JP2020083238A - Armrest device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an armrest device appropriately operated in automatic operation.SOLUTION: An armrest device 50 includes armrests 10, 20 for supporting the arm parts of an occupant seated on a seat 100 of an automatic operation vehicle having an automatic operation function. The armrest 10 is formed so as to be changeable in between a first form in which the tip is ahead of an initial position before automatic operation and in an advance position in the inside in a seat width direction, and a second form in which a table 16 as the tip of the armrest 10 is positioned in a horizontal position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an armrest device having a movable armrest provided in an autonomous vehicle.

As this type of device, there is conventionally known a device configured such that a seat armrest provided on a vehicle seat extends during automatic driving (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). In the device described in Patent Document 1, the seat armrest is extended forward, upward, and inward of the vehicle so that the driver's arm is located near the steering handle during automatic driving.

JP, 2017-132384, A

By the way, there are a plurality of modes of automatic driving in accordance with, for example, an automatic driving level, and a request to an occupant may be different for each of the plurality of modes. However, the device described in Patent Document 1 merely extends the armrest to a predetermined position during automatic operation. In the device described in Patent Document 1, the armrest is appropriately operated according to a plurality of modes of automatic operation. Is difficult.

An armrest device according to one aspect of the present invention includes an armrest that supports an arm portion of an occupant seated on a vehicle seat of an autonomous vehicle having an automatic driving function. The armrest has a first mode in which the tip end portion is located forward and inside the seat width direction from an initial position before the automatic operation during the automatic driving, and a second mode in which the position of the tip end portion of the armrest is different from the first mode. The configuration can be changed to and.

According to the present invention, it is possible to take an appropriate form of the armrest according to the mode of automatic driving.

1 is a perspective view showing an arrangement of a vehicle seat to which an armrest device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied in a vehicle interior. The perspective view showing composition of a support mechanism of an armrest concerning an embodiment of the present invention. Sectional drawing cut|disconnected along the III-III line of FIG. Sectional drawing cut|disconnected along the IV-IV line of FIG. The side view which shows an example of operation|movement of the table of the front-end|tip part of the armrest which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The top view which shows an example of operation|movement of the table of the front-end|tip part of the armrest which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows the control structure of the armrest apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the controller of FIG. 7. The perspective view of the seat which shows an example of operation of the armrest device concerning the embodiment of the present invention. The perspective view of the seat which shows the other example of operation of the armrest device concerning the embodiment of the present invention. The top view which shows the 1st modification of an armrest device. The top view which shows the 2nd modification of an armrest device. The top view which shows the 3rd modification of an armrest device.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10C. The armrest device according to this embodiment is applied to a vehicle seat arranged in a vehicle compartment. In the present embodiment, the vehicle having the vehicle seat is configured as an automatic driving vehicle having an automatic driving function. It should be noted that the self-driving vehicle is capable of traveling not only in an automatic driving mode in which a driver does not need to perform a driving operation, but also in a manual driving mode in which a driver operates.

The traveling operation of the self-driving vehicle is controlled by the vehicle control system. In the automatic driving mode, the vehicle control system is based on the current position of the own vehicle measured by a GPS receiver or the like and the situation around the own vehicle detected by a camera, a radar (RADAR), a lidar (LIDAR) or the like. Then, the travel route including the target vehicle speed and the target acceleration to reach the destination input in advance is determined. Then, the traveling actuator is automatically controlled so that the vehicle travels according to the traveling route without the operation of the driver. On the other hand, in the manual operation mode, the vehicle control system controls the traveling actuator according to the operation of the accelerator pedal, the brake pedal, the steering wheel, etc. by the driver. Examples of the traveling actuator include a throttle actuator that changes the opening of a throttle valve, a transmission actuator that changes the transmission gear ratio, a brake actuator that operates a braking device, and a steering actuator that operates a steering device. Etc. are included.

The vehicle control system has a driving level command switch that commands an automatic driving level in the automatic driving mode. The automatic driving level is an index of how much the driving is automated. The automatic driving level is classified into Level 0 to Level 5 based on SAEJ3016 defined by SAE International, for example. Specifically, level 0 is a driving level without automation, and at level 0, a human (driver) performs all driving operations.

Level 1 is a driving level (driving support) in which the system performs any one of acceleration, steering, and braking operations. That is, at level 1, under a specific condition, the vehicle control system controls the operation of any one of the accelerator, the brake, and the steering wheel according to the surrounding conditions, and the human performs all other driving operations. Level 2 is an operation level (partial operation automation) in which the system performs a plurality of operations at one time among acceleration, steering, and braking. Up to level 2, humans are obliged to monitor the surroundings.

Level 3 is a driving level (conditional automatic driving) that the vehicle control system performs all of acceleration, operation, and braking, and is supported by the driver only when the vehicle control system requests. From level 3 onwards, the vehicle control system monitors the surroundings and humans are not obliged to monitor the surroundings. Level 4 is a driving level (highly automatic driving) in which a human does not need to change even if the vehicle control system performs all driving operations in a specific situation and the vehicle control system cannot continue driving. Therefore, from level 4 onwards, the vehicle control system can handle even in an emergency. Level 5 is a driving level (fully automatic driving) in which the vehicle control system autonomously autonomously runs under all conditions.

An armrest device suitable for use in the autonomous vehicle capable of changing the driving level as described above will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a vehicle seat 100 (hereinafter simply referred to as a seat) to which an armrest device 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, and particularly shows a configuration of the seat 100 in a manual operation mode. .. Hereinafter, for convenience, the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction are defined with reference to an occupant seated on the seat 100 as illustrated, and the configuration of each part will be described according to this definition. The front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction of the seat 100 coincide with the front-rear direction (length direction), the left-right direction (vehicle width direction), and the up-down direction (height direction) of the vehicle 200. FIG. 1 shows a driver's seat 100 on the right side of the vehicle, and the configuration of an armrest device applied to the driver's seat 100 will be mainly described.

As shown in FIG. 1, a seat 100 includes a seat cushion 1 that supports the occupant's buttocks, a seat back 2 that supports the occupant's back, and a headrest that is provided above the seat back 2 and supports the occupant's head. 3 and 3. The seat cushion 1 extends in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, and has an overall rectangular shape in plan view. The seat back 2 extends in the up-down direction and the left-right direction, and has a generally rectangular shape in front view. The seat back 2 is supported by the rear end portion of the seat cushion 1 so as to be tiltable in the front-rear direction.

On the left side of the seat back 2, a seat armrest 10 is provided that is substantially rectangular in a plan view and is elongated in the front-rear direction. The seat armrest 10 has a pair of upper and lower plates 11 and 12 supported on a base member 13. The base member 13 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the front-rear direction, and its rear end is fixed to the left side surface 2 a of the seat back 2. The seat armrest 10 constitutes a part of the armrest device 50 according to the present embodiment.

The lower plate 12 is placed on the front upper surface of the base member 13 such that the rear end surface of the lower plate 12 is located in front of the seat surface 2b of the seat back 2. The lower plate 12 is movably supported rightward and upward from the initial position of FIG. 1 via a support mechanism 14 provided on the base member 13. Since the rear end surface of the lower plate 12 is located in front of the seat surface 2b, the lower plate 12 can move to the right without interfering with the seat back 2. The lower plate 12 may be provided so as to be movable forward along the upper surface of the base member 13, and the lower plate 12 may be moved forward and then rightward and upward. In this case, the rear end surface of the lower plate 12 may be located rearward of the seat surface 2b at the initial position before the lower plate 12 is moved forward.

The upper plate 11 has the same width as the lower plate 12 in the left-right direction, and is placed on the lower plate 12. When the seat armrest 10 is located at the initial position in FIG. 1, the rear end surface of the upper plate 11 is located on the same vertical plane as the rear surface of the lower plate 12. Therefore, the upper plate 11 can move to the right and upward with respect to the base member 13 integrally with the lower plate 12 without interfering with the seat back 2. The upper plate 11 is supported movably forward with respect to the lower plate 12 via a slide mechanism 15, and when the upper plate 11 moves forward, the rear end of the upper plate 11 is more than the rear end of the lower plate 12. Located in front. The seat armrest 10 further includes a substantially rectangular table 16 rotatably supported on the front end of the upper plate 11. The table 16 is stored on the left side of the seat 100 in the initial position of FIG.

A door 110 that can be opened and closed is provided on the right side of the seat 100, and an occupant gets on and off the vehicle 200 through the door 110. On an inner wall (side wall) 111 of the door 110, a door handle 112 for opening and closing a door operated by an occupant and a door armrest 20 are provided. Although illustration is omitted, the inner wall 111 is also provided with operation switches for inputting an opening/closing command of the window 113, an operation command of a lock device of the door 110, a door gripping part for gripping the door 110, a drink holder, and the like.

The door armrest 20 has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view and is elongated in the front-rear direction. The door armrest 20 has a pair of upper and lower plates 21 and 22 supported on a base member 23. The base member 23 is provided so as to bulge from the inner wall 111 toward the inside of the vehicle, and has a cavity formed therein. The door armrest 20 constitutes a part of the armrest device 50 according to the present embodiment.

The lower plate 22 has its rear end surface located in front of the seat surface 2b of the seat back 2, and is placed on the upper surface of the base member 23. The lower plate 22 is supported by a supporting mechanism 24 provided on the base member 23 so as to be movable leftward and upward from the initial position of FIG. Since the rear end surface of the lower plate 22 is located in front of the seat surface 2b, the lower plate 22 can move leftward without interfering with the seat back 2. When the lower plate 22 is movable to the right without interfering with the seat back 2, the rear end surface of the lower plate 22 may be located rearward of the seat surface 2b.

The upper plate 21 has the same width as the lower plate 22 in the left-right direction, and is placed on the lower plate 22. When the door armrest 20 is located at the initial position in FIG. 1, the rear end surface of the upper plate 21 is located on the same vertical plane as the rear surface of the lower plate 22. Therefore, the upper plate 21 can move leftward and upward with respect to the base member 23 integrally with the lower member 22 without interfering with the seat back 2. The upper plate 21 is supported movably forward with respect to the lower plate 22 via a slide mechanism 25, and when the upper plate 21 moves forward, the rear end of the upper plate 21 is more than the rear end of the lower plate 22. Located in front.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a support structure of the door armrest 20, and FIG. 3 is a vertical plane (line III-III in FIG. 2) extending in the left-right direction of the armrest 20 in FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view (transverse sectional view) cut, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view (longitudinal sectional view) taken along a vertical plane (IV-IV line in FIG. 2) extending in the front-rear direction. 2 to 4, illustration of the base member 23 is omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the support mechanism 24 has a link mechanism arranged in the internal space of the base member 23. The link mechanism has a pair of left and right rod-shaped front rods 241 and 242 and a pair of left and right rod-shaped rear rods 243 and 244. The lengths of these rods 241-244 are equal to each other, and these rods 241-244 are provided parallel to each other. The front rods 241 and 242 are positioned to overlap each other in a side view, and the rear rods 243 and 244 are positioned to overlap each other in a side view.

A pair of left and right rotary shafts 245 and 246 extending in the front-rear direction are rotatably supported on the bottom of the lower plate 22. A pair of left and right rotating shafts 247 and 248 extending in the front-rear direction are rotatably supported on the bottom of the base member 23. The rotating shafts 245-248 are arranged parallel to each other. The upper ends of the left front rod 241 and the left rear rod 243 are supported by the rotating shaft 245 so as to be relatively rotatable. The lower ends of the left front rod 241 and the rear rod 243 are supported by a rotating shaft 247 so as to be relatively rotatable. The upper ends of the right front rod 242 and the rear rod 244 are supported by the rotating shaft 246 so as to be relatively rotatable.

The lower ends of the right front rod 242 and the rear rod 244 are fixed to the rotating shaft 248, respectively. An actuator 31 such as an electric motor is provided at an end of the rotary shaft 248, and the rotary shaft 248 is rotated by driving the actuator 31, and the right front rod 242 and the rear rod 244 are rotated by the rotation of the rotary shaft 248. It rotates to the left and right with 248 as a fulcrum.

The distance from the rotary shaft 245 to the rotary shaft 246 and the distance from the rotary shaft 247 to the rotary shaft 248 are equal to each other. Therefore, the support mechanism 24 constitutes a front parallelogram link having a pair of left and right front rods 241 and 242 as two sides, and a front parallelogram having a pair of left and right rear rods 243 and 244 as two sides. Configure the link. In addition, the rods 241 and 243 are supported by the common rotating shafts 245 and 247, and the rods 242 and 244 are not supported by the common rotating shafts 246 and 248, but the rods 241 and 243 are supported by different rotating shafts. In addition, the rods 242 and 244 may be supported by different rotating shafts. Thereby, the length of the rotary shaft in the front-rear direction can be shortened.

When the door armrest 20 is located at the initial position P1 (solid line in FIG. 3), the rotary shaft 245 is located on the right side of the rotary shaft 247, and the rotary shaft 246 is located on the right side of the rotary shaft 248. To do. Therefore, the front rods 241 and 242 and the rear rods 243 and 244 respectively extend upward while being inclined rightward. When the front rod 242 and the rear rod 244 on the right side are rotated forward from this state as shown by arrow A until the right front rod 242 and the rear rod 244 are in a vertical state (two-dot chain line in FIG. 3), the left front rod 241 is moved. And the rear rod 243 also rotates leftward at the same time. As a result, the door armrest 20 (the upper plate 21 and the lower plate 22) moves to the inside position P2 (two-dot chain line in FIG. 3) that is left and above the initial position P1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upper plate 21 of the door armrest 20 is configured to be movable via the slide mechanism 25 to the forward position P3 that projects forward from the inner position P2 with respect to the lower plate 22. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower surface of the upper plate 21 and the upper surface of the lower plate 22 are each formed to have a concave cross section. The upper plate 21 has a pair of left and right side plates 211 and 211 extending in the front-rear direction, and the lower plate 22 has a pair of left and right side plates 221 and 221 extending in the front-rear direction. The side plates 211 and 211 are fitted outside the side plates 221 and 221 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction along the side plates 221 and 221. A protrusion 212 is provided downward at the center of the recess on the bottom surface of the upper plate 21. The protruding portion 212 extends in the front-rear direction, and an uneven gear portion 213 is formed on the lower end surface thereof.

Below the gear portion 213, a pinion 222 is arranged so as to mesh with the gear portion 213. An actuator 32 such as an electric motor is fixedly mounted on the upper surface of the recess of the lower plate 22, and the rotation shaft of the pinion 222 is rotatably supported by the actuator 32. The gear unit 213, the pinion 222, and the actuator 32 form the slide mechanism 25.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the actuator 32 is rotationally driven after the door armrest 20 moves from the initial position P1 (solid line) to the inner position P2 (two-dot chain line), the upper plate 21 moves the left and right side plates 211 to the left and right. While being guided by the side plate 221, it moves to the forward advance position P3 (two-dot chain line) as shown by arrow B. In this state, the entire length of the door armrest 20 in the front-rear direction, that is, the length from the rear end surface of the lower plate 22 to the front end surface of the upper plate 21 increases, and the door armrest 20 extends.

Although illustration is omitted, the support mechanism 14 and the slide mechanism 15 of the seat armrest 10 on the left side of the seat 100 are configured similarly to the support mechanism 24 and the slide mechanism 25 of the door armrest 20. That is, the seat armrest 10 (the upper plate 11 and the lower plate 12) is moved from the initial position to the right and upper inner positions with respect to the base member 13 by driving an actuator such as an electric motor via the support mechanism 14. Further, the upper plate 11 is moved from the inner position to the forward advance position with respect to the lower plate 12 by driving an actuator such as an electric motor via the slide mechanism 15.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the seat 100 showing the configuration of the substantially rectangular plate-shaped table 16 provided at the front end portion of the seat armrest 10, and FIG. 6 is a plan view. 5 and 6, the seat armrest 10 and the door armrest 20 are located at the forward position P3 that projects forward of the seat 100. The table 16 is rotatable via a rotating mechanism 17 at the front end of the upper plate 11.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a holding plate portion 161 is provided at the front end portion of the upper plate 11 of the seat armrest 10. A rotating member 162 is arranged on the right side of the holding plate portion 161, and a pin 162a integral with the rotating member 162 is provided on the rotating member 162 so as to project leftward. The holding plate portion 161 is provided with a through hole, and the pin 162a is inserted into the through hole. An actuator 33 such as an electric motor is connected to the end portion of the pin 162a, and the table 16 is driven by the actuator 33 with the pin 162a serving as a fulcrum, and the tip end thereof is located below the seat armrest 10 as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. It is possible to rotate between the position (the storage position P4) to be arranged and the position (the vertical position P5) where the tip end portion is arranged above the seat arm rest 10 as shown by the solid line in FIG.

At the base end of the table 16, a pin 16b integral with the table 16 is provided so as to project rearward. An actuator 34 such as an electric motor is connected to the end of the pin 16b through the rotating member 162, and the table 16 is driven by the actuator 34 so that the pin 16b serves as a fulcrum and the vertical position P5 of the solid line in FIG. And a horizontal position P6 in FIG. 6 can be rotated. The right door armrest 20 is provided with a mounting portion 165 on which the right end of the table 16 is mounted. The mounting portion 165 can be stored inside the upper plate 21 of the door armrest 20.

The table 16 has a bending portion 16 a that bends along the steering wheel 4. The curved portion 16a is a relief portion formed so as not to interfere with the steering wheel 4 when the table 16 is rotated to the horizontal position P6 in FIG. When the table 16 is used, the table 16 stored in the storage position P4 in FIG. 5 is rotated to the vertical position P5 about the pin 162a as shown by arrow A, and then as shown by arrow B. The pin 16b is rotated to the horizontal position P6, and the tip end of the table 16 is placed on the placing portion 165 of the door armrest 20. A lock mechanism for fixing the table 16 on the mounting portion may be provided.

The mounting portion 165 for fixing the right end portion of the table 16 may be configured in a plate shape in plan view, and the mounting portion 165 may be rotatable at a predetermined rotation angle. For example, the mounting portion 165 is connected to the door armrest 20 via a rotation shaft extending in the left-right direction, and is provided so as to be rotatable about the rotation shaft within a predetermined rotation range. This allows the table 16 to be tilted at a predetermined angle, so that, for example, when the seat 100 is reclining, the angle of the table 16 is adjusted and an information terminal such as a book or a smart phone is set at a position where the occupant can easily see it. can do. Therefore, the comfort of the occupant in the automatic driving state can be improved.

The armrest device 50 according to the present embodiment has the armrests (seat armrest 10 and door armrest 20) configured as described above, and the armrests are automatically movable. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the armrest device 50 according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the armrest device 50 includes a controller 51 that controls the armrests 10 and 20, and a manual automatic changeover switch 52 that is connected to the controller 51 via an in-vehicle network such as a CAN (Controller Area Network). It has an operation level command switch 53, an operation selection switch 54, a door armrest drive actuator AC1, a seat armrest drive actuator AC2, and a table drive actuator AC3.

The manual automatic changeover switch 52 is configured, for example, as a switch that can be manually operated by the driver, and according to the switch operation, a command to switch to an automatic operation mode in which the automatic operation function is enabled or a manual operation mode in which the automatic operation function is invalidated. Is output. Regardless of the operation of the manual automatic changeover switch 52, when a predetermined traveling condition is satisfied, switching from the manual operation mode to the automatic operation mode or from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode is instructed. Good. That is, the manual automatic changeover switch 52 may be automatically changed over so that the mode is changed over automatically rather than manually.

The operation level command switch 53 is configured as, for example, a switch that can be manually operated by a driver, and an automatic operation level of any one of levels 0 to 5 is commanded according to the operation of the switch. The vehicle control system determines whether or not a condition capable of self-driving is satisfied due to the surrounding conditions, etc., and automatically switches the driving level command switch 53 according to the determination result to set one of levels 0 to 5. It can also be configured to direct.

The operation selection switch 54 is, for example, configured as a switch that can be manually operated by a driver, and commands the permission or prohibition of displacement of the armrests 10, 20 to a predetermined position according to the operation of the operation selection switch 54. For example, a command is issued to permit or prohibit the displacement of the seat armrest 10 and the door armrest 20 from the initial position P1. In a state where the seat armrest 10 is displaced to the forward movement position P3, the table 16 that is a part of the seat armrest 10 may be instructed to permit or prohibit displacement from the storage position P4 to the horizontal position P6.

Door armrest drive actuator AC1 is an actuator for driving door armrest 20 from initial position P1 to forward position P3. Specifically, the door armrest driving actuator AC1 is provided in the support mechanism 24, and is provided in the actuator 31 (for example, an electric motor) that moves the door armrest 20 to the left and above the base member 23, and the slide mechanism 25. , An actuator 32 (for example, an electric motor) that advances the upper plate 21 of the door armrest 20 relative to the lower plate 22.

The seat armrest driving actuator AC2 is an actuator for driving the seat armrest 10 from the initial position P1 to the forward movement position P3. Specifically, the seat armrest drive actuator AC2 is provided in the support mechanism 14, and is provided in the slide mechanism 15 and an actuator (for example, an electric motor) that moves the seat armrest 10 to the right and above the base member 13. An actuator (for example, an electric motor) that moves the upper plate 11 of the seat armrest 10 forward with respect to the lower plate 12 is provided.

The table driving actuator AC3 is an actuator for driving the table 16 from the storage position P4 to the horizontal position P6. Specifically, the table driving actuator AC3 is provided in the rotating mechanism 17, and an actuator 33 that rotates and drives the pin 162a integrated with the rotating member 162 to rotate the table 16 from the storage position P4 to the vertical position P5. (For example, an electric motor), and an actuator 34 (for example, an electric motor) that rotates and drives the pin 16b integrated with the table 16 to rotate the table 16 from the vertical position P5 to the horizontal position P6.

The controller 51 is an electronic control circuit (ECU), and a storage unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) as an operating circuit, a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory), and an input/output interface (I/O interface). ), including a microcomputer having other peripheral circuits. The controller 51 executes predetermined processing based on input signals from the manual automatic changeover switch 52, the operation level command switch 53, and the operation selection switch 54, and outputs control signals to the actuators AC1 to AC3, respectively.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the controller 51 according to a program stored in advance. The process shown in this flowchart is started, for example, by turning on the power key switch of the vehicle.

First, in step S1, it is determined based on a signal from the manual automatic changeover switch 52 whether the operation mode is the automatic operation mode. If the result of step S1 is negative, that is, if it is determined to be in the manual operation mode, the process proceeds to step S2, and the actuators AC1 to AC3 are controlled so that the armrests 10 and 20 are located at the initial position P1. If the result in step S1 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S3, in which it is determined based on the signal from the driving level command switch 53 whether the driving level is equal to or higher than a predetermined driving level. For example, level 4 is set as the predetermined operation level.

If the result in step S3 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S5, and if the result is negative, the process proceeds to step S4. In step S4, the actuators AC1 to AC3 are controlled so that the armrests 10 and 20 are located at the forward movement position P3 and the table 16 is located at the storage position P4. In step S5, it is determined based on a signal from the operation selection switch 54 whether or not the operation inhibition of the armrests 10 and 20 and the table 16 is instructed. If the result in step S5 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S2, and if the result is negative, the process proceeds to step S6. In step S6, the actuators AC1 to AC3 are controlled so that the armrests 10 and 20 are located at the forward movement position P3 and the table 16 is located at the horizontal position P6.

The operation of the armrest device 50 according to this embodiment will be described more specifically. 9A and 9B are perspective views showing an example of the operation of the armrest device 50. While the vehicle is traveling in the manual operation mode, the seat armrest 10 and the door armrest 20 are in the initial position P1 shown by the chain double-dashed lines in FIGS. 9A and 9B (step S2).

When the operation mode is switched to the automatic operation mode, the forms of the armrests 10 and 20 change according to the operation level. For example, when the driving level is level 3, as shown in FIG. 9A, the door armrest 20 is displaced to the leftward, upward and forward forward movement position P3, and the seat armrest 10 is rightward, upward and forward forward movement position P3. To (step S4). As a result, the driver can place his/her hand (finger or the like) near the steering wheel 4 by placing the arm on the armrests 10 and 20. As a result, an emergency can be dealt with easily and quickly.

In other words, in level 3 autonomous driving, the driver must keep his/her hand near the steering wheel 4 so that he/she can immediately operate the steering wheel 4 in case of emergency, etc. This is a burden to the driver. In this respect, by displacing the tip end portions of the armrests 10 and 20 inward, forward and upward of the vehicle, it is easy for the driver to place his/her hand near the steering wheel 4, and the driver's fatigue in the automatic driving mode is reduced. Can be reduced.

When the operating level is level 4 or higher, as shown in FIG. 9B, the door armrest 20 is displaced to the leftward, upward and forward forward movement position P3, and the seat armrest 10 is rightward, upward and forward forward movement position P3. To (step S4). Further, the table 16 at the tip of the door armrest 20 is displaced to the horizontal position P6 (step S6). As a result, the driver can place various hands on the table 16 while placing his or her arms on the armrests 10 and 20 to perform various operations.

That is, in level 4 automatic driving, the vehicle control system responds in an emergency, and therefore the driver does not need to place his or her hand near the steering wheel 4 in preparation for an emergency. Therefore, even if the table 16 is placed at a position that hinders driving operation, there is no problem, and the driver can suitably use the table 16 as a workbench or an auxiliary stand. By arranging the table 16, comfort of the driver during automatic driving is improved. Since the left and right ends of the table 16 are supported by the left and right armrests 10 and 20, the table 16 has high rigidity.

Even when the vehicle is traveling in the level 4 automatic operation mode, the armrests 10 and 20 are held at the initial position P1 when the driver selects the operation prohibition by operating the operation selection switch 54 (step S5→step S2). ). Therefore, the armrests 10 and 20 are not displaced to the inside of the seat 100, and the driver can place the arms on the armrests 10 and 20 and ride in a relaxed posture. That is, unlike the level 3 automatic driving, the level 4 automatic driving has different desired postures for each driver, but by changing the operation of the seat armrest 10 according to the driver's preference according to the operation of the operation selection switch 54, The driver can easily take a desired posture.

According to this embodiment, the following operational effects can be achieved.
(1) The armrest device 50 according to the present embodiment includes the armrests 10 and 20 that support the arms of an occupant seated on the seat 100 of an autonomous vehicle having an autonomous driving function. The armrest (for example, the seat armrest 10) has a form (referred to as a first form) in which a tip portion thereof is located at a forward position P3 in front of the initial position P1 before automatic operation and inside the seat width direction during automatic operation (referred to as a first form). The table 16 that is the tip of the table 10 is configured to be changeable to a form (referred to as a second form) in which the table 16 is located at the horizontal position P6 (FIGS. 9A and 9B). As described above, since the armrest 10 can take a plurality of forms during automatic driving, the armrest 10 can be optimally operated according to the driving level.

(2) The armrest (for example, the seat armrest 10) is configured to be changeable to the first mode when the automatic driving level is lower than a predetermined level (for example, level 4), and is changed to the first mode when the automatic driving level is equal to or higher than the predetermined level. It is configured to be changeable into two forms (FIGS. 9A and 9B). In autonomous driving vehicles, the demands on the driver may differ depending on the driving level during automatic driving. However, in the present embodiment, the form of the armrest is changed according to the driving level, so that, for example, in case of an emergency The driver can easily meet the requirements according to the driving level, such as arranging in the vicinity of No. 4.

(3) In the armrest device 50, the distal end portion (the distal end portion of the upper plate 11 or the table 16) of the armrest (for example, the seat armrest 10) is located at the forward position P3 corresponding to the first mode or the horizontal position P6 corresponding to the second mode. It further includes a support portion that movably supports the armrest 10 so as to be displaced, that is, a support mechanism 14, a slide mechanism 15, and a rotation mechanism 17 (FIGS. 1 and 5). As a result, the position of the tip of the armrest 10 can be easily displaced to different positions.

(4) The armrest (for example, the seat armrest 10) is provided so as to be extendable so that its tip portion is displaced to the forward movement position P3 corresponding to the first mode or the horizontal position P6 corresponding to the second mode (FIGS. 9A and 9B). ). As a result, in the first form and the second form, the area of the armrest 10 on which the arm portion or the hand can be placed is increased, and the comfort of the occupant is improved.

(5) Actuators AC1 to AC3 for further displacing the tip end portion of the armrest (for example, the seat armrest 10) to the forward movement position P3 or the horizontal position P6 are provided (FIG. 7). Thereby, the armrest 10 can be automatically operated according to the driving level and the like.

(6) The forward movement position P3 of the armrests 10 and 20 is a position higher than the initial position P1 (FIG. 9A). Therefore, the driver's hand can be easily brought close to the steering wheel 4 in the automatic driving mode.

(7) The armrests 10 and 20 are provided on both left and right sides of the seat 100, the table 16 that is the tip of the left seat armrest 10 is located at the horizontal position P6, and the tip of the right door armrest 20 is at the forward position P3. The left and right armrests 10 and 20 are configured to be connected to each other when they are positioned at (FIG. 9B). As a result, the rigidity of the entire armrest can be increased.

(8) The armrest 10 is provided with a table 16 formed in front of the seat 100 (seatback 2) at the tip thereof, and the left and right armrests 10, 20 are connected to each other via the table 16 (FIG. 6). ). As a result, the rigidity of the table 16 can be increased, and a heavy object can be stably placed on the table 16.

(9) An operation selection switch 54 for instructing permission or prohibition of displacement of the armrests 10, 20 to the forward movement position P3 is further provided (FIG. 7). As a result, the armrests 10 and 20 are displaced according to the occupant's selection, the requirements of each occupant can be easily satisfied, and the comfort of the occupant is improved.

The above embodiment can be modified into various forms. Hereinafter, modified examples will be described. In the above-described embodiment, the tip end portion of the seat armrest 10 is displaced from the initial position P1 to the forward movement position P3 (first position) corresponding to the first mode and the horizontal position P6 (second position) corresponding to the second mode. However, during automatic operation, the first mode in which the tip end portion is located forward and inward of the seat width direction from the initial position before the automatic operation, and the second aspect in which the position of the tip end portion of the armrest is different from the first mode. As long as it is configured so that it can be changed to, the operation mode of the armrest is not limited to that described above.

FIG. 10A is a plan view showing a first modification of the armrest device. In FIG. 10A, instead of the seat armrest 10, a table 26 that is rotatable from a storage position to a vertical position and a horizontal position via a rotation mechanism similar to the rotation mechanism 17 is provided at the tip of the door armrest 20. Be done. FIG. 10A shows an example of the form (second form) of the armrest at level 4 and above, and at level 3 and below, the armrest has the same form (first form) as shown in FIG. 9A, for example. As shown in FIG. 10A, the leading end of the seat arm rest 10 is located at the forward position P3, and the table 26 at the leading end of the door arm rest 20 is located at the horizontal position P6. At this time, the table 26 is supported on the plate-shaped mounting portion 261 protruding rightward from the front end portion of the seat armrest 10.

FIG. 10B is a plan view showing a second modified example of the armrest device. In FIG. 10B, tables 18 and 28 are provided at the tip of the seat armrest 10 and the tip of the door armrest 20, respectively, which can be rotated from a storage position to a vertical position and a horizontal position via a rotating mechanism. FIG. 10B shows an example of the form (second form) of the armrest at level 4 and above, and at level 3 and below, the armrest has the same form (first form) as that shown in FIG. 9A, for example. As shown in FIG. 10B, the table 18 at the tip of the seat arm rest 10 and the table 28 at the tip of the door arm rest 20 are located at the horizontal position P6. At this time, the tables 18 and 28 are connected to each other.

FIG. 10C is a plan view showing a third modified example of the armrest device. Note that FIG. 10C shows the position of the upper plate 21 of the door armrest 20, and the seat armrest 10 is not shown. The seat armrest 10 is provided symmetrically with respect to the door armrest 20, for example. In FIG. 10C, the first position of the door armrest 20 is the forward position P3 (two-dot chain line) forward and left of the initial position P1 as in FIG. 9B. On the other hand, the second position P7 is either forward and left (solid line) or forward and right (solid line) of the first position. In this case, the first position (forward position P3) and the second position P7 may have the same height or different heights.

The first position and the second position may be the same position in the front-rear direction and different in at least one of the left-right direction and the up-down direction. The first position and the second position may be the same position in the left-right direction and may be different positions in at least one of the front-back direction and the vertical direction. That is, the second position may be any position as long as the position is different from the first position. For example, the second position may be behind or below the first position. The second position may be the same as the initial position P1. In the above-described embodiment, the table 16 at the tip of the seat armrest 10 is rotated to the horizontal position P6 to set the horizontal position P6 (second position) different from the forward movement position P3 (first position). Thus, the table may be omitted and the first position and the second position may be different.

In the above embodiment, when the automatic driving level is lower than level 4, the armrest (for example, seat armrest 10) is changed to the first form (forward position P3), and when the automatic driving level is level 4 or higher, the second form (horizontal position P6). ), but the armrest may be changed to the first form and the second form based on a mode other than the driving level. In the above embodiment, regarding the movement of the seat armrest 10, the seat armrest 10 is movably supported by the support mechanism 14, the slide mechanism 15, and the rotating mechanism 17 in the first position or the second position. The configuration is not limited to this. For example, regarding the movement of the door armrest 20, a rail may be extended in the front-rear direction on the inner wall 111 of the door 110, and the door armrest 20 may be moved in the front-rear direction along the rail. At the forward movement position P3, the support portions may be configured so that the armrests 10 and 20 are displaced forward and only inside the vehicle and are not displaced upward. In the above-described embodiment, the armrest is displaced using the parallelogram link, but the displacement may be regulated so that the upper surface of the armrest is horizontal by using another link mechanism or regulation member.

In the above embodiment, the armrests 10 and 20 are composed of the pair of upper and lower plate members, but the structure of the armrests is not limited to this. In the above embodiment, the armrests 10 and 20 are provided to be extendable by sliding the upper plates 11 and 21 forward with respect to the lower plates 12 and 22, but the entire armrest is displaced without changing the length of the armrest. It may be allowed to. When only the upper plates 11 and 21 are mounted with arms, only the upper plates 11 and 21 may be treated as armrests. In the above embodiment, the actuators AC1 to AC3 such as electric motors are used to operate the armrests 10 and 20, but the structure of the actuator is not limited to that described above. The armrest may be manually operated without using the actuator. In this case, a lock mechanism is provided on the support portion of the armrest, and the lock mechanism is operated according to the driving level and the like to permit the change from the initial position of the armrest to the first form and the change from the first form to the second form. Alternatively, it may be prohibited.

In the above embodiment, the left and right armrests 10 and 20 are provided so as to be movable from their respective initial positions, but only one of the left and right armrests may be movable. For example, only the door armrest 20 may be movably provided at the first position and the second position, and the seat armrest 10 may be rotatably provided on the side surface 2a of the seatback with a horizontal rotation shaft as a fulcrum. In the above embodiment, the left and right armrests 10 and 20 are connected via the table 16, but the left and right armrests may be connected without the table. In the above embodiment, the change of the form of the armrest 10 to the second form is permitted or prohibited according to the operation of the operation selection switch 54, but the configuration of the movement command unit is not limited to this. The change to the first mode may be permitted or prohibited according to the operation of the movement command unit.

In the above-described embodiment, the seat armrest 10 is provided on the left side surface 2a of the seat 100, but on the right side surface (door side), the seat that is rotatable between the storage position in the vertical posture and the use position in the horizontal posture. You may make it provide an armrest. In this case, an electric motor for rotating the seat armrest on the door side from the retracted position to the use position is provided when the automatic operation mode of level 4 or higher is set and the operation of reclining the seat 100 rearward is performed by the occupant. Good. A sub-arm rest may be provided in the arm rests 10 and 20 so as to slide forward so that the area of the portion on which the occupant's arm can be placed is expanded.

When a predetermined automatic driving mode is set, the seat 100 is provided with an auxiliary armrest for supporting the upper arm (the portion between the shoulder joint and the elbow joint) of the occupant seated on the seat 100 from below. May be. As the auxiliary armrest, for example, a rotatable auxiliary armrest that is rotatably provided on a bank portion of the seat 100 (portions protruding forward from both left and right end portions of the seat 100 so as to hold an occupant) can be adopted. .. When the manual operation mode is set, the rotary auxiliary armrest is stored at a position where it does not touch the driver. When the operation mode of the vehicle is switched from the manual operation mode to the automatic operation mode of a predetermined level, the rotatable auxiliary armrest is disposed at a support position that pivots to support the occupant's upper arm from below. According to this configuration, the upper arm can be supported by the auxiliary armrest in the automatic driving mode of a predetermined level (for example, level 3), so that fatigue of the driver can be reduced. In addition, the driver can easily operate the information terminal such as the smartphone, so that the comfort can be improved.

The configuration of the auxiliary armrest is not limited to the above rotary auxiliary armrest. For example, an inflatable inflatable portion may be provided in a part of the bank portion projecting forward at the left and right ends of the seat back 2, and the inflatable portion may be used as an auxiliary armrest. When the driving mode of the vehicle is set to the manual driving mode, the inflatable part is in the contracted state, and when the automatic inflating mode is switched to the predetermined level, the inflatable auxiliary armrest inflates and the inflatable part lowers the driver's upper arm. Support from. Also in this case, the fatigue of the driver can be reduced.

The armrest (for example, the seat armrest 10) may be configured to be rotatable about an axis of rotation in the left-right direction with an electric motor or the like as a fulcrum, and an auxiliary armrest may be provided at the tip of the armrest so as to be rotatable with the electric motor or the like. .. The auxiliary armrest is arranged so as to extend forward from the tip portion of the armrest when the driving mode of the vehicle is set to the manual driving mode. When the driving mode of the vehicle is set to, for example, the level 3 automatic driving mode, the armrest is moved to the retracted state by the electric motor or the like, and the auxiliary armrest is rotated 90 degrees by the electric motor or the like, so that the driver's upper arm is moved from below. To support. Also in this case, the fatigue of the driver can be reduced.

An input/output device that can be operated when the automatic operation mode is set may be provided in the armrests 10 and 20. The input/output device has, for example, a switch for operating a direction indicator light, a headlight, a wiper, a switching operation unit for automatic driving, a touch sensor that displays various information and detects contact of a passenger's fingers and the like. It includes an operation panel and other operation units for inputting various operations. The input/output device can be configured by, for example, a trackball, a touch panel, or the like provided on the upper surface or the side surface of the tip portion of the armrest. The input/output device may be a device having a gesture control function that uses image data captured by a camera that captures an occupant, or may have a voice recognition function that recognizes the voice of the occupant.

The armrests 10 and 20 may be provided with a lighting unit. The lighting unit is controlled to be turned on and off according to the operation of the armrest and the driving mode of the vehicle. For example, the illumination unit is controlled to blink when the automatic operation mode is switched to the manual operation mode, and notifies the driver that the manual operation mode is switched. In addition, the illumination unit may be configured such that when the armrest moves, it blinks to recognize that it is moving, and the lighting unit moves to recognize the moving direction. Further, the illumination unit is controlled so as to illuminate the object in the hands of the occupant when the automatic driving mode of level 3 or level 4 or higher is set, for example. Further, the lighting unit is controlled so as to be turned on, for example, when an occupant gets in and out of the vehicle. In addition, it is preferable that the illumination unit is movably provided so that an arbitrary place can be illuminated.

The armrests 10 and 20 can also be configured such that the width of the portion on which the occupant's arm is placed can be changed according to the driving level during automatic driving. For example, when the seat armrest is in use, an automatic driving mode of a predetermined level (for example, level 4 or higher) is set, and when an operation for reclining the seat 100 is performed by the occupant, the axis extending along the longitudinal direction of the armrest is centered. Rotate the armrest about 90 degrees. As a result, the part that was the side surface when in the automatic operation mode below the predetermined level is located on the upper surface, and the occupant's arm can be placed on it. In other words, the armrest is formed in a vertically long rectangular cross-sectional shape so that the width of the side surface of the armrest when it is below the predetermined level is larger than the width of the upper surface, so that the automatic operation mode above the predetermined level is set. The width of the portion that supports the occupant's arm when the vehicle occupies can be expanded. In this way, the width of the portion of the armrest on which the occupant's arm is placed can be changed in accordance with the automatic driving level and/or the reclining operation, thereby improving comfort in the vehicle. be able to. When switching from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode, the armrest may be moved to guide the driver's arm to the steering wheel.

A display device such as a liquid crystal panel may be provided on the armrests 10 and 20. Further, the angle of the display screen of the display device may be changed according to the reclining angle of the seat 100. Information is input to the display device from a vehicle-mounted camera that captures the rear of the vehicle via a harness arranged in the armrest, and the display device can display an image of the rear of the vehicle, for example. Thus, in the automatic driving state, the occupant can confirm the state behind the vehicle on the display screen of the display device of the armrest.

An in-vehicle camera may be attached to the armrests 10 and 20. In this case, for example, image information of the driver photographed by the in-vehicle camera provided on the armrest is output to the in-vehicle condition monitoring ECU to monitor the driver. A holder that holds an information terminal such as a smartphone or a charger that can charge the information terminal may be provided on the armrest.

A device that can adjust the movable range is provided so that the movable range of the armrests when the automatic operation mode is set is larger than the movable range of the armrests 10 and 20 when the manual operation mode is set. May be. Alternatively, a device capable of adjusting the movable range may be provided so that the movable range of the armrest when the operating level is equal to or higher than the predetermined level is larger than the movable range when the operating level is lower than the predetermined level in the automatic operation mode. Good. This prevents the armrest from unintentionally moving, for example, in the manual driving state, which prevents the operation from being disturbed.In the automatic driving state, the armrest is moved to an arbitrary position, Comfort can be improved.

In the form in which the seat armrests are provided on the left and right sides of the seat 100 as in the above-described embodiment, the seat armrests on the door 110 side may hinder the occupant from getting on and off. Therefore, even if the seat armrest is pivoted so that the front end of the seat armrest 10 on the door side is located outside the vehicle in conjunction with the operation of the opening/closing switch of the door 110, the occupant's entry/exit path may be secured. Good. In this case, the lighting unit provided at the tip of the seat armrest is blinked or lit to inform the driver of another vehicle behind that the door 110 is opened and closed and the seat armrest is projected outside the vehicle. Preferably. Since the seat armrest is arranged to extend laterally from the inside of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle, the occupant can grasp when getting on and off. That is, the seat armrest can be used as a support member when a passenger gets on and off.

In the above embodiment, the armrest device is applied to the autonomous driving vehicle having the automatic driving function, but the armrest device of the present invention can be applied to the vehicle having no automatic driving function. In the above embodiment, the vehicle seat has been described as an example of the vehicle seat, but the present invention is applicable to vehicle seats in various vehicles.

The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications unless the characteristics of the present invention are impaired. It is also possible to arbitrarily combine one or more of the above-described embodiment and modifications, and it is also possible to combine modifications.

10 seat armrest, 11 upper plate, 12 lower plate, 14 support mechanism, 15 slide mechanism, 16 table, 17 rotating mechanism, 20 door armrest, 21 upper plate, 22 lower plate, 51 controller, 54 operation selection switch, 100 seat , AC1 to AC3 actuators

Claims (11)

An armrest that supports an arm portion of an occupant seated on a vehicle seat of an autonomous vehicle having an automatic driving function,
The position of the tip of the armrest is different from that of the first mode in which the tip of the armrest is located forward and inside the seat width direction from the initial position before the automatic driving during the automatic driving. An armrest device, characterized in that the form can be changed to the second form. The armrest device according to claim 1,
The armrest is configured to be changeable to the first form when the automatic operation level is lower than a predetermined level, and is changeable to the second form when the automatic operation level is equal to or higher than the predetermined level. Armrest device. The armrest device according to claim 1 or 2,
The armrest is further provided with a supporting portion that movably supports the armrest so that the distal end portion of the armrest is displaced to a first position corresponding to the first form or a second position corresponding to the second form. Armrest device. The armrest device according to claim 1 or 2,
The armrest device, wherein the armrest is provided so as to be extendable so that a tip portion thereof is displaced to a first position corresponding to the first mode or a second position corresponding to the second mode. The armrest device according to claim 3 or 4,
The armrest device further comprising an actuator that displaces a tip portion of the armrest to the first position or the second position. The armrest device according to any one of claims 3 to 5,
The armrest device, wherein at least one of the first position and the second position is a position further above the initial position. The armrest device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The armrest device includes a door armrest provided on a side wall of a vehicle. The armrest device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The armrest device includes a seat armrest provided on a side surface of the vehicle seat. The armrest device according to any one of claims 3 to 6,
The armrests are provided on both left and right sides of the vehicle seat, and are configured such that the left and right armrests are connected to each other when a tip portion thereof is located at at least one of the first position and the second position. An armrest device characterized in that The armrest device according to claim 9,
The armrest further includes a table formed in front of the vehicle seat when the tip of the armrest is located at at least one of the first and second positions,
The armrest device, wherein the left and right armrests are connected to each other via the table. The armrest device according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
An armrest device, further comprising a movement command unit for instructing permission and prohibition of a change of the form of the armrest to the first form or the second form.

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