JP4496915B2 - Turning direction indicator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a turning direction indicating device that blinks a turn signal lamp or the like mainly by operating a lever when a car turns.

  In recent years, operating a lever switch or the like located under the steering wheel of a car to turn the turn signal lamp in the direction to turn when turning right or left, or changing lanes, and informing the surroundings of the turning direction Is widely used.

  Such a conventional turning direction indicating device will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a conventional turning direction indicating device. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a lever switch, and a substantially cylindrical lever 3 protruding from a substantially box-like case 2 has an upper limit position with respect to the neutral position A. It is attached to the case 2 so as to be swingable in the vertical direction within a predetermined range of C and the lower limit position E.

  The lever 3 is swung to the upper limit position C, the lower limit position E, the intermediate position B approximately between the neutral position A and the upper limit position C, and the intermediate position D approximately intermediate between the neutral position A and the lower limit position E. Then, a plurality of switch contacts 4 are formed in the case 2 to be electrically connected and separated according to each position.

  Further, a moderation means (not shown) is provided in the vicinity of the swing fulcrum of the lever 3, and when the lever 3 is swung to the upper limit position C or the lower limit position E by this moderation means, the lever 3 is held at each position. The lever switch 1 is configured so that the lever 3 is urged toward the neutral position A when the rocking operation is performed to the intermediate positions B and D, and automatically returns to the neutral position A. Yes.

Further, reference numeral 5 denotes a control means formed by electronic parts (not shown) such as a microcomputer. The control means 5 is connected to the switch contact 4 of the lever switch 1 and the electronic circuit (not shown) of the vehicle body. Is connected to a turn signal lamp 7 as a lighting device, and a turning direction indicating device is configured.

  The turning direction indicating device configured as described above is mounted below a handle (not shown) fixed to the steering shaft of the vehicle body, and is disposed in front of the driver's seat in the automobile.

  In the above configuration, for example, when turning left at an intersection or the like from a state where the automobile is traveling straight, if the lever 3 of the lever switch 1 is swung from the neutral position A to the upper upper limit position C that is the left turn direction, While the lever 3 is held at the upper limit position C, the switch contact 4 corresponding to the upper limit position C is electrically connected / disconnected, and the control means 5 that detects the electrical contact / disconnection is connected to the electronic circuit of the vehicle body on the left side. A drive signal for lighting the turn signal lamp 7 is output, and the left turn signal lamp 7 blinks.

  Then, after turning the handle leftward to turn left and then turning the handle rightward to return to the straight-ahead state, the lever 3 is released by a release means (not shown) provided between the steering shaft. The holding state at the upper limit position C is released, the lever 3 automatically returns to the neutral position A, the control means 5 stops outputting the drive signal, and the turn signal lamp 7 is turned off.

  Further, for example, when changing from a central lane to a left lane on a road with multiple lanes, the lever 3 is swung to the upper limit position C in the left turn direction to blink the left turn signal lamp 7 and Rotate to the left to change lanes.

  However, in this case, even if the steering wheel is rotated to the right after the lane change to return to the straight traveling state, the rotating means angle of the steering wheel is smaller than in the case of the right or left turn, so the release means does not operate and the lever 3 Since it does not automatically return to the neutral position A, it is necessary to swing the lever 3 by hand to return to the neutral position A and to stop the turn signal lamp 7 from blinking.

  On the other hand, when the lever 3 is swung to the intermediate position B and the lever 3 biased in the neutral position direction is held by the hand at the intermediate position B, the switch contact 4 corresponding to the intermediate position B during this period Electrical contact / separation is performed, and the control means 5 detects this electrical contact / separation, and the left turn signal lamp 7 blinks.

  Therefore, when the lane change is performed by rotating the handle while the lever 3 is held by hand in the intermediate position B in this way, the lever 3 is neutralized when the hand is released from the lever 3 after the lane change. It automatically returns to position A and the turn signal lamp 7 stops blinking.

  As described above, the lever 3 is swung to the upper limit position C, the lower limit position E, or the intermediate position B or D, and the left or right turn signal lamp 7 is blinked. It was configured to inform the vehicle.

For example, Patent Document 1 is known as a prior art document for the invention of this application.
JP 2002-144955 A

  However, in the conventional turning direction indicating device, when the steering wheel rotation operation angle is small, such as when changing lanes, the lever 3 that is swung to the upper limit position C or the lower limit position E is operated, and the lever 3 after changing lanes is operated. Thus, it is necessary to return to the neutral position A, or to rotate the handle while the lever 3 is held at the intermediate position B or D by hand. There was a problem of being.

  The present invention solves such a conventional problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a turning direction indicating device that is easy to operate with a simple configuration.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lever that can be swung up and down from a neutral position, a switch contact that performs electrical contact / separation according to the operation position of the lever, and an electrical connection of the switch contact. It comprises control means for detecting contact / separation and outputting a drive signal to the lighting device according to the detected contact / separation signal, and the lever is located between the upper limit position and the neutral position or between the lower limit position and the neutral position. When the lever is swung to each intermediate position, the lever is not held at the intermediate position but is urged to the neutral position, and the lever is automatically returned from the intermediate position to the neutral position. When the control means outputs the drive signal for a predetermined time, and the lever is swung from the neutral position to any one of the intermediate positions when the drive signal is output, the control means outputs the drive signal. It is obtained by constituting the turning direction indicator so as to stop the force, when the rotational operation angle of the steering wheel, such as a lane change is a small, by swung to the intermediate position to automatically return the lever from the neutral position, the predetermined since the only time the turn signal lamp is blinking, have a effect that can be operated to obtain an easy turning direction device, in addition, the lever when the output of the drive signal to the intermediate position of any of the neutral position When swung, which control means stops the output of the driving signal, to have the effect of cancellation of the turn signal lamp once blink for such a lane change, it can be easily performed.

  The turning direction indicating device according to the present invention has a simple configuration and is easy to operate, and is advantageous mainly for turning direction indication of an automobile or the like.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part of the structure same as the structure demonstrated in the term of the prior art, and detailed description is simplified.

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a turning direction indicating device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which 11 is a lever switch, and a substantially cylindrical lever 3 protruding from a substantially box-shaped case 2 is in a neutral position. Mounted on the case 2 is swingable in a vertical direction within a predetermined range between an upper limit position C and a lower limit position E with reference to A.

  Reference numeral 14 denotes a switch contact housed in the lever switch 11, and the lever 3 has an upper limit position C, a lower limit position E, an intermediate position B between the neutral position A and the upper limit position C, and a neutral position A and a lower limit position. When the rocking operation is performed to an intermediate position D substantially in the middle of E, the movable contact 14F is formed so as to be electrically connected to and separated from the plurality of fixed contacts 14C and 14E, 14B and 14D according to each of these positions. ing.

  Further, a moderation means (not shown) is provided in the vicinity of the swing fulcrum of the lever 3, and when the lever 3 is swung to the upper limit position C or the lower limit position E by this moderation means, the lever 3 is held at each position. The lever switch 11 is configured so that the lever 3 is urged in the neutral position A direction and automatically returns to the neutral position A when swinging to the intermediate position B or D is performed. Yes.

  Further, 15 is a control means formed by an electronic component (not shown) such as a microcomputer, and the control means 15 is connected to the switch contact 14 of the lever switch 11 and an electronic circuit (not shown) of the vehicle body. Is connected to a turn signal lamp 7 as a lighting device, and a turning direction indicating device is configured.

  The turning direction indicating device configured as described above is mounted below a handle (not shown) fixed to the steering shaft of the vehicle body, and is disposed in front of the driver's seat in the automobile.

  In the above configuration, for example, when turning left at an intersection or the like from a state where the automobile is traveling straight, if the lever 3 of the lever switch 11 is swung from the neutral position A to the upper upper limit position C that is the left turn direction, The lever 3 is held at the upper limit position C, and the movable contact 14F rotates to electrically contact and separate from the fixed contact 14C corresponding to the upper limit position C. 15 outputs a driving signal for lighting the left turn signal lamp 7 to the electronic circuit of the vehicle body, the transistor or relay of the electronic circuit is activated, the left turn signal lamp 7 flashes and the turning direction is indicated. The

  Then, after turning the handle to the left and turning left, and turning the handle to the right to return to the straight running state, a convex cancel cam (not shown) attached to the steering shaft, The release means (not shown) formed from a ratchet (not shown) that can move in the rotation direction releases the holding state of the lever 3 at the upper limit position C, and the lever 3 automatically returns to the neutral position A. At the same time, the control means 15 stops outputting the drive signal, and the turn signal lamp 7 stops blinking.

  Further, for example, when changing from the center lane to the left lane on a road with a plurality of lanes, when the lever 3 is swung to the upper intermediate position B, the movable contact 14F rotates and the fixed contact 14B The control means 15 detects this electrical contact / separation and outputs a drive signal to the electronic circuit of the vehicle body. The left turn signal lamp 7 flashes to change the lane to another vehicle. Inform.

  If the hand is released from the lever 3 in this state, the lever 3 is urged to the neutral position A and automatically returns, and the fixed contact 14B is also electrically disconnected, but after this for a predetermined time, for example, 3 seconds. The control means 15 is configured to continuously output a drive signal using a timer or the like.

  That is, when the lever 3 is swung to the intermediate position B or D instead of the upper limit position C or the lower limit position E, and the fixed contact 14B or 14D is electrically connected / separated, the lever 3 is released when the hand is released. Automatically returns to the neutral position A, but the control means 15 continues to output a drive signal for a predetermined time, and the turn signal lamp 7 blinks for 3 seconds, for example.

  Therefore, it is not necessary to hold the lever 3 biased in the neutral position direction at the intermediate position B by hand, and the lane can be changed by rotating the handle to the left while holding the handle firmly with both hands. After the lane change, when the steering wheel is returned and the vehicle goes straight, the drive signal output from the control means 15 is stopped and the turn signal lamp 7 is turned off.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the lever 3 is swung to the intermediate position B or D, the lever 3 automatically returns to the neutral position A, but the control means 15 sends a drive signal to the lighting device to a predetermined value. By configuring so as to output only the time, the turn signal lamp 7 blinks for a predetermined time when the lane is changed or the like, so that it is possible to obtain a turning direction indicating device that is easy to operate.

  Further, when the lever 3 is swung when the drive signal is output, the control means 15 stops the output of the drive signal, so that the turn signal lamp 7 once flashed for changing the lane or the like can be easily canceled. be able to.

  That is, when the lever 3 is swung to the intermediate position B or D to change the lane, and the turn signal lamp 7 is once flashed, and then it is desired to cancel it, the lever 3 is moved again to the intermediate position B or D. When the control unit 15 detects the electrical contact / separation of the fixed contacts 14B and 14D and stops the output of the drive signal, the cancellation can be easily performed. .

  In the above description, the configuration in which the control means 15 is provided separately from the electronic circuit of the vehicle body has been described. However, the present invention can be implemented even if the control means 15 and the electronic circuit are integrally formed.

  Further, the lever 3 is described as being configured to be held by the moderation means at the upper limit position C and the lower limit position E. However, even when the lever 3 is swung to the upper limit position C or the lower limit position E, the lever 3 automatically moves to the neutral position A. It can also be implemented in a so-called electronic turning direction indicating device that returns and detects the rotation direction and angle of the steering using a steering angle sensor or the like and controls the drive signal to the turn signal lamp.

  Further, when the lever 3 is operated to the intermediate position B or D, when the hand is released, the lever 3 automatically returns to the neutral position A. However, if a moderation feel is obtained by the moderation means, the operation feel Since the operation position of the lever 3 can be confirmed, the operation can be made easier.

  In addition, the turn signal lamp 7 for the lane change or the like blinks for a period of 3 to 5 seconds as described above. However, it is usually sufficient to provide a switch, a variable resistor, etc. If the blinking time can be set with, it can be made easier to use.

  The turning direction indicating device according to the present invention has a simple configuration and can be easily operated, and is mainly useful for indicating a turning direction of an automobile or the like.

The block diagram of the turning direction instruction | indication apparatus by one embodiment of this invention Configuration diagram of conventional turning direction indicating device

Explanation of symbols

2 Case 3 Lever 7 Turn signal lamp 11 Lever switch 14 Switch contact 14B, 14C, 14D, 14E Fixed contact 14F Movable contact 15 Control means

Claims (1)

A lever that can be swung up and down from the neutral position, a switch contact that performs electrical contact / separation according to the operation position of this lever, and detects the electrical contact / separation signal of this switch contact made from the control means for outputting a driving signal to the lighting device in accordance with, between said neutral position said lever with the upper limit position or when the lower limit position and swung to the respective intermediate position between said neutral position, is the lever is biased to is not the neutral position held in the intermediate position, together with the lever is formed so as to automatically return to the neutral position from the respective intermediate position, only the control means the driving signal for a predetermined time outputs, when any one of the swing operating said each intermediate position of the lever when the output of the drive signal from the neutral position, the turning direction indicating instrumentation that said control means stops the output of the drive signal .

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