JP6985423B2 - Shift device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a shift device operated by a vehicle driver to select a shift position.

Conventionally, an automatic transmission for accelerating or decelerating the rotation output by the prime mover of a vehicle has been known. As a transmission system including this automatic transmission, a shift-by-wire transmission system in which an in-vehicle computer unit for controlling the automatic transmission and a shift device for selecting a shift position are connected via a signal line has been put into practical use. Has been done. In this transmission system, an electric signal representing the shift position selected by the shift device is transmitted to the in-vehicle computer unit, and the automatic transmission is controlled according to the electric signal.

As a shift device corresponding to a shift-by-wire shifting system, for example, a device in which a magnet is attached to the rear end of a shift lever that can be operated in the shift direction and the select direction and a magnetic sensor for detecting the displacement position of the magnet is provided is proposed. (For example, see Patent Document 1 below). In this shift device, a sensor substrate on which a plurality of magnetic sensors are arranged is arranged so as to face the displacement region of the magnet. In this shift device, the shift position in which the shift lever is operated is detected by detecting the displacement position of the magnet at the rear end of the shift lever by using a plurality of magnetic sensors.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-22384

However, in the conventional shift device, it is necessary to secure a space for the magnet to be displaced so that the displacement positions of the magnet in two directions (shift direction and select direction) according to the operation of the shift lever can be detected, and the magnet must be displaced. It is necessary to arrange the magnetic sensor two-dimensionally corresponding to the displacement region. Since a relatively large-format sensor board is required, there is a problem that the difficulty of compact design of the device tends to increase.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a shift device in which a compact design is easy.

The present invention is a shift device for a vehicle provided with an operation unit that can be operated in shift directions and select directions that are orthogonal to each other.
Of the magnetism acting from the outside, at least a magnetic sensor that detects the direction of action of a component along a predetermined detection surface, and
It has a magnet that includes an N pole and an S pole and acts on the magnetic sensor.
The magnet is provided so that the direction connecting the N pole and the S pole faces the detection surface in a state of being along the detection surface.
In response to the operation of the operation unit along at least one of the shift direction and the select direction, the connecting direction is relatively rotated along the detection surface, whereby the detection surface is subjected to. It is in a shift device configured to change the direction of action of magnetism along it.

In the shift device of the present invention, a case where the direction of action of magnetism on the detection surface changes when the operation unit is operated is set. By detecting a change in the direction of action of magnetism, it is possible to detect an operation along at least one of the shift direction and the select direction. As described above, in the shift device of the present invention, the operation can be detected not by the change in the position of the magnet but by the change in the direction of action of the magnetism. In this shift device, there is little need to secure a displacement space for the magnet, and a compact design is relatively easy.

Explanatory drawing which shows the shift device in Example 1. FIG. The assembly drawing which shows the internal structure of the shift apparatus in Example 1. FIG. The explanatory view of the internal structure of the shift apparatus in Example 1. FIG. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a magnet in the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a magnet in the first embodiment. The explanatory view of the displacement of a magnet corresponding to the operation of a shift lever in Example 1. FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between a magnet and a detection surface in Example 1. FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows the other magnet 1 in Example 1. FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows the other magnet 2 in Example 1. FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows the other shift lever in Example 1. FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between a magnet and a detection surface in Example 2. FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows the support structure of the shift lever in Example 3. FIG.

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the following examples.
(Example 1)
This example is an example relating to the shift device 1 corresponding to the shift-by-wire shifting system. This content will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9.
The shift device 1 of FIG. 1 is an operation device for selecting a shift range set by an automatic transmission (not shown) mounted on a vehicle, and includes a shift knob (operation unit) 111 that serves as a handle of the driver. There is. The shift device 1 is connected to an ECU (in-vehicle computer unit (not shown)) that controls an automatic transmission via a signal line, and converts the operation information of the shift knob 111 by the driver into an electric signal and inputs it to the ECU.

In the illustrated shift device 1, the B range when engine braking is required, the D (drive) range when moving forward, the R (reverse) range when moving backward, and the N (neutral) range can be selected. In the shift device 1, as shown in FIG. 1, a shift position which is an operation position of the shift knob 111 corresponding to each shift range is set, and by operating the shift knob 111 at any shift position, the corresponding shift range can be set. Can be set selectively. In the following description, for example, the shift position corresponding to the D range is referred to as the D position.

In the shift device 1 of FIG. 1, the shift knob 111 can be operated in the shift direction along the traveling direction of the vehicle and the select direction along the vehicle width direction with the H (home) position as the initial position as the starting point of the operation. In this example of the shift device 1, when viewed from the driver side of the right-hand drive, the B position is on the front side in the shift direction (opposite side in the traveling direction, the rear side of the vehicle) and the N position is on the side that pulls in the select direction with respect to the H position (on the opposite side in the traveling direction, on the rear side of the vehicle). It is located on the right side), with the R position on the back side in the shift direction (travel direction side, front side of the vehicle) and the D position on the front side in the shift direction with respect to the N position.

If the driver operates the shift knob 111 to the B position on the front side in the shift direction with the H position shown in FIG. 1 as the starting point, the B range can be selected. The D range can be selected by moving the shift knob 111 from the H position along the select direction to temporarily operate the shift knob 111, and then operating the shift knob 111 to the D position on the front side in the shift direction. The R range can be selected by moving the shift knob 111 from the H position along the select direction to once operate the shift knob 111 to the N position, and then operating the shift knob 111 to the R position on the far side in the shift direction. In the shift device 1, the shift knob 111 is urged toward the H position, which is the starting point of the operation. For example, when the driver releases the shift knob 111 after operating the shift knob 111 to the D position, the shift knob 111 automatically returns to the H position.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the shift device 1 includes a rod-shaped shift lever 11 having a spherical portion 110 (FIG. 2) at one end thereof, and a housing 13 that rotatably supports the shift lever 11 (FIG. 2). It is configured to include FIG. 1) and. The shift knob 111 (FIG. 1) is attached to the end of the shift lever 11 on the opposite side of the spherical portion 110. In the shift device 1, the spherical portion 110 is housed in the ball receiving part 15 attached to the bottom surface of the box-shaped housing 13, and this housed structure enables the operation of the shift knob 111 accompanied by the rotation of the shift lever 11. There is.

On the outer peripheral surface of the spherical portion 110 of the shift lever 11, a drive pin 116 for driving a magnet 21 used for detecting the operation position of the shift knob 111, a regulation pin 118 for restricting the rotation of the shift knob 111, and a regulation pin 118 are provided. Is erected. The drive pin 116 is a pin having a columnar shaft portion and having a spherical sliding ball 116A on the tip end side. The regulation pin 118 is a shaft-shaped pin having a circular cross section.

The drive pin 116 is displaced in a direction close to the horizontal direction (hereinafter referred to as substantially horizontal direction) in response to the operation of the shift knob 111 in the shift direction, and slides in response to the operation of the shift knob 111 in the select direction. The ball 116A is provided on the spherical portion 110 so as to be displaced in a direction close to the vertical direction (hereinafter, referred to as a substantially vertical direction). The regulation pin 118 is displaced in the vertical direction in response to the operation of the shift knob 111 in the select direction, while when the shift knob 111 is operated in the shift direction, the shift knob 111 is not rotationally displaced in the axial direction and only rotates around the axis. It is provided in the spherical portion 110 so as to occur.

As described above, a ball receiving portion 15 having a spherical internal space corresponding to the spherical portion 110 of the shift lever 11 is attached to the bottom surface of the box-shaped housing 13 (FIG. 1). Further, a substrate 2 for detecting the operation position of the shift knob 111 is attached to the inner wall surface of the housing 13 located on the tip end side of the drive pin 116. Further, a shift panel 131 provided with a gate groove 130 for defining a movement path of the shift lever 11 is attached to the upper part of the housing 13.

The ball receiving portion 15 is formed by combining parts 15A and B (FIG. 2) having a half-split structure, and is screwed to, for example, the bottom surface of the housing 13. When the parts 15A and 15B having a two-divided structure are combined, a spherical internal space for accommodating the spherical portion 110 is formed inside the parts 15A and B. This spherical internal space is not a completely enclosed space, but is open to the outside through at least three openings 150A to C (FIG. 1).

The opening 150 includes an opening 150A for penetrating the shift lever 11, an opening 150B for penetrating the drive pin 116, and an opening 150C for penetrating the regulation pin 118. The openings 150A / B corresponding to the shift lever 11 and the drive pin 116 are widely formed with a margin so as not to interfere with the outer peripheral side surface of the shift lever 11 or the drive pin 116.

On the other hand, the opening 150C corresponding to the regulation pin 118 is formed corresponding to the path in which the regulation pin 118 moves in accordance with the displacement of the shift knob 111. As described above, the regulation pin 118 is provided so that when the shift knob 111 is operated in the shift direction, rotational displacement in the axial direction does not occur, and the displacement is displaced in the vertical direction in accordance with the operation of the shift knob 111 in the select direction. There is. The groove-shaped opening 150C extends along the vertical direction, and the groove width is set so narrow that the regulation pin 118 can be arranged through the regulation pin 118. Therefore, according to the opening 150, by interfering with the outer peripheral side surface of the regulation pin 118, the rotational displacement of the regulation pin 118 that may occur when the shift lever 11 is rotated is restricted, thereby rotating the shift knob 111. You can stop it.

On the substrate 2 (FIG. 2), in addition to the magnetic sensor IC (magnetic sensor) 201, an electron (not shown) for generating and outputting an electric signal representing a shift position selected by operating the shift knob 111 is mounted on the substrate 2 (FIG. 2). It is a board. In the substrate 2 corresponding to double-sided mounting, the magnetic sensor IC 201 is arranged facing the internal space of the housing 13, and other electronic components such as a microcomputer chip are arranged on the back surface thereof.

The magnetic sensor IC201 (FIG. 2) is a two-axis magnetic sensor capable of detecting the magnitude of magnetism in two orthogonal directions. The magnetic sensor IC 201 has a detection surface 201S defined by the two orthogonal directions, and the detection surface 201S is attached so as to be along the surface of the substrate 2. The magnetic sensor IC 201 detects the direction of action of magnetism on the detection surface 201S, and outputs a sensor signal indicating the direction of action. That is, the magnetic sensor IC 201 functions as a uniaxial rotation sensor that detects the rotation angle around the axis orthogonal to the detection surface 201S.
The microcomputer chip processes the sensor signal output by the magnetic sensor IC 201, detects the shift position in which the shift knob 111 is operated, and electrically outputs the operation signal indicating the shift position.

As shown in FIG. 2, an annular holder guide 23 is fixed to the surface of the substrate 2 on which the magnetic sensor IC 201 is arranged. The holder guide 23 is arranged so that the magnetic sensor IC 201 is located substantially at the center of the ring shape. The holder guide 23 holds a magnet holder 25 which is a substantially disk-shaped rotary table. The magnet 21 is held by the magnet holder 25 in a state where it can move forward and backward in the radial direction of the rotary table. In the shift device 1, the magnet 21 held on the substrate 2 via the magnet holder 25 and the holder guide 23 can be moved forward and backward along the surface of the substrate 2 and rotated in a plane along the substrate 2. It has become.

The magnet holder 25 (FIG. 2) is a member that holds a magnet 21 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is made of a non-magnetic material such as resin. The magnet holder 25 has a substantially disk-shaped outer shape, and has an advancing / retreating groove 250 that passes through the center in the radial direction. The advancing / retreating groove 250 formed on the surface opposite to the substrate 2 is a groove for accommodating the magnet 21 so as to be able to advance / retreat. The substantially disk-shaped magnet holder 25 in the assembled shift device 1 has its circular bottom surface facing the inner wall surface of the housing 13, and the advancing / retreating groove 250 formed in the radial direction is close to the vertical direction. It is held by the holder guide 23 in an extended state.

The holder guide 23 (FIG. 2) has an annular base portion 230 forming a base on the substrate 2 side, and has four holding claws 231 whose tips are bent inward in a key shape in the circumferential direction of the base portion 230. I have it in the place. The diameter of the inscribed circle of the four holding claws 231 substantially matches the diameter of the magnet holder 25. The holder guide 23 holds the substantially disk-shaped magnet holder 25 in a rotatable state inside the four holding claws 231.

The holder guide 23 is attached to the substrate 2 via a spacer 27 (FIG. 2) having an annular shape. The outer diameter of the spacer 27 substantially matches the outer diameter of the base portion 230 of the holder guide 23, and the inner diameter of the spacer 27 is smaller than that of the magnet holder 25. The thickness of the spacer 27 is a dimension slightly exceeding the mounting height of the magnetic sensor IC201. If the spacer 27 is interposed between the magnet holder 25 and the substrate 2, the gap between the upper surface of the magnetic sensor IC 201 and the bottom surface of the magnet holder 25 can be kept constant.

As shown in FIG. 4, the magnet 21 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped magnet in which three block-shaped magnets 21H, M, and L, in which the north pole and the south pole forming a magnetic pole pair face each other, are arranged. Of the three magnets 21H, M, and L, the two magnets 21H and L at both ends have the same side facing the N pole (the side surface shown in FIG. (B)), while the central magnet 21M. Is turned inside out, and the S pole faces the side of the other two magnets 21H and L facing the N pole.

In this magnet 21, in addition to forming a magnetic field in the direction in which the N pole and the S pole face each other by the magnetic pole pairs of the magnets 21H, M, and L, two different magnets 21H, M, and L are used. A magnetic field is also formed by a pair of magnetic poles formed by a combination of an N pole and an S pole that belong to each other and are adjacent to each other. Such a magnetic pole pair includes a magnetic pole pair 215A obtained by combining the N pole of the magnet 21H and the S pole of the magnet 21M, and a magnetic pole pair 215B obtained by combining the S pole of the magnet 21M and the N pole of the magnet 21L. It has been.

The magnetic pole pairs 215A and B form a magnetic field along the direction in which the magnet 21H, the magnet 21M, and the magnet 21L are adjacent to each other, that is, along the longitudinal direction of the magnet 21 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. Here, as described above, the magnet 21 has the advancing / retreating groove 250 in a state in which the longitudinal direction of the substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape coincides with the groove direction of the advancing / retreating groove 250 of the magnet holder 25 held in a state facing the substrate 2. Is housed in. Therefore, the magnetic field formed by the magnetic pole pairs 215A and 215 acts on the magnetism in the direction along the surface of the substrate 2.

In the following description, the N pole facing the substrate 2 of the magnet 21H arranged on the upper side (the side corresponding to the upper side of the shift knob side) in the longitudinal direction of the magnet 21 is referred to as a first N pole 211N, and is referred to as a first N pole 211N in the longitudinal direction of the magnet 21. The N pole facing the substrate 2 of the magnet 21L on the opposite side of the magnet 21H is referred to as a second N pole 212N. Further, the S pole facing the substrate 2 of the central magnet 21M is referred to as an S pole 21S. Further, the boundary between the first N pole 211N and the S pole 21S in the magnetic pole pair 215A is referred to as the first boundary B1, and the boundary between the second N pole 212N and the S pole 21S in the magnetic pole pair 215B is referred to as the second boundary B2. In the configuration of this example, the side surface of the magnet 21 formed by the first N pole 211N of the magnet 21H, the S pole 21S of the magnet 21M, and the second N pole 212N of the magnet 21L (the side surface shown in FIG. 4B) is , Facing the substrate 2.

In the magnet 21, a cylindrical ball holder 210 is erected on a side surface (side surface shown in FIG. 4A) opposite to the substrate 2. The ball holder 210 is provided so as to be positioned eccentrically from the rotation center of the magnet holder 25 in a state where the magnet 21 is held by the magnet holder 25. In the shift device 1, the sliding ball 116A of the drive pin 116 is housed in the ball holder 210, whereby the shift lever 11 and the magnet 21 are connected to each other (see FIGS. 1 and 3). The accommodating structure of the sliding ball 116A with respect to the ball holder 210 functions like a ball joint and allows the drive pin 116 to rotate with the displacement of the sliding ball 116A.

Here, as described above, in the shift device 1, the sliding ball 116A at the tip of the drive pin 116 is displaced in the substantially horizontal direction in response to the operation of the shift knob 111 in the shift direction, and slides in response to the operation of the shift knob 111 in the select direction. The moving ball 116A is displaced in the substantially vertical direction. On the other hand, the magnet 21 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape is housed in the advancing / retreating groove 250 of the magnet holder 25 extending near the vertical direction. Therefore, if the sliding ball 116A is displaced in the substantially vertical direction in response to the operation of the shift knob 111 in the select direction, the magnet 21 advances and retreats in the longitudinal direction along the advancing / retreating groove 250. Further, when the shift knob 111 is operated in the shift direction, the sliding ball 116A housed in the ball holder 210 located eccentrically from the center of rotation thereof is displaced in the substantially horizontal direction while the magnet holder 25 is rotated. Since the magnet 21 rotates together with the magnet holder 25, the magnet 21 rotates in its longitudinal direction.

In this way, in the shift device 1, the magnet 21 is held by the substrate 2 via the magnet holder 25 and the holder guide 23. The drive pin 116 is engaged with the magnet 21, which enables the magnet 21 to move forward and backward and rotate according to the operation of the shift knob 111. That is, in the shift device 1, a drive mechanism that changes the relative positional relationship between the magnet 21 and the magnetic sensor IC 201 is configured by the magnet holder 25, the holder guide 23, and the drive pin 116.

Next, in the shift device 1 configured as described above, a method of detecting the shift position will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 shows the rotation position and the advance / retreat position of the magnet 21 at each position. FIG. 6 shows the positional relationship between the magnet 21 and the detection surface 201S at each position. The vertically long parallelogram added for each position in FIG. 5 represents the side surface shape of the magnet 21 facing the substrate 2, and the parallelogram of the thick frame shown on the inside of the parallelogram is the parallelogram. It represents the detection surface 201S of the magnetic sensor IC201. Each figure of FIG. 6 rewrites the relative positional relationship between this parallelogram corresponding to the magnet 21 and the parallelogram of the thick frame representing the detection surface 201S into a front view for easy understanding. Is. As described above, in the shift device 1, the side surface of the magnet 21 formed by the first N pole 211N of the magnet 21H, the S pole 21S of the magnet 21M, and the second N pole 212N of the magnet 21L faces the substrate 2.

When the shift knob 111 is in the H position (see FIG. 5), the detection surface 201S of the magnetic sensor IC 201 is in a state of facing the second boundary B2 of the magnet 21. In this state, on the detection surface 201S, the upward magnetism in FIG. 6 from the second N pole 212N to the S pole 21S acts.

When the shift knob 111 is operated from the H position to the B position on the front side in the shift direction (when viewed from the driver side), the magnet 21 rotates with the magnet holder 25 rotating while facing the detection surface 201S. As a result, the longitudinal direction of the magnet 21 is displaced in the rotational direction. In this case, the direction of the magnetic field from the second N pole 212N to the S pole 21S is rotated by the rotation of the magnet 21 while maintaining the state where the second boundary B2 of the magnet 21 faces the detection surface 201S. As a result, the direction of action of magnetism on the detection surface 201S changes. That is, the direction of the magnetism acting on the magnetic sensor IC 201 changes according to the rotation of the magnet 21 without switching the magnetic pole pair 215 that acts on the magnetic sensor IC 201.

When the shift knob 111 is operated from the H position to the N position in the select direction, the magnet 21 moves downward in the longitudinal direction along the advancing / retreating groove 250 of the magnet holder 25. In this case, the state in which the second boundary B2 of the magnet 21 faces the detection surface 201S is switched to the state in which the first boundary B1 faces. At this time, the direction of action of magnetism on the detection surface 201S is reversed from the upper part in FIG. 6 from the second N pole 212N to the S pole 21S to the lower part in the figure from the first N pole 211N to the S pole 21S. That is, the magnetic pole pair 215A including the first boundary B1 is switched to the magnetic pole pair 215B including the second boundary B2, so that the magnetic action direction on the detection surface 201S is reversed.

Further, when the shift knob 111 is operated from the N position to the D position, the longitudinal direction of the magnet 21 is displaced in the rotational direction according to the rotation of the magnet holder 25, as in the case of the above operation from the H position to the B position. .. In this case, the magnet 21 is tilted while maintaining the state where the first boundary B1 of the magnet 21 faces the detection surface 201S, and the direction of the magnetic field from the first N pole 211N to the S pole 21S is rotated, thereby rotating the detection surface. The direction of action of magnetism in 201S changes.

As described above, in the shift device 1 of this example, when the operation in the shift direction from the H position to the B position or from the N position to the R position or the D position is performed, the shift device 1 is driven by the shift lever 11 and held by the magnet holder 25. The magnet 21 is rotated, whereby the direction of action of magnetism on the detection surface 201S changes in the direction of rotation. The microcomputer chip mounted on the substrate 2 detects the operating position in the shift direction by detecting such a change in the acting direction of magnetism.

Further, when the operation in the select direction from the H position to the N position is performed, the magnet 21 moves forward and backward in the longitudinal direction along the detection surface 201S, and the portion facing the detection surface 201S is the second magnet 21. The boundary B2 is switched to the first boundary B1. In the magnetic pole pair 215A including the first boundary B1 and the magnetic pole pair 215B including the second boundary B2, the arrangements of the N pole and the S pole are exchanged and the directions of the magnetic fields are opposite, so that the action of magnetism on the detection surface 201S The direction is opposite. Therefore, by detecting the rotation (reversal) of 180 degrees in the direction of action of magnetism on the detection surface 201S, the operation in the select direction can be detected.

By detecting the direction of magnetic action on one magnetic sensor IC 201, the shift device 1 can detect the operation of the two-dimensional shift knob 111 along the orthogonal shift direction and select direction. Compared with the conventional shift device that needs to secure the displacement space of the magnet and arrange the magnetic sensor IC in two dimensions, the shift device 1 has less need to secure the displacement space of the magnet, and the magnetic sensor IC 201 is used. The space required for placement is also much smaller, which facilitates compact design.

In this example, the magnet 21 is configured so that the S pole 21S is located in the center and the N poles 211N and 212N are located on both sides of the substrate 2 facing the substrate 2. Instead of this, a magnet may be adopted in which the S pole is located on both sides and the N pole is located in the center. Further, instead of the magnet 21 in which the three magnets 21H, M, and L are arranged in parallel, a magnet 21 composed of a combination of two magnets 21A and B arranged facing each other with the S pole inside is adopted as shown in FIG. You may. In this case, the combination of the north pole and the south pole of the magnets 21A and 21B becomes a magnetic pole pair that acts on the magnetic sensor IC 201. The magnets 21A and B facing the magnetic sensor IC 201 are operated when the shift knob 111 is operated in the shift direction column to which the H position belongs and when the shift knob 111 is operated in the shift direction column to which the N position belongs. It is good to configure it so that it switches. For example, by magnetizing a plastic magnet, it is possible to form a magnet 21 in which two magnets 21A and 21B are integrated. Alternatively, for example, a magnet 21 in which the two magnets 21A and B are integrated may be formed by insert molding in which a molten resin material is poured around the two magnets 21A and B and cured. The two magnets 21A and 21B may be arranged so that the directions of the magnetic fields are different as shown in FIG. 8 instead of arranging the two magnets 21A and B with the S pole inside. Further, magnets 21 may be formed by arranging three or more magnets having different directions of magnetic fields side by side. In this case, for example, a shift device that operates a shift knob along each of three or more rows in the shift direction can be supported. The operation of the two-dimensional shift knob including three or more rows of shift directions can be detected by only one magnetic sensor IC.

Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 9, three elongated sheet-shaped magnet plates 218 may be attached in parallel to the outer peripheral surface of the spherical portion 110 of the shift lever 11, and the magnetism of these magnet plates 218 may act on the magnetic sensor IC 201. .. The south pole of the central magnet plate 218 may be directed outward, and the north poles of the magnet plates 218 on both sides may be directed outward. Instead of the magnet plate 218, for example, by magnetizing the outer peripheral surface of the spherical portion 110 or attaching a magnetic tape or the like to the outer peripheral surface of the spherical portion 110, the N pole region is arranged on both sides of the S pole region. It is also possible to provide the formed portion on the outer peripheral surface of the spherical portion 110. In this case, the drive mechanism for rotating, advancing and retreating the magnet 21 can be omitted. If the drive mechanism is omitted, the magnetic sensor IC 201 can be arranged close to the spherical portion 110, further facilitating a compact design. Further, in the case of this configuration, there is a possibility that the number of parts can be reduced, and the cost can be easily reduced.

This example is an example of a configuration in which the magnet 21 driven by the shift lever 11 is displaced with respect to the substrate 2 fixed to the housing 13. Instead of this configuration, for example, the magnetic sensor IC 201 may be provided on the spherical portion 110 of the shift lever 11. The magnetic sensor IC 201 may be configured to be displaced by following the shift lever 11 with respect to the magnet 21 fixed to the housing 13 side. Further, both the magnet 21 and the magnetic sensor IC 201 may be displaced according to the shift lever 11, and the relative positional relationship between the two may be changed.

Further, in this example, the magnet 21 rotates according to the operation of the shift knob 111 in the shift direction, and the magnet 21 moves forward and backward in the longitudinal direction when the shift knob 111 is operated in the select direction. Instead of this configuration, a configuration may be adopted in which the magnet 21 moves forward and backward when operating in the shift direction, and the magnet 21 rotates when operating in the select direction.

In this example, the magnetic sensor IC 201 is provided so as to face the spherical portion 110 of the shift lever 11. The arrangement of the substrate 2 including the magnetic sensor IC 201 is not limited to the side of the shift lever 11. The arrangement of the substrate 2 including the magnetic sensor IC 201 can be appropriately changed as long as the operation of the shift knob 111 along the shift direction and the select direction can be detected.

In this example, a two-axis magnetic sensor capable of detecting magnetism acting in two orthogonal directions is adopted, but instead of this, a three-axis magnetometer capable of detecting magnetism acting in three directions orthogonal to each other is adopted. It is also good to adopt a sensor. In the shift device 1, when the shift knob 111 is operated in the select direction as described above, the state in which the second boundary B2 of the magnet 21 faces the detection surface 201S of the magnetic sensor changes to the state in which the first boundary B1 faces. It switches, which causes the direction of action of the magnetism on the detection surface 201S to rotate 180 degrees. In the middle of such switching, a state in which the S pole 21S of the magnet 21 faces the detection surface 201S occurs, and in this state, magnetism in a direction orthogonal to the detection surface 201S acts. Therefore, when the 180-degree rotation of the magnetism in the action direction on the detection surface 201S can be detected and the magnetism in the action direction orthogonal to the detection surface 201S can be detected in the middle of the 180-degree rotation, the operation in the select direction is performed. It may be configured to detect. In this case, the operation in the select direction can be detected with higher certainty.

(Example 2)
This example is an example of a shift device having improved detection reliability based on the shift device 1 of the first embodiment. This content will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 10. The figure corresponds to FIG. 6 in the first embodiment.
In the shift device 1 of this example, the arrangement configuration of the magnet 21 and the magnetic sensor IC is different from that of the first embodiment. The magnet 21 is a combination of four magnets so that two N poles and two S poles are alternately arranged in the longitudinal direction facing the magnetic sensor IC. In this magnet 21, N pole, S pole, N pole, and S pole are arranged in order from the top in FIG. 10 on the side surface on the magnetic sensor IC side, whereby three pairs of magnetic pole pairs 215A, B, and C are arranged. Is formed. In this magnet 21, the boundary B1 (the boundary of the magnetic pole pair 215A), the boundary B2 (the boundary of the magnetic pole pair 215B), and the boundary B3 (the boundary of the magnetic pole pair 215C) forming the boundary of the magnetic poles at intervals corresponding to the span S2 of the magnetic poles. Is formed.

On the substrate facing the magnet 21 (not shown), two magnetic sensor ICs are arranged at intervals, and two detection surfaces 201A and B are formed. The two magnetic sensor ICs are arranged so that the spans S1 of the detection surfaces 201A and B substantially coincide with the span S2 forming the distance between the magnetic poles of the magnet 21.

When the shift knob 111 is in the H position, the detection surface 201A faces the boundary B2 of the magnetic poles, and the detection surface 201B faces the boundary B3. For example, when the shift knob 111 is operated from this H position to the B position on the front side in the shift direction, the magnet 21 is rotated according to the shift lever 11. In this case, the magnet 21 is tilted and the direction of the magnetic field is rotated while maintaining the state in which the detection surfaces 201A / B face the boundaries B2 / B3, whereby the direction of action of the magnetism on the detection surfaces 201A / B changes.

Further, for example, when the shift knob 111 is operated from the H position to the N position in the select direction, the magnet 21 is driven by the shift lever 11 and moves downward in FIG. 10. In this case, the state where the boundary B2 faces the detection surface 201A is switched to the state where the boundary B1 faces the detection surface 201A, and the state where the boundary B3 faces the detection surface 201B changes to the state where the boundary B2 faces the detection surface 201B. At the boundaries B1 and B2 and the boundaries B2 and B3, the directions of the magnetic fields are opposite, so that the direction of magnetic action on the detection surfaces 201A and B is reversed according to the operation to the N position.

According to the shift device 1 of this example, since the operation position of the shift knob 111 is detected by using two magnetic sensor ICs having the detection surfaces 201A and B, the reliability and certainty of the detection can be improved.
In this example, when the shift knob 111 is operated at any position, the detection surfaces 201A and B are configured to face different boundaries. Instead of this configuration, when the shift knob 111 is operated at any position, only one detection surface may be configured to face any boundary.
The other configurations and effects are the same as in Example 1.

(Example 3)
This example is an example in which the configuration is changed so as to detect the operation position of the shift lever 11 (shift knob) in the shift direction according to the action direction of magnetism based on the first embodiment. This content will be described with reference to FIG.

In the shift device 1 of this example, a bottomed cylindrical swing block 19 is interposed between the shift lever 11 that can be operated in the shift direction and the select direction and the housing 13. The swing block 19 is rotatably supported via a select shaft 191 fixed to the housing 13. Further, the swing block 19 has a shaft hole of the shift shaft 119 on its outer peripheral surface, and rotatably supports the shift shaft 119 fitted to the shift lever 11 in a penetrating state. In this shift device 1, the shift lever 11 can rotate in the select direction by the rotation of the swing block 19 about the select shaft 191. Further, the shift lever 11 can rotate about the shift axis 119 orthogonal to the select axis 191 in the shift direction.

A bar magnet 219 is provided on the bottom surface of the swing block 19 and projects downward. A substrate 29 on which the Hall element 202 is mounted is mounted on the bottom surface of the housing 13 so that the end faces of the bar magnets 219 face each other. For example, according to the three Hall elements 202 arranged in the select direction, the operation of the shift lever 11 in the select direction can be detected.

The shift shaft 119 penetrates the side wall of the swing block 19 and slightly protrudes from the outer peripheral side surface of the swing block 19. A magnet 119M is attached to the end of the shift shaft 119 protruding from the outer peripheral side surface on the broken side in FIG. 11. The magnet 119M has an end face having the same circular shape as the cross-sectional shape of the shift shaft 119, and half of the end face has an N pole (dot portion) and the other half has an S pole (oblique hatch portion). Therefore, when the shift lever 11 is operated in the shift direction, the direction of the magnetic field of the magnet 119M rotates according to the rotation of the shift shaft 119 fitted in the shift lever 11.

A sensor substrate (not shown) on which a magnetic sensor IC capable of detecting the direction of magnetic action on the detection surface 201S is mounted is provided on the outer peripheral side surface of the swing block 19. This sensor board is attached so that the magnet 119M forming the end of the shift shaft 119 faces the detection surface 201S. The shift device 1 can detect the rotation position of the shift shaft 119 according to the direction of action of magnetism on the detection surface 201S, whereby the operation position in the shift direction can be detected.

A magnet including a plurality of magnetic pole pairs having different directions of the magnetic field, such as the magnet 21 of the first embodiment, may be adopted. For example, it is preferable to configure the magnetic sensor so that the pair of magnetic poles that exert magnetism is switched when the sensor is operated in either direction. In this case, one of the operations can be detected by rotating the magnetic action direction with respect to the magnetic sensor (for example, rotating by 180 degrees).
The other configurations and effects are the same as in Example 1.

Although the specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail as in the examples, these specific examples merely disclose an example of the technique included in the claims. Needless to say, the scope of claims should not be construed in a limited manner by the composition and numerical values of specific examples. The scope of claims includes technologies that are variously modified, modified, or appropriately combined with the above-mentioned specific examples by utilizing known technologies, knowledge of those skilled in the art, and the like.

1 Shift device 11 Shift lever 110 Spherical part 111 Shift knob (operation part)
116 Drive pin 116A Sliding ball 118 Regulation pin 13 Housing 130 Gate groove 131 Shift panel 15 Ball receiving part 2 Board 201 Magnetic sensor IC (magnetic sensor)
201S Detection surface 21 Magnet 215A to C Magnetic pole pair 23 Holder guide 25 Magnet holder (rotary table)
250 advance / retreat groove

Claims (5)

A shift device for a vehicle having an operation unit that can be operated in the shift direction and the select direction that are orthogonal to each other.
Of the magnetism acting from the outside, at least a magnetic sensor that detects the direction of action of a component along a predetermined detection surface, and
It has a magnet that includes an N pole and an S pole and acts on the magnetic sensor.
The magnet is provided so that the direction connecting the N pole and the S pole faces the detection surface in a state of being along the detection surface.
In response to the operation of the operation unit along at least one of the shift direction and the select direction, the connecting direction is relatively rotated along the detection surface, whereby the detection surface is subjected to. A shift device configured to change the direction of action of magnetism along it. In claim 1, the magnet includes at least two pairs of magnetic poles which are composed of a combination of N pole and S pole and have different directions of action of magnetism on the detection surface.
When the operation unit is operated along one of the shift direction and the select direction, the direction of the magnetism acting on the magnetic sensor changes from any one magnetic pole pair belonging to the magnet.
A shift device that switches a pair of magnetic poles belonging to the magnet that exerts magnetism on the magnetic sensor when the operation unit is operated along the other direction of the shift direction and the select direction. In claim 2, a drive mechanism that changes the relative positional relationship between the magnet and the magnetic sensor by displacing at least one of the magnet and the magnetic sensor according to the operation of the operation unit. The shift device is equipped with. In claim 3, the drive mechanism includes a rotary table that can rotate while facing the detection surface, and the rotary table holds the magnet so as to be able to move forward and backward along the detection surface. The shift device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising at least two magnetic sensors arranged so that the magnetic pole pairs acting on the magnetism are different.

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