JPH05246261A - Operating device for vehicular automatic transmission - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance the operationability of an operating switch to a great extent by providing the operating switch which outputs necessary signals to control an automatic transmission, at the member faced to a cabin of an operating device main body section. CONSTITUTION:The operating device main body section of an operating device 10 is provided at a place close to the portion faced to a steering handle of an instrument panel, a shift lever 13 is provided in such a way as to be projected to the cabin side of the operating device main body section, and the tip ends of fingers other than a thumb finger are directed to a cover member 23 when the fingers are extended in a state that a hand covers the upper side of an operating knob 27. By this constitution, when the operating knob 27 is provided comparatively close to the cover member 23, any portion within a specified area out of the cover member 23 can be touched by a forefinger or a middle finger in a state that the hand covers the operating knob 27, and consequently the allocation of an operating switch 45 in the specified area enables the operating switch 45 to be operated in a state that the hand covers the operating knob 27.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operating device for an automatic transmission for a vehicle, and more particularly to an operating device for an automatic transmission for a vehicle provided near an instrument panel facing a steering wheel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, as an operating device for an automatic transmission,
A floor-type operating device provided between the front seats of the center console is widely used. In the floor type operation device, in order to improve the operability of switches that output signals necessary for controlling the automatic transmission, for example, a hold switch is provided below the operation knob of the shift operation lever, and the operation knob is provided. There is also a structure in which the hold switch can be operated with the thumb of the hand. However, in the floor type operation device, it is difficult to effectively use the space between the left and right front seats because the shift operation lever is provided in a protruding shape between the left and right front seats, and the habitability deteriorates. There is a problem. Therefore, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-10911 discloses that an operating device for an automatic transmission is provided above the instrument panel so that the space between the left and right front seats can be effectively used. However, in the operating device described in the above publication, the floor type operating device is basically arranged as it is on the upper part of the instrument panel, and the shift operation lever is substantially above the upper wall part of the instrument panel. It is provided so as to project toward.

[0003]

In the operating device described in the above publication, the shift operating lever is provided so as to project substantially upward from the upper wall portion of the instrument panel, and the height position of the operating knob is comfortable. Since it is much higher than the holding position of the steering handle in the driving posture, the operability of the shift operation lever is significantly reduced, and switches such as a hold switch that can be operated with the thumb are used like the floor type operation device. If the layout is made on the operation knob, there is a problem that the operability is significantly reduced. Therefore, it is also possible to improve the operability of the shift operating lever by providing an operating device in front of the instrument panel and setting the height position of the shift operating lever near the holding position of the steering wheel in a comfortable driving posture. However, even in this case, since the operation knob is arranged near the steering wheel and the degree of freedom of the driver's arm is significantly restricted, the switches such as the hold switch are not attached to the operation knob without significantly reducing the operability. Is difficult to lay out. For this reason, these switches are separately provided on the instrument panel or the like, but the operation cannot be performed while the operation knob is placed on the hand, resulting in low operability.
An object of the present invention is to provide an operating device for an automatic transmission for a vehicle, which can improve the operability of switches that output signals necessary for controlling the automatic transmission.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operating device for an automatic transmission for a vehicle, an operating device main body portion provided near a portion of an instrument panel facing a steering handle, and an operating device main body portion. A control device for an automatic transmission for a vehicle, comprising: a shift operation lever extending in a protruding manner from a device main body toward a vehicle compartment, wherein the automatic transmission is controlled by a cover member facing the vehicle interior of the operation device main body. An operation switch for outputting a necessary signal is provided, and the operation switch is arranged at a position where it can be operated by the finger of the hand hung on the shift operation lever when the shift operation lever is in the traveling range.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle automatic transmission operating device according to the first aspect, wherein the traveling range is a forward traveling range. An operating device for an automatic transmission for a vehicle according to claim 3 is the device according to claim 1, wherein the operation switch is one or more of a hold switch, a lockup switch, an economy mode setting switch, and a power mode setting switch. Is the switch of.

[0006]

According to the present invention, the cover member facing the vehicle interior of the operating device main body is provided with an operation switch for outputting a signal necessary for controlling the automatic transmission, and the shift operation lever is in the traveling range. Since the operation switch is arranged in a position where it can be operated by the finger of the hand hung on the shift operation lever, the operability of the operation switch can be greatly improved. In other words, the operating device body of the operating device is provided near the portion of the instrument panel that faces the steering handle, and the shift operating lever is provided so as to project from the operating device body toward the passenger compartment. When the fingers are extended with the hand on the upper side, the tips of the fingers other than the thumb will face the cover member side. Therefore, when the operation knob is provided relatively close to the cover member, the portion of the cover member within the predetermined area can be touched with the index finger or the middle finger while the operation knob is being held. By disposing the operation switch in a portion within the predetermined area, it is possible to operate the operation switch while holding the operation knob.

In the second aspect, since the traveling range is the forward traveling range, it is possible to prevent erroneous operation of the operation switch at a shift range position other than the forward traveling range. In the third aspect, the operation switch is one or more of the hold switch, the lockup switch, the economy mode setting switch, and the power mode setting switch, so that the operability of these switches can be improved.

[0008]

As described in the above section, the following effects can be obtained. According to claim 1, since the operation switch is provided on the cover member, when the shift operation lever is in the traveling range, the operation switch can be operated by the finger of the hand hung on the shift operation lever, and the operability of the operation switch is greatly improved. Can be improved. According to the second aspect, since the traveling range is the forward traveling range, it is possible to prevent erroneous operation of the operation switch at the shift range position other than the forward traveling range.
According to the third aspect, since the operation switches are one or more of the hold switch, the lockup switch, the economy mode setting switch, and the power mode setting switch, the operability of these switches can be improved.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present embodiment is a case where the present invention is applied to an operating device for an automatic transmission of a vehicle, and the description will be made by defining the front, rear, left and right with reference to the front, rear, left and right of the vehicle. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an instrument panel 2 is provided in front of the left and right front seats 1.
An instrument panel frame 3 extending in the vehicle width direction is provided inside, the left and right ends of the instrument panel frame 3 are fixed near upper ends of left and right hinge pillars (not shown), and a meter panel is provided on a right end of an upper end of the instrument panel 2. 4 is provided,
A central bulging portion 5 bulging rearward is provided at a substantially central portion of the instrument panel 2 in the vehicle width direction, and a stearer column 6 extending rearward in a protruding manner on the right side of the central bulging portion 5.
On the right side of the instrument panel 2, there is rotatably provided a steering shaft 7 that extends through the substantially central portion of the steering column 6 and projects toward the driver's seat. The steering handle 8 is fixed, and an operating device 10 for shifting the automatic transmission 9 is provided near the right end of the central bulging portion 5 facing the left end of the steering handle 8, and the operating device 10 is a bracket. It is fixedly supported by the instrument panel frame 3 via the member 11 in a substantially forward-backward direction and in a gentle slope in a downward direction.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the operating device 10 includes an operating device body 12 and a shift operating lever 13 extending rearward from the operating device body 12, and the operating device body 12 includes The shift operation lever 13 is rotated around the first shaft member 14 in the vehicle width direction and the second shaft member 15 in the front-rear direction.
A lever support mechanism 16 for rotatably supporting each is provided, and an output lever 17 of the lever support mechanism 16 is connected to an input lever 19 of an automatic transmission 9 via a push-pull wire 18 to allow the automatic transmission 9 to rotate. The shift range is switched according to the rotational operation position of the shift operation lever 13 around the first shaft member 14.

The shift operating lever 13 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 2, the lever main body 26 is made of a substantially straight rod-shaped member that is oriented in the front-rear direction in a plan view, and the hollow operation knob 27 made of synthetic resin is provided. Is provided in the vicinity of the rear end of the lever main body 26 extending obliquely to the left (on the side opposite to the steering shaft 7 side), and a shock absorbing portion 26a is provided, and the operation knob 27 is provided at the tip of the lever main body 26. The grip portion 27a is located to the left of the lever body 26 (the shock absorbing portion 2
It is mounted in an offset state in the same direction as the bending direction of 6a). Since the shift operation lever 13 is configured as described above, even if the occupant makes a secondary collision with the shift operation lever 13 due to a frontal collision or the like, the shock absorbing portion 26a is deformed toward the instrument panel 2 side. The impact at the time of the secondary collision can be effectively absorbed.

The operation device main body 12 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, a box-shaped front casing 20 having a front end opening extending rearward is fixed to the rear wall surface of the bracket member 11, and the front portion thereof is fixed. A rear cane sig 21 is attached and fixed to the casing 20 so as to surround the latter half of the casing 20, and a rear wall portion 21a of the rear casing 21 is formed in a curved shape that bulges rearward, and the rear wall portion 21a has a substantially widthwise direction. The first guide slit 22 having a shape as shown in FIG.
And a panel support member 24 for supporting a decorative panel (corresponding to a cover member) 23 facing the vehicle interior is provided on the rear side of the rear casing 21.
The rear wall portion 24a and the decorative panel 23 of 4 are formed in a curved shape that bulges backward similarly to the rear wall portion 21a of the rear casing 21, and the first guide slit 2 of the decorative panel 23
A second guide slit 25 having substantially the same shape as the first guide slit 22 is provided in a portion facing 2 and the lever main body 26 of the shift operation lever 13 has both guide slits 22.
25, and extends rearward from the operating device main body 12 through the connector 25. However, the second guide slit 25 is provided to prevent the inner wall of the panel support member 24 from being exposed.

The lever support mechanism 16 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, in the front casing 20, a plate-like fixed portion 28a elongated in the front-rear direction and a fixed portion 2 are provided.
A lever support member 28 having a connecting portion 28b having a substantially U-shaped side view extending from the rear portion of the lower end of 8a to the right is provided, and the front half portion of the lever body 26 is fixed to the fixing portion 28a, and the lower portion of the front casing 20 is provided. Is the first shaft member 1 oriented in the vehicle width direction.
4, a sleeve 29 is rotatably provided on the first shaft member 14 in the front casing 20, and a bearing extending near a right end of the sleeve 29 between a pair of upper and lower wall portions 28c of the connecting portion 28b. A portion 29a is formed, and a second shaft member 15 in a substantially vertical direction that relatively rotatably inserts the bearing portion 29a is pivotally supported between the upper and lower wall portions 28c, and between the upper wall portion 28c and the bearing portion 29a. A spring member 30 is externally fitted to the second shaft member 15, the lever support member 28 is urged in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5 via the spring member 30, and the right end portion of the sleeve 29 has the front casing 20 of the front casing 20. An output lever 17 is provided extending from the opening 31 formed in the right side wall in an upwardly inclined manner. One end of the push-pull wire 18 is provided near the front end of the output lever 17 and is connected to the pin member 32. There.

The shift operating lever 13 is rotatably supported around the first shaft member 14 and the second shaft member 15, respectively, and as shown in FIG. 7, each shift range P, R of the first guide slit 22. , N, D, 2, 1 in the position corresponding to
It is configured to be movable along the guide slit 22, and the middle part of the lever body 26 is moved to the first position by the bias of the spring member 30.
The guide slit 22 is pressed against the left end edge of the guide slit 22 and is held in a desired shift range. As shown in FIG. 3, the operating device 10 includes an electromagnetic actuator 33 for shift lock.
And the restriction portion 34 extending rightward from the rear end portion of the fixed portion 28a.
In the state where the shift lock device including and is provided and the shift operation lever 13 is held at the parking range position,
Even if the ignition key is operated and the engine is driven, unless the brake pedal is depressed, the electromagnetic actuator 33 restricts the rightward movement of the restriction portion 34 and prohibits the shift operation from the parking range position to another range. Therefore, it is configured to prevent the sudden start of the automobile.

At a substantially central portion of the panel support member 24,
As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, a lever insertion space 35 is formed so as to include the second guide slit 25 in a front view, and a pair of front and rear is provided at a left end portion and a right end portion near a rear end of the lever insertion space 35. Guide rails 36 are each formed in a curved shape that bulges rearward (toward the passenger compartment) along the rear wall portion 24a of the panel support member 24, and between the left and right guide rails 36 is flexible in the front-back direction. An elongated flat plate-shaped shutter member 37 is guided and supported, and a rear end portion of the lever insertion space 35 is closed via the shutter member 37. An elongated guide hole 37a is formed in the shutter member 37 in the left-right direction. The portion near the rear end is inserted into the guide hole 37a so as to be swingable in the left-right direction, and even if the shift operation lever 13 is operated, the shutter member 37 along with the lever body 26 moves along the guide rail 36. The rear end of the lever insertion space 35 is always held in the closed state. This prevents the inner wall of the panel support member 24 from being exposed through the second guide slit 25.

At the rear end surface of the rear wall portion 21a of the rear casing 21, a cushioning member 50 made of urethane foam or synthetic rubber having elasticity inside the lever insertion space 35 is provided.
Is attached, and the lever body 26 is attached to the center of the cushioning member 50.
A guide slit 51 having the same shape as the first guide slit 22 through which is inserted is formed. By providing the cushioning member 50, it is possible to absorb the impact sound when the lever main body 26 comes into contact with the left end edge of the first guide slit 22 by the spring force of the spring member 30 during the shift operation, and moreover, in the case of a frontal collision or the like. It is possible to absorb the impact at the time of the secondary collision of the occupant with the panel 23.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the decorative panel 23 has a panel member 40 made of semitransparent synthetic resin and a base material 41 provided on the front side of the panel member 40. A display slit 42 having a simplified shape of the second guide slit 25 is formed on the right side of the second guide slit 25, and each shift range of the second guide slit 25 is provided inside the display slit 42 on the front end face of the panel member 40. P, R, N, D, 2, 1
Characters P, R, N, D, 2 and 1 are printed in reverse letters corresponding to the positions of P, R, N, D, 2 and 1 and are printed so as to surround each character. Is composed of a transparent panel member 40. On the right side of the panel support member 24, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, a housing portion 43 having a rear end opening is formed so as to surround the display slit 42 in a front view, and the right end portion of the panel support member 24 substantially corresponds to the rear end portion of the decorative panel 23. A lamp 44 extending into the accommodating portion 43 is provided at a position (a position substantially corresponding to the shift range D).

As shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 8, the position A corresponding to the base of the index finger of the left hand and the makeup panel 23 in a state where the grip 27a of the operation knob 27 is normally held by the left hand. The distance between them is set to be slightly shorter than the length of the index finger (for example, 50 to 70 mm), and a hold switch 45 is provided at the left part near the front end of the decorative panel 23. Lever 1
When the gear shift position 3 is in the forward drive range position of any one of the gear shift ranges D, 2, 1, it is arranged so as to be operable by the index finger of the left hand hooked on the operation knob 27a. However, as the shift operating lever 13 rotates toward the shift range P, the operating knob 27 approaches the hold switch 45 and the shift operating lever 13 shifts to the shift range P, as shown by the phantom line in FIG.
When in the R and N positions, the operability of the hold switch 45 is relatively low. The hold switch 45 has a shift range of D range, 2 ranges, or 1 range.
It is for outputting a control signal for fixing the automatic transmission 9 to the first speed or the second speed to the control unit (not shown) of the automatic transmission 9 when the vehicle is in the traveling range.

Next, the operation of the operating device 10 will be described. Since the shift operation lever 13 is provided in the vicinity of a portion of the instrument panel 2 facing the left end portion of the steering handle 8 so as to project toward the passenger compartment, the shift operation lever 13 is provided. It is located very close to the shift control lever 13
Excellent operability for operating. Moreover, the shift range D, 1
During the shift operation and the shift operation from the shift range 2 to the shift range 1, the shift operation lever 13 can be operated by the forefinger or the middle finger of the left hand on the steering handle 8 as shown in FIG. The operability of 13 can be further improved. Shift operation lever 1
3 is in the forward travel range, the grip portion 2 of the operation knob 27
Since the hold switch 45 can be operated with the index finger or middle finger of the left hand applied to 7a, the operability of the hold switch 45 can be greatly improved. Moreover, the shift operation lever 13
Is in the shift range P, R, N, the operating knob 27
Is too close to the hold switch 45, and the operability of the hold switch 45 is deteriorated, so that the erroneous operation of the hold switch 45 can be prevented.

As described above, the operability of operating the shift operation lever 13 can be improved, the operability of the hod switch 45 in the forward drive range can be improved, and the hold switch 45 in the range other than the forward drive range can be improved.
It is possible to obtain effects such as preventing erroneous operation.
Instead of the hold switch 45, various operation switches necessary for controlling the automatic transmission 9, such as a lockup switch, an economy mode setting switch, and a power mode setting switch, may be provided. A plurality of decorative panels 23 may be provided. Although the operating device 10 and the automatic transmission 9 are mechanically interlocked via the push-pull wire 18 in this embodiment, they may be electrically interlocked. In the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to a right-hand drive vehicle, but the present invention can be applied to a left-hand drive vehicle as well.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vicinity of an instrument panel.

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of an operating device.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an operating device.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the operating device.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the operating device.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the operating device.

FIG. 7 is a development view of a first guide slit.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the operating device.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the vicinity of a steering column.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Instrument panel 8 Steering handle 9 Automatic transmission 10 Operating device 12 Operating device main body 13 Shift operating lever 23 Decorative panel 45 Hold switch

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle having an operating device main body provided near a portion of an instrument panel facing a steering handle, and a shift operating lever extending in a protruding manner from the operating device main body toward a passenger compartment. An operating device for an automatic transmission for a vehicle, wherein a cover member facing the vehicle interior of the operating device main body is provided with an operation switch for outputting a signal necessary for controlling the automatic transmission. An operating device for an automatic transmission for a vehicle, wherein the operating device for a vehicle is arranged at a position where it can be operated by a finger on a shift operating lever when the lever is in a traveling range. 2. The operating device for an automatic transmission for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the traveling range is a forward traveling range. 3. The vehicular automatic transmission according to claim 1, wherein the operation switch is one or more of a hold switch, a lockup switch, an economy mode setting switch and a power mode setting switch. Machine operating device.