JP4346512B2 - A steering force detection device for a vehicle steering wheel. - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a steering force detection device for a vehicle steering wheel for detecting a steering force when a steering wheel is rotated at a maximum steering angle.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, vehicles that can change a traveling direction to an arbitrary direction by operating a steering handle are used, and for example, there is a small planing boat. In this small planing boat, a throttle lever is provided in the vicinity of the grip of the steering handle, the engine is driven according to the amount of operation of the throttle lever, the hull is propelled, and the direction of travel of the hull is determined according to the operation of the steering handle. Will change. In addition, among such conventional small planing boats, the output of the engine can be increased by operating the steering handle, which makes it possible to steer when the small planing boat is berthing while traveling at low speed. There is one that can improve performance (for example, see Patent Document 1).

This small planing boat has a throttle opening detecting means for detecting the opening of a throttle valve that is opened and closed by operating a throttle lever, a steering angle detecting means for detecting a steering angle of a steering wheel, and a boat speed of the small planing boat. Ship speed detecting means for controlling the engine output and engine output control means for controlling the engine output. The value of the throttle opening detected by the throttle opening detection means is not more than a predetermined value, the value of the steering angle detected by the steering angle detection means is not less than the predetermined value, and the value of the boat speed detected by the boat speed detection means is When the value is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the engine output control means controls to increase the engine output.
JP 2001-329881 A

  However, in the above-described conventional personal watercraft, the engine output automatically increases when the steering angle of the steering wheel reaches a predetermined value. Therefore, it is possible to arbitrarily adjust the degree of increase in engine output due to the operation of the steering wheel. could not. Therefore, the steering feeling may be impaired. Therefore, it is conceivable to provide a small planing boat with a steering force detection device that controls the engine output in accordance with the steering force of the steering handle. In this case, however, the processing accuracy of the case of the steering force detection device is improved, and the steering force is reduced. A new problem arises that it is desired to perform detection with high accuracy. Moreover, it becomes a problem how to assemble each device constituting the steering force detection device in the case.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and its object is to improve detection accuracy by assembling each device constituting the steering force detection device in a proper state. A steering force detecting device for a vehicle steering wheel is provided.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the structural feature of the steering force detecting device for a vehicle steering wheel according to the present invention is characterized in that a pressure receiving portion is provided in the vicinity of a steering shaft connected to the steering wheel and rotating in accordance with the operation of the steering wheel. And a pair of steering force detection units provided with a pair of steering force detection units when they are separated from each other and when the steering handle is rotated on the steering handle or the steering shaft in different directions at maximum steering angles. A pressing portion that presses each pressure receiving portion of the corresponding steering force detecting portion of the detecting portion is provided, and the pressure receiving detecting portion detects the pressure receiving state of the pressure receiving portion due to the pressing from the pressing portion, so that the steering force of the steering wheel is increased. An apparatus for detecting a steering force of a vehicle steering wheel for detection, comprising: an electric circuit board to which a pressure receiving detection unit is integrally connected; and a pressure receiving unit assembly hole for receiving the pressure receiving unit. And a detection part case in which two pressure reception detection part assembly holes for accommodating the pressure reception detection part and a substrate accommodation recess for accommodating the electric circuit board are continuously formed. The assembly holes are provided along the pressure receiving direction of the pressure receiving portion, and the openings for attaching the pressure receiving detection portion and the electric circuit board to the two pressure receiving detection portion assembly holes and the substrate receiving recess are respectively received by pressure. In other words, it is formed so as to be orthogonal to the pressure receiving direction of the portion and to face in the same direction.

  In the steering force detection device for a vehicle steering handle according to the present invention configured as described above, a pair of steering force detection units are provided apart from each other, and when the steering handle is rotated in the maximum steering angle in one direction or the other direction, The pressing portion provided on the steering shaft comes into contact with the pressure receiving portion of the corresponding steering force detecting portion, and the steering force of the steering handle is detected by the pressure receiving detecting portion of the steering force detecting portion. For this reason, when the steering force detection unit detects the steering force, the steering feeling when the vehicle travels at a low speed can be improved by controlling the output of the engine to increase. Further, it is possible to control the engine output in accordance with the magnitude of the steering force detected by the steering force detection unit, and this makes it possible to further improve the steering feeling.

  A vehicle in this case is a small planing boat such as a water jet propulsion boat. Moreover, when using the said steering force detection apparatus for control of the various apparatuses mounted in the vehicle, as the vehicle, various vehicles, such as a motorcycle, a motor vehicle, and a snow vehicle, are mention | raise | lifted. Further, in this steering force detection device for a vehicle steering wheel, even if the steering wheel is rotated at an angle less than the maximum steering angle, the engine does not change depending on the rotation operation. In the rotation operation, a normal driving operation can be performed. Further, since the two pressure receiving detectors and the electric circuit board are connected and integrated, and this can be accommodated in a detector case provided with two pressure receiving detector assembling holes and a substrate accommodating recess, The pressure receiving detector and the electric circuit board can be easily assembled to the detector case and the assemblability (containment) is improved.

  In addition, since the opening for attaching the pressure receiving detection part and the opening for attaching the electric circuit board in the detection part case are formed in the same direction, the two integrated pressure receiving detection parts and the electric circuit board Can be put in the detection unit case from the same direction as they are, and the attachment of the two pressure receiving detection units and the electric circuit board to the detection unit case becomes easier. Further, since the opening for attaching the pressure receiving detection part and the electric circuit board in the detection part case is formed in a direction orthogonal to the pressure receiving direction of the pressure receiving part, the two pressure receiving detection parts and the electric circuit board are formed. Can be attached to the detector case so that they do not rattle in the pressure receiving direction.

  In addition, another structural feature of the steering force detection device for a vehicle steering wheel according to the present invention is that the pressure receiving directions of the pressure receiving portions are orthogonal to the separating directions of the pair of steering force detection portions, and the same. This is because a pair of steering force detectors are installed so as to be in the direction. According to this, manufacture of the detection part case and pressure receiving part case which accommodate a pair of steering force detection part becomes easy. That is, since the pressure receiving detection unit mounting holes and the pressure receiving unit mounting holes that accommodate the pair of steering force detection units are parallel to each other, it is easy to improve the processing accuracy such as the position and angle. Thus, the detection accuracy of the steering force detection unit is also improved.

  Further, still another structural feature of the steering force detecting device for a vehicle steering wheel according to the present invention is that a plane perpendicular to the pressure receiving direction of the pressure receiving portion is set to each assembly surface of the detection portion case and the pressure receiving portion case. It is in forming. According to this, it becomes easy to improve the positional accuracy of the pressure receiving detection part and the pressure receiving part, and it becomes easy to install the pressure receiving detection part and the pressure receiving part coaxially.

  Still another structural feature of the steering force detection device for a vehicle steering wheel according to the present invention is that a bolt hole parallel to the pressure receiving direction of the pressure receiving portion is provided in the detection portion case and the pressure receiving portion case, and the bolt hole This is because the detection unit case and the pressure receiving unit case are fixed by attaching bolts to the base plate. Accordingly, the detection unit case and the pressure receiving unit case can be reliably fixed with a simple structure. In addition, in the pressure receiving direction of the pressure receiving portion in the detection portion case and the pressure receiving portion case, an opening for coaxially installing the pressure receiving detection portion and the pressure receiving portion is provided, and the direction of this opening and the like and the bolt hole Therefore, the bolt hole can be easily processed.

  Still another structural feature of the steering force detecting device for a vehicle steering handle according to the present invention is that the guide is provided in the pressure receiving detection unit mounting hole of the detection unit case and the pressure receiving unit mounting hole of the pressure receiving unit case. The cylinder is stretched over and attached, the pressure receiving detection part is attached to the detection part case side part in the guide cylinder, and the pressure reception part is attached to the pressure reception part case side part in the guide cylinder.

  According to this, a pressure receiving detection part and a pressure receiving part can be installed coaxially accurately. That is, the detection unit case and the pressure receiving unit case made of different members are assembled, the pressure receiving detection unit is accommodated in the pressure receiving detection unit mounting hole of the detection unit case, and the pressure receiving unit is received in the pressure receiving unit mounting hole of the pressure receiving unit case When accommodating the pressure receiving portion, it is difficult to install the pressure receiving detection portion and the pressure receiving portion coaxially. However, by using this guide tube, the pressure receiving detection portion and the pressure receiving portion can be accurately and coaxially installed. This also improves the assembly accuracy of the detection unit case and the pressure receiving unit case. As a result, the steering force of the steering handle transmitted to the pressure receiving portion via the pressing portion is applied directly from the pressure receiving portion to the pressure receiving detection portion, and the detection accuracy of the steering force is improved. Further, in this case, a part of the pressure receiving detection part and the pressure receiving part may be put in the guide tube, or all of them may be put.

  Still another structural feature of the steering force detecting device for a vehicle steering wheel according to the present invention corresponds to the assembly portion of the detection portion case and the pressure receiving portion case and the assembly portion on the outer wall surface of the guide tube. This is because the space between the parts to be sealed is sealed with a seal member. According to this, the assembly part of the detection part case and the pressure receiving part case (when the detection part case and the pressure reception part case are directly assembled without using other members) can be sealed. For this reason, when the vehicle according to the present invention is a vehicle used on the water of a small planing boat, water can be prevented from entering the guide cylinder, and the vehicle is a vehicle used on land such as a motorcycle. In this case, it is possible to prevent dust and rainwater from entering the guide tube.

  Still another structural feature of the steering force detecting device for a vehicle steering handle according to the present invention is that the width of the opening for attaching the pressure receiving detection portion in the pressure receiving detection portion assembling hole is determined by the pressure receiving detection portion set. The diameter is set smaller than the diameter of the attachment hole.

  According to this, since the pressure receiving detector can be attached in a state of being prevented from coming off from the opening for attaching the pressure receiving detector assembling hole, the pressure receiving detector is accurately positioned and fixed with respect to the detector case. Can do. In addition, when the pressure receiving detection unit is attached to the detection unit case via the guide tube, the pressure receiving detection unit is mounted in the guide tube in a state in which the guide tube is prevented from coming off from the opening for mounting the pressure receiving detection unit assembly hole. be able to. Also, when assembling the pressure receiving detection unit to the detection unit case via the guide tube, the pressure receiving detection unit is installed in the pressure receiving detection unit assembly hole from the mounting opening, and then the guide tube is received by the pressure receiving unit. It can be easily assembled by inserting from the opening facing the pressure receiving part case in the detection part assembling hole and inserting the pressure receiving detection part therein.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show a personal watercraft A provided with a steering force detecting device for a vehicle steering wheel according to the present invention. In this small planing boat A, the hull 10 is composed of a deck 10 a and a hull 10 b, and a steering handle 11 is provided at a portion slightly ahead of the center at the top of the hull 10, and the center at the top of the hull 10. A sheet 12 is provided in the part. A fuel tank 13 for storing fuel is installed at the front side portion at the bottom of the hull 10, and an engine 14 is installed at the center of the bottom of the hull 10.

  In addition, a propulsion unit 15 is installed at the center of the hull 10 in the width direction (portion indicated by the center line L) at the rear end of the hull 10, and the propulsion unit 15 is engineed via an impeller shaft 15 a. 14. A steering nozzle 16 connected to the steering handle 11 is attached to the rear end portion of the propulsion unit 15 via a push / pull wire 16a and a steering arm 16b (see FIG. 4). The steering nozzle 16 changes the traveling direction of the personal watercraft A to the left and right by moving the rear side to the left and right according to the operation of the steering handle 11. In addition, the engine 14 includes an intake device 17 that sends an air-fuel mixture supplied from the fuel tank 13 and air to the engine 14, and exhaust gas discharged from the engine 14 from the rear end of the hull 10 to the outside. An exhaust device 18 for discharging is connected.

  The engine 14 is a two-cycle, three-cylinder engine, and takes in a mixture of fuel and air from an intake port and discharges exhaust gas from an exhaust port. At that time, the air-fuel mixture supplied from the intake port into the engine 14 explodes due to ignition of an ignition device provided in the engine 14, and the piston provided in the engine 14 reciprocates up and down due to the explosion. And the crankshaft 14a is rotationally driven by the reciprocating movement of the piston. The crankshaft 14a is connected to the impeller shaft 15a and transmits rotational force to the impeller shaft 15a to drive the impeller shaft 15a to rotate.

  Further, the rear end portion of the impeller shaft 15a is connected to an impeller disposed in the propulsion unit 15, and a propulsive force is generated in the personal watercraft A by the rotation of the impeller. That is, the propulsion device 15 includes a water introduction port that opens to the bottom of the hull 10 and a water injection port that opens to the stern, and causes the seawater introduced from the water introduction port to be injected from the water injection port by the rotation of the impeller. Thus, a propulsive force is generated in the personal watercraft A.

  The intake device 17 includes an intake pipe 17a connected to the engine 14, a throttle body connected to the upstream end of the intake pipe 17a, and the like. Then, the air outside the ship is sucked, and the flow rate of the air is adjusted by opening and closing a throttle valve (see FIG. 11) 19 provided in the throttle body, and supplied to the engine 14. At that time, the fuel supplied from the fuel tank 13 is mixed with the air supplied to the engine 14 via a fuel supply device (not shown).

  The exhaust device 18 includes a bent exhaust pipe 18a connected to the engine 14, a tank-shaped water lock connected to the rear end of the exhaust pipe 18a, and an exhaust pipe connected to the rear of the water lock (see FIG. (Not shown). The exhaust pipe 18a extends from the exhaust port in each cylinder of the engine 14 and then gathers, and then extends toward the water lock. Further, an exhaust pipe extends rearward from the upper surface of the rear part of the water lock. The exhaust pipe extends upward and then extends to the lower rear part, and the downstream end opens to the lower rear end of the hull 10. is doing.

  Further, in the vicinity of the grip 11a of the steering handle 11, there is provided a throttle lever 19a that is rotatably supported by a shaft portion and can be moved back and forth with respect to the peripheral surface of the grip 11a. According to the operation of the throttle lever 19a, The throttle valve 19 opens and closes. A steering force detection device 20 according to the present invention is provided below the steering handle 11 in the hull 10 as shown in FIGS. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the steering force detection device 20 installed in the hull 10 is indicated by a solid line for easy understanding.

  The steering force detection device 20 is connected to the central portion of the steering handle 11 and extends in a substantially vertical direction, and rotates the steering shaft 21 with a pressing member 22 attached to the steering shaft 21 that rotates in response to the operation of the steering handle 11. A steering force detection unit unit 24 that is fixed to a cylindrical steering bearing portion 23 that is supported so as to contact the pressing member 22 and detect the steering force received from the pressing member 22 when the steering shaft 21 rotates a predetermined angle. Has been. The pressing member 22 extends downward from a ring-shaped fixing portion 22a fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 21, a horizontal portion protruding obliquely rearward from both sides of the fixing portion 22a, and a front end edge portion of the horizontal portion. It comprises a pair of L-shaped pressing pieces 22b, 22c consisting of a vertical part.

  The pressing member 22 is installed so as to be bilaterally symmetric about the steering shaft 21. The vertical portion of the pressing piece 22b is formed so as to be positioned in a direction orthogonal to the center line L when the steering wheel 11 is viewed from above when the maximum steering angle is rotated clockwise. The vertical portion 22c is formed so as to be positioned in a direction orthogonal to the center line L when the steering wheel 11 is rotated from the top to the maximum steering angle in the counterclockwise direction.

  The steering force detection unit 24 includes a mounting plate 24a fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the steering bearing 23, a detection unit case 25 fixed to the upper surface of the mounting plate 24a by a bolt (not shown), and a bolt 26a. Is fixed to the upper surface of the mounting plate 24a, and a pair of pressure receiving case 27a, 27b fixed to the left and right ends of the rear end of the detection case 25 by bolts (see FIG. 5) 26b. . A pair of steering force detectors 30a and 30b and an electric circuit board 31 shown in FIG. 5 are formed in the recesses formed in the mounting plate 24a, the detector case 25, and the pair of pressure receiver cases 27a and 27b. Is attached. FIG. 5 shows the lower surface of the steering force detectors 30a, 30b and the electric circuit board 31 as viewed from the mounting plate 24a side.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the detection unit case 25 has a portion facing the mounting plate 24a (the front side portion in FIG. 6 and the lower surface of the detection unit case 25) of the pair of steering force detection units 30a and 30b. It is formed in the mounting opening 28 for mounting the front side portion and the electric circuit board 31. The left and right side portions in the detection unit case 25 are respectively attached to mounting holes 25a and 25b as pressure receiving detection unit assembly holes according to the present invention for mounting the front side portions of the steering force detection units 30a and 30b. The center part inside the detection part case 25 is formed in the board | substrate accommodation recessed part 25c.

  The mounting holes 25 a and 25 b and the substrate housing recess 25 c are formed so as to communicate with each other inside the detection unit case 25. Further, rear portions (upper portions in FIG. 6) of the mounting holes 25a and 25b are formed in connection openings 28a and 28b for connecting the mounting holes 25a and 25b to the pressure receiving portion cases 27a and 27b, respectively. The connection openings 28 a and 28 b are formed so as to be orthogonal to the attachment opening 28. A cutout portion 28c is formed on one side of the front wall of the wall portion forming the substrate housing recess 25c for passing the wiring 31a from the inside of the substrate housing recess 25c to the outside. A plurality of bolt holes 28d for attaching the bolts 26b are formed in parallel to the attachment holes 25a and 25b around the connection openings 28a and 28b on the rear surface of the detection unit case 25.

  The pressure receiving part cases 27a and 27b are formed in symmetrical shapes, and both are mounting holes 29 for attaching the rear side portions of the steering force detecting parts 30a and 30b (the mounting holes 29 of the pressure receiving part case 27b are shown in the figure). Not shown.) The pressure receiving part cases 27a and 27b are formed symmetrically, and the steering force detecting parts 30a and 30b attached to the mounting holes 25a and 25b and the mounting hole 29 have the same structure. The configuration of the steering force detector 30a will be described, and the description of the configuration of the pressure receiver case 27b and the steering force detector 30b will be omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the front end portion of the mounting hole 29 provided in the pressure receiving case 27a is formed to have a diameter slightly larger than the connection opening 28a of the detection unit case 25 and communicates with the connection opening 28a. The front end of the connection opening 29a is formed in a tapered portion 29b that widens toward the detection unit case 25 side. The rear end portion of the mounting hole 29 is formed in a small diameter insertion hole 29c. A bolt hole 29d for passing the bolt 26a is formed at the bottom of the pressure receiving part case 27a, and a plurality of bolts for attaching the bolt 26b around the mounting hole 29 on the front surface of the pressure receiving part case 27a. A hole 29 e is formed in parallel with the mounting hole 29.

  The bolt holes 29e communicate with the bolt holes 28d of the detection unit case 25, and are formed in the same number as the bolt holes 28d. The attachment hole 29 is formed coaxially with the attachment hole 25a. The bolt hole 29d and the bolt 26a attached to the bolt hole 29d are set so as to be orthogonal to the attachment hole 29 and the attachment hole 25a. Furthermore, the rear surface of the detection unit case 25 and the front surface of the pressure receiving unit case 27a are set to be orthogonal to the mounting hole 29 and the mounting hole 25a.

  The steering force detection unit 30a includes a substantially cylindrical guide tube 32 installed in a state of being spanned between the rear portion of the attachment hole 25a and the front portion of the attachment hole 29, and the guide tube 32. The pressure receiving detection part 33 attached to the front side part in the inside, the pressure receiving part 34 attached to the rear side part in the guide cylinder 32, and the pin 35 installed between the pressure receiving detection part 33 and the pressure receiving part 34 It consists of and.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the guide cylinder 32 has a front housing portion 32a formed with a thin peripheral wall and an inner diameter formed with a thick peripheral wall substantially equal to the inner diameter of the front housing portion 32a. The rear housing portion 32b is formed between the front housing portion 32a and the rear housing portion 32b in the guide tube 32, and a partition wall 32d having a central portion formed in the hole portion 32c. Three ribs 36 are formed along the axial direction on the inner peripheral surface of the rear housing portion 32b at regular intervals in the circumferential direction (in this case, intervals of 120 degrees). As shown in FIG. 9, the rib 36 is formed by a protrusion extending in an oblique direction with respect to the central axis from the inner peripheral surface of the rear housing portion 32 b.

  A groove portion 36a having a substantially semicircular cross-sectional shape is formed in the rib 36 at a portion where an extension line of a line connecting the inner peripheral surface of the rear housing portion 32b, the tip portion of the rib 36 and the central axis of the rear housing portion 32b intersects. It is provided along. For this reason, when the front end portion of the rib 36 is pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the rear housing portion 32b, the front end portion of the rib 36 is bent and enters the groove 36a. Further, ribs 37 and groove portions 37a similar to the ribs 36 and the groove portions 36a are also formed on the inner peripheral surface of the front housing portion 32a. The arrangement of the rib 37 and the groove 37a along the circumferential direction is opposite to the arrangement of the rib 36 and the groove 36a. Therefore, the AA cross section in FIG. 8 appears similarly to FIG. The guide cylinder 32 is coaxial with the mounting hole 29 and the mounting hole 25a by inserting the front housing portion 32a into the connection opening 28a and inserting the rear housing portion 32b into the connection opening 29a. It is attached.

  The pressure receiving detection unit 33 is configured by installing a rod-shaped magnetic body 38 in the cylindrical case 33 a so as to be aligned in the axial direction, and attaching a bobbin 39 a around which a coil 39 is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the magnetic body 38. Yes. An O-ring 33b for sealing between the case 33a and the coil 39 is attached between the rear end portion of the inner surface of the case 33a and the bobbin 39a. And the pressure receiving detection part 33 protrudes the rear-end part of the magnetic body 38 from the rear-end part of the case 33a, and it has the guide cylinder 32 in the front accommodating part 32a in the state which faced the hole 32c of the guide cylinder 32. Coaxially mounted. Further, the end portion of the conducting wire 39 b connected to the coil 39 extends into the substrate housing recess 25 c and is connected to the electric circuit substrate 31. The magnetic body 38 has the performance of changing the magnetic characteristics when a load is applied, and the coil 39 converts the change in the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic body 38 into a voltage change.

  The pressure receiving portion 34 is attached to the pressure receiving member 41 installed so that the rear end portion protrudes from the insertion hole 29c of the pressure receiving portion case 27a, the bolt 42 fixed to the pressure receiving member 41, and the shaft portion 42a of the bolt 42, respectively. A ring-shaped washer plane 43 as a spring seat member of the present invention, a plurality of disc springs 44 as a spring member of the present invention, and a cylindrical collar 45 having a flange portion 45a formed at the rear end. It is configured. The pressure receiving member 41 is composed of a large-diameter portion 41a on the front side and a small-diameter portion 41b on the rear side, and is installed in a state movable in the front-rear direction within the pressure-receiving portion case 27a.

  A bearing 46 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion 41a, an O-ring 47 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter portion 41b, and the pressure-receiving member 41 is sealed between the pressure-receiving portion case 27a. It is installed so that it can move smoothly with respect to the pressure receiving part case 27a. A wave washer 48 is attached between the rear end surface of the large diameter portion 41a and the inner wall of the pressure receiving case 27a. Then, the washer plane 43 and the disc spring 44 are passed through the shaft portion 42 a of the bolt 42, and the collar 45 is passed between the shaft portion 42 a, the washer plane 43 and the disc spring 44, and the bolt 42 in this state is received by the pressure receiving member. The pressure receiving portion 34 is configured by being fixed to the large diameter portion 41 a of 41.

  In this case, the bolt 42 is fastened to the pressure receiving member 41 side so that a predetermined initial load is applied to the disc spring 44. As a result, even if a forward force is applied to the rear end portion of the pressure receiving member 41, if the force is equal to or less than the initial load, the pressure receiving member 41 does not move, and the force applied to the pressure receiving member 41 exceeds the initial load. Only then, the disc spring 44 contracts and the pressure receiving member 41 moves. As a result, the movement range of the pressure receiving member 41 can be made minute.

  Further, the pin 35 installed between the pressure receiving detection unit 33 and the pressure receiving unit 34 has a pin main body 35a disposed so as to contact the front surface of the washer plane 43 in a state of covering the head 42b of the bolt 42, and The protrusion 35b protrudes forward from the center of the front surface of the pin main body 35a and passes through the hole 32c of the guide tube 32 and contacts the magnetic body 38 of the pressure receiving detection portion 33. Further, a gap is provided between the rear surface inside the pin main body 35 a and the head 42 b of the bolt 42.

  Therefore, when a load greater than the initial load is applied to the pressure receiving member 41, the disc spring 44 contracts, and the pressure receiving member 41, the bolt 42, and the collar 45 move forward. At this time, the washer plane 43 is restricted from moving by the pins 35 and is kept stationary. The pressure receiving part 34 and the pin 35 are installed coaxially with the pressure receiving detection part 33. For this reason, the load applied to the pressure receiving member 41 is linearly transmitted to the pressure receiving detection unit 33 via the disc spring 44, the washer plane 43 and the pin 35.

  At that time, when the load applied to the pressure receiving member 41 reaches a predetermined value and the pressure receiving member 41 is displaced until the rear surface of the pressure receiving member 41 and the rear surface of the pressure receiving portion case 27a are flush with each other, the pressure receiving member 41 is pressed. The pressing piece 22b of the pressing member 22 to be brought into contact with the pressure receiving part case 27a. As a result, no further load is applied to the pressure receiving member 41, and the pressure receiving detection unit 33 is prevented from being damaged by the load. A plate-shaped sealing material 49 is provided on the boundary surface between the detection unit case 25 and the pressure receiving unit cases 27a and 27b. An O-ring 49 a for sealing is provided on the tapered portion 29 b surrounded by the pressure receiving case 27 a (27 b), the guide cylinder 32 and the sealing material 49. Further, gaps between the detection unit case 25 and the pressure receiving unit cases 27a and 27b and other portions are sealed by being filled with a resin material and solidified.

  Further, the circuit shown in FIG. 10 is formed on the electric circuit board 31 to which the steering force detection units 30a and 30b configured as described above are connected. That is, the AC transmission circuit 51 is connected to the pressure receiving detection unit 33 of each of the steering force detection units 30 a and 30 b, and an AC current flows through the coil 39 of the pressure receiving detection unit 33. A variable resistor 52 is connected to the pressure receiving detection unit 33 of the steering force detection unit 30a, and a bridge fixed resistor 53 is connected to the pressure reception detection unit 33 of the steering force detection unit 30b.

  The difference between the output voltages of the pressure receiving detectors 33 of the steering force detectors 30 a and 30 b is amplified by the AC differential amplifier circuit 54 and then rectified by the full wave rectifier circuit 55. Further, the low-frequency component is extracted by the low-pass filter 56, and the signal voltage amplified by the DC amplification circuit 57 is output from the terminal 58. The terminal 58 is connected to the controller 60 via the wiring 31a. In this way, a signal voltage corresponding to the load detected by the steering force detection units 30a and 30b is output from the terminal 58 to the controller 60. The

  When the controller 60 receives the signal voltage indicating the steering force from the steering force detector 20, when the signal voltage is larger than a predetermined value, the controller 60 operates the servo motor 61 shown in FIG. Take control. The servo motor 61 is configured to move the throttle wire 19b that connects the throttle lever 19a and the throttle valve 19 by decelerating the rotation of the motor 62 by the speed reducer 63 and transmitting it to the arm 64. As a result, the throttle valve 19 can be opened without operating the throttle lever 19a.

  The arm 64 is provided with a feedback potentiometer 65 that detects the swing angle of the arm 64. Then, the controller 60 operates the motor 62 until the swing angle of the arm 64 detected by the feedback potentiometer 65 matches the target angle of the arm 64 set based on the signal voltage from the steering force detection device 20. Let That is, according to the control by the controller 60, the throttle valve 19 is opened at an opening corresponding to the magnitude of the output from the steering force detection device 20 (the steering force applied by the driver to the steering handle 11), and the engine 14 The output is controlled.

  The engine 14 is provided with an engine speed sensor 66 for detecting the speed of the crankshaft 14 a, and an engine speed data signal detected by the engine speed sensor 66 is transmitted to the controller 60. . Further, a battery 67 is connected to the controller 60 and the servo motor 61, and the controller 60 and the like are operated by the power supply of the battery 67.

  In the above configuration, when the driver steers the personal watercraft A, first, a switch (not shown) installed in the vicinity of the steering handle 11 is turned on so that the personal watercraft A can travel. To do. Next, the grip 11a of the steering handle 11 is grasped, and a finger is hooked on the throttle lever 19a to move the throttle lever 19a to the grip 11a side. As a result, the throttle wire 19b is pulled and the throttle valve 19 is opened according to the operation. In this case, as the throttle lever 19a is closer to the grip 11a, the throttle opening becomes larger and the small planing boat A runs at a higher speed, and as the throttle lever 19a is moved away from the grip 11a, the throttle opening becomes smaller and the small planing boat A is Drive at low speed.

  Further, by rotating the steering handle 11 while adjusting the traveling speed by operating the throttle lever 19a, the personal watercraft A travels while changing the course in the direction corresponding to the operation of the steering handle 11. In this case, the push / pull wire 16a is moved in accordance with the operation of the steering handle 11 and the steering nozzle 16 is swung to change the traveling direction.

  Further, when the small planing boat A is berthed or the like, if the throttle lever 19a is released to the farthest position from the grip 11a in order to reduce the traveling speed, the engine 14 is in an idling state. In this state, the steering handle 11 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise to the maximum steering angle, and one of the pressing pieces 22b and 22c of the pressing member 22 is associated with the corresponding steering force detecting unit 30a, It presses against the pressure receiving part 34 of 30b.

  Accordingly, a signal voltage indicating the steering force is transmitted from the steering force detection device 20 to the controller 60, and the controller 60 operates the servo motor 61 according to the value of the signal voltage to drive the engine 14. As a result, the personal watercraft A is accelerated and the steering performance by the steering handle 11 is improved. Thus, the small planing boat A can be made to reach the destination at a low speed only by a simple operation of the steering handle 11 without the troublesome operation of the steering handle 11 and the operation of finely adjusting the throttle lever 19a. Can do.

  Thus, according to the personal watercraft A provided with the steering force detection device 20 according to the present embodiment, the steering performance during low-speed traveling can be improved only by operating the steering handle 11. Further, according to the steering force detection device 20, the pair of pressure receiving detection units 33 and the electric circuit board 31 can be connected and integrated into the detection unit case 25 through the mounting opening 28 and fixed. Therefore, it becomes easy to assemble the pair of pressure receiving detectors 33 and the electric circuit board 31 to the detector case 25.

  That is, when assembling the pressure receiving detection unit 33 and the guide cylinder 32 to the detection unit case 25, first, the pair of pressure receiving detection units 33 are connected to the electric circuit board 31, and the pressure receiving detection unit 33 and the electric pressure detection unit 33 in that state are connected. The circuit board 31 is installed in the detection unit case 25 through the mounting opening 28. The guide cylinder 32 can be easily assembled by inserting the guide cylinder 32 from the connection openings 28a and 28b and inserting the pressure receiving detection portion 33 therein. Further, the steering force detecting unit 24 can be assembled by attaching the pin 35 and the pressure receiving part 34 to the guide cylinder 32 in that state and attaching the pressure receiving part cases 27a and 27b to the periphery thereof.

  As a result, the pair of pressure receiving detection portions 33 and the electric circuit board 31 can be attached to the detection portion case 25 so as not to rattle in the pressure receiving direction. Further, since the pressure receiving detection unit 33 and the pressure receiving unit 34 are attached via the guide tube 32, the pressure receiving detection unit 33 and the detection unit case 25 and the pressure receiving unit cases 27a and 27b are configured as separate members. The pressure receiving part 34 can be coaxially installed with high accuracy. As a result, the steering force of the steering handle 11 transmitted to the pressure receiving unit 34 via the pressing member 22 is applied straight from the pressure receiving unit 34 to the pressure receiving detection unit 33, and the detection accuracy of the steering force is improved.

  Further, since the ribs 36 and 37 and the grooves 36a and 37a are formed on the inner wall surfaces of the front housing portion 32a and the rear housing portion 32b of the guide tube 32, the pressure receiving detection portion 33 and the pressure receiving portion 34 are rattled. Can be prevented. Further, when the pressure receiving detection unit 33 and the pressure receiving unit 34 are attached in the guide cylinder 32, the ribs 36 and 37 are scraped off and the shavings are not accumulated in the guide cylinder 32. As a result, it is possible to prevent shavings from entering between the pressure receiving detection unit 33 and the pressure receiving unit 34 to reduce the detection accuracy of the steering force.

  In addition, the corresponding portions are sealed with O-rings 33b, 47, 49a and the like, and the gap between the portions is filled with a resin material, so that water can be prevented from entering the steering force detection unit 24. it can. Furthermore, since the detection unit case 25 and the pressure receiving unit cases 27a and 27b are assembled and each member is accommodated therein, it is easy to increase the positional accuracy of the pressure receiving detection unit 33 and the pressure receiving unit 34. At the same time, it becomes easy to install the pressure receiving detection unit 33 and the pressure receiving unit 34 coaxially. Moreover, the detection unit case 25 and the pressure receiving unit cases 27a and 27b can be manufactured with high accuracy.

  Further, in the steering force detection device 20, the disc spring 44 is installed between the pressure receiving member 41 and the washer plane 43 in a state in which the disc spring 44 is contracted by a preloaded initial load. For this reason, the pressure receiving member 41 is not displaced until the steering force of the steering handle 11 received by the pressure receiving member 41 via the pressing member 22 reaches an initial load previously applied to the disc spring 44. As a result, the steering angle necessary for detecting the steering force becomes almost unnecessary, and a sufficient steering angle for normal steering can be secured.

  The steering force detection device 20 according to the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and can be implemented with appropriate modifications. For example, the width dimension of the connection openings 28a and 28b in the mounting holes 25a and 25b of the detection unit case 25 can be set smaller on the opening side than on the center side. According to this, since the guide tube 32 can be mounted in the guide tube 32 while being prevented from being detached from the mounting holes 25a and 25b, the pressure receiving detection unit 33 is accurately positioned and fixed also to the detection unit case 25. can do.

  In the above-described embodiment, the two pressure receiving part cases 27a and 27b are used. However, as the pressure receiving part case, an integrated one having two mounting holes 29 may be used. Furthermore, instead of the pressure receiving detection unit 33, a detection device that can detect the pressure receiving state of the pressure receiving unit 34 by other methods such as position detection can be used. In addition, the steering force detection device according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described small planing boat A, but includes various vehicles such as motorcycles, automobiles, and snow vehicles. And this steering force detection apparatus can be used for control of the various apparatuses mounted in these vehicles. Further, the configuration of the other part of the personal watercraft A according to the embodiment described above can be changed as appropriate within the technical scope of the present invention.

It is the top view which showed the inside of the personal watercraft which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view of the small planing boat shown in FIG. It is the top view which expanded and showed the principal part of the small planing boat shown in FIG. It is the disassembled perspective view which showed the steering force detection apparatus with which a small planing boat is provided. It is the partial cross section figure which showed the state which looked at the inside of a steering force detection part unit from the lower surface side. It is the perspective view which showed the detection part case. It is the top view which showed the guide cylinder. It is 8-8 sectional drawing of FIG. It is sectional drawing which showed a part of 9-9 cross section of FIG. It is the block diagram which showed the circuit with which an electric circuit board | substrate is provided. It is the block diagram which showed each apparatus which a controller controls by the detection of a steering force detection apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Steering handle, 20 ... Steering force detection apparatus, 21 ... Steering shaft, 22 ... Pressing member, 22b, 22c ... Pressing piece, 25 ... Detection part case, 25a, 25b, 29 ... Mounting hole, 25c ... Substrate accommodation recessed part , 26b ... bolt, 27a, 27b ... pressure receiving case, 28 ... mounting opening, 28a, 28b, 29a ... connection opening, 28d, 29e ... bolt hole, 29c ... insertion hole, 30a, 30b ... steering force detector, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 31 ... Electric circuit board, 32 ... Guide cylinder, 32a ... Front part accommodating part, 32b ... Rear part accommodating part, 33 ... Pressure receiving detection part, 34 ... Pressure receiving part, 35 ... Pin, 41 ... Pressure receiving member, 49a ... O-ring, A ... a small planing boat.

Claims (7)

A pair of steering force detection units each including a pressure receiving unit and a pressure receiving detection unit are installed in the vicinity of a steering shaft that is coupled to the steering handle and rotates in response to an operation of the steering handle. Alternatively, the steering shaft is provided with a pressing portion that presses the pressure receiving portion of the corresponding steering force detection portion of the pair of steering force detection portions when the steering handle is rotated to the maximum steering angle in different directions. A steering force detection device for a vehicle steering wheel that detects a steering force of the steering wheel by detecting a pressure receiving state of the pressure receiving portion by pressing from the pressing portion,
An electric circuit board to which the pressure receiving detection unit is integrally connected, a pressure receiving case in which a pressure receiving unit assembly hole for receiving the pressure receiving unit is formed, and two pressure receiving detection units for receiving the pressure receiving detection unit A detection unit case in which an assembly hole and a substrate housing recess for housing the electric circuit board are continuously formed; and the two pressure receiving detection unit assembly holes are arranged along a pressure receiving direction of the pressure receiving unit. In addition, an opening for attaching the pressure receiving detection unit and the electric circuit board to the two pressure receiving detection unit assembly holes and the substrate housing recess is orthogonal to the pressure receiving direction of the pressure receiving unit. And a steering force detecting device for a vehicle steering wheel, wherein the steering force detecting device is formed so as to face in the same direction.   2. The pair of steering force detection units according to claim 1, wherein the pair of steering force detection units are installed so that respective pressure receiving directions of the pressure reception units are orthogonal to and in the same direction as the separation direction of the pair of steering force detection units. A steering force detection device for a vehicle steering wheel.   The steering force detection device for a vehicle steering wheel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the assembly surfaces of the detection unit case and the pressure receiving unit case is formed on a plane orthogonal to the pressure receiving direction of the pressure receiving unit.   A bolt hole parallel to the pressure receiving direction of the pressure receiving portion is provided in the detection portion case and the pressure receiving portion case, and the detection portion case and the pressure receiving portion case are fixed by attaching a bolt to the bolt hole. Item 4. The steering force detection device for a vehicle steering wheel according to any one of Items 1 to 3.   A guide tube is installed over the pressure receiving detection unit assembly hole of the detection unit case and the pressure reception unit assembly hole of the pressure reception unit case, and the pressure reception detection unit is attached to the side of the detection unit case in the guide cylinder. The steering force detecting device for a vehicle steering wheel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pressure receiving portion is attached to the pressure receiving portion case side portion in the guide cylinder.   The vehicle steering handle according to claim 5, wherein a seal member seals between an assembly portion of the detection unit case and the pressure receiving unit case and a portion corresponding to the assembly portion on an outer wall surface of the guide cylinder. Steering force detection device. The width dimension of the opening for attaching the said pressure receiving detection part in the said pressure receiving detection part assembly | attachment hole was set to any one of the Claims 1 thru | or 6 set smaller than the diameter of the said pressure reception detection part assembly | attachment hole. The steering force detection device for a vehicle steering wheel according to claim 1.

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