JP2023148568A - Steering wheel and steering switch unit - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a steering wheel to which a driver can easily input, and a steering switch unit.SOLUTION: A steering wheel 5 comprises a gripping part 11 which a driver grips, a hub part 13 connected to a steering shaft 7, and a spoke part 15 connecting the hub part to the gripping part. An inclining surface 25 which inclines with respect to a virtual surface S which is orthogonal to a shaft line X of the steering shaft is provided on a rear surface of the spoke part, and at least one of receiving parts which receive operation input from the driver is arranged to overlap with the inclining surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a steering wheel that receives steering input from a driver, and a steering switch unit provided on the steering wheel.

A steering wheel equipped with a touch panel that detects touch operations is known (for example, Patent Document 1). The touch panel disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a menu area and a direct area. Corresponding icons are displayed in the menu area and the direct area, respectively.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-144496

In the steering wheel disclosed in Patent Document 1, the driver who is performing the steering operation needs to visually check the touch panel and perform input. Therefore, the steering wheel disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that it is not easy for the driver to input operation while operating the steering wheel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above background, it is an object of the present invention to provide a steering wheel and a steering switch unit that are easy for a driver to input.

In order to solve the above problems, an aspect of the present invention is a steering wheel (5) that includes a grip part (11) that is gripped by a driver, and a hub part (13) that is connected to a steering shaft (7). , a spoke part (15) connecting the hub part and the grip part, and a rear surface of the spoke part is inclined with respect to an imaginary plane (S) perpendicular to the axis (X) of the steering shaft. A sloped surface (25) is provided, and at least one of the reception sections that receives operation input from the driver is arranged so as to overlap the sloped surface.

According to this aspect, since the driver can easily grasp the position of the reception part based on the inclination angle of the inclined surface, it is possible to provide a steering wheel that is easy for the driver to input.

In the above aspect, preferably, the inclined surface is inclined forward inward in the radial direction of the axis.

According to this aspect, since the inclined surface is inclined so as to follow the thumb of the driver who grips the gripping part, it becomes easy to input an operation to the reception part.

In the above aspect, preferably, the inclined surface extends along a first inclined surface (25A) and an outer edge of the first inclined surface, and is lower than the first inclined surface relative to the virtual surface. A second inclined surface (25B) having a large inclination angle is provided, and at least one of the receiving portions is arranged to overlap the second inclined surface.

According to this aspect, since the receiving section is provided so as to overlap the second inclined surface located on the radially outer side of the first inclined surface, the receiving section is provided more easily than the receiving section when only the first inclined surface is provided. operation input becomes easier.

In the above aspect, preferably, at least one of the reception sections is arranged so as to overlap the second slope, and the reception section provided so as to overlap the second slope is capable of acquiring a swipe amount. It is composed of

According to this aspect, the receiving section that receives the swipe amount is provided so as to overlap the second inclined surface located on the radially outer side than the first inclined surface. Thereby, compared to the case where the receiving part that receives the swipe amount is provided only on the first slope, the receiving part that receives the swipe amount is provided at a position closer to the grip part, so that the operation input of the swipe amount becomes easier.

In the above aspect, preferably, the spoke portion is provided with a spoke recess (35) that is recessed forward with respect to the virtual plane.

According to this aspect, a space can be provided in the spoke portion to accommodate the thumb of the driver who grips the grip portion.

In the above aspect, preferably, the spoke recess is connected to a first surface (37) that slopes downwardly rearward and radially outward of the axis, and connects to the lower edge of the first surface and upwardly slopes. a second surface (39) that slopes forward and radially outward, and a third surface (39) that connects to the radial outer edge of the first surface and the radial outer edge of the second surface and slopes rearward toward the radial outer side (39); 41), and at least one of the receiving sections is provided on any one of the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface.

According to this aspect, the thumb is accommodated in the space formed in the spoke portion, and operation input can be performed using the thumb, so it is possible to provide a steering wheel that is easy for the driver to input.

In the above aspect, preferably, the ridge line (45) between the second surface and the third surface is inclined rearward and downward toward the radially outer side.

According to this aspect, the ridge line defined by the second surface and the third surface extends in the direction along the thumb. This allows the driver to easily place his or her thumb between the second and third surfaces, making it easier to input operations to the reception section.

In the above aspect, preferably, at least one reception section (27G) is provided on the third surface, and the reception section provided on the third surface receives an operation input related to turn signal operation.

According to this aspect, the reception unit provided on the third surface accepts operation inputs to the blinker that are frequently input. Therefore, compared to the case where the reception part that receives operation input to the turn signal is provided on the first or second surface, the reception part that receives operation input to the turn signal is placed on the radially outer side, making the steering wheel easier to operate. will improve.

In order to solve the above problems, an aspect of the present invention provides a main body recess that connects a grip part (11) that is gripped by a driver and a hub part (13) that is connected to a steering shaft (7), and that is recessed forward. (55) A steering switch unit (53) that is provided on the rear surface of a spoke body (61) and constitutes a spoke part (15) that cooperates with the spoke body to connect the grip part and the hub part. a base body (51) that is fitted into the main body recess and forms the rear surface of the spoke portion; and a touch sensor (33) that is provided on the rear surface of the base body and receives operation input from the driver. , and includes an inclined surface (25) inclined with respect to a virtual plane perpendicular to the axis of the steering shaft to be connected to the hub part, and at least a part of the touch sensor is provided on the inclined surface. It is being

According to this aspect, since the driver can easily grasp the position of the receiving section based on the inclination angle of the inclined surface, it is possible to provide a steering switch unit that is easy for the driver to input.

In order to solve the above problems, an aspect of the present invention is a steering wheel (5) that includes a grip part (11) that is gripped by a driver, and a hub part (13) that is connected to a steering shaft (7). , a spoke part (15) connecting the hub part and the grip part, and a rear surface of the spoke part is inclined with respect to an imaginary plane (S) perpendicular to the axis (X) of the steering shaft. A sloped surface (25) is provided, and at least one of the reception sections that receives operation input from the driver is arranged so as to overlap the sloped surface.

According to this aspect, since the driver can easily grasp the position of the reception part based on the inclination angle of the inclined surface, it is possible to provide a steering wheel that is easy for the driver to input.

In the above aspect, preferably, the inclined surface is inclined forward inward in the radial direction of the axis.

According to this aspect, since the inclined surface is inclined so as to follow the thumb of the driver who grips the gripping part, it becomes easy to input an operation to the reception part.

In the above aspect, preferably, the inclined surface extends along a first inclined surface (25A) and an outer edge of the first inclined surface, and is lower than the first inclined surface relative to the virtual surface. A second inclined surface (25B) having a large inclination angle is provided, and at least one of the receiving portions is arranged to overlap the second inclined surface.

According to this aspect, since the receiving section is provided so as to overlap the second inclined surface located on the radially outer side of the first inclined surface, the receiving section is provided more easily than the receiving section when only the first inclined surface is provided. operation input becomes easier.

In the above aspect, preferably, at least one of the reception sections is arranged so as to overlap the second slope, and the reception section provided so as to overlap the second slope is capable of acquiring a swipe amount. It is composed of

According to this aspect, the receiving section that receives the swipe amount is provided so as to overlap the second inclined surface located on the radially outer side than the first inclined surface. Thereby, compared to the case where the receiving part that receives the swipe amount is provided only on the first slope, the receiving part that receives the swipe amount is provided at a position closer to the grip part, so that the operation input of the swipe amount becomes easier.

In the above aspect, preferably, the spoke portion is provided with a spoke recess (35) that is recessed forward with respect to the virtual plane.

According to this aspect, a space can be provided in the spoke portion to accommodate the thumb of the driver who grips the grip portion.

In the above aspect, preferably, the spoke recess is connected to a first surface (37) that slopes downwardly rearward and radially outward of the axis, and connects to the lower edge of the first surface and upwardly slopes. a second surface (39) that slopes forward and radially outward, and a third surface (39) that connects to the radial outer edge of the first surface and the radial outer edge of the second surface and slopes rearward toward the radial outer side (39); 41), and at least one of the receiving sections is provided on any one of the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface.

According to this aspect, the thumb is accommodated in the space formed in the spoke portion, and operation input can be performed using the thumb, so it is possible to provide a steering wheel that is easy for the driver to input.

In the above aspect, preferably, the ridge line (45) between the second surface and the third surface is inclined rearward and downward toward the radially outer side.

According to this aspect, the ridge line defined by the second surface and the third surface extends in the direction along the thumb. This allows the driver to easily place his or her thumb between the second and third surfaces, making it easier to input operations to the reception section.

In the above aspect, preferably, at least one reception section (27G) is provided on the third surface, and the reception section provided on the third surface receives an operation input related to turn signal operation.

According to this aspect, the reception unit provided on the third surface accepts operation inputs to the blinker that are frequently input. Therefore, compared to the case where the reception part that receives operation input to the turn signal is provided on the first or second surface, the reception part that receives operation input to the turn signal is placed on the radially outer side, making the steering wheel easier to operate. will improve.

In order to solve the above problems, an aspect of the present invention provides a main body recess that connects a grip part (11) that is gripped by a driver and a hub part (13) that is connected to a steering shaft (7), and that is recessed forward. (55) A steering switch unit (53) that is provided on the rear surface of a spoke body (61) and constitutes a spoke part (15) that cooperates with the spoke body to connect the grip part and the hub part. a base body (51) that is fitted into the main body recess and forms the rear surface of the spoke portion; and a touch sensor (33) that is provided on the rear surface of the base body and receives operation input from the driver. , and includes an inclined surface (25) inclined with respect to a virtual plane perpendicular to the axis of the steering shaft to be connected to the hub part, and at least a part of the touch sensor is provided on the inclined surface. It is being

According to this aspect, since the driver can easily grasp the position of the receiving section based on the inclination angle of the inclined surface, it is possible to provide a steering switch unit that is easy for the driver to input.

A perspective view of the steering wheel according to the first embodiment as seen from the rear Enlarged view of the right half of the steering wheel III-III sectional view in Figure 2 IV-IV sectional view in Figure 2 V-V sectional view in Figure 2 A sectional view of a steering wheel according to a second embodiment An explanatory diagram for explaining how the display mode of the head-up display is changed by the steering wheel according to the present invention. First modification of the steering wheel according to the present invention Second modification of the steering wheel according to the present invention Third modification of the steering wheel according to the present invention Fourth modification of the steering wheel according to the present invention Fifth modification of the steering wheel according to the present invention Sixth modification of the steering wheel according to the present invention Seventh modification of the steering wheel according to the present invention Eighth modification of the steering wheel according to the present invention

Hereinafter, a steering wheel and a steering switch unit of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

<<First embodiment>>
The steering wheel 5 according to the first embodiment is provided in front of the driver's seat. In the following, a case will be described in which the driver's seat is located on the right side of the vehicle (so-called right-hand drive vehicle) as shown in FIG. 1, but the present invention is not limited to the position of the driver's seat.

As shown in FIG. 1, the steering wheel 5 is coupled to a steering shaft 7 provided in front of the vehicle body near the driver's seat. The steering shaft 7 is provided in front of the driver's seat and is rotatably held by a steering column (not shown) supported by the vehicle body. Thereby, the steering wheel 5 is supported by the vehicle body so as to be rotatable about the axis X of the steering shaft 7. The axis X extends diagonally upward in a straight line toward the rear of the vehicle body.

The steering wheel 5 includes a rim 11 (gripping part) that is gripped by the driver, a hub 13 (hub part) that is connected to the steering shaft 7, and spokes 15 that extend radially from the hub 13 and are connected to the rim 11. ) and.

The rim 11 has an annular shape centered on the axis X (ie, the steering shaft) of the steering shaft 7, and defines the outer edge of the steering shaft 7. The rim 11 functions as a grip that is gripped by the driver to perform steering input. When the driver rotates the rim 11 about the axis X, the steering angle of the wheel is changed according to the rotation angle (i.e., the steering angle). That is, the rim 11 functions as a gripping part that is gripped by the driver who performs steering input, and the steering wheel 5 functions as a steering operator that receives steering-related operations from the driver.

The steering wheel 5 is provided with a pair of spokes 15. The spokes 15 are each connected to the hub 13 at their proximal ends, extend in directions away from each other from the axis X, and are connected to the radially inner surface of the rim 11 at their extending ends. When the steering angle is zero, each spoke 15 extends generally in the left-right direction.

A rim recess 16 is provided at the upper edge of the connecting portion between the spokes 15 and the rim 11, and is recessed radially outward and downward. The rim recess 16 is formed to have a size about the size of the driver's thumb, and the driver can hook his or her fingers into the rim recess 16.

In this embodiment, the base ends (inner ends in the radial direction) of the spokes 15 are each branched into two, and each is connected to the hub 13. As a result, each spoke 15 is provided with a spoke through hole 17 that is a through hole that penetrates in the front-rear direction. Hereinafter, the aspect of the spokes 15 will be described in detail based on the case where the steering angle is zero.

<Steering switch configuration>
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each spoke 15 (spoke portion) is provided with a steering switch 19 on its rear surface for receiving an operation input from a driver. Since the left and right spokes 15 are generally symmetrical, the right spoke 15 will be explained below.

Hereinafter, the direction along the axis X of the steering shaft 7 and facing the front side of the vehicle body will be referred to as the front, and the direction facing the rear side of the vehicle body will be referred to as the rear. In addition, in the following description, the left side of the vehicle body is defined as the left direction, the right side of the vehicle body is defined as the right direction, the upper side of the vehicle body is defined as the upward direction, and the lower side of the vehicle body is defined as the downward direction. However, this definition is for convenience of explanation, and the present invention is not limited by this definition.

The steering switch 19 extends along a peripheral edge 21 extending along the upper edge and right edge (the edge on the side away from the axis X) of the spoke through hole 17 and along the lower edge of the spoke through hole 17. A lower edge portion 23 is provided. The rear surfaces of the peripheral edge portion 21 and the lower edge portion 23 each constitute a rear surface of the spoke 15.

An inclined surface 25 that is inclined with respect to a virtual plane S (see FIGS. 3, 4, and 5) that is perpendicular to the axis X of the steering shaft 7 is provided on the rear surface of the peripheral portion 21. As shown in FIG. 2, the inclined surface 25 surrounds the spoke through hole 17 at intervals. The inclined surface 25 is inclined forward inward in the radial direction of the axis X.

The inclined surfaces 25 include a first inclined surface 25A extending along the outer edge of the spoke through hole 17, and an outer edge of the first inclined surface 25A (the edge on the side away from the spoke through hole 17). 2nd inclined surface 25B. The first inclined surface 25A and the second inclined surface 25B each constitute a surface inclined with respect to a virtual plane S perpendicular to the axis X of the steering shaft 7. As shown in FIG. 3, the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined surface 25B with respect to the virtual surface S is larger than the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined surface 25A with respect to the virtual surface S.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the peripheral portion 21 is provided with two receiving portions 27 that receive operation inputs from the driver. One receiving portion 27 (hereinafter referred to as first receiving portion 27A) extends substantially vertically in a front view along the radially outer side edge of the peripheral portion 21. The other reception section 27 (hereinafter referred to as second reception section 27B) extends along the upper edge of the peripheral edge section 21 in a substantially left-right direction when viewed from the front. The first receiving section 27A and the second receiving section 27B are each arranged to overlap with the second inclined surface 25B.

The first receiving portion 27A is provided with a first protrusion 29A, and the second receiving portion 27B is provided with a second protrusion 29B. The first protrusion 29A and the second protrusion 29B each protrude rearward from the rear surface of the spoke 15 (specifically, the inclined surface 25) and have a line-like (rib-like) shape extending in a predetermined direction. The first protrusion 29A and the second protrusion 29B are located at the center of the area (hereinafter referred to as the detection area, see the dashed line in FIG. 2) for detecting the operation input of the first reception part 27A and the second reception part 27B, respectively. are doing. The extending direction of the first protrusion 29A is perpendicular to the extending direction of the first receiving portion 27A. The first protrusion 29A and the second protrusion 29B each pass through the inclined surface 25. In this embodiment, the first protrusion 29A and the second protrusion 29B each pass through the second inclined surface 25B.

The extending direction of the first protruding rim 29A and the extending direction of the second protruding rim 29B are different from each other. Specifically, the first protrusion 29A extends downward from above in a direction approaching the axis X of the steering shaft 7. The second protrusion 29B extends downward from above in a direction away from the axis X of the steering shaft 7.

The first receiving portion 27A extends generally vertically at the radially outer left and right side edges of the spoke 15. The first receiving portion 27A extends downward from approximately the center of the rim 11 in the vertical direction while being inclined toward the rim 11. The extending direction of the first receiving portion 27A generally intersects with the extending direction of the first protrusion 29A. The first reception unit 27A acquires the operation amount (swipe amount) related to the driver's swipe operation (also referred to as scroll operation or tracing operation) in the extending direction, that is, the direction intersecting the first protrusion 29A. The first receiving portion 27A preferably overlaps the first protrusion 29A at approximately the center in its extending direction.

The second receiving portion 27B extends generally in the radial and outward directions (left-right direction) of the axis X at the upper edge of the rear surface of the spoke 15. The second receiving portion 27B intersects with the second protrusion 29B. The second reception unit 27B acquires the position of the driver's touch input, and receives an operation input related to left/right selection, that is, binary selection. The second reception part 27B overlaps the second protrusion 29B at a substantially central portion in the extending direction, and receives the operation input related to left and right selection based on whether the input is to the left or right with respect to the second protrusion 29B. I hope you accept it.

As shown in FIG. 2, the second receiving portion 27B is located above the first receiving portion 27A and below the rim recess 16. Further, the second receiving section 27B is provided at a position closer to the hub 13 than the first receiving section 27A. In addition, the detection area of the second reception part 27B is provided in a separated form into areas located on the left and right sides of the second protrusion 29B (for example, the areas indicated by two triangles in FIG. 2). , inputs related to selection operations may be accepted based on inputs to the respective areas.

The first receiving section 27A and the second receiving section 27B each include one (or a plurality of) touch sensors 33 provided on the rear surface of the steering switch 19. The touch sensor 33 is a sheet-like member, and acquires the position touched by the driver. The touch sensor 33 is arranged to cover the rear surface of the peripheral edge 21 and the lower edge 23.

The touch sensor 33 acquires the contact (touch) position of the driver and the proximity position to the detection area corresponding to the first reception part 27A and the second reception part 27B. Further, the touch sensor 33 can obtain a swipe amount (a tracing amount in a tracing operation; also referred to as a scrolling amount) based on a time change of a contact position (or a close position) within a detection area.

The lower edge portion 23 is provided with spoke recesses 35 that are recessed forward. As shown in FIG. 4, the spoke recess 35 is a recess that is recessed forward with respect to the virtual plane S. As shown in FIG. At least one receiving portion 27 is provided in the spoke recess 35 . The reception sections 27 provided in the spoke recesses 35 each accept operation inputs from the driver, particularly operation inputs by touch. In this embodiment, each of the reception sections 27 provided in the spoke recesses 35 is configured to also receive a pressing operation from the driver. In this embodiment, five receiving portions 27 are provided in the spoke recesses 35.

The spoke recess 35 is defined by three surfaces: a first surface 37 , a second surface 39 , and a third surface 41 . The first surface 37, the second surface 39, and the third surface 41 are each substantially flat surfaces having different inclination angles. A step portion 42 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) is provided on the right side of the spoke recess 35, that is, on the right side of the third surface 41.

The first surface 37 is inclined downward, rearward, and radially outward of the axis X (in a direction away from the axis X).

The second surface 39 is provided below the first surface 37. The second surface 39 is connected to the lower edge of the first surface 37. The second surface 39 is inclined upward, forward, and radially outward of the axis X. The angle between the first surface 37 and the second surface 39 is set to 90 degrees or more.

The third surface 41 is provided on the side farther away from the axis X of the steering shaft 7 than the first surface 37 and the second surface 39 . The third surface 41 is connected to the radial outer edge of the first surface 37 (the edge on the side away from the axis X) and to the radial outer edge of the second surface 39, respectively. The third surface 41 is inclined rearward toward the radially outer side of the axis X.

A first ridge line 43 is formed between the first surface 37 and the second surface 39. The first ridgeline 43 is an intersection line between the first surface 37 and the second surface 39, and connects the first surface 37 and the second surface 39. A second ridge line 45 is formed between the second surface 39 and the third surface 41. The second ridgeline 45 is a line of intersection between the second surface 39 and the third surface 41, and connects the second surface 39 and the third surface 41. A third ridgeline 47 is formed between the third surface 41 and the first surface 37. The third ridgeline 47 is an intersection line between the third surface 41 and the first surface 37, and connects the third surface 41 and the first surface 37.

The second ridgeline 45 between the second surface 39 and the third surface 41 is inclined rearward and downward in a direction away from the axis X (radially outward). The angle formed by the first ridge line 43 and the second ridge line 45, the angle formed by the second ridge line 45 and the third ridge line 47, and the angle formed by the third ridge line 47 and the first ridge line 43 are each set to 90 degrees or more. ing.

The first surface 37 is provided with a third protrusion 29C that protrudes rearward and extends substantially in the vertical direction. The third protrusion 29C divides the first surface 37 into two parts: a side closer to the axis X (radially inner side) and a side farther away from the axis X (radially outer side). A reception section 27 is provided in each section of the first surface 37. Hereinafter, the receiving portion 27 provided on the radially inner side of the third protrusion 29C of the first surface 37 will be referred to as the third receiving portion 27C, and the receiving portion 27 provided on the radially outer side will be referred to as the fourth receiving portion 27D. do.

The third receiving section 27C receives input from the driver to a portion of the first surface 37 that is radially inner than the third protrusion 29C. The third reception section 27C is configured by a touch sensor 33 that constitutes the first reception section 27A and the second reception section 27B. The touch sensor 33 can detect a touch input to a portion of the first surface 37 that is radially inner than the third protrusion 29C (see the broken line in FIG. 2).

The fourth receiving section 27D receives input from the driver to a portion of the first surface 37 that is radially outward from the third protrusion 29C. The fourth reception section 27D is configured by the touch sensor 33 that constitutes the first reception section 27A and the second reception section 27B. The touch sensor 33 can detect a touch input to a portion of the first surface 37 that is radially outer than the third protrusion 29C (see the broken line in FIG. 2).

The second surface 39 is provided with a fourth protrusion 29D that protrudes rearward and extends substantially in the vertical direction. The fourth protrusion 29D divides the second surface 39 into two parts: a side closer to the axis X (radially inner side) and a side farther away from the axis X (radially outer side). A receiving section 27 is provided in each section of the second surface 39. Hereinafter, the receiving portion 27 provided on the radially inner side of the fourth protrusion 29D on the second surface 39 will be referred to as the fifth receiving portion 27E, and the receiving portion 27 provided on the radially outer side will be referred to as the sixth receiving portion 27F. do.

The fifth reception section 27E receives input from the driver to a portion of the second surface 39 that is radially inner than the fourth protrusion 29D. The fifth reception section 27E is configured by a touch sensor 33 that constitutes the first reception section 27A and the second reception section 27B. The touch sensor 33 can detect a touch input to a portion of the second surface 39 that is radially inner than the fourth protrusion 29D (see the broken line in FIG. 2).

The sixth receiving section 27F receives input from the driver to a portion of the second surface 39 that is radially outward from the fourth protrusion 29D. The sixth reception section 27F is configured by a touch sensor 33 that constitutes the first reception section 27A and the second reception section 27B. The touch sensor 33 can detect a touch input to a portion of the second surface 39 that is radially outer than the fourth protrusion 29D (see the broken line in FIG. 2).

One receiving section 27 (hereinafter referred to as the seventh receiving section 27G) is provided on the third surface 41. The seventh reception unit 27G receives input from the driver on the third surface 41. The seventh reception section 27G includes a touch sensor 33 that constitutes the first reception section 27A and the second reception section 27B. The touch sensor 33 can detect a touch input to the third surface 41 (see the broken line in FIG. 2).

The first receiving section 27A to the seventh receiving section 27G are operated by the driver by a pressing operation (also referred to as a pushing operation) in addition to the driver's swipe or touch on the surface or part that defines the corresponding spoke recess 35. Can accept operation input. Further, the third reception unit 27C to the seventh reception unit 27G each accept inputs related to selection operations of operation targets corresponding to the operation inputs received at the first reception unit 27A and the second reception unit 27B, and other operation inputs. .

For example, the third reception unit 27C stops the operation inputs accepted by the first reception unit 27A and the second reception unit 27B, and accepts the operation input for selecting the corresponding operation target. The fourth reception unit 27D accepts an operation input for returning to the state before starting the operation input. The fifth reception unit 27E receives operation input related to a horn. The sixth reception unit 27F receives operation inputs related to various meters, and for example, the sixth reception unit 27F receives operation inputs related to changing the display mode of a meter panel located in front of the driver.

The seventh reception unit 27G receives operation input for the turn signal. For example, when the driver presses the seventh reception part 27G provided on the right spoke 15, the right direction indicator blinks. When the driver presses the seventh reception part 27G provided on the left spoke 15, the left direction indicator blinks.

In this embodiment, the seventh reception unit 27G is configured to be able to receive touch operations and press operations from the driver. Therefore, for example, when only a touch operation is input in the seventh reception unit 27G, a so-called one-touch turn signal may be activated, in which the turn signal blinks a predetermined number of times (for example, three times). At that time, when a touch operation and a press operation are input in the seventh reception unit 27G, the turn signal is configured to start flashing, and thereafter continue to flash until the vehicle completes a turn. Good to have. As a result, the seventh reception section 27G enables the same operation as a conventional lever switch for operating a turn signal or a turn signal lever.

<Spoke structure>
Next, details of the structure of the spokes 15 will be explained. As shown in FIG. 2, each spoke 15 includes a spoke body 51 that connects the hub 13 and the rim 11, and a switch unit 53 (steering switch unit) provided on the spoke body 51.

The spoke bodies 51 are each connected to the hub 13 at the base end side, and extend radially outward from the axis X in the left-right direction. The spoke bodies 51 are connected to the radially inner side of the rim 11 at their extending ends. In this embodiment, the spoke body 51 is bifurcated on the proximal end side.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, a body recess 55 that is recessed forward is provided on the rear side of the spoke body 51. As shown in FIGS. In this embodiment, the main body recess 55 is formed in an arc shape surrounding the spoke through hole 17 from the side away from the axis X. The upper edge, left and right side edges, lower edge, and wall surface (hereinafter referred to as side wall surface 57) defining the boundary with the through hole of the main body recess 55 are parallel to the axis X, and define the front edge of the main body recess 55. The wall surface (bottom surface 59) is preferably perpendicular to the axis X.

The switch unit 53 includes a unit body 61, a touch sensor 33, a circuit board 67 including a plurality of light sources 65, and a diffusion material 69.

The unit main body 61 is formed of a resin member. The unit main body 61 is fitted into the main body recess 55. The unit main body 61 includes a front casing 71 forming a rear portion thereof, and an intermediate casing 73 extending forward from the front casing 71.

The surface housing 71 has a flat plate shape, and forms a surface that is continuous with the spoke body 51 at the rear surface (also referred to as the front surface). The first inclined surface 25A, the second inclined surface 25B, and the spoke recesses 35 are each provided on the rear surface of the front housing 71.

The surface casing 71 has a translucent property that allows light from the light source 65 to pass through at least in portions corresponding to the first to seventh receiving sections 27A to 27G. When the entire surface casing 71 is made of a translucent resin member, it is located on the rear side of the surface casing 71 and corresponds to the first receiving section 27A to the seventh receiving section 27G. The other portions may be covered with a film of non-transparent paint (for example, black paint).

The intermediate casing 73 has a wall shape that projects forward from the front surface (also referred to as the back surface) of the front casing 71 . The intermediate housing 73 may be configured to form a wall extending along the side wall surface 57 of the main body recess 55 . A gap is provided between the front end (projecting end) of the intermediate housing 73 and the bottom surface 59 of the main body recess 55. A folded portion 75 that is folded back in a direction away from the side wall surface 57 defining the main body recess 55 is provided at the front end of the intermediate housing 73 . It is preferable that the folded portion 75 has a plate shape having a main surface substantially parallel to the bottom surface 59 of the main body recessed portion 55 .

An elastic member 77 is provided between the intermediate housing 73 and a wall defining the main body recess 55 to connect the two. In this embodiment, elastic members 77 are provided between the folded portion 75 of the intermediate housing 73 and the bottom surface 59 of the main body recess 55, respectively. The elastic members 77 are bonded to the intermediate housing 73 and the wall defining the main body recess 55, respectively. The elastic member 77 deforms and becomes smaller when a load is applied from the intermediate housing 73 toward the wall defining the main body recess 55, and returns to its original shape when the load is no longer applied. The elastic member 77 may be constituted by a biasing member such as a spring, or may be constituted by an elastically deformable rubber member (for example, silicone rubber).

The touch sensor 33 is made of a sheet-like member having translucency. The touch sensor 33 may be a capacitance type proximity sensor or a contact sensor, or may be a resistive film type contact sensor. The touch sensors 33 are each arranged along the surface of the front housing 71 and coupled to the front housing 71.

The circuit board 67 is arranged on the back side of the front case 71. The circuit board 67 is a so-called printed circuit board having a flat plate shape, and in this embodiment, it is a double-sided board with patterns on both sides. The circuit board 67 is arranged so that its main surface is perpendicular to the axis X. Hereinafter, the rear-facing surface of the circuit board 67 will be referred to as the front surface, and the front-facing surface will be referred to as the back surface, as appropriate. The circuit board 67 is supported by the front casing 71 with a diffusion material 69 interposed therebetween.

The light sources 65 are each provided on the surface of the circuit board 67 located on the surface housing 71 side, that is, the rear surface (hereinafter referred to as the front surface). The light source 65 is a so-called LED element (light emitting diode element), and may be in the form of a chip. The light sources 65 are aligned in the front-rear direction with each of the receiving sections 27, and are arranged in positions that overlap with each other in the front-rear direction.

The diffusion material 69 has a wall shape that protrudes forward from the back surface of the front casing 71. Diffusion material 69 is coupled to the back surface of front casing 71 and the front surface of circuit board 67 . The diffusing material 69 is a member that diffuses the light incident from the light source 65. The diffusing material 69 may be configured by, for example, dispersing particles having different refractive indexes in a transparent resin. The diffusion material 69 is preferably made of polystyrene resin, polymethyl methacrylate resin, or the like.

The diffusing material 69 has a wall shape extending between the light sources 65 . In other words, two light sources 65 do not exist in the areas on the circuit board 67 divided by the diffusion material 69, and the number of light sources 65 in each area is set to one or less.

When the light source 65 emits light, a portion of the front casing 71 corresponding to the receiving section 27 is illuminated from the front side. Since the front casing 71 is translucent, the driver can see that the portion of the front casing 71 corresponding to the receiving section 27 is emitting light. Since the diffusing material 69 is provided between the light sources 65, the diffusing material 69 prevents the light emitted from the light source 65 from reaching the portion of the surface casing 71 where the non-corresponding reception section 27 is provided. This prevents light emission in a portion where an incompatible receiving section 27 is provided.

A push switch 79 is provided on the surface of the circuit board 67 located on the side away from the front casing 71, that is, on the back surface. The press switch 79 is a switch that is turned on and off by pressing a pressing surface 79S, and is arranged so that the pressing surface 79S faces the bottom surface 59 of the spoke recess 35. In this embodiment, a column 81 that protrudes forward (that is, in the direction of the press switch 79) is provided on the bottom surface 59 of the spoke recess 35 at a portion corresponding to the press surface 79S of the press switch 79. The press switch 79 is a switch (for example, a push button switch) that applies a reaction force to the circuit board 67 and the bottom surface 59 of the spoke recess 35 when the press surface 79S is pressed, that is, provides a sense of moderation. You can.

Touch sensor 33 is connected to circuit board 67 via cable 83. The cable 83 may pass through a through hole (not shown) provided in the front housing 71, or may pass through a gap between the front housing 71 and the wall defining the main body recess 55. may be configured. The cable 83 may be a so-called FPC (Flexible Flat Cable), which is a flat cable formed by sandwiching conductors arranged in parallel between insulating films.

The circuit board 67 is connected to a control device 85 (see FIG. 1) provided on the vehicle body via a cable (not shown). The control device 85 is a computer equipped with a central processing unit (CPU), memories such as RAM (random access memory) and ROM (read only memory), and storage devices such as SSD (solid state drive) and HDD (hard disk drive). It is made up of. The control device 85 operates the operation target according to the operation input received at each of the reception sections 27, and supplies power to the light source 65 provided on the circuit board 67 to drive it.

In the present embodiment, the control device 85 uses the touch sensor 33 to obtain the amount of swipe toward the first receiving portion 27A (see the broken line in FIG. 2, hereinafter referred to as a detection region) on the rear surface of the spoke 15 as an operation input. Further, the control device 85 controls the first reception section 27A when there is contact with the central part (the part written as OK) of the area corresponding to the first reception section 27A and when a press is detected by the press switch 79. However, it may be determined that there is an operation input different from the swipe amount.

When the touch sensor 33 detects a touch operation on the second receiving portion 27B on the rear surface of the spoke 15, the control device 85 determines whether the touch position is located on the left or right side of the second protrusion 29B, and selects either the left or right side. Accepts input related to selection operations.

When the touch sensor 33 detects a contact in the area corresponding to the third receiving section 27C to the seventh receiving section 27G (see the broken line in FIG. 2), and the press switch 79 detects a press, Then, it is determined that there is an operation input to the third reception section 27C to the seventh reception section 27G.

When only a touch operation is input at the seventh reception unit 27G, the control device 85 causes the direction indicator to blink a predetermined number of times (for example, three times), and when the touch operation is detected at the seventh reception unit 27G, When the switch 79 is turned on, it is preferable that the direction indicator starts blinking and continues blinking until the turn is completed.

Next, the effects of the steering wheel 5 and switch unit 53 configured in this way will be explained.

The first receiving portion 27A and the second receiving portion 27B are each provided on an inclined surface 25 that is inclined with respect to a virtual plane S perpendicular to the axis X of the steering shaft 7. Therefore, the driver can easily grasp the positions of the first receiving section 27A and the second receiving section 27B based on the inclination angle of the inclined surface 25. Therefore, the driver can input operations without visual inspection, and can easily input operations to the steering switch 19.

The first receiving portion 27A and the second receiving portion 27B are provided on an inclined surface 25 that is inclined forward inward in the radial direction of the axis X. Since the first receiving portion 27A and the second receiving portion 27B are provided on the inclined surface 25 that slopes along the thumb of the driver who grips the rim 11, the first receiving portion 27A and the second receiving portion 27B are Operation input is easy.

The first receiving portion 27A and the second receiving portion 27B are each provided so as to overlap a second inclined surface 25B located radially outward than the first inclined surface 25A. Therefore, the first receiving portion 27A and the second receiving portion 27B are provided on the outside in the radial direction and are arranged closer to the rim 11 than when only the first inclined surface 25A is provided. Therefore, the first receiving section 27A and the second receiving section 27B are arranged closer to the thumb of the driver's hand (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2) that grips the rim 11. This makes it easy to input operations to the first reception section 27A and the second reception section 27B. In this embodiment, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2, the driver can input an operation to the second receiving section 27B by moving his or her thumb while holding the rim 11.

A spoke recess 35 is provided in the lower edge 23 of the spoke 15 and is recessed forward with respect to the virtual plane S. As a result, a space A defined by the spoke recess 35 is formed at the lower edge 23 of the spoke 15. A driver who grips the rim 11 and performs a driving operation can place his thumb in the spoke recess 35 and fit his thumb into the internal space A. Thereby, it is possible to provide a steering wheel 5 that is easy for the driver to operate and grip.

The second ridgeline 45 between the second surface 39 and the third surface 41 is inclined radially outward, rearward and downward. Thereby, the second ridge line 45 becomes a direction along the thumb of the driver who grips the rim 11. Therefore, the driver can easily place his or her thumb between the second surface 39 and the third surface 41, and can easily perform operation input to the receiving section 27.

A seventh reception section 27G that receives operation input related to blinker operation is provided on the third surface 41. Therefore, compared to the case where the seventh reception part 27G is provided on the first surface 37 and the second surface 39, it is arranged on the outside in the radial direction, so that the driver can easily perform operation input related to turn signal operation. . In particular, since the blinker operation is input more frequently than, for example, the operation related to the warning sound, the operability and convenience of the steering wheel 5 are improved. Further, a stepped portion 42 is provided on the radially outer side of the third surface 41. Therefore, the stepped portion 42 functions as a guide indicating the position of the third surface 41, and the driver can easily understand the position of the third surface 41 by touching the stepped portion 42.

Third to seventh reception sections 27C to 27G, which receive operation inputs from the driver, are provided so as to overlap the spoke recesses 35. Since the spoke recesses 35 are formed as recesses on the rear surface of the spokes 15, the driver can grasp the position of the spoke recesses 35 by touching them. Therefore, the driver can grasp the positions of the third reception section 27C to the seventh reception section 27G without visually checking them. Therefore, it is possible to provide the steering wheel 5 and switch unit 53 with which the driver can easily perform operation inputs.

The angle between the first surface 37 and the second surface 39 is set to 90 degrees or more. Therefore, even when the third reception section 27C to the seventh reception section 27G are provided on the first surface 37 and the second surface 39, respectively, the spoke recesses 35 do not become too deep, and the driver can easily access the third reception section 27C to the seventh reception section 27G. Operation inputs (touch operations) can be easily performed on the 27C to 7th reception sections 27G.

The first surface 37, the second surface 39, and the third surface 41 have different inclination angles. Therefore, the driver can distinguish the first surface 37, the second surface 39, and the third surface 41 based on the inclination angle. Therefore, the driver can selectively input operations to the receiving sections 27 provided on each of the first surface 37, the second surface 39, and the third surface 41.

The angle formed by the first ridge line 43 and the second ridge line 45, the angle formed by the second ridge line 45 and the third ridge line 47, and the angle formed by the third ridge line 47 and the first ridge line 43 are each set to 90 degrees or more. ing. As a result, the spoke recesses 35 do not become too deep, so that the driver can easily perform operation inputs (touch operations) to the third reception section 27C to the seventh reception section 27G.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first surface 37 is provided with a third protrusion 29C. Thereby, the first surface 37 is divided into two parts, a radially inner part and a radially outer part, by the third protrusion 29C. A third receiving section 27C and a fourth receiving section 27D are provided in portions of the first surface 37 divided by the third protrusion 29C, respectively.

The second surface 39 is provided with a fourth protrusion 29D. Thereby, the second surface 39 is divided into two parts, a radially inner part and a radially outer part, by the fourth protrusion 29D. A fifth receiving portion 27E and a sixth receiving portion 27F are provided in portions of the second surface 39 divided by the fourth protrusion 29D, respectively.

The driver who grips the rim 11 can grasp the positions of the third protrusion 29C and the fourth protrusion 29D by touching the first surface 37 and the second surface 39. Thereby, the driver can recognize the portions of the first surface 37 and the second surface 39 divided by the third protrusion 29C and the fourth protrusion 29D without visually recognizing them. Therefore, the driver can easily selectively input operations to the third reception section 27C to the sixth reception section 27F.

When the driver presses one of the reception sections 27 of the third reception section 27C to the seventh reception section 27G with sufficient force toward the front, the touch sensor 33 acquires the contact position of the driver, and the press switch 79 is turned on. Thereby, the control device 85 can determine whether or not a sufficient load has been input at the contact position acquired by the touch sensor 33 to turn on the press switch 79 . Therefore, erroneous input due to unintentional contact with the steering wheel 5 by the driver can be prevented.

The first receiving portion 27A is provided with a first protrusion 29A, and the second receiving portion 27B is provided with a second protrusion 29B. The extending directions of the first protrusion 29A and the second protrusion 29B are different from each other. Therefore, the driver can distinguish between the first protrusion 29A and the second protrusion 29B based on their extending directions. As a result, the driver can selectively perform an operation input on either the first protrusion 29A or the second protrusion 29B without visually observing the steering wheel 5 and the switch unit, making it easy for the driver to input. 53 can be provided.

When determining the first protrusion 29A and the second protrusion 29B, the driver only has to trace the protrusion in the vertical direction. The first protrusion 29A extends from above to below in a direction approaching the axis X of the steering shaft 7. The second protrusion 29B extends downward from above in a direction away from the axis X of the steering shaft 7. Therefore, by tracing the protrusions in the vertical direction and determining whether the extending direction of the protrusions approaches the axis X, the driver can distinguish between the first protrusions 29A and the second protrusions 29B. .

The first reception unit 27A acquires the driver's swipe amount in the direction intersecting the first protrusion 29A, and the second reception unit 27B acquires the driver's contact position in the direction intersecting the second protrusion 29B. In this way, since the corresponding protrusions of the first receiving part 27A and the second receiving part 27B are located in the central part of their respective detection areas, the driver can determine the position of the contact or approach depending on the position of the protrusions. In other words, it is possible to easily recognize the position at which an operation input is to be made without visually observing the position.

The first protrusion 29A and the second protrusion 29B each pass through the inclined surface 25. Therefore, the driver can easily grasp the positions where the first protrusion 29A and the second protrusion 29B are provided based on the inclination angle of the inclined surface 25.

The first protrusion 29A and the second protrusion 29B are each provided to pass through the second inclined surface 25B. Therefore, the first receiving section 27A and the second receiving section 27B are respectively arranged to overlap with the second inclined surface 25B. As a result, the first receiving part 27A and the second receiving part 27B are closer to the rim 11 than in the case where only the first inclined surface 25A is provided, so that the first receiving part 27A and the second receiving part 27B can grip the rim 11. Operation input becomes easier for the driver.

The first receiving portion 27A is located at the upper edge of the rear surface of the spoke 15, and the second receiving portion 27B is located at the left and right side edges of the rear surface of the spoke 15. Therefore, the driver can easily grasp the location where the operation input should be made. Further, the first receiving portion 27A extends downward from approximately the center of the rim 11 in the vertical direction while being inclined toward the rim 11. Therefore, the first receiving portion 27A is arranged along a movable area when the driver moves his thumb while holding the rim 11. This makes it easier to input operations to the first receiving section 27A compared to a case where the first receiving section 27A extends vertically without being tilted.

In this way, the spoke body 51, the touch sensor 33 provided on the rear surface of the spoke body 51, and one press switch 79 constitute the steering switch 19 that receives operation input from the driver. In other words, the steering switch 19 constitutes the base of the spoke body 51.

The steering switch 19 uses the touch sensor 33 to obtain the operation input position and swipe amount from the driver, and uses the press switch 79 to determine whether or not a sufficient load has been applied to the reception section 27 . With this configuration, there is no need to provide a push switch 79 for each receiving section 27, so the configuration of the steering wheel 5 is simplified. Further, when the driver presses the reception unit 27, the press switch 79 sends a sense of moderation to the driver, so that the driver can reliably recognize that an operation input has been performed.

When the light source 65 emits light, a portion of the front housing 71 where the corresponding touch sensor 33 is provided is illuminated from the front side. Since the front housing 71 and the touch sensor 33 have translucency, the light that reaches the portion of the front housing 71 where the corresponding touch sensor 33 is provided passes through the front housing 71 and the touch sensor 33. Thereby, the corresponding receiving section 27 is visually recognized by the driver as if it were emitting light backward. Thereby, the driver can easily recognize the position of the reception unit 27, that is, the position where the operation input is to be made.

Of the light emitted from the light source 65 , light directed toward areas other than between the diffusion materials 69 is diffused by the diffusion materials 69 . As a result, a portion of the front casing 71 corresponding to the light source 65 is selectively illuminated from the front side. Therefore, the receiving section 27 corresponding to the light source 65 is visually recognized as emitting light more strongly than other parts, so that the visibility of the position where an operation input is to be made is improved.

An elastic member 77 is provided between the intermediate housing 73 and a wall defining the main body recess 55 to connect the two. Therefore, the base material is accommodated in the main body recess 55 so as to be displaceable with respect to the spoke main body 51. When the driver presses the reception part 27 forward, the base material is moved forward with respect to the spoke body 51, and the press switch 79 is pressed by the bottom surface 59 of the spoke recess 35.

As described above, since the circuit board 67 is supported at the front end of the intermediate housing 73 and the press switch 79 is provided on the front surface of the circuit board 67, the press switch 79 is operated by the forward pressing force applied to the base. . In other words, the circuit board 67 is supported at the front end of the intermediate casing 73, and the push switch 79 is disposed on the front surface of the circuit board 67, so that the push switch 79 is connected to the base body and the main body recess so that the switch is operated by the push force. 55 and a wall defining the area.

Touch sensor 33 is connected to circuit board 67 via cable 83. Therefore, when the base material moves forward due to the driver's pressing force, the touch sensor 33 and the circuit board 67 move forward without relative displacement. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a tensile load from being applied to the cable 83 connected to the touch sensor 33 due to the displacement of the base relative to the spoke body 51.

<<Second embodiment>>
In the steering wheel 5 according to the second embodiment, the position of the push switch 79 is different, and the other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, so a description of the other configurations will be omitted.

FIG. 6 shows a sectional view corresponding to the III-III sectional view in FIG. 2 of the steering wheel 5 according to the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the press switch 79 is provided on the bottom surface 59 of the main body recess 55. Specifically, the press switch 79 is arranged to face the circuit board 67 on the tip end surface of the column 81 provided on the bottom surface 59 of the main body recess 55 . The press switch 79 is preferably connected to the circuit board 67 via wiring.

Next, the effects of the steering wheel 5 and switch unit 53 according to the second embodiment will be explained.

When the driver presses the base body forward in order to input an operation to the reception unit 27, the board fixed to the circuit base body moves forward in response to the pressure. As a result, the press switch 79 is pressed by the circuit board 67, and the press switch 79 is turned on. By providing the press switch 79 on the bottom surface 59 of the main body recess 55 in this way, the press switch 79 can be placed between the base and the wall defining the main body recess 55 so as to operate as a switch.

<Heads up display>
The steering switch 19 according to the present invention can be used to change the content displayed on the display. An example of a display whose display contents can be changed is a head-up display 89 that displays information on a front window 87 located in front of the driver.

However, when the head-up display 89 is provided on the front window 87, there is a risk that the driver's driving operation may be hindered by the display. Here, as one of the embodiments, the control device 85 can change the display content on the head-up display 89 based on the input to the steering switch 19, and can prevent the driving operation from being obstructed. The display system 88 will be explained. However, this embodiment merely shows an example of the processing performed by the control device 85 based on the input to the steering switch 19, and the present invention is not limited to this aspect.

As shown in FIG. 7, the display system 88 includes, in addition to the control device 85, a user interface, a head-up display 89, and a vehicle condition sensor 91 that detects the vehicle condition.

The user interface is configured by various devices including the steering wheel switch 19. The vehicle condition sensor 91 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the vehicle, a vehicle distance detection sensor that detects the distance between vehicles, and the like. Vehicle condition sensor 91 may also include an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the vehicle. The inter-vehicle distance detection sensor may be configured by, for example, a lidar, radar, sonar, or the like.

The head-up display 89 displays information at a position that is easily visible to the driver by projecting an image onto the front window 87. The head-up display 89 may display, for example, the vehicle speed, the amount of fuel and battery remaining, route information and directions from the car navigation system, and the like.

The control device 85 sets the content to be displayed on the head-up display 89 (eg, speedometer, etc.) based on input from the vehicle condition sensor 91 and the user interface. Further, the control device 85 controls the head-up display 89 to display the information based on the settings. Further, the control device 85 determines whether or not caution is required in the driving operation, or the degree to which caution is required, based on the information acquired by the vehicle condition sensor 91, and based on the determination result, Change the display mode of the up display 89.

The control device 85 determines whether or not caution is required in driving operations based on the vehicle state acquired by the vehicle state sensor 91. Specifically, the control device 85 determines whether the vehicle speed is less than or equal to a predetermined vehicle speed threshold (e.g., the vehicle speed is less than or equal to 80 km) and the inter-vehicle distance is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance threshold (e.g., the inter-vehicle distance is 30 m or more). judge. When the vehicle speed is below the vehicle speed threshold and the inter-vehicle distance is above the distance threshold, the control device 85 controls the display area of the head-up display 89 to be located at the front lower part in front of the driver's seat in the front window 87 as shown by the solid line in FIG. is set in the first display area 93A.

If the vehicle speed is greater than the vehicle speed threshold or the inter-vehicle distance is less than the distance threshold, the control device 85 sets the display area of the head-up display 89 to the second display area 93B in the front window 87. The second display area 93B, unlike the first display area 93A, is set to be smaller than the first display area 93A, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.

As shown by the dashed line in FIG. 7, the second display area 93B is set in an area that is shifted from the position in front of the driver (that is, the driving operation is less likely to be hindered) compared to the first display area 93A. may have been done. The second display area 93B may be set closer to the passenger seat than the first display area 93A, or may be set at the upper edge or lower edge of the front window 87, for example. However, the second display area 93B may be set to be smaller than the first display area 93A.

In addition, when the vehicle speed is greater than the vehicle speed threshold or the inter-vehicle distance is less than the distance threshold, the control device 85 may set the display on the head-up display 89 to be dim. If the vehicle speed is greater than the vehicle speed threshold or if the inter-vehicle distance is less than the distance threshold, the control device 85 sets the display on the head-up display 89 so that driving operation is not hindered, and also sets another display. The driver may be notified by notification means (sound, light, vibration, etc., or a combination thereof).

<Steering wheel>
The aspect of the steering wheel 5 is not limited to the aspect shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the spokes 15 may be provided with a surface 101S whose direction changes continuously toward the outside in the radial direction (for example, a surface that changes from upward to backward; also referred to as a twisted surface). . In that case, the reception part 27 of the steering switch 19 may be provided on that surface.

In the embodiment described above, the reception section 27 for detecting the swipe amount was provided in the peripheral portion 21, but the present invention is not limited to this aspect. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, a surface 103S that is radially outer than the peripheral edge 21, is a connecting portion of the spokes 15 to the rim 11, and faces rearward (a surface that three-dimensionally connects to the rim 11). A reception unit 27 may be provided for detecting the swipe amount. Further, the reception unit 27 that detects the swipe amount may be provided along the lower edge of the lower edge portion 23.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the steering wheel 5 may be provided with a receiving section 27 as a cross key 27K that receives inputs in the up, down, left, and right directions. In that case, the cross key 27K is preferably provided on the rear surface of the spoke 15 and on its substantially flat surfaces 105S and 107S. With this configuration, the cross key 27K can be easily recognized. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the receiving portions 27 provided in the steering wheel 5 are preferably arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis X of the steering wheel 5.

As shown in FIG. 12, the spokes 15 may be provided with a concave portion 109 that is recessed forward and has the shape of an inverted quadrangular truncated pyramid. The recess 109 is defined by a rectangular recess bottom surface 111 and four trapezoidal recess edge surfaces 113 surrounding the recess bottom surface 111. In that case, a cross key 27K may be provided on the bottom surface 111 of the recess. Further, a cross key 27K may be provided on the edge surface 113 of the trapezoidal recess. In this manner, by providing the cross key 27K in the recess 109, the driver can easily understand the position of the cross key 27K, thereby improving the operability of the cross key 27K.

As shown in FIG. 13, the spokes 15 may be provided with convex portions 115 that have a quadrangular pyramid shape and protrude toward the rear. In that case, the receiving section 27 is preferably provided on a wall surface that defines the convex section 115. The reception unit 27 is preferably configured by a touch sensor 33. Thereby, the driver can grasp the position of the reception part 27 by contacting the convex part 115, so that the operability of the steering switch 19 is improved.

Further, as shown in FIG. 14, a touch panel 117 may be provided on the rear surface of the spoke 15, and a reception section 27 that receives operation input from the driver may be displayed on the touch panel 117.

As shown in FIG. 15, a cross-shaped rib 119 may be provided between the receiving sections 27, and the receiving section 27 (touch sensor 33) may be provided at a position adjacent to the rib 119. At this time, the ribs 119 are preferably provided so as to pass between adjacent reception sections 27 . Accordingly, since the rib 119 functions as a boundary line of the receiving section 27 (touch sensor 33), the driver can grasp the position of the receiving section 27 without visually observing it.

Although the description of the specific embodiments has been completed above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and can be widely modified and implemented.

In the embodiment described above, the third protrusion 29C and the fourth protrusion 29D were provided on the first surface 37 and the second surface 39, respectively, but the present invention is not limited to this aspect. For example, if one of the first surface 37, second surface 39, and third surface 41 is provided with a protrusion that extends in a predetermined direction and divides the corresponding surface into two parts. Any aspect may be used as long as the reception section 27 is provided in each section divided by the protrusions.

In the embodiment described above, the receiving portions 27 were provided inside each of the first surface 37, the second surface 39, and the third surface 41, but the present invention is not limited to this aspect. Any aspect may be used as long as at least a portion of the receiving portion 27 is provided so as to overlap the spoke recess 35. Thereby, the driver can grasp the position of the spoke recess 35 by touching it without visually checking it. Therefore, it is possible to provide a steering wheel 5 that allows the driver to input operations easily.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the reception section 27 is configured by one touch sensor 33 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this aspect. For example, a touch sensor 33 may be provided for each reception section 27, or For example, one or two reception sections 27 may be configured by touch sensors 33. Alternatively, the third reception section 27C to the seventh reception section 27G may be configured by one touch sensor 33. The operation inputs accepted by each reception unit 27 are not limited to the above-mentioned modes, and may be in modes such as contact, proximity, swipe (scrolling, tracing), pressing, or a combination thereof.

5: Steering wheel 7: Steering shaft 11: Rim (gripping part)
13: Hub (hub part)
15: Spoke (spoke part)
16: Rim recess 17: Spoke through hole 19: Steering switch 21: Peripheral edge 23: Lower edge 25: Inclined surface 25A: First inclined surface 25B: Second inclined surface 27: Reception section 27A: First reception section 27B: Second reception section 27C: Third reception section 27D: Fourth reception section 27E: Fifth reception section 27F: Sixth reception section 27G: Seventh reception section 27K: Cross key 29A: First protrusion 29B: Second protrusion 29C: Third protrusion 29D: Fourth protrusion 33: Touch sensor 35: Spoke recess 37: First surface 39: Second surface 41: Third surface 42: Step portion 43: First ridge line 45: Second ridge line 47 : Third ridge line 51 : Spoke body (base body)
53: Switch unit (steering switch unit)
55: Main body recess 57: Side wall surface 59: Bottom surface 61: Unit main body 65: Light source 67: Circuit board 69: Diffusion material 71: Surface casing 73: Intermediate casing 75: Folded part 77: Elastic member 79: Press switch 79S: Pressing surface 81 : Pillar 83 : Cable 85 : Control device 87 : Front window 88 : Display system 89 : Head up display 91 : Vehicle condition sensor 93A : First display area 93B : Second display area 101S : Surface 103S : Surface 105S : Surface 107S : Surface 109 : Concave part 111 : Concave bottom surface 113 : Concave edge surface 115 : Convex part 117 : Touch panel 119 : Rib A : Space S : Virtual surface X : Axis line

Claims (9)

A steering wheel,
a grip part that is gripped by the driver;
a hub portion connected to the steering shaft;
a spoke part connecting the hub part and the grip part,
The rear surface of the spoke part is provided with an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to a virtual plane perpendicular to the axis of the steering shaft,
A steering wheel in which at least one of the receiving sections that receives operation input from the driver is arranged so as to overlap the inclined surface. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the inclined surface is inclined forward inward in a radial direction of the axis. The inclined surface has a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface that extends along an outer edge of the first inclined surface and has a larger inclination angle with respect to the virtual plane than the first inclined surface. death,
The steering wheel according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the receiving portions is arranged to overlap the second inclined surface. At least one of the reception sections is arranged to overlap the second slope,
The steering wheel according to claim 3, wherein the receiving section provided so as to overlap the second inclined surface is configured to be able to acquire a swipe amount. The steering wheel according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the spoke portion is provided with a spoke recess that is recessed forward with respect to the virtual plane. The spoke recess includes a first surface that slopes downward, rearward, and radially outward of the axis; and a second surface that connects to a lower edge of the first surface and slopes upward, forward, and radially outward. and a third surface that connects to the radial outer edge of the first surface and the radial outer edge of the second surface and slopes rearward toward the radially outer side,
The steering wheel according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the receiving portions is provided on any one of the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface. The steering wheel according to claim 6, wherein the ridge line between the second surface and the third surface is inclined rearward and downward toward the radially outer side. At least one of the reception sections is provided on the third surface,
The steering wheel according to claim 7, wherein the reception section provided on the third surface receives an operation input related to turn signal operation. A grip part that is gripped by the driver and a hub part connected to the steering shaft are connected to each other, and the spoke body is provided on the rear surface of the spoke body and has a body concave part that is recessed forward, and cooperates with the spoke body to connect the grip part and the steering shaft. A steering switch unit that constitutes a spoke part that connects to the hub part,
a base body that is fitted into the main body recess and forms the rear surface of the spoke portion; and a touch sensor that is provided on the rear surface of the base body and receives operation input from the driver;
including an inclined surface inclined with respect to a virtual plane perpendicular to the axis of the steering shaft to be connected to the hub portion,
A steering switch unit in which at least a portion of the touch sensor is provided on the inclined surface.

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