JPH0510198U - Amphibious vehicle steering system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To obtain a steering device that is easy to operate, has no erroneous operations and malfunctions, is simple, and does not cause discomfort in steering. [Structure] A tie rod 9 that appropriately transmits a steering force via a steering unit 8 to a front wheel 3 is provided with a cable 10 for transmitting a displacement of the tie rod 9 to a water-operated rudder member 5 for turning operation.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a steering device for an amphibious vehicle.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Generally, amphibious vehicles tend to have poorer navigation performance than ordinary ships because the front wheels are also designed to steer when traveling on water. In order to improve this, it is conceivable to provide a steering mechanism for water traveling separately from the steering mechanism for land traveling. However, if both steering devices are installed side by side in the driver's seat, the mechanisms of both sides interfere with each other, making it extremely difficult to operate.

To address such a problem, the present applicant previously installed a steering mechanism for land traveling and for water traveling on a common steering shaft, and at the same time, connects any one of them to the shaft. A steering device provided with means was invented and filed (Japanese Patent Application No. 2-339641). With this configuration, it is possible to obtain a steering device that makes it easy to perform both steering operations for land traveling and water traveling, and is free from erroneous operations.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, the above-mentioned proposal has a problem that the structure of the switching means has to be robust and complicated so that the control system for running on the water does not suddenly switch to the operating system for running on land.

Further, as a conventional technique in which a steering wheel for land traveling and a steering device for water traveling are provided side by side, there is a "steering device for amphibious vehicle" (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-2603). .. However, in this proposal, a gearbox for running on water is provided on the steering shaft, so the increase or change in friction or rattling due to the provision of the gearbox will be directly transmitted to the driver, and the steering feeling will be uncomfortable. There is a problem of giving.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a steering device for an amphibious vehicle that is easy to operate, has no erroneous operations and malfunctions, has a simple structure, and does not deteriorate steering feeling. It was created accordingly.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The present invention is a linear member for transmitting a steering force via a steering gear to a steering wheel for land traveling as appropriate to a steering link mechanism for transmitting the displacement of the mechanism to a rudder member for underwater traveling to perform a turning operation. Is provided.

[0008]

[Action]

 With the above structure, the steering torque and the rotational displacement of the steering wheel are converted into an appropriate force by the steering gear and transmitted to the steering link mechanism. The linear member transmits the displacement of the link mechanism to the rudder member for traveling on water, thereby realizing desired steering during traveling on water.

[0009]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show a first embodiment of a steering device for an amphibious vehicle according to the present invention. This amphibious vehicle has a hull 2 having a driver's seat 1 and formed in a predetermined boat shape, an engine (not shown) as a drive source, and wheels 3, 4 for traveling on land. In addition, a propulsion device (not shown) and a rudder member 5 for traveling on water are provided at the rear of the hull. The wheels 3 and 4 are formed so that they can be stored in the hull 2 when traveling on water by an elevating mechanism (not shown). The storage portion (not shown) is formed in such a size that the wheels 3 and 4 can be steered in the stored state without any problem. At the position of the driver's seat 1, a steering mechanism similar to that of an ordinary automobile is provided, and the rotation of the steering wheel 6 is sequentially transmitted to the steering shaft 7, the steering unit (steering gear) 8, and the tie rod 9 so that the front wheel 3 is It is designed to be swiveled around a kingpin (not shown). The steering device is configured by connecting a cable 10, which is a linear member connected to the rudder member 5, to a tie rod 9 which is a steering link mechanism.

The rudder member 5 is formed so as to be able to turn about a vertical axis 11 provided at the rear end of the hull 2. The cable 10 is extended by two guide tubes 12 along both sides of the hull 2, one end of which is fixed so as to be parallel to the tie rod 9 and the other end of which is the base end side of the rudder member 5. It is attached at a right angle to. Therefore, when the tie rod 9 reciprocates substantially in the longitudinal direction by the operation of the steering wheel 6, the cable 10 pushes or pulls the rudder member 5 to perform a turning operation. The transmission method of the cable 10 may be "push-pull" as well as "push-pull".

In addition to this, the steering unit 8 is provided with a control unit 13 and a power unit 14 that constitute power steering, and is designed to apply an assisting force to reduce the operating force of the steering wheel 6 by the driver. There is.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

When the vehicle travels on land, the steering is performed by changing the direction of the front wheels 3 by rotating the steering wheel 6 in the same manner as an ordinary automobile. When switching to water traveling, the wheels 3 and 4 are stored in the hull 2 and then the steering wheel 6 is rotated as in the case of land traveling. This rotation is transmitted from the steering shaft 7 to the tie rod 9 via the steering unit 8. Then, the cable 10 is reciprocally moved by the tie rod 9 to rotate the rudder member 5.

In this way, the cable 10 connected to the water-operated rudder member 5 is connected to the tie rod 9 that transmits the steering force to the front wheels 4, and the rotation of the steering wheel 6 causes the turning operation of the rudder member 5. Since the conversion is performed, steering operation for both land and land can be easily performed, and erroneous operation and erroneous operation can be prevented. Further, since a complicated switching means is unnecessary, a simple structure can be achieved, which contributes to cost reduction. Further, by connecting to the tie rod 9 after passing through the steering unit 8 equipped with power steering, the assisting force can be utilized during the operation, and the driver's uncomfortable feeling when steering can be eliminated.

Although the cable 10 is connected to the tie rod 9 in this embodiment, it may be appropriately connected to a knuckle arm (not shown) provided between the tie rod 9 and the front wheel 3.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

This embodiment shows a case where it is applied to a steering mechanism having a rack and pinion type steering gear, and the base end portions 23 of the left and right tie rods 22 connected to the steering unit 21 are driven by water. A cable 25 connected to a steering rudder member 24 is detachably provided. That is, the reciprocating movement in the width direction of the base end portion 23 is transmitted to the rudder member 24 and turned. The driver's seat is provided with a steering-switching shift lever 26 for operating attachment / detachment of the cable 25.

As shown in FIG. 4, the base ends of the two tie rods 22 are fixed to the rack middle portion 27 with bolts 28, and the attachment plate 29 thereof has a connecting portion member 30 for fitting with the cable side. Are fastened together. As shown in FIG. 5, the connecting member 30 is a plate that is folded back so as to sandwich the base end of the tie rod 22, and a fitting hole 31 is formed in the bottom portion thereof. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, the end of the cable 25 is attached to a fitting member 33 movably provided in the pipe 32, and the tip of the fitting member 33 is attached to and detached from the fitting hole 31. It has become. The pipe 32 is fixed on the base 35 via the jack 34, and is held so as to face the connecting member 30. A slit 36 for protruding the tip of the fitting member 33 is formed on the connecting member side of the pipe 32, and a spring 37 for centering is accommodated therein. The jack 34 is composed of a link member 38 similar to that of an on-vehicle jack, and is expanded and contracted vertically by pushing and pulling a wire 39 connected to the shift lever 26, so that the fitting member 33 in the pipe is connected to the connecting member 30. It is designed to be engaged or disengaged.

With this configuration, when the vehicle travels on land, the shift lever 26 is operated to separate the fitting member 33 from the connecting member 30 and disconnect the cable 25 from the steering unit 21, thereby allowing the vehicle to travel on land. It is possible to completely eliminate the discomfort when steering. Other configurations, functions, and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment, and therefore omitted.

Although the second embodiment is shown as the center take-off type, the side take-off type is also applicable.

[0022]

[Effect of the device]

 In short, according to the present invention, the following excellent effects are exhibited.

Since the steering link mechanism for transmitting the steering force via the steering gear to the steered wheels is provided with the linear member for transmitting the displacement thereof to the rudder member for traveling on water, the operation for land traveling and water traveling can be performed. Both of them can be easily performed, and there is no erroneous operation or erroneous operation, and it is possible to provide a steering device that is easy and has no feeling of strangeness in steering.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of a steering device for an amphibious vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of part A of FIG.

5A and 5B are views showing the connecting member of FIG. 4, in which FIG. 5A is a front view, FIG. 5B is a side view, and FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Front wheels (steering wheels for land running) 5 Steering member 8 Steering unit (steering gear) 9 Tie rod (steering link mechanism) 10 Cable (linear member)

Continuation of the front page (72) Haruhisa Taguchi Inventor, Isuzu Central Research Institute, No. 8 Tsutana, Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture

Claims (1)

[Claims for utility model registration] Claims: 1. A steering link mechanism for appropriately transmitting steering force via a steering gear to a steering wheel for land traveling, and transmitting the displacement of the mechanism to a rudder member for water traveling. A steering device for an amphibious vehicle, which is provided with a linear member for performing a turning operation.