JP2013216294A - Vehicle direction indicator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle direction indicator capable of restraining an operation lever and a bracket from flapping and advancing to an opposite direction indicating position, when returning the operation lever and the bracket held in a direction indicating position for a vehicle by a detent mechanism, by a steering operation in a direction opposite to an indicated direction.SOLUTION: An engagement part (protrusion 14) is provided in a detent member 7 of a detent mechanism for holding an operation lever and a bracket in a right-turning direction indicating position, a left-turning direction indicating position, and a neutral position, a part to be engaged (protrusion 15) corresponding to the engagement part is provided in the bracket, and the part to be engaged is engaged with the engagement part in the neutral position of the operation lever and the bracket, to brake the operation lever and the bracket in the neutral position.

Description

  The present invention is directed to a vehicular direction indicating device in which an operation lever and a bracket that are returned to a neutral position by a steering operation in a direction opposite to the direction instructed from the direction indicating position of the vehicle are improved in the structure that holds the bracket in the neutral position. About.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a vehicle, particularly in an automobile, an operation lever is provided on a steering column in the vicinity of a steering wheel, and a user operates the operation lever to instruct the vehicle to turn left or right. . The operation lever is attached to a bracket, and the bracket is supported by a body which is a base body of the vehicle direction indicator. Further, the body is provided with a moderation member having a plurality of moderation valleys alternately with a plurality of moderation peaks, and the bracket is provided with a moderation piece biased in the direction of the moderation peaks and moderation valleys. The moderation mechanism comprising the moderation member and the moderation piece holds the operation lever together with the bracket in the neutral position and the direction indication position of the right / left turn. Then, the operation lever and the bracket held at the direction indicating position are returned by a steering operation in a direction opposite to the instructed direction (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-255594

  However, when the operation lever and bracket held at the vehicle direction indication position by the moderation mechanism as described above are returned by the steering operation in the direction opposite to the instructed direction, the moderation piece passes over the moderation mountain and slopes. When the control lever and the bracket reach the original position (neutral position), they continue to advance, and then go back to the original position and then return to the original position. There has been a problem that flapping is repeated by repeating the movement of moving from the position, and flapping sound is generated accordingly. Further, in this case, there is a possibility that the returned operation lever and bracket reach the opposite direction indicating position beyond the original position and the opposite direction is indicated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to return the operation lever and the bracket held at the vehicle direction indication position by the moderation mechanism by the steering operation in the direction opposite to the indicated direction. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicular direction indicating device capable of suppressing the flapping of the operation lever and bracket and the progress to the opposite direction indicating position.

  In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle direction indicating device of the present invention includes an operation lever operated by a user for indicating a vehicle direction, a bracket having the operation lever attached thereto, and the bracket as the operation lever. A body operably supported in the operation direction, a plurality of moderation peaks and a moderation member provided in the body having a plurality of moderation valleys alternately, and the moderation peaks and moderation valleys from the bracket A moderation piece comprising a moderation piece biased in the direction and holding the operation lever and the bracket in a neutral position, a right turn direction indication position, and a left turn direction indication position by engaging the moderation piece with a moderation valley portion. The steering lever in the direction opposite to the direction in which the operation lever and the bracket are held at the right turn direction indication position and the left turn direction indication position are moved to the neutral position. In this embodiment, an engagement portion is provided on the moderation member, an engaged portion corresponding to the engagement portion is provided on the bracket, and the engaged portion is placed at a neutral position of the operation lever and the bracket. By engaging with the engaging portion, the operation lever and the bracket are braked at a neutral position.

  According to the above means, the engaged portion provided on the bracket is engaged with the engaging portion provided on the moderation member at the neutral position of the operation lever, thereby braking at the neutral position of the operation lever and the bracket. To the flapping of the operation lever and bracket and the opposite direction indication position when the operation lever and bracket held in the direction indication position of the vehicle by the moderation mechanism are returned by the steering operation in the direction opposite to the indicated direction. Progress can be suppressed.

The side view of the principal part which shows one Example of this invention Bottom view of main parts Overall longitudinal front view Front view of main part with right turn direction indication Front view of main part with left turn direction indication

Hereinafter, an example (one embodiment) of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
First, FIG. 3 shows an overall configuration of a direction indicator for a vehicle, particularly an automobile, and a bracket 1 is provided on the front and rear portions of a body 1 provided on a steering column near the steering wheel of the automobile. The shaft 2a is supported so as to be pivotable up and down as indicated by arrows A and B in the figure. Specifically, the body 1 includes a body main body 1a and a body cover (not shown) attached to the body 1a, and a hole for fitting the shaft portion 2a of the bracket 2 is formed in both of them.

  Further, as a different structure, a hole for fitting the shaft portion 2a of the bracket 2 is formed only in the body cover, and the body main body 1a has an arcuate guide centered on the shaft portion 2a of the bracket 2 (hole of the body cover). There is also a structure in which a groove is provided and a protrusion formed at a position slightly away from the shaft portion 2a of the bracket 2 is guided by the guide groove.

  An operating lever 3 is attached to the bracket 2. The operation lever 3 is operated up and down (arrows A and B) with the bracket 2 by the user, and the downward operation is a vehicle right turn direction instruction, and the upper operation is a vehicle left turn direction instruction. For. The operation direction of the operation lever 3 and the rotation support direction of the bracket 2 are the same. Therefore, the bracket 2 is supported so as to be operable in the operation direction of the operation lever 3.

  The bracket 2 is also formed with a hole 4 on the side opposite to the operation lever 3 side (the back side of the body and the left side in FIG. 3), and the compression coil spring 5 is accommodated in the hole 4. The moderation piece 6 is disposed at the tip of the spring 5. In this case, the moderation piece 6 has a cylindrical shape and has a spherical end.

  On the other hand, the moderation member 7 is provided in the body main body 1a in the part facing the moderation piece 6. FIG. Specifically, in this case, the moderation member 7 is provided integrally with the body main body 1a, but may be provided separately. This moderation member 7 has moderation valley portions 8, 9, and 10 arranged in the vertical direction. Between each of the moderation valley portions 8 to 10 are moderation peak portions 11 and 12, and therefore, the moderation valley portions 8 to 10 are alternately arranged with the plurality (in this case, two) moderation peak portions 11 and 12. ing.

  The moderation piece 6 is urged in the direction of the moderation valley portions 8 to 10 and the moderation mountain portions 11 and 12 by the elastic force of the spring 5, and one of the moderation valley portions (in the example shown in FIG. 3) by the urging force. The moderation piece 6 is pressed and engaged with the central moderation valley portion 9), and the moderation mechanism 13 is configured by the moderation valley portions 8 to 10 and the moderation mountain portions 11 and 12, the moderation piece 6 and the spring 5. Yes.

  In addition, although not shown, the body body 1a of the body 1 is provided with a switch for instructing a right turn direction or a left turn direction of the vehicle according to the operation of the operation lever 3, Although not shown in the drawing, the bracket 2 is provided with a ratchet that is a cancel receiving member, and the tip of the ratchet protrudes outside the body main body 1a (particularly leftward in FIG. 3). The cancel mechanism is configured by corresponding to a cancel cam (also not shown) that is a cancel member that rotates integrally with the cancel member.

  1 shows the moderation member 7 as viewed from the operation lever 3 side, and FIG. 2 shows the moderation member 7, the bracket 2 and the base of the operation lever 3 as viewed from below. As is apparent from these drawings, the moderation member 7 has a protrusion 14 protruding rearward (right side in FIG. 1, downward in FIG. 2) as an engagement portion at a back surface position adjacent to the central moderation valley 9. Is provided. The upper and lower side portions 14a and 14b of the projection 14 are inclined surfaces that gradually taper the projection 14 toward the rear, and the center tip portion 14c is a flat surface.

On the other hand, the bracket 2 has a protrusion 15 protruding toward the moderation member 7 as an engaged portion corresponding to the protrusion 14 on the rear portion of the tip (also on the right side in FIG. 1 and downward in FIG. 2). In the state where the tongue piece 6 is flat and provided, and the moderation piece 6 is engaged with the central moderation valley portion 9 in pressure contact with each other, as shown by an arrow C in FIG. It is pressed rearward relative to the protrusion 14 of the bracket 2 and is brought into pressure contact with and engaged with the tip 14c of the protrusion 14 by its restoring force.
In this case, the protrusion 14 is formed integrally with the moderation member 7, and the protrusion 15 is formed integrally with the bracket 2. Further, the protrusion 15 moves the rear position of the moderation member 7 as the bracket 2 rotates.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.
When the moderation piece 6 of the moderation mechanism 13 is in the state shown in FIG. 3 in which the moderation piece 6 is pressed and engaged with the central moderation valley portion 9 by the elastic force of the spring 5, the operation lever 3 is held in the neutral position. At this time, the projection 15 of the bracket 2 is pressed backward relative to the projection 14 of the moderation member 7 as described above, and is brought into pressure contact with the distal end portion 14c of the projection 14 by its restoring force. doing.

  When the user operates the operation lever 3 downward from this state, the bracket 2 rotates clockwise about the shaft portion 2a as shown in FIG. At this time, in the moderation mechanism 13, the moderation piece 6 moves from the moderation valley portion 9 to the upper moderation valley portion 8 side over the upper moderation mountain portion 11 adjacent to the rotation direction at this time, and this moderation valley portion 8 is engaged in pressure contact. Accordingly, the operation lever 3 is held at the right turn direction instruction position. Accordingly, in the body main body 1a, a switch for instructing the right turn direction of the vehicle is actuated to instruct the right turn direction of the vehicle.

  Further, at this time, the projection 15 of the bracket 2 moves away from the projection 14 of the moderation member 7 and moves to a position indicated by R in FIG. 1, but descends the slope of the upper side portion 14 a of the projection 14 from the projection 14. By separating, as shown by the two-dot chain line in the figure, it approaches the moderation member 7 side. The protrusion 15 of the bracket 2 is naturally positioned at the moderation member 7 side.

  When the operating lever 3 is held in the right turn direction indicating position in this way, when the steering wheel is rotated counterclockwise opposite to the indicated direction, the canceling mechanism The bracket 2 and the operating lever 3 are returned to the neutral position in response to the ratchet being operated by the cancel cam that integrally rotates in the same direction.

  At this time, the moderation piece 6 passes over the moderation peak portion 11 and returns to the moderation valley portion 9, but the projection 15 of the bracket 2 returns to the position indicated by N in FIG. In this returning process, the protrusion 15 of the bracket 2 climbs the slope of the upper side portion 14 a of the protrusion 14 of the moderation member 7, and is thereby pressed relatively rearward by the protrusion 14. The portion 14c is pressed and engaged. By this engagement, the bracket 2 is braked at the neutral position of the operation lever 3.

  On the other hand, when the user operates the operation lever 3 upward from the neutral position, the bracket 2 rotates counterclockwise around the shaft portion 2a as shown in FIG. At this time, in the moderation mechanism 13, the moderation piece 6 moves from the moderation valley portion 9 to the lower moderation valley portion 10 side over the lower moderation mountain portion 12 adjacent to the rotation direction at this time, and this moderation valley portion 10 and press-fit. Accordingly, the operation lever 3 is held at the left turn direction instruction position. Accordingly, in the body main body 1a, the switch for instructing the left turn direction of the vehicle is responsive to instruct the left turn direction of the vehicle.

  Further, at this time, the protrusion 15 of the bracket 2 moves away from the protrusion 14 of the moderation member 7 and moves to a position indicated by L in FIG. 1, but goes down the slope of the lower side portion 14 b of the protrusion 14 and protrudes 14. By moving away from the position, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. The position where the projection 15 of the bracket 2 is close to the moderation member 7 is in a natural state as described above.

  When the operating lever 3 is held at the left turn direction indicating position in this way, when the steering wheel is rotated clockwise in the direction opposite to the indicated direction, the cancel mechanism is integrated with the steering wheel. When the ratchet is operated by the cancel cam that rotates in the same direction, the bracket 2 and the operation lever 3 are returned to the neutral position.

  At this time, the moderation piece 6 passes over the moderation peak portion 12 and returns to the moderation valley portion 9, but the projection 15 of the bracket 2 returns to the position indicated by N in FIG. In this returning process, the projection 15 of the bracket 2 climbs the slope of the lower side portion 14b of the projection 14 of the moderation member 7, and is thereby pushed rearward relative to the projection 14, and the restoring force of the projection 14 The tip 14c is pressed into engagement. By this engagement, the bracket 2 is braked at the neutral position of the operation lever 3.

  As described above, in the vehicle direction indicating device having the above-described configuration, the operation lever 3 and the bracket 2 held at the right turn direction indicating position and the left turn direction indicating position are set to the neutral position by the steering operation in the direction opposite to the instructed direction. In what is to be returned, an engaging portion (protrusion 14) is provided on the moderation member 7 of the moderation mechanism 13 that holds the operation lever 3 and the bracket 2 at the right turn direction indication position, the left turn direction indication position, and the neutral position. An engagement portion (protrusion 15) corresponding to the engagement portion is provided on the bracket 2, and the engagement portion is engaged with the engagement portion at the neutral position of the operation lever 3 and the bracket 2, thereby the operation lever. 3 and bracket 2 are neutrally braked.

  By this braking, fluttering of the operation lever 3 and the bracket 2 can be suppressed, and occurrence of flapping noise can also be prevented. Further, in this case, the operation lever 3 and the bracket 2 can be prevented from proceeding to the opposite direction indication position, thereby eliminating the possibility of giving the opposite direction indication.

  Such a braking structure may be provided between the moderation member 7 and the moderation piece 6, but the moderation piece 6 is elastically biased by the spring 5, and its elasticity For this reason, it is difficult to obtain a strong braking action. On the other hand, in the vehicular direction indicating device having the above-described configuration, the engaging portion (projection 14) is provided on the moderation member 7, and the (projection 15) is provided on the bracket 2. Since it is an elastic fixing member, a stronger and more reliable braking action can be obtained. Therefore, flapping of the operation lever 3 and the bracket 2 and the progress to the opposite direction indicating position can be more reliably suppressed.

  In addition, this invention is not limited only to the Example shown above and shown in drawing, In the range which does not deviate from a summary, it can change suitably and can implement.

  In the drawings, 1 is a body, 2 is a bracket, 3 is an operation lever, 6 is a moderation piece, 7 is a moderation member, 8 to 10 are moderation valleys, 11 and 12 are moderation ridges, 13 is a moderation mechanism, and 14 is a protrusion. (Engagement part) and 15 show protrusions (engaged part).

Claims (1)

An operation lever operated by a user to indicate the direction of the vehicle;
A bracket with this control lever attached,
A body that supports the bracket so as to be operable in the operation direction of the operation lever;
A moderation member provided on the body having a plurality of moderation valleys alternately with a plurality of moderation peaks, and a moderation piece urged from the bracket toward the moderation peak and the moderation valley A moderation mechanism that holds the operation lever and the bracket in a neutral position, a right turn direction indication position, and a left turn direction indication position by engaging a moderation piece with a moderation valley portion;
The operation lever and bracket held at the right turn direction instruction position and the left turn direction instruction position are returned to the neutral position by a steering operation in a direction opposite to the instructed direction.
An engaging portion is provided on the moderation member, an engaged portion corresponding to the engaging portion is provided on the bracket, and the engaged portion is engaged with the engaging portion at a neutral position of the operation lever and the bracket. A vehicle direction indicating device characterized in that braking is performed at a neutral position of the operation lever and the bracket.

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