JPH0528918U - Absolute neutral position detection sensor for vehicle steering wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Structure] The first rotating body 3 interlocked with the handle shaft 2,
A neutral position detection hole 5 formed in the first rotating body 3, a second rotating body 7 interlocking with the first rotating body 3,
A neutral position detection target hole 9 formed in the second rotating body 7 and a neutral position detecting photointerrupter 11 fixed in position corresponding to both the rotating bodies 3 and 7,
The neutral position detection hole 5 of the first rotating body 3 and the neutral position detection hole 9 of the second rotating body 7 are aligned with each other only once at the neutral position of the handle in the rotatable range of the handle. The rotation ratio between the first rotating body 3 and the second rotating body 7 is set so as to be detected by the neutral position detecting photo interrupter 11. [Effect] By outputting the neutral signal only once within the rotatable range of the handle, the absolute neutral position of the handle can be detected regardless of the stop of the control system.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 This invention relates to a sensor for detecting the neutral position of the steering wheel of various vehicles.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Conventionally, the neutral position of the steering wheel is detected along with the rotation angle detection of the steering wheel by the steering angle sensor 1 as shown in FIG. In this steering angle sensor 1, a large number of rotation angle detection holes 4 are circularly arranged at equal intervals on the outer periphery of a rotating body 3 that can rotate integrally with the handle shaft 2, and a little One detection hole 5 for the neutral position is formed inside the rotating body 3, and a detector 10 is provided corresponding to this rotating body 3. The detector 10 has photo interrupters 12 and 13 for detecting a rotation angle and a direction of rotation, and a photo interrupter 11 for detecting a neutral position. Then, when the handle (not shown) makes one revolution, the rotating body 3 also makes one revolution together with the handle shaft 2, and the neutral position detecting photointerrupter 11 makes the neutral position detected hole 5 for each revolution of the rotating body 3. Is detected and a neutral signal is output. Therefore, this neutral signal is generated a plurality of times within the range in which the handle can be rotated to the left and right, depending on the number of rotations of the handle.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 Such a steering angle sensor 1 is used for various control systems, and while the system is in operation, the neutral position can be detected by the rotation angle of the steering wheel and the neutral signal, but normally when the engine of the vehicle is stopped, Because the entire battery power saving control system also stops, if the handle rotates during that stop, the position of the handle stored when the control system is stopped differs from the actual position of the handle, and the handle detected by the control system is different. There was an error in the neutral position of and there was a problem in performing good control.

The present invention has been improved to output the neutral signal only once in the rotatable range of the steering wheel, and to provide a sensor for detecting the absolute neutral position of the steering wheel regardless of the stop of the control system. Has an aim.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In view of this object, in the absolute neutral position detecting sensor for a steering wheel of a vehicle according to the present invention, as shown in the drawings of each embodiment described later, a first rotating body 3, 14 interlocking with a steering wheel shaft 2 and , The neutral position detection part 5 formed on the first rotating bodies 3 and 14, the second rotating bodies 7 and 15 interlocking with the first rotating bodies 3 and 14, and the second rotating body. The neutral position detection part 9 formed on the bodies 7 and 15 and the neutral position detection body 11 fixed in position corresponding to the two rotating bodies 3, 14, 7, 15 are provided, and the handle can be rotated. In the range, only once at the neutral position of the handle, the detected part 5 for the neutral position of the first rotating bodies 3 and 14 and the detected part 9 for the neutral position of the second rotating bodies 7 and 15 coincide with each other. The neutral position As detected by use detector 11, rotation ratio i between the first rotary body 3, 14 and the second rotary member 7, 15 is set.

Further, the rotation angle detection parts 4 are arranged in parallel on the first rotating bodies 3 and 14, and the rotation angle detecting bodies 12 and 13 are fixed in position corresponding to the rotation bodies 3 and 14. Thus, the rotational angle detection target portion 4 is detected.

[0007]

[Action]

 The detected part 5 for the neutral position of the first rotating bodies 3 and 14 and the detected part 9 for the neutral position of the second rotating bodies 7 and 15 are matched with each other only at the neutral position of the steering wheel. The neutral position detector 11 does not output the neutral signal in the rotatable range of the handle other than the position.

When the rotating bodies 3 and 14 rotate, the rotating angle detecting bodies 12 and 13 detect the rotation angle detected portion 4 of the rotating bodies 3 and 14.

[0009]

First Embodiment First, a first embodiment of an absolute neutral position detecting sensor for a handle according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

This sensor is incorporated in the steering angle sensor 1. A disk-shaped rotating body 3 is integrally rotatably mounted on the handle shaft 2. A large number of rotation angle detection holes 4 are formed on the outer periphery of the rotating body 3 around the axis of the handle shaft 2. The shapes are arranged in parallel at equal intervals, and one detection hole 5 for the neutral position is formed in the rotating body 3 slightly inside thereof. An external gear 6 is attached to the handle shaft 2 adjacent to the rotating body 3 so as to be integrally rotatable. An internal gear 7 as a rotating body is rotatably supported on the handle shaft 2 on the same center as the shaft center of the handle shaft 2, and between the internal gear 7 and the external gear 6 on the handle shaft 2. The external gear 8 on the rotating shaft 8a is meshed. A neutral position detection hole 9 for the neutral position is formed in the outer periphery of the internal gear 7 so that the detection hole 9 and the neutral position detection hole 5 of the rotating body 3 can be aligned with each other. ing.

A detector 10 is provided corresponding to the rotating body 3 and the internal gear 7. A neutral position detecting photo interrupter 11 and rotation angle detecting and rotation direction detecting photo interrupters 12 and 13 are attached to the detector 10. The photo interrupters 11, 12 and 13 are respectively composed of light emitting elements 11a, 12a and 13a and light receiving elements 11b, 12b and 13b.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when the handle (not shown) is in the neutral position, the detected hole 5 for the neutral position of the rotating body 3 and the detected hole 9 for the neutral position of the internal gear 7 are provided. Are matched with each other, and in the photo interrupter 11 for the neutral position, the light from the light emitting element 11a reaches the light receiving element 11b through both holes 5 and 9 and outputs a neutral signal. When the handle is rotated left or right from this neutral position, the handle shaft 2 rotates by the same number of rotations, and the rotating body 3 and the external gear 6 on the coaxial 2 also rotate. The rotation is transmitted to the internal gear 7 via the external gear 8. The rotation ratio i between the rotor 3 and the internal gear 7 is determined by the number of teeth of the external gear 6 and the number of teeth of the internal gear 7.

When the rotator 3 rotates left or right, the rotation angle detection target holes 4 of the rotator 3 are detected by the rotation angle detection and rotation direction detection photointerrupters 12 and 13. Therefore, depending on the number of detections. The rotation direction and rotation angle of the handle can be detected.

On the other hand, the detected hole 5 for the neutral position of the rotating body 3 and the detected hole 9 for the neutral position of the internal gear 7 coincide with each other only at the neutral position of the handle described above, and the detected position of the handle other than the neutral position. In the left-right rotatable range, the neutral position detecting photo interrupter 11 is always displaced from each other, and the neutral position detecting photo interrupter 11 does not output the neutral signal. Specifically, the rotation ratio i between the rotating body 3 and the internal gear 7 is set so that such a positional relationship can be provided between the neutral position detected holes 5 and 9. In other words, if the conditions regarding the size of the detected holes 5 and 9 are ignored, the rotating body 3 rotates by a natural number and the neutral position detected hole 5 reaches the position of the neutral position photo interrupter 11. Since the internal gear 7 is not rotated by a natural number, the detected hole 9 for the neutral position is displaced from the detected hole 5, and the photo interrupter 11 for detecting the neutral position is neutral. Do not output the signal. By the way, the maximum number of left and right rotations of the steering wheel in the range of left and right rotation is usually 2.5 rotations or less.

Therefore, in the sensor 1 according to the first embodiment, the neutral signal is output only when the steering wheel is at the absolute neutral position. Therefore, even if the steering wheel is rotated when the control system is stopped, The deviation of the neutral position as shown in the technology is eliminated, and the absolute neutral position of the steering wheel can be always detected reliably, and good control can be performed.

[0016]

Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

In the first embodiment, the internal gear 7 is rotatably supported coaxially with the shaft center of the handle shaft 2 coaxially with the shaft center of the handle shaft 2. In the second embodiment, the shaft center of the handle shaft 2 is rotatably supported. On the other hand, on the eccentric center, the internal gear 7 is rotatably and revolvably supported with respect to the coaxial shaft 2, and the external gear 8 in the first embodiment is omitted, and the external gear 6 on the handle shaft 2 is It is directly meshed with the gear 7. Others are the same as in the case of the first embodiment.

[0018]

Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

The rotating body 3 in the first embodiment corresponds to the external gear 14 as the rotating body in the second embodiment. Further, the internal gear 7 in the first embodiment corresponds to the external gear 15 as the rotating body in the second embodiment. That is, the external gear 14 is attached to the handle shaft 2 so as to be integrally rotatable, and the external gear 15 is rotatably supported about the coaxial shaft 2 on the same center as the shaft center of the handle shaft 2. An external gear 17 and an external gear 18 are integrally rotatably mounted on a rotary shaft 16 parallel to the handle shaft 2, one external gear 17 meshing with the external gear 14, and the other external gear. 18 is meshed with the external gear 15. A large number of rotation angle detection holes 4 and one neutral position detection hole 5 are formed in the external gear 14 on the handle shaft 2 as in the first embodiment. Similar to the embodiment, the detected hole 9 for the neutral position is formed. When the external gear 14 rotates together with the handle shaft 2, the rotation is transmitted to the external gear 15 via both the external gears 17 and 18 on the rotary shaft 16. The rotation ratio i between the drive-side external gear 14 and the driven-side external gear 15 becomes large contrary to the case of the first embodiment, but in short, the external gear 14 is rotated as the handle rotates left and right. When the neutral position detected hole 5 reaches the position of the neutral position detecting photointerrupter 11 after being rotated by a natural number, since the external gear 15 is not rotated by a natural number, the neutral position detected hole 5 is detected. The rotation ratio i may be set so that the position 9 is displaced from the hole to be detected 5 and the neutral position detecting photointerrupter 11 does not output a neutral signal. Others are the same as in the case of the first embodiment.

[0020]

Fourth Embodiment Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 focusing on the difference from the third embodiment.

In the third embodiment, the external gear 15 is rotatably supported on the coaxial 2 on the same center as the shaft center of the handle shaft 2. However, in the second embodiment, the outer gear 15 is mounted on the shaft center of the handle shaft 2. An external gear 15 is rotatably supported with respect to the coaxial shaft 2 on an eccentric center. The external gear 14 and the external gear 15 are meshed with the dual external gear 19 on the rotary shaft 16. Others are the same as in the case of the third embodiment.

[0022]

[Effect of the device]

 According to the sensor of the present invention, the neutral signal is output only once within the rotatable range of the steering wheel so that the absolute neutral position of the steering wheel can be detected regardless of the stop of the control system.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a partially cutaway schematic front view of the sensor according to the first embodiment with its detector omitted, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a partial schematic front view showing a detector of the sensor.

FIG. 2A is a schematic plan sectional view showing a neutral position detection state of a handle in the sensor according to the first embodiment, and FIGS. 2B and 2C are schematic cross-sectional views showing a horizontal rotation angle detection state of the handle. FIG.

FIG. 3A is a partially cutaway schematic front view of the sensor according to the second embodiment with its detector omitted, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a partial schematic front view showing a detector of the sensor.

FIG. 4A is a schematic plan sectional view showing a neutral position detection state of a handle in the sensor according to the second embodiment, and FIGS. 4B and 4C are left and right rotation angle detection states of the handle in the same sensor. FIG.

5A is a partially cutaway schematic front view of the sensor according to the third embodiment with its detector omitted, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a partial schematic front view showing a detector of the sensor.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG.

7 (a) is a schematic plan view showing a neutral position detection state of a handle in the sensor according to the third embodiment, and FIGS. 7 (b) and (c) are left and right rotation angle detection states of the handle in the sensor, respectively. It is a schematic plan sectional view shown.

FIG. 8A is a partially cutaway schematic front view of the sensor according to the fourth embodiment with its detector omitted, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a partial schematic front view showing a detector of the sensor.

FIG. 9A is a schematic plan sectional view showing a neutral position detection state of a handle in the sensor according to the fourth embodiment, and FIGS. 9B and 9C respectively show a steering wheel left / right rotation angle detection state in the same sensor. FIG.

FIG. 10 is a schematic front view showing a conventional sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Steering angle sensor, 2 Handle shaft, 3
Rotating body, 4 rotation angle detection hole, 5 neutral position detection hole, 7 internal gear (rotating body), 9 neutral position detection hole, 11 neutral position detecting photo interrupter (detection body), 12, 13 Rotation angle detection and rotation direction detection photo interrupter (detector), 1
4 external gear (rotating body), 15 external gear (rotating body), i
Turn ratio.

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A first rotating body (3, 14) interlocking with a handle shaft (2), and a neutral position detection part (5) formed on the first rotating body (3, 14), This first
The second rotating body (7, 1) that is interlocked with the rotating body (3, 14) of
5), the neutral position detection target (9) formed on the second rotating body (7, 15), and both rotating bodies (3, 3).
14, 7, 15) and a neutral position detection body (11) fixed in position corresponding to the first rotary body (3, 14) only once at the neutral position of the handle in the rotatable range of the handle. ) The neutral position detection target (5) and the second rotating body (7,
15) The neutral position detection target portion 9 is matched with each other and detected by the detection body 11.
First rotating body (3, 14) and second rotating body (7, 15)
An absolute neutral position detection sensor for a steering wheel of a vehicle, characterized in that a rotation ratio (i) between and is set. 2. The first rotating body (3) according to claim 1,
14) and the second rotary body (7, 15), at least one of the rotary bodies (3, 14) has a rotation angle detection target portion (4).
Are arranged in parallel, and the rotation angle detection body (4) can be detected by the rotation angle detection body (12, 13) fixed in position corresponding to the rotation body (3, 14). Absolute neutral position detection sensor for vehicle steering wheel.