JP4193664B2 - Steering input device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a steering input device of a steering device.

An example of a steering input device is described in Patent Documents 1 and 2. Among them, the steering input device described in Patent Document 1 includes a main body, two linear guide members provided in parallel to the main body, and two grips respectively guided by the guide members. In this steering entry device, the locus of the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the grip is a straight line.
WO 01/87687 pamphlet Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-48985

  An object of the present invention is to improve the operability of a steering input device.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a steering input device comprising: (i) a main body; (ii) a grip held by a driver; and (iii) (a) a grip holding for holding the grip. A member, (b) an arm that is held relative to the main body so as to be relatively rotatable, and holds the grip holding member so as to be relatively rotatable, and (c) defines a relative rotational position of the grip holding member with respect to the arm. A grip holding device having a relative rotational position defining mechanism, and the grip holding device can be turned around the turning axis and the grip can be moved upward from the neutral position. may be moved downward, the locus of at least one point of the grip, to shall be held in a state where the inner distance of a circle the radius of said pivot axis and its point in the neutral position It is solved by that.
The grip is held in a state where the locus of at least one point of the grip is inside the circle described above. All the points of the grip may be held inside the circle, or some limited points of the grip may be held inside the circle.
One point of the grip can be, for example, a point representative of the position of the grip. When the grip has a longitudinal shape, it can be a central point in the longitudinal direction. It is not always necessary to be the center point in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. This is because the position of the grip can be representatively represented as long as it is not the center point in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, but the center point in the longitudinal direction. In addition, when the grip has a shape other than the longitudinal shape, the center of gravity of the grip (when the specific gravity is uniform) can be used.
The grip is held by the grip holding device so as to be able to turn around the turning axis, but the turning axis is the center axis of the rotation axis that is actually provided or the axis that is virtually set There is.
The main body is a main body of the steering input device and does not rotate as the grip turns. The main body is attached to a member on the vehicle body side (for example, an instrument panel, a steering column, etc.). The turning motion of the grip may be mechanically transmitted to the steering device or may not be transmitted.
The neutral position can be a position when the vehicle goes straight or a position at the center of the operation range of the operation input device. When the position is the center of the operation range, the vehicle does not always go straight in the neutral position.
The relative rotational position defining mechanism defines the relative rotational position of the grip holding member with respect to the arm, and can have a link mechanism. A link member that is rotatably supported by the main body and connected to the grip holding member may be included.
For example, it is assumed that the arm is provided on the main body so as to be rotatable about the first rotation axis, and the relative rotation position defining mechanism is provided on the main body about the second rotation axis provided at a distance from the first rotation axis. It can be provided to be rotatable. Thus, since the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis are provided to be separated from each other, the relative rotation position of the grip holding member with respect to the arm changes according to the turning phase of the grip, and at least one point of the grip Will deviate from the arc. In this sense, the relative rotational position defining mechanism can be referred to as a locus defining mechanism that defines the locus of the grip.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a steering input device comprising: (i) a main body; (ii) a grip held by a driver; and (iii) (a) a grip holding for holding the grip. A member, (b) an arm that is held relative to the main body so as to be relatively rotatable, and holds the grip holding member so as to be relatively rotatable, and (c) defines a relative rotational position of the grip holding member with respect to the arm. A grip holding device having a relative rotational position defining mechanism, and the grip holding device, whether the grip is moved upward or downward from the neutral position. This is solved by holding at least one of the points in a movable state along at least a part of an elliptical closed curve whose major axis is the width direction of the vehicle.
The grip is moved along at least a part of an elliptical closed curve whose major axis is the width direction of the vehicle. The grip may be movable on the entire elliptical closed curve, or may be movable on a part of it. The oval closed curve does not have an inwardly convex portion. For example, when the grip locus is expressed in XY coordinates, the expression x ² / a ² + y ² / b ² = 1 (a, b Represents half the length of the major and minor axes)
(Hereinafter, referred to as a mathematical elliptical closed curve). Moreover, although it is not a mathematical elliptical closed curve, it can be a closed curve that touches a certain circle inside or a closed curve that touches outside.
When an elliptical closed curve is approximated to a mathematical ellipse, the ratio of the major axis to the minor axis (referred to as ellipticity) is 0.95 or less, 0.85 or less, or 0.75 or less. Desirably, 0.50 or more, 0.60 or more, or 0.70 or more is desirable.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a steering input device comprising: (i) a main body; (ii) a grip held by a driver; and (iii) (a) a grip holding for holding the grip. A member, (b) an arm that is held relative to the main body so as to be relatively rotatable, and holds the grip holding member so as to be relatively rotatable, and (c) defines a relative rotational position of the grip holding member with respect to the arm. A grip holding device having a relative rotational position defining mechanism, and the grip holding device can be turned around the turning axis and the grip can be moved upward from the neutral position. Even when the grip is moved downward, the distance from at least one point of the grip from the pivot axis is held in a state where the distance is smaller than when the grip is in the neutral position. According to the invention according to claim 4, the steering input device includes (i) a main body, (ii) a grip held by a driver, and (iii) (a) a grip that holds the grip. A holding member; (b) an arm that is held by the main body so as to be relatively rotatable, and holds the grip holding member in a relatively rotatable manner; and (c) a relative rotational position of the grip holding member with respect to the arm is defined. And a grip holding device having a relative rotational position defining mechanism, wherein the grip holding device is capable of turning the grip around a turning axis, and the locus of at least one point of the grip is the grip. Is moved to the driver side from the neutral position, in a state of being outside the tangent line passing through the one point of the circle whose radius is the distance between the one point at the neutral position and the point on the turning axis. Hold It is solved by including a grip holding device.
The grip point is outside the circle described above, and further, the tangent at the neutral position of the circle is positioned outside the vehicle in the width direction, or outside the envelope of the tangent line of the curve represented by the grip locus. Or can be located in

The steering input device according to claim 5 , wherein the grip has a longitudinal shape and is provided at two positions spaced apart from each other, and the two grips are respectively provided in the neutral position by the grip holding device. The axes are held in a state of being substantially parallel to each other.
Longitudinal grips may have their axes held in a posture parallel to the plane determined by the trajectory or in a posture crossing the plane, but in any case, the axes are mutually in the neutral position. It is held so as to be parallel.

In the steering input device according to claims 1 and 2, when the grip is moved upward or downward from the neutral position, the grip is positioned inside a circle determined by the neutral position. Therefore, compared with the case where the grip is moved on the arc, the amount of movement of the driver's arm can be reduced, and fatigue can be reduced. In addition, when the driver is looking forward, the driver's arm can be prevented from getting in the way, and the operability of the driver's steering input device can be improved.
In the steering input device according to the third aspect, the length between the grip point and the point on the rotation center axis of the main body can be changed according to the relative rotation phase of the main body of the grip. In the steering input device according to claim 4, when the grip is moved from the neutral position to the driver side, the grip is formed between the grip point at the neutral position and the point on the rotation center axis of the main body. It can be made to be outside the circle whose radius is the distance between them. As a result, it is possible to make it difficult for the grip and the driver to interfere with each other, and the operability of the driver can be improved.

  Hereinafter, a steering input device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The steering input device according to the present embodiment is operable by the driver without changing the grip. The present steering input device is applied to a so-called steer-by-wire type steering device.

In FIG. 1, the steering input device includes a main body 10, a pair of grips 12, 14, a grip holding device 16, and the like.
The main body 10 is fixed to the vehicle body and does not move as the grip moves. In this embodiment, it is fixed to a steering column as a vehicle body side member.
The grips 12 and 14 are provided to face each other. The grip 12 is gripped by the driver's right hand, and the grip 14 is gripped by the driver's left hand. In the present embodiment, the grips 12 and 14 have a cylindrical shape extending in the longitudinal direction.
The grip holding device 16 holds the first link members 20, 22 holding the grips 12, 14 and the first link members 20, 22 so as to be relatively rotatable, and is provided on the main body 10 so as to be relatively rotatable. The link member 24 includes third link members 26 and 28 that define the relative rotational position of the first link members 20 and 22 relative to the second link member 24.

The first link members 20 and 22 are generally L-shaped, and the grips 12 and 14 are fixed to one side thereof in a substantially vertical posture. The second link member 24 is provided to be rotatable around the first rotation shaft 30 of the main body 10. The first link members 20 and 22 are connected to the second link member 24 by connecting pins 32 and 34 at the base end side of the sides 31a and b thereof. The first link members 20 and 22 are connected to the second link member 24 so as to be relatively rotatable around the connection pins 32 and 34.
The first link members 20 and 22 are connected to the third link members 26 and 28 by connecting pins 36 and 38 on the tip side of the sides 31a and 31b. The third link members 26 and 28 are held by the main body 10 so as to be relatively rotatable around the second rotation shafts 40 and 42. The first rotating shaft 30 and the second rotating shafts 40 and 42 are held so as to be rotatable relative to the main body 10, and the second link member 24 is attached so as not to be rotatable relative to the first rotating shaft 30 as will be described later. . Further, the main body 10 is attached to the aforementioned steering column by the second rotating shafts 40 and 42 so as not to be relatively rotatable.
In the present embodiment, the first link members 20 and 22 correspond to grip holding members, and the second link member 24 corresponds to an arm. The third link members 26, 28, etc. constitute a relative rotational position defining mechanism. The first link members 20 and 22 as the grip holding members can be considered to be the above-mentioned L-shaped members, but are U-shaped members with a grip provided on one side thereof. You can think of it.

The grip holding device 16 is covered with a cover 50 as shown in FIG. 2, and an air bag or the like (not shown) is disposed inside. In addition, a plurality of switch operation units 52 and the like are provided on the outer surface of the cover 50.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, the grips 12 and 14 are hold | maintained so that each axis line m and n may become mutually parallel in a neutral position. In the main body 10, the first rotation shaft 30 and the second rotation shafts 40 and 42 are provided to be separated from each other by a distance d in the width direction of the vehicle.

Next, the movement locus (turning locus) of the grips 12 and 14 in the steering input device will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 3, the second link member 24 is shown as an arm having a generally “く” shape (“L” shape). The arm 24 is longer than the third link members 26 and 28.
The state of the neutral position is indicated by a solid line, the state cut to the right is indicated by a one-dot chain line, and the state cut to the left is indicated by a broken line.
A broken line La indicates the trajectory of the connecting pins 32 and 34 (the trajectory of the connecting point between the first link members 20 and 22 and the second link member 24). A broken line La is a circle centered on the point P1 on the first rotating shaft 30, and is a circle whose radius is the length of the arm 24.
Dashed lines Lb indicate the trajectories of the connecting pins 36 and 38 (the trajectories of the connecting points between the first link members 20 and 22 and the third link members 26 and 28), respectively. Dashed lines Lb are circles centered on the points P2R and P2L on the second rotating shafts 40 and 42, respectively, and the lengths of the third link members 26 and 28 are radii.
An alternate long and short dash line Lc represents a circle centered on the point P1 with a radius rG between the center point PG in the longitudinal direction of the grips 12 and 14 at the neutral position and the point P1 on the first rotation axis.
A solid line Ld indicates an actual locus of the center point PG of the grips 12 and 14.

As shown in FIG. 3, the locus of the center point PG in the longitudinal direction as a point representing the positions of the grips 12 and 14 is an elliptical closed curve with the vehicle width direction as the major axis, as shown by a solid line Ld. At least part. Further, when moving upward or downward from the neutral position, it is inside the circle Lc. Further, it can be seen that the lengths rG, rR, rL of the lines connecting the position of the grip on the solid line Ld and the point P1 are different from each other and change according to the turning phase of the grips 12, 14.
4 and 5 show a state when the grips 12 and 14 are turned to the right and a state when the grips are turned to the left.

In the present embodiment, a steering input device is applied to the steering device. As shown in FIG. 6, the steering ECU 70 is mainly composed of a computer, and a rotation angle detection device 72 and a steering device 74 are connected to the input / output unit. The rotation angle detection device 72 detects the rotation angle of the first rotation shaft 30 as a steering input amount. The first rotating shaft 30 rotates with the rotation of the second link member 24 as described above. The rotation angle of the first rotation shaft 30 corresponds to the amount of movement of the grips 12 and 14 by the driver.
The steered device 74 includes a steered rod 80 connected to the wheel 76 via a tie rod 78, and a steered motor 82 that moves the steered rod 80. The steering motor 82 is controlled in accordance with the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle detection device 72. The steering rod 80 is moved by the operation of the steering motor 82, the tie rod 78 is moved, and the wheel 76 is steered.

Thus, in the present embodiment, when the grips 12 and 14 are moved above or below the neutral position, that is, in a direction away from the driver or in a direction approaching the driver, the grips 12 and 14 are located inside the circle Lc. Will be located. Therefore, compared with the case where the grip is moved along the circumference, the amount of movement of the arm holding the grips 12, 14 of the driver is reduced, and the operability can be improved. In addition, it is possible to avoid that the driver's arm gets in the way when the driver looks forward.
Furthermore, since the grips are parallel to each other at the neutral position, the operability for the driver can be improved.

Further, the steering input device may be a dedicated steering-by-wire steering device or may be applicable to a normal power steering type steering device. When applied to a power steering type steering device, it is desirable that the operation of the grip is transmitted to the wheels.
Further, the steering input device may include a reaction force applying device that applies a steering reaction force.
Further, the steering input device may include a force transmission device that can be switched between a transmission state in which force is transmitted to the steering mechanism and a non-transmission state in which these forces are not transmitted. The force transmission device may include a clutch that can be switched between a connection state in which the steering input device and the steering mechanism are mechanically connected and a cutoff state in which the steering input device and the steering mechanism are mechanically disconnected.

  The neutral position of the grips 12, 14 and the posture at the neutral position can be adjusted. For example, the position of the second rotary shafts 40 and 42 with respect to the main body 10 can be adjusted, the connecting portions 32 and 34 between the second link member 24 and the first link members 20 and 22, the first link members 20 and 22 and the first The positions of the connecting portions 36 and 38 with the three link members 26 and 28 can be adjusted, the lengths of the sides 31a and b of the first link members 20 and 22 and the lengths of the third link members 26 and 28 can be adjusted. By doing so, the neutral position can be changed.

Note that the steering input device may have the configuration shown in FIG.
In FIG. 7, reference numeral 100 denotes a main body, and reference numeral 102 denotes a grip holding device that holds the grip 104. A pair of grips 104 are provided on the left and right sides as in the above embodiment, but only the right side is shown in the figure. Also, only the right side portion of the grip holding device 102 is shown. The same applies to the left side.
The grip 104 is held by the first link member 110. The first link member 110 is connected to the second link member 114 by the connecting pin 112 and is connected to the third link member 116 by the connecting pin 118. The second link member 114 is held by the main body 100 so as to be relatively rotatable around the first rotation shaft 120, and the third link member 116 is held so as to be relatively rotatable around the second rotation shaft 122.
In the main body 100, the first rotating shaft 120 and the second rotating shaft 122 are provided at positions separated from each other in the width direction of the vehicle.
The second link member 114 is longer than the third link member 116.
Furthermore, in the 1st link member 110, it connects with the 2nd link member 114 and the 3rd link member 116 via the connection pins 112 and 118 in the position separated in the length direction of the edge | side 130 which opposes the grip 104, respectively. Is done. The first link member 110 is held by the second link member 114 so as to be relatively rotatable around the connecting pin 112. Reference numeral 124 denotes a cover.

In FIG. 8, as in FIG. 3, the neutral position of the grip 104 is indicated by a solid line, the state at the right turn is indicated by a one-dot chain line, and the state at the left turn is indicated by a broken line.
A broken line La is a circle having the point P1 on the first rotation shaft 120 as the center and the length of the second link member 114 as the radius, and indicates the locus of the connecting pin 112.
A broken line Lb is a circle with the point P2 on the second rotation shaft 122 as the center and the length of the third link member 116 as the radius, and indicates the locus of the connecting pin 118.
An alternate long and short dash line Lc is a circle when the distance between the rotation center point Po virtually provided on the main body 100 and the center point PG in the longitudinal direction of the grip 104 at the neutral position is a radius rG, and the solid line Ld is the center The actual locus of the point PG is shown.
Also in this embodiment, as in the case of the above embodiment, the locus of the center point PG of the grip 104 is inside the circle Lc and draws an elliptical closed curve.
Also, the lengths rG, rL, rR of lines connecting the center point PG of the grip 104 and the rotation center point Po, which are points on the solid line Ld, are different from each other, and the relative rotation phase of the grip 104 with respect to the main body 100 is different. Varies depending on
Also in the present embodiment, the operability of the steering input device by the driver can be improved as in the case of the above embodiment.
In the above embodiment, the rotation angle of the first rotation shaft 30 is detected by the rotation angle detection device 72 and the rotation angle is used as a steering input. However, in this embodiment, the rotation angle of the virtual center axis is The rotation angle of the first rotation shaft 120 is detected and the rotation angle can be used as a steering input, or the rotation angle of the first rotation shaft 120 can be used as a steering input.
Note that a steering input can be performed by one-handed operation of the grip 104.

Further, the steering input device can be configured as shown in FIG.
In FIG. 9, reference numeral 200 denotes a main body, and 202 denotes a grip holding device that holds the grip 204.
The grip 204 is held by the first link member 210, and the first link member 210 is connected to the second link member 214 by the connecting pin 212 and is connected to the third link member 216 by the connecting pin 218. The second link member 214 is held by the main body 200 so as to be rotatable around the first rotation shaft 220, and the third link member 216 is held so as to be rotatable around the second rotation shaft 222.

In FIG. 10, as in the case of the above-described embodiment, the state where the grip 204 is in the neutral position is indicated by a solid line, the state at the right turn is indicated by a dashed line, and the state at the left turn is indicated by a broken line.
The broken line La is a circle centered on the point P1 on the first rotation shaft 220 and shows the locus of the connecting pin 212, and the broken line Lb is a circle centered on the point P2 on the second rotation shaft 222, The locus of the connecting pin 218 is shown. An alternate long and short dash line Lc is a circle having a radius rG that is a distance between a rotation center point Po virtually provided on the main body 200 and a predetermined point PG of the grip 204 at the neutral position.

As shown in FIG. 10, the lengths rG, rR, rL of lines connecting the point PG of the grip 204 and the rotation center point Po virtually provided are different from each other. In other words, when the relative rotation angle of the grip 204 with respect to the virtual rotation center point Po is different, the rotation radius is also different.
When the grip 204 is moved downward from the neutral position, in other words, when the grip 204 is moved from the neutral position to the driver side, the grip point PG is located outside the circle Lc. In this embodiment, it is located outside the tangent line M of the circle Lc in the neutral position. Thereby, the interference between the grip 204 and the driver can be avoided, and the operability of the steering input device can be improved.
Further, when the grip 204 is moved downward from the neutral position, the point PG of the grip 204 may be located inside the tangent line M and outside the circle Lc.
In addition to the above-described embodiments, the present invention can be carried out in various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a top view which shows notionally the steering input device which is one Embodiment of this invention (Example 1). It is a figure which shows the external appearance of the said steering input device. It is a figure which shows the operating state of the said steering input device. It is a figure which shows the operating state of the said steering input device. It is a figure which shows the operating state of the said steering input device. It is a figure which shows notionally the whole steering apparatus containing the said steering input apparatus. It is a figure which shows notionally the steering input device which is another one Embodiment of this invention (Example 2). It is a figure which shows the operating state of the said steering input device. (Example 3) which is a top view which shows notionally the steering input device which is another one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the operating state of the said steering input device.

Explanation of symbols

10: Main body 12, 14: Grip 16: Grip holding device 100: Main body 102: Grip holding device 104: Grip 200: Main body 202: Grip holding device 204: Grip

Claims (5)

The body,
A grip held by the driver;
(a) a grip holding member that holds the grip; (b) an arm that is relatively rotatably held by the main body and holds the grip holding member so as to be relatively rotatable; and (c) the grip holding member. A grip holding device having a relative rotational position defining mechanism for defining a relative rotational position of the arm relative to the arm, the grip holding device being capable of turning the grip about a turning axis, and the grip being Whether moved upward or downward from the neutral position, the locus of at least one point of the grip is the inside of a circle whose radius is the distance between the one point at the neutral position and the turning axis. steering input device, wherein the state is to hold in made. The body,
A grip held by the driver;
(a) a grip holding member that holds the grip; (b) an arm that is relatively rotatably held by the main body and holds the grip holding member so as to be relatively rotatable; and (c) the grip holding member. A grip holding device that includes a relative rotational position defining mechanism that defines a relative rotational position of the arm relative to the arm, and the grip holding device may move the grip upward from the neutral position. It may be moved downward, wherein at least one point is to hold movably in along at least a portion of an ellipse-shaped closed curve in the width direction was set to the long axis of the vehicle of the grip Steering input device. The body,
A grip held by the driver;
(a) a grip holding member that holds the grip; (b) an arm that is relatively rotatably held by the main body and holds the grip holding member so as to be relatively rotatable; and (c) the grip holding member. A grip holding device having a relative rotational position defining mechanism for defining a relative rotational position of the arm relative to the arm, the grip holding device being capable of turning the grip about a turning axis, and the grip being those may be also moved downward when being moved upward from the neutral position, the distance from the pivot axis of at least one point of the grip, to hold in a state of reduced than if the grip is in the neutral position steering input device, characterized in that it. The body,
A grip held by the driver;
(a) a grip holding member that holds the grip; (b) an arm that is relatively rotatably held by the main body and holds the grip holding member so as to be relatively rotatable; and (c) the grip holding member. A grip holding device having a relative rotational position defining mechanism for defining a relative rotational position of the arm relative to the arm, the grip holding device being capable of turning the grip about a turning axis and on the grip When the grip is moved from the neutral position to the driver, the one point of the circle is that one point of the circle whose radius is the distance between the one point at the neutral position and the point on the turning axis. A steering input device, characterized in that the steering input device is held outside the tangent line passing through. The grip has a longitudinal shape and is provided at two positions spaced apart from each other, and the grip holding device holds the two grips in a neutral position in a state where their respective axes are substantially parallel to each other. The steering input device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 .

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