JP4516041B2 - Vehicle direction indication device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular direction indicating device that facilitates stopping at a neutral position when a bracket positioned at a left turn instruction position or a right turn instruction position is returned to a neutral position.

  In the vehicle direction indicating device, the bracket that is rotated by the operation lever is selected as a neutral position, a left turn instruction position, and a right turn instruction position by a moderation mechanism having a moderation mountain and a moderation piece that moves the moderation mountain. It is designed to be retained. Then, with the bracket positioned at the left turn instruction position or the right turn instruction position, the bracket is automatically moved toward the neutral position via the cancel mechanism based on the rotation of the steering wheel in the direction opposite to the instruction direction. It is the configuration that is returned. At this time, if the bracket passes the neutral position and the opposite turn signal switch is turned on, the opposite turn signal lamp may be lit (so-called reverse lighting). Particularly in recent years, there is a situation where the reverse lighting is likely to occur due to the fact that the contact portion of the turn switch has no room with the miniaturization of the unit, and countermeasures are desired.

Therefore, some proposals have been made to deal with the above problems (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
JP 2003-25908 A JP 2005-35398 A

  However, in the conventional proposal, when the bracket is automatically returned from the left turn instruction position or the right turn instruction position to the neutral position, the certainty that the bracket is stopped at the neutral position is not sufficient, and a higher certainty is required. ing.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle direction indicating device that can more easily stop at a neutral position when a bracket is automatically returned from a left turn instruction position or a right turn instruction position to a neutral position.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, a vehicle direction indicating device according to the present invention includes a bracket provided to be rotatable between a left turn instruction position and a right turn instruction position around a neutral position together with an operation lever, and the bracket. And a moderation mechanism that selectively holds the steering wheel at the neutral position, the left turn instruction position, and the right turn instruction position, and the steering wheel is located at the left turn instruction position or the right turn instruction position. A pair of projections provided on the outer surface of the bracket, each having an inclined surface and a pressing surface. And the bracket are positioned so as to be positioned in the vicinity of the corresponding convex portions in a state where the bracket is positioned at the neutral position. A pair of springs made of wire rods and a pair of guide portions that are respectively fixed to a stationary part and guide the movement of the corresponding tip portions of the springs, and the bracket is turned from the neutral position to the left turn instruction position. Alternatively, when turning to the right turn instruction position, one of the pair of protrusions moves the corresponding spring in the direction intersecting the movement direction of the protrusion by the slope. When the bracket passes through the spring and the bracket returns from the left turn instruction position or the right turn instruction position toward the neutral position, the pressing surface of the one convex part is caught by the corresponding spring, and the convex part is the spring. By moving against the spring force of the bracket, the bracket is configured to act so as to weaken the rotational return force of the bracket.

  In the configuration described above, when the bracket is rotated from the neutral position to the left turn instruction position or the right turn instruction position, one of the pair of protrusions provided on the bracket projects one corresponding spring by the slope. The spring passes through while moving in a direction crossing the moving direction of the part. In this state, when the cancel cam rotated by the steering wheel is rotated in a direction opposite to the direction indicated by the bracket, the bracket is returned to the neutral position by the cancel mechanism. At this time, the pressing surface of the one convex portion is caught by the corresponding spring, and the convex portion moves against the spring force of the spring, thereby acting to weaken the rotation return force of the bracket. To do. Thereby, the momentum that the bracket passes through the neutral position is weakened, and the bracket is reliably stopped at the neutral position by the action of the moderation mechanism.

  According to the present invention, when the bracket is automatically returned from the left turn instruction position or the right turn instruction position to the neutral position, the projection provided on the bracket is hooked by the corresponding spring, so that the rotational return force of the bracket is weakened. Therefore, the bracket can be reliably stopped at the neutral position. Further, when the bracket is rotated from the neutral position to the left turn instruction position or the right turn instruction position, the spring moves so as to escape along the guide portion due to the slope of the convex portion, so that the operability is not impaired.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
First, FIG. 1 shows a plan view in which a part of the vehicle direction indicator device 1 is broken. In FIG. 1, a unit case 2 of a vehicular direction indicating device 1 has a lower case 3, and an upper cover 4 is fixed to the upper surface of the lower case 3 by a plurality of screws 5. . The unit case 2 constitutes a stationary part of the present invention. A bracket 6 is disposed in the unit case 2. The bracket 6 is attached to the unit case 2 so as to be rotatable about a shaft portion 7 on the base end portion 6a side (left end portion side in FIG. 1). One end of the operating lever 8 is inserted into the base end 6a of the bracket 6 (see FIG. 6). The operation lever 8 protrudes from the unit case 2 to the left side in FIG. The operation lever 8 and the bracket 6 are provided so as to be rotatable about the shaft portion 7 in the direction of the arrow A1 and in the direction of the arrow A2 opposite thereto. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the operation lever 8 and the bracket 6 are positioned at the neutral position.

  On the inner side of the lower case 3, a moderation peak portion 10 is provided at a portion facing the tip portion 6 b (right end portion in FIG. 1) of the bracket 6. The moderation mountain portion 10 is provided with a neutral position valley portion 11, a right turn position mountain portion 12, and a left turn position mountain portion 13. On the distal end 6 b side of the bracket 6, a moderation piece 14 and a coil spring 15 that is an urging means for urging the moderation piece 14 toward the moderation mountain portion 10 side are provided. The tip portion of the moderation piece 14 slides on the moderation mountain portion 10.

  Here, the operation lever 8 and the bracket 6 are held at the neutral position shown in FIG. 1 in a state where the distal end portion of the moderation piece 14 is positioned in the neutral position trough portion 11, and the distal end portion of the moderation piece 14 is used for the right turn position. In the state of being on the mountain 12, the right turn instruction position shown in FIG. 3 is held, and in the state where the tip of the moderation piece 14 is on the left turn position 13, not shown. Is held at the left turn instruction position. The moderation mountain portion 10, the moderation piece 14, and the coil spring 15 constitute a moderation mechanism 16 that selectively holds the operation lever 8 and the bracket 6 at the neutral position, the right turn instruction position, and the left turn instruction position.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a pair of convex portions 19 and 20 are provided on the upper surface of the bracket 6. These both convex parts 19 and 20 have the inclined surface 21 and the pressing surface 22 which makes a hook shape, respectively, and are arrange | positioned so that each pressing surface 22 may face each other. In this case, the pair of convex portions 19 and 20 are disposed on both sides of a center line X (see FIG. 1) connecting the center of the shaft portion 7 and the center of the moderation piece 14 on the upper surface of the bracket 6.

  A spring member 23 formed from a wire is disposed between the upper surface of the bracket 6 and the lower surface of the upper cover 4. The spring member 23 includes a winding portion 24 wound in a circular shape and a pair of springs 25 each having a linear shape, and the winding portion 24 is provided on the lower surface of the upper cover 4. It is attached by fitting to the outer peripheral part side of the cylindrical part 26. The tip portions 25 a of the pair of springs 25 extend toward the tip portion 6 b side of the bracket 6. Two regulating projections 27 are provided on the lower surface of the upper cover 4, and these regulating projections 27 are arranged between the winding portion 24 of the spring member 23 and the base end portion of each spring 25. ing.

  On the lower surface of the upper cover 4, a guide wall 30 is further provided in a hanging shape. The guide wall 30 is positioned closer to the tip end 6b side of the bracket 6 than the pair of convex portions 19 and 20, and a pair of guide portions 31 and 32 each having a groove corresponding to each spring 25 are formed. ing. Accordingly, the guide portions 31 and 32 are provided on the guide wall 30 of the upper cover 4 which is a stationary part.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, each of the guide portions 31 and 32 has loop grooves 31a and 32a having a loop shape surrounding the island portions 33 and 34, and communicates with the loop grooves 31a and 32a. It has the structure which has the escape grooves 31b and 32b extended to. In this case, the guide portion 31 on the right side when viewed from the shaft portion 7 side has the island portion 33 and the loop groove 31a inclined upward to the left, and the escape groove 31b is disposed at the right end portion. The left guide portion 32 as viewed from the 7 side has an island portion 34 and a loop groove 32 a that are inclined upward to the right, and a relief groove 32 b that is disposed at the left end, and these two guide portions 31. , 32 are symmetrical about the center line of the guide wall 30.

And the front-end | tip part 25a of said pair of spring 25 is inserted in the corresponding guide parts 31 and 32 so that a movement is possible.
Although not shown, the vehicle direction indicator device 1 having the above-described configuration is provided with a cancel mechanism having a well-known configuration. As is well known, the cancel mechanism is configured such that a steering wheel (not shown) is rotated in a direction opposite to the indicated position in a state where the operation lever 8 and the bracket 6 are positioned at the left turn instruction position or the right turn instruction position. Accordingly, the operation lever 8 and the bracket 6 are automatically returned to the neutral position direction. Further, although not shown in the figure, the turn signal switch is provided in the vehicular direction indicating device 1. The turn signal switch is activated as the bracket 6 rotates.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.
In the state of FIG. 1 in which the operating lever 8 and the bracket 6 are positioned at the neutral position, the tip of the moderation piece 14 enters the neutral position trough portion 11 of the moderation peak portion 10. In this state, the distal end portions 25a of the two springs 25 in the spring member 23 are formed in the corresponding guide portions 31 and 32 with the clearance grooves 31b and 32b, which are the junction points of the loop grooves 31a and 32a and the clearance grooves 31b and 32b. It is located at the lower end (see FIGS. 6 and 7A). At this time, the two springs 25 are positioned in the vicinity of the corresponding convex portions 19 and 20, respectively, and are positioned outside the two convex portions 19 and 20.

  When the operation lever 8 is turned from the neutral state, for example, in the direction of arrow A1 in FIG. 1 which is a right turn instruction direction, the tip 6b side of the bracket 6 is turned around the shaft 7 in the direction of arrow B1. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the tip of the moderation piece 14 slides up the slope of the right turn position mountain portion 12, and the slope 21 of one convex portion 19 enters under the corresponding spring 25. (See FIG. 7B). Along with this, the spring 25 is pushed up by the inclined surface 21, so that the tip 25 a of the spring 25 intersects with the arrow B 1 which is the upper direction along the escape groove 31 b in the guide portion 31 (the movement direction of the convex portion 19). Direction).

  Then, as shown in FIG. 3, when the tip of the moderation piece 14 reaches a position where it rides on the right turn position mountain portion 12, the bracket 6 is held at the right turn instruction position. At this time, the convex portion 19 passes through the corresponding spring 25 in the direction of the arrow B1, and accordingly, the tip portion 25a of the spring 25 is lowered toward the lower end portion of the escape groove 31b by its own spring force (see FIG. 7 (c)). As the bracket 6 rotates to the right turn instruction position, a right turn switch of a turn signal switch (not shown) is turned on, and a right turn lamp blinks.

  When the steering wheel (not shown) is rotated in the left direction opposite to the direction indicated by the bracket 6 in the right turn instruction state of FIG. 3, the arrow in FIG. 3 indicates that the bracket 6 is in the neutral position direction by a cancel mechanism (not shown). It is turned in the B2 direction. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the tip of the moderation piece 14 slides toward the neutral position trough 11 side along the slope after passing the apex of the right turn position peak 12. Further, as one convex portion 19 moves in the arrow B2 direction, the pressing surface 22 of the convex portion 19 hits the spring 25 (see FIG. 7D), and the convex portion 19 moves the spring 25 to the spring 25. It moves while pushing in the direction of arrow B2 against the spring force of 25. Then, the tip 25a of the pushed spring 25 rises while moving in the arrow B2 direction along the inclination of the lower portion of the loop groove 31b (see FIG. 7E).

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the tip of the moderation piece 14 reaches the vicinity of the trough 11 for the neutral position, the spring 25 reaches the vicinity of the uppermost portion of the convex portion 19 as shown in FIG. At the same time, the tip 25a of the spring 25 reaches the vicinity of the top of the loop groove 31a. When the spring 25 exceeds the upper end portion of the convex portion 19, as shown in FIG. 7G, the tip portion 25a is in the direction of arrow C along the inclination of the upper portion of the loop groove 31a by its own spring force. To the vicinity of the lower end of the original escape groove 31b (see FIG. 7H). At this time, the tip of the moderation piece 14 is fitted into the neutral position trough 11, and the bracket 6 and thus the operation lever 8 are held in the neutral position. As the bracket 6 is returned to the neutral position, the right turn switch of the turn signal switch is turned off and the right turn lamp is turned off.

  Therefore, in this case, when the bracket 6 is returned from the right turn instruction position toward the neutral position, the pressing surface 22 of one convex portion 19 provided on the bracket 6 is caught by the spring 25, and the convex portion 19 is the spring of the spring 25. By moving in the direction of arrow B2 against the force, the rotational return force of the bracket 6 in the direction of arrow B2 is weakened. As a result, the moderation piece 14 is prevented from passing over the neutral position trough portion 11, and the bracket 6 and thus the operation lever 8 are likely to stop at the neutral position. Therefore, the occurrence of reverse lighting can be reliably prevented.

  The operation when the operation lever 8 is rotated in the direction of the left turn instruction position (arrow A2 direction) is the same as the operation of each part in the same manner as the case of the rotation in the direction of the right turn instruction position. Since it becomes operation | movement, it demonstrates easily.

  That is, when the bracket 6 is rotated from the neutral position to the left turn instruction position, the slope 21 of the other convex portion 20 enters under the corresponding spring 25. Along with this, the spring 25 is pushed up by the inclined surface 21, so that the distal end portion 25 a of the spring 25 moves upward along the escape groove 32 b in the guide portion 32. When the bracket 6 is rotated to the right turn instruction position, the convex portion 20 passes through the corresponding spring 25, and accordingly, the tip portion 25a of the spring 25 is moved toward the lower end portion of the escape groove 32b by its own spring force. Descend.

  When a steering wheel (not shown) is rotated in the right direction opposite to the direction indicated by the bracket 6, the bracket 6 is rotated in the neutral position by the cancel mechanism. Then, the pressing surface 22 of the convex portion 20 hits the spring 25, and the convex portion 20 moves while pushing the spring 25 against the spring force of the spring 25 in the rotating direction of the bracket 6. Along with this, the tip 25a of the pressed spring 25 rises while moving along the slope of the lower portion of the loop groove 32a. When the spring 25 exceeds the upper end portion of the convex portion 20, the tip end portion 25a moves along the inclination of the upper portion of the loop groove 32a by its own spring force, and is near the lower end portion of the original escape groove 32b. Return to.

According to the above-described embodiment, the following operational effects can be obtained.
When the bracket 6 is returned from the right turn instruction position or the left turn instruction position toward the neutral position, the pressing surface 22 of the convex portion 19 or 20 provided on the bracket 6 is caught by the corresponding spring 25, and the convex portion 19 or 20 By moving against the spring force of the spring 25, the rotational return force toward the neutral position of the bracket 6 is weakened. As a result, the moderation piece 14 is prevented from passing over the neutral position trough portion 11, and the bracket 6 and thus the operation lever 8 are likely to stop at the neutral position. Therefore, the occurrence of reverse lighting can be reliably prevented.

  When the bracket 6 rotates from the neutral position toward the right turn instruction position or the left turn instruction position, the spring 25 is pushed up by the slope 21 of the convex portion 19 or 20 and escapes along the escape groove 31b or 32b. Therefore, operability is not impaired.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified or expanded as follows.
In the above-described embodiment, the pair of convex portions 19 and 20 provided on the bracket 6 are arranged inside the corresponding spring 25, but the pair of convex portions are arranged outside the two springs. It can also be configured. In this case, the pair of convex portions are arranged so that the inclined surfaces face each other. Moreover, the shape of the guide part which guides the movement of the front-end | tip part of a spring shall be the shape which replaced right and left.

The top view which shows one Embodiment of this invention and fracture | ruptures and shows a part of state in which the bracket was located in the neutral position FIG. 1 equivalent view of the state in which the bracket is being rotated in the direction of the right turn instruction position FIG. 1 equivalent view with the bracket positioned at the right turn instruction position FIG. 1 equivalent view of a state in which the bracket is being returned from the right turn instruction position toward the neutral position FIG. 1 equivalent view showing a state immediately before the bracket is returned to the neutral position. Schematic broken perspective view of the main part (A)-(h) are the operation | movement explanatory drawings of the principal part.

Explanation of symbols

  In the drawings, 1 is a vehicle direction indicator, 2 is a unit case (stationary part), 4 is an upper cover (stationary part), 6 is a bracket, 10 is a moderation peak, 14 is a moderation piece, 15 is a coil spring, 16 Is a moderation mechanism, 19 and 20 are convex portions, 21 is a slope, 22 is a pressing surface, 23 is a spring member, 25 is a spring, 25a is a tip portion, 30 is a guide wall, 31 and 32 are guide portions, and 31a and 32a are Loop grooves 31b and 32b indicate escape grooves.

Claims (1)

A bracket provided to be rotatable between the left turn instruction position and the right turn instruction position around the neutral position together with the operation lever, and selectively holding the bracket at the neutral position, the left turn instruction position, and the right turn instruction position. A moderation mechanism, and the bracket via the cancel mechanism based on the steering wheel being rotated in a direction opposite to the direction indicated by the bracket while the bracket is positioned at the left turn instruction position or the right turn instruction position. In the vehicular direction indicating device configured to return to the neutral position direction,
A pair of convex portions provided on the outer surface of the bracket, each having a slope and a pressing surface;
A pair of springs made of wire rods provided so as to be positioned in the vicinity of the corresponding protrusions in a state where the bracket is positioned at the neutral position;
Each of which is provided in a stationary state at a stationary part, and includes a pair of guide portions that guide the movement of the corresponding tip of the spring,
When the bracket is rotated from the neutral position to the left turn instruction position or the right turn instruction position, one of the pair of protrusions is moved in the direction of movement of the protrusion by the corresponding spring. When the bracket passes through the spring while moving in a direction intersecting with the bracket and the bracket returns from the left turn instruction position or the right turn instruction position to the neutral position, the pressing surface of the one convex portion corresponds to the bracket. A vehicular direction indicating device characterized in that it is caught by a spring, and the convex portion moves against the spring force of the spring to act so as to weaken the rotational return force of the bracket.

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