side. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of a flasher switch. It is a top view which expands and shows the operation part of a flasher switch. It is a top view which shows the state which is pushing the button for right turn with the thumb. It is a top view which shows the state which is pushing the button for left turns with the thumb. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a flasher switch. It is a time chart for demonstrating operation | movement of a flasher switch and a direction indicator. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of a flasher switch and a direction indicator. It is the side view seen from the vehicles back of the flasher switch by other embodiments.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a vehicle flasher switch according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
A flasher switch 1 shown in FIG. 1 is provided on a steering handle 2 of a scooter type motorcycle. At both ends of the steering handle 2, there are provided handle grips 3 for a passenger (not shown) to grip by hand. The “hand” assumed in this specification is a general adult male hand. 1 to 3 illustrate the left end of the steering handle 2 in the vehicle. In these drawings, a handle grip 3L on the left side of the vehicle is illustrated. A brake lever 4 is provided at an end of the steering handle 2 on the left side of the vehicle and in the vicinity of the handle grip 3L. Further, the steering handle 2 is provided with a cover 5 serving as an external part.

The flasher switch 1 according to this embodiment is provided at the left end of the steering handle 2 in the vehicle and adjacent to the right end of the handle grip 3L.
In addition to the flasher switch 1, a dimmer switch 6 and a horn switch 7 are provided in the vicinity of the handle grip 3L as shown in FIGS. The dimmer switch 6 is for switching between a high beam and a low beam of a headlight (not shown). The horn switch 7 is for operating a horn (not shown). The dimmer switch 6 is provided above the flasher switch 1, and the horn switch 7 is provided below the flasher switch 1. The dimmer switch 6 and the horn switch 7 are configured to be operated by swinging the thumb operating the flasher switch 1 up or down.

The flasher switch 1 is for operating and stopping the direction indicator 8 (see FIG. 8). As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the flasher switch 1 includes a right-turn button 11 and a left-turn button 12 exposed on the rear surface 5a of the cover 5, and first and second switch bodies 13 for each of these buttons. , 14 (see FIG. 4) and a direction indicator control unit 15 (see FIG. 8) described later.
The right turn button 11 and the left turn button 12 are both push type, and are supported by a switch frame (not shown) so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The switch frame is fixed to the steering handle 2 and is covered with the cover 5.

The right turn button 11 presses the first switch body 13 when pressed by an occupant. The left turn button 12 pushes the second switch body 14 by being pushed by the passenger.
As shown in FIG. 2, the right turn button 11 and the left turn button 12 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction of the vehicle at a position adjacent to the handle grip 3L. The right turn button 11 constitutes “one button located on the center side in the left-right direction of the vehicle” according to the fifth aspect of the present invention. The left turn button 12 constitutes the “other button” according to the invention described in claim 5.

  As shown in FIG. 1, these buttons 11 and 12 are provided at positions where the buttons 17 and 12 can be operated by the thumb 17 of the occupant's hand 16 holding the handle grip 3L. The right-turn button 11 and the left-turn button 12 according to this embodiment are provided at positions facing the end node 17a (see FIG. 5) of the thumb 17 that is extended toward the center of the vehicle. The distal node 17a of the thumb 17 refers to a portion between the fingertip 17b and the first joint 17c, as shown in FIG.

  The right turn button 11 and the left turn button 12 are formed in shapes that are easy to operate, corresponding to the position of the thumb 17 that presses these buttons. As shown in FIG. 5, the right-turn button 11 is provided at a position facing the vicinity of the fingertip of the thumb 17, and is formed in a shape capable of receiving a relatively thin fingertip 17b in a wide range. . That is, the right turn button 11 is formed in a disk shape having a flat operation surface 11a. In order to operate the right turn button 11, as shown in FIG. 6, the thumb 17 is slightly bent so that the fingertip 17b is directed to the steering handle 2 side (the upper side in the figure), and the fingertip 17b is turned to the right. This is done by pressing against the button 11.

  The left turn button 12 is provided at a position facing the vicinity of the first joint of the thumb 17 and is formed in a shape that can be pressed even on the belly 17d of the relatively soft thumb 17. That is, the left-turn button 12 is circular when viewed from the rear of the vehicle, and the central portion of the operation surface 12a directed rearward protrudes toward the rear of the vehicle as compared with other portions (peripheral portions) (spherical surface). It is formed into a shape. The outer diameter of the left turn button 12 is formed to be substantially equal to the outer diameter of the right turn button 11. In order to operate the left turn button 12, as shown in FIG. 7, the thumb 17 is warped so that the fingertip 17b is directed to the opposite side of the steering handle 2, and the belly 17d of the thumb 17 is moved to the left turn button 12. Press to do.

The first switch body 13 connected to the right turn button 11 and the second switch body 14 connected to the left turn button 12 are internally connected when pressed by the right turn button 11 or the left turn button 12. The circuit is configured to close. In the following, in the first switch body 13 and the second switch body 14, the state in which the circuit is closed is referred to as an ON state, and the state in which the circuit is open is referred to as an OFF state.
These first and second switch bodies 13 and 14 are respectively connected to a direction indicator control unit 15 as shown in FIG.

  The direction indicator control unit 15 controls the operation of the direction indicator 8 based on the operation state of the right turn button 11 and the left turn button 12. The direction indicator control unit 15 according to this embodiment is configured using a microcomputer. The direction indicator 8 blinks the right side flasher lamp 18 or the left side flasher lamp 19 under the control of the direction indicator controller 15.

  The direction indicator control unit 15 is configured to always detect the state (ON state, OFF state) of the first switch body 13 and the second switch body 14. When the occupant presses the right turn button 11 or the left turn button 12, the switch body connected to the pressed button changes from the OFF state to the ON state. The direction indicator control unit 15 operates as shown in FIG. 9 based on the state of the first and second switch bodies 13 and 14.

The direction indicator control unit 15 operates the direction indicator 8 when the right turn button 11 or the left turn button 12 is operated and both a first condition and a second condition described later are satisfied. The direction indicator 8 is operated so as to indicate the same direction as the operated button of the right turn button 11 and the left turn button 12.
The first condition is that the switch body of either the right turn button 11 or the left turn button 12 is turned on (at time t0) and before the time A elapses (time t1). The main body is turned off.

  The second condition is that the one switch body that is in the OFF state and the other switch body are not in the ON state within the time A. Hereinafter, the operation of the button that satisfies such a condition is simply referred to as a flasher operation. That is, the direction indicator control unit 15 performs the operation of releasing the button when the right turn button 11 or the left turn button 12 is pressed only once within a predetermined time A. The direction indicator 8 is operated to indicate the same direction.

  Further, the direction indicator control unit 15 turns the direction indicator 8 when one of the buttons on which the flasher operation is performed or the other button on which the flasher operation is not performed is operated differently from the flasher operation. Stop. There are two types of operations for stopping the direction indicator 8 here (hereinafter, this operation is simply referred to as a cancel operation), as will be described later.

Of the two types of cancel operations, the first cancel operation is a double-click operation that starts at time t2 in FIG. Here, the double click operation is an operation in which the pressed operation on the right turn button 11 or the left turn button 12 is performed twice in succession. The button for performing the double click operation does not have to be the button for which the flasher operation has been performed.
That is, the direction indicator control unit 15 turns off the switch body after the first or second switch body 13 or 14 is turned on at t2 and before the time A elapses. Then, when a double-click operation is performed such that the same switch body is turned off from the ON state (at t3) within the time A, the direction indicator 8 is stopped.

Of the two types of cancel operations, the second cancel operation is a long press operation that starts at t4 in FIG. The long press operation referred to here is an operation in which the pressed time on the right turn button 11 or the left turn button 12 is longer than the time A. The button that performs the long press operation does not have to be the button that has performed the flasher operation.
That is, the direction indicator control unit 15 is in the ON state until the time A elapses after the first or second switch body 13 or 14 is turned ON at t4 (time t5). The direction indicator 8 is stopped.

  In the vehicle flasher switch 1 configured as described above, as shown in steps S1 to S2 of the flowchart shown in FIG. 10, the vehicle waits until the flasher operation is performed, and the direction indicator 8 is operated when the flasher operation is performed. To work. Then, as shown in steps S3 to S4, the flasher switch 1 continues to operate the direction indicator 8 until the cancel operation described above is performed, and stops the direction indicator 8 when the cancel operation is performed. .

  Therefore, according to this embodiment, the direction indicator 8 stops when the cancel operation is performed while the direction indicator 8 is operating. The cancel operation can be performed with a button that has performed a flasher operation, or can be performed with a button that is different from the button that has performed the flasher operation. That is, the direction indicator 8 can be stopped using either the right turn button or the left turn button regardless of the direction indicated by the direction indicator 8.

For this reason, the occupant does not have to memorize the button operated to operate the direction indicator 8. In addition, the occupant can perform a cancel operation with the button that is easier to operate with the thumb 17 out of the right turn button 11 and the left turn button 12. The flasher switch 1 does not require a button for stopping the direction indicator 8 exclusively.
Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a vehicle flasher switch that reduces the burden on the occupant while keeping the manufacturing cost low.

The vehicle flasher switch 1 according to this embodiment stops the direction indicator 8 when a double-click operation is performed on the right turn button 11 or the left turn button while the direction indicator 8 is operating. is there.
For this reason, according to this embodiment, the time required for the cancel operation for stopping the direction indicator 8 may be short. Therefore, the occupant can finish the cancel operation quickly and concentrate on driving.

The vehicle flasher switch 1 according to this embodiment stops the direction indicator 8 even when a long press operation is performed on the right turn button 11 or the left turn button while the direction indicator 8 is operating. It is something that can be done. The long press operation is a simple operation in which a button is continuously pressed with a finger.
Therefore, according to this embodiment, since the direction indicator 8 can be stopped even by a long press operation, the cancel operation is simplified and the burden on the passenger is further reduced.

The right turn button 11 and the left turn button 12 according to this embodiment are arranged side by side in the vehicle left-right direction at a position adjacent to the handle grip 3L located on the left side in the vehicle left-right direction. The buttons 11 and 12 are disposed at positions where the passenger can extend and touch the thumb 17 in a state where the passenger grips the handle grip 3L with the hand 16. For this reason, when the occupant operates these buttons 11 and 12, it is not necessary to bend and extend the thumb 17 greatly, and it can be performed by a simple operation of pressing the buttons 11 and 12 with the thumb 17 in an extended state.
Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a vehicular flasher switch that has high operability when operated with the thumb 17 and the thumb 17 is not easily fatigued.

  Of the right-turn button 11 and the left-turn button 12 according to this embodiment, the right-turn button 11 located on the center side in the left-right direction of the vehicle is provided at a position facing the vicinity of the fingertip of the thumb 17, And it is formed in the plate shape which has the flat operation surface 11a. The other left-turn button 12 is provided at a position facing the vicinity of the first joint of the thumb 17 and is formed in a mountain shape in which the central portion of the operation surface 12a protrudes as compared with other portions.

Since the right turn button 11 has a flat operation surface 11a, the fingertip of the thumb 17 can be easily stacked. That is, the right turn button 11 can be easily pressed with the fingertip of the thumb 17.
Since the other left-turn button 12 is formed in a mountain shape, it can be bent so as to warp the thumb 17 and pushed by a so-called belly 17d portion of the thumb 17.
Therefore, according to this embodiment, the right-turn button 11 and the left-turn button 12 can be operated while the thumb 17 is extended, so that a flasher switch for a vehicle that makes the flasher operation easier is provided. be able to.

  In the embodiment described above, the double click operation and the long press operation have been described as examples of the cancel operation. However, the present invention is not limited to such a limitation, and may be any operation as long as the operation is different from the flasher operation. For example, the canceling operation may be an operation in which the button is continuously pressed three times or more within the time A.

Further, the canceling operation can be simply a double click operation or only a long press operation. By limiting the cancel operation in this way, the cancel operation is simplified and the cancel operation can be easily performed.
In the embodiment described above, the example in which the flasher switch 1 according to the present invention is provided on the left side of the steering handle 2 is shown. However, the present invention is not limited to such a limitation, and the flasher switch 1 can be provided on the right side of the steering handle 2 in the vehicle.

(Second Embodiment)
In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the right turn button 11 and the left turn button 12 are provided at positions adjacent to the handle grip 3L on the left side of the vehicle has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to such a limitation, and as shown in FIG. 11, each button can be arranged in the vicinity of the left and right handle grips. In FIG. 11, the same or equivalent members as those described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10 are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof is omitted as appropriate.

The left turn button 12 of the flasher switch 1 shown in FIG. 11 is provided at a position adjacent to the handle grip 3L on the left side of the vehicle. On the other hand, the right turn button 11 is provided at a position adjacent to the handle grip 3R on the right side of the vehicle and can be operated with the thumb (not shown) of the right hand. The flasher switch 1 according to this embodiment is different from the flasher switch shown in the first embodiment only in the mounting positions of the right-turn button 11 and the left-turn button 12, and the other configurations are the same. It is configured.
By adopting this embodiment, the right turn button 11 can be operated with the thumb of the right hand and the left turn button 12 can be operated with the thumb of the left hand. Therefore, when two buttons are selectively operated with one thumb. In comparison, the flasher operation and the cancel operation can be easily performed.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle flasher switch, 3 and 3L ... Handle grip, 8 ... Direction indicator, 11 ... Button for right turn, 12 ... Button for left turn, 11a, 12a ... Operation surface, 15 ... Direction indicator control part, 17 ... Thumb .

Claims (6)

Push-type right and left turn buttons,
A direction indicator control unit for controlling the operation of the direction indicator based on the operation state of the right turn button and the left turn button,
The direction indicator control unit instructs the same direction as these buttons when an operation of pressing and releasing the right turn button or the left turn button is performed only once within a predetermined time. When the direction indicator is operated and one of the buttons that has been operated or the other button that has not been operated is operated differently from the operation, the direction indicator is stopped. A flasher switch for a vehicle, characterized in that   2. The vehicle flasher switch according to claim 1, wherein the operation when the direction indicator stops is a double-click operation in which the operation to be pressed is continuously performed twice in the right turn button or the left turn button. The flasher switch for vehicles characterized by the above-mentioned.   2. The vehicle flasher switch according to claim 1, wherein the operation when the direction indicator stops is a length that a time during which the button is pressed is longer than the predetermined time in the right-turn button or the left-turn button. A flasher switch for a vehicle, which is a push operation.   The vehicle flasher switch according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the right turn button and the left turn button are positioned at positions adjacent to one handle grip in the left-right direction of the vehicle. A flasher switch for a vehicle, which is arranged side by side and arranged at a position where a driver can extend and touch a thumb while holding the handle grip by hand. 5. The vehicle flasher switch according to claim 4, wherein one of the right-turn button and the left-turn button located on the center side in the left-right direction of the vehicle is provided at a position facing the vicinity of the fingertip of the thumb. Formed in a plate shape having a flat operation surface,
The other button is provided at a position opposite to the vicinity of the first joint of the thumb, and the central portion of the operation surface is formed in a mountain shape that protrudes as compared with other parts, and the vehicle flasher is characterized in that switch. The vehicle flasher switch according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the right turn button is provided at a position adjacent to a handle grip on the right side of the vehicle.
The vehicle flasher switch, wherein the left turn button is provided at a position adjacent to a handle grip on the left side of the vehicle.

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