JP4886448B2 - Vehicle traveling direction display device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement in a traveling direction display device for a vehicle.

As a conventional vehicle traveling direction display device, a vehicle bumper provided with a telescopic electric corner pole (see, for example, Patent Document 1), a handle rotation angle indicating device indicating a handle rotation angle is provided at the center of the handle. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2), and a display unit (for example, refer to Patent Document 3) that displays the traveling direction of a vehicle with an arrow are known.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-230780 JP 2001-4400 A JP 2005-56336 A

  1 and 2 of Patent Document 1, the telescopic pole 1 is attached to the bumper 101 of the vehicle 100, and the pole 1 is determined based on signals from the detection means 21 to 27 or information from the pole hand switch 30. It is described that it is stretched.

  4 and 5 of Patent Document 2, a handle rotation angle indicating device 9 is attached to the center portion of the handle 8, and the pointer plate 4 provided in the handle rotation angle indicating device 9 is attached to the handle rotation angle as the handle 8 rotates. Is indicated.

  10 and 12 (a) to 12 (c) of Patent Document 3 describe that a vehicle and an arrow indicating the traveling direction of the vehicle are displayed on the display unit, and that the vehicle is displayed on the display unit. In addition, it is described that an arrow indicating a traveling direction in which the vehicle should travel, a steering wheel, and an arrow indicating a steering operation direction to be performed by the driver are displayed.

In Patent Document 1, the driver can know the position of the bumper 101 using the pole 1 as a guide, but cannot know the traveling direction of the vehicle while the steering is turned off.
In Patent Document 2, it is possible to know how much the handle 8 is broken by the handle rotation angle indicating device 9, but the direction in which the vehicle actually travels can be determined from the instruction of the handle rotation angle indicating device 9. Therefore, it takes some experience to accurately predict the vehicle traveling direction.

  In Patent Document 3, information on the vehicle traveling direction or the vehicle traveling direction to be traveled is displayed on the display unit with an arrow or a steering rotation angle. However, there is a visual difference between the display unit and the actual scenery in front of the vehicle. Similar to the cited document 2, a certain amount of experience is required to accurately determine the vehicle traveling direction from the information on the display unit.

  An object of the present invention is to improve the vehicle traveling direction display device, and to facilitate traveling of the vehicle in a desired direction without requiring much experience.

The invention according to claim 1 is a vehicle traveling direction display device that displays the traveling direction of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle traveling direction display device is disposed in the vicinity of one of the front wheels of the vehicle and extends horizontally in a vertical direction indicating the traveling direction of the vehicle. An upwardly projecting T-shaped member composed of a bar is provided, and the T-shaped member is controlled by a control unit that controls driving in the vehicle traveling direction calculated based on the steering angle of the steering wheel. When the steering angle of the wheel is detected, based on the steering angle signal from the steering angle sensor, the control unit calculates the turning angle from one of the left and right front wheels from the steering angle, and based on this turning angle. together to calculate the direction of the horizontal bar of the T-shaped member, it sends a drive signal to the servo motor from the control unit rotates the T-shaped member, constituting the calculated direction to direct horizontal bar Te, vehicle A traveling direction display unit for displaying the direction of the horizontal bars constituting the row direction display device in the meter panel, provided above the speedometer and tachometer, the traveling direction display portion of the meter panel, as the contour of the vehicle front It is characterized by comprising a contour display portion to be displayed, and a left front wheel display portion and a right front wheel display portion that are displayed as a left front wheel and a right front wheel so as to coincide with the turning angles of the left front wheel and the right front wheel.
As an operation, the driver performs a steering operation while viewing the horizontal bar indicating the traveling direction of the vehicle and the scenery in front of the vehicle.
Moreover, it displays as a left front wheel and a right front wheel by the left front wheel display part and the right front wheel display part of the advancing direction display part of a meter panel .

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the vehicle traveling direction indicated by the horizontal bar is displayed by a virtual bar in the meter panel.
As an effect, it becomes possible to use the horizontal bar arranged outside the vehicle compartment and the virtual bar inside the meter panel arranged inside the vehicle compartment depending on the situation. For example, the traveling direction of the vehicle is confirmed with a horizontal bar during daytime and fine weather, and with a virtual bar in the meter panel during nighttime and rainy weather.

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that a display device is provided in the upper part of the instrument panel, and the traveling direction of the vehicle can be grasped by viewing the virtual image of the horizontal bar of the T-shaped member on the display device. To do.
The driver can grasp the vehicle traveling direction by viewing the virtual image of the horizontal bar of the T-shaped member through the display device on the upper part of the instrument panel, and the virtual image of the horizontal bar is obtained when the T-shaped member is provided outside the passenger compartment. Therefore, when the virtual image is seen, the traveling direction of the vehicle can be immediately grasped.

In the invention according to claim 1, in the vehicle traveling direction display device that displays the traveling direction of the vehicle, the vehicle traveling direction display device includes a pole extending in the vertical direction indicating the traveling direction of the vehicle in the vicinity of one of the front wheels of the vehicle and a horizontal direction. An upwardly projecting T-shaped member composed of a bar is provided, and the T-shaped member is controlled by a control unit that controls driving in the vehicle traveling direction calculated based on the steering angle of the steering wheel. When the steering angle of the wheel is detected, based on the steering angle signal from the steering angle sensor, the control unit calculates the turning angle from one of the left and right front wheels from the steering angle, and based on this turning angle. together to calculate the direction of the horizontal bar of the T-shaped member, it sends a drive signal to the servo motor from the control unit rotates the T-shaped member, constituting the calculated direction to direct horizontal bar Te, car The traveling direction display unit for displaying the direction of the horizontal bars constituting the moving direction display apparatus is within the meter panel, provided above the speedometer and tachometer, the traveling direction display portion of the meter panel, as the contour of the vehicle front It consists of a contour display part that is displayed and a left front wheel display part and a right front wheel display part that are displayed as the left front wheel and the right front wheel so as to match the turning angle of the left front wheel and the right front wheel. The direction can be immediately grasped, and the vehicle can easily travel in a desired direction. In addition, since the direction in which the vehicle starts to move before starting the vehicle is known, garage entry and the like can be easily performed.
The display unit is displayed as the left front wheel and the right front wheel by the left front wheel display unit and the right front wheel display unit of the traveling direction display unit of the meter panel .

In the invention according to claim 2, since the vehicle traveling direction indicated by the horizontal bar is displayed with the virtual bar in the meter panel, the horizontal bar and the virtual bar in the meter panel can be selected and used, For example, it is possible to select according to the situation, such as a horizontal bar during daytime and fine weather, and a virtual bar in the meter panel during nighttime and rainy weather, so the usability can be improved.

In the invention according to claim 3, since the display device is provided on the upper part of the instrument panel and the display device can see the virtual image of the horizontal bar of the T-shaped member, the traveling direction of the vehicle can be grasped. Can see the moving direction of the vehicle by viewing the virtual image of the horizontal bar of the T-shaped member through the display device on the upper part of the instrument panel, and the virtual image of the horizontal bar is the same as when the T-shaped member is provided outside the passenger compartment. Therefore, when the virtual image is seen, the traveling direction of the vehicle can be immediately grasped.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are viewed in the direction of the reference numerals.
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a vehicle equipped with a traveling direction display device according to the present invention. A vehicle 10 includes a bumper cover 12 that covers the outside of a bumper at a lower front portion, and a left corner portion of the bumper cover 12. Further, a resin-made T-shaped member 16 constituting the vehicle traveling direction display device 15 indicating the vehicle traveling direction is a four-wheeled vehicle provided so as to protrude upward.

  The T-shaped member 16 includes a pole 17 extending in the vertical direction and a horizontal bar 18 attached horizontally to the upper end of the pole 17, and the horizontal bar 18 is always directed in the direction in which the vehicle travels. Reference numeral 21 denotes a left front wheel.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a traveling direction display device according to the present invention. The vehicle traveling direction display device 15 includes a steering angle sensor 32 that detects a steering angle (steering wheel angle) of the steering wheel 31 and the steering angle sensor 32. A control unit 33 to which a signal from the control unit 33 is input, a servo unit 34 incorporating a servo motor driven by the signal from the control unit 33, a universal joint 36 for transmitting the rotation of the servo motor to the T-shaped member 16, and T The character member 16 and a support portion 37 that rotatably supports the pole 17 of the T member 16, and the direction in which the horizontal bar 18 extends based on the steering angle of the steering wheel 31, that is, the traveling direction of the vehicle 10 indicates. Indicated.
The servo part 34 and the support part 37 are attached to the frame in the bumper cover 12.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a traveling direction display control device that performs control in the vehicle traveling display device according to the present invention.
The traveling direction display control device 40 for directing the T-shaped member 16 in the traveling direction of the vehicle includes a steering angle sensor 32, a control unit 33, and a servo motor 35.

When the steering angle θ of the steering wheel 31 is detected by the steering angle sensor 32, the control unit 33 goes straight from the steering angle to the left front wheel 21 (see FIG. 1) based on the steering angle signal SS from the steering angle sensor 32. The cutting angle α from the position is calculated, and the direction of the horizontal bar 18 (angle β from the vehicle longitudinal direction) is calculated based on the cutting angle α.
Then, the control unit 33 sends a drive signal SD to the servo motor 35, rotates the T-shaped member 16, and directs the horizontal bar 18 in the calculated direction.

  Since the vehicle traveling direction can be confirmed with such a horizontal bar 18, the driver can immediately grasp the traveling direction of the vehicle, so that the vehicle can easily travel in a desired direction. In addition, when the horizontal bar 18 indicating the vehicle traveling direction is viewed when the vehicle starts or stops, the driver can be alerted to the vehicle traveling.

FIG. 4 is a first action diagram (arrow (FRONT) represents the front of the vehicle; the same applies hereinafter) showing the point of calculating the direction of the horizontal bar according to the present invention.
When the T-shaped member 16 is attached to the left corner of the bumper cover, the angle of the left front wheel 21 from the straight traveling state is θL, the center distance (tread) between the left front wheel 21 and the right front wheel 22 is W, and the T-shaped member The distance in the vehicle width direction between the pole 17 and the center of the left front wheel 21 is wL, and the horizontal distance (wheelbase) between the axle centers of the left front wheel 21 and the right front wheel 22 and the left rear wheel 23 and the right rear wheel 24 is When the distance in the front-rear direction between L and the pole 17 and the center of the left front wheel 21 is dL, an angle φL of the straight line 18A corresponding to the horizontal bar from the front of the vehicle is expressed by equation (1).
That is, the angle of the horizontal bar, that is, the extending direction of the horizontal bar, which is the traveling direction of the vehicle, is obtained from the cutting angle θL of the left front wheel 21.

FIG. 5 is a second operation diagram showing a point for calculating the direction of the horizontal bar according to the present invention.
When the T-shaped member 16 is attached to the right corner of the bumper cover, the cutting angle from the straight traveling state of the right front wheel 22 is θR, and the distance in the vehicle width direction between the pole 17 of the T-shaped member 16 and the center of the right front wheel 22 is When wR and the distance in the front-rear direction between the pole 17 and the center of the right front wheel 22 are dR, the angle φR from the front of the vehicle of the straight line 18A corresponding to the horizontal bar is expressed by the equation (2).
That is, the angle of the horizontal bar, that is, the direction in which the horizontal bar extends, which is the traveling direction of the vehicle, is obtained from the cutting angle θR of the right front wheel 22.

  FIG. 6 is a front view showing a meter panel of a vehicle according to the present invention. The meter panel 50 includes a speedometer 51 for displaying the vehicle speed, a tachometer 52 for displaying the engine speed, and the speedometer 51 and the tachometer 52. And a traveling direction display unit 53 that displays the direction of the horizontal bar that constitutes the vehicle traveling direction display device 15 (see FIG. 2).

  The traveling direction display unit 53 includes a contour display unit 55 displayed as the contour of the front part of the vehicle, and a left front wheel displayed as the left front wheel 21 and the right front wheel 22 so as to coincide with the turning angle of the left front wheel 21 and the right front wheel 22. The display unit 56, the right front wheel display unit 57, the pole display unit 58 displayed as the pole 17 at the left corner of the contour display unit 55, and the pole display unit 58 so as to overlap the pole display unit 58 It consists of a bar 61 with arrows displayed so as to coincide with the direction of the horizontal bar, and line segments 62 and 63 indicating front and rear and left and right of the vehicle.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, first, in the present invention, in the vehicle traveling direction display device 15 that displays the traveling direction of the vehicle 10, a pole 17 is set up on the vehicle 10. A horizontal bar 18 indicating 10 traveling directions is attached.

  Thereby, the advancing direction of the vehicle 10 can be immediately grasped by the horizontal bar 18, and the vehicle 10 can be easily advanced in a desired direction. Further, when the horizontal bar 18 indicating the vehicle traveling direction is viewed when the vehicle starts or stops, the driver can be alerted to the vehicle traveling.

Secondly, the present invention is characterized in that, as shown in FIG. 3, the horizontal bar 18 is drive-controlled in the vehicle traveling direction calculated based on the steering angle θ of the steering wheel 31.
Thus, the vehicle traveling direction that is the direction of the horizontal bar (angle β) can be easily calculated from the steering angle θ of the steering wheel 31, and the driver can immediately grasp the vehicle traveling direction.

Thirdly, as shown in FIG. 6, the present invention is characterized in that the vehicle traveling direction indicated by the horizontal bar 18 (see FIG. 1) is displayed by a bar 61 with an arrow as a bar in the meter panel 50.
Thereby, the horizontal bar 18 and the bar 61 with an arrow in the meter panel 50 can be selected and used. For example, the horizontal bar 18 is used at daytime and in fine weather, and the arrow in the meter panel 50 is used at night and rainy weather. As the bar 61 can be selected according to the situation, the usability can be improved.

  FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the vehicle traveling direction display device according to the present invention. The vehicle traveling direction display device 70 is configured by replacing the vehicle traveling direction display device 15 shown in FIG. A display device 73 having a mirror 72 on the inside is provided at the top of the instrument panel 71.

  The driver can grasp the vehicle traveling direction by viewing the virtual image of the horizontal bar 18 of the T-shaped member 16 reflected on the mirror 72 through the window 74 of the display device 73. Since the virtual image of the horizontal bar 18 looks in the same direction as when the T-shaped member 16 is provided on the bumper cover, the traveling direction of the vehicle can be immediately grasped when the virtual image is viewed.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the T-shaped member 16 is rotatably attached to the support portion 37. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the rotation shaft is inserted into the pole and is attached to the upper end of the rotation shaft. A horizontal bar may be attached and rotated.
In addition, with respect to the equation (1) shown in FIG. 4 and the equation (2) shown in FIG. 5, when the vehicle speed is high, the equation considering the slip angle based on the equations (1) and (2) Also good.

  Further, in FIG. 7, the vehicle traveling direction display device 15 in the instrument panel 71 can be confirmed on the display device 73, but not limited to this, on the upper part of the instrument panel 71 or inside the instrument panel 71, A T-shaped member 16 and an illuminating device that illuminates the T-shaped member 16 are arranged, and are configured by a reflecting mirror, a lens, a combiner (consisting of a hologram, a half mirror, etc.), and the T-shaped member 16 is a front corner of an actual vehicle. You may use the head up display (HUD) which shows a virtual image so that it may be located in a part.

  The vehicle traveling direction display device of the present invention is suitable for a four-wheeled vehicle.

1 is a front perspective view of a vehicle including a vehicle traveling direction display device according to the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the vehicle advancing direction display apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram of the advancing direction display control apparatus which performs control by the vehicle progress display apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a 1st operation | movement figure which shows the point which calculates the direction of the horizontal bar which concerns on this invention. It is a 2nd operation | movement figure which shows the point which calculates the direction of the horizontal bar which concerns on this invention. It is a front view which shows the meter panel of the vehicle which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view which shows another embodiment of the vehicle advancing direction display apparatus which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Vehicle, 15 ... Traveling direction display apparatus, 12 ... Bumper cover, 16 ... T-shaped member, 17 ... Pole, 18 ... Horizontal bar, 21 , 21 ... Front left and right wheels, 31 ... Steering wheel, 32 ... Steering angle sensor, 33 Control unit, 35 Servo motor, 50 Meter panel, 51 Speedometer, 53 Progress indicator, 55 Contour display unit, 56, 57 Left and right front wheel display unit, 61 Virtual bar (arrow bar), 71 ... instrument panel, 73 ... display device, θ ... rudder angle.

Claims (3)

In the vehicle traveling direction display device (15) for displaying the traveling direction of the vehicle (10),
The vehicle traveling direction display device (15) includes a pole (17) and a horizontal bar (18) extending in the vertical direction indicating the traveling direction of the vehicle near one of the front wheels (21, 22) of the vehicle (10). A T-shaped member (16) protruding to
The T-shaped member (16) is controlled by a control unit (33) that controls driving in the vehicle traveling direction calculated based on the steering angle of the steering wheel (31).
When the steering angle of the steering wheel (31) is detected by the steering angle sensor (32), the control unit (33) controls the control from the steering angle based on the steering angle signal from the steering angle sensor (32). A cutting angle from one straight position of the left and right front wheels (21, 22) is calculated, and based on this cutting angle, the direction of the horizontal bar (18) of the T-shaped member (16) is calculated, and the control unit (33 ) To the servo motor (35), rotate the T-shaped member (16), and direct the horizontal bar (18) in the calculated direction,
A traveling direction display unit (53) for displaying the direction of the horizontal bar constituting the vehicle traveling direction display device (15) is provided in the meter panel (50) and above the speedometer (51) and the tachometer (52). ,
The traveling direction display part (53) of the meter panel (50)
It is displayed as a left front wheel (21) and a right front wheel (22) so as to coincide with the turning angle of the left front wheel (21) and the right front wheel (22), which is displayed as the contour of the front part of the vehicle. A left front wheel display part (56) and a right front wheel display part (57),
A vehicle traveling direction display device characterized by that. It said horizontal bar (18) is a car RyoSusumu row display device according to claim 1, wherein the displaying the vehicle traveling direction in a virtual bar in the meter panel (50) (61) shown. A display device (73) is provided on the upper part of the instrument panel (71), and the traveling direction of the vehicle can be grasped by viewing the virtual image of the horizontal bar (18) of the T-shaped member (16) on the display device (73). it was possible as in the vehicle RyoSusumu row direction display device according to claim 1, wherein.

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