JPH10226275A - Side view mirror device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a side view mirror automatically restore to its original position only when the side view mirror is brought down during normal operation of an automobile. SOLUTION: An automobile is judged to be in a normal running condition when an accessary switch 210, an ignition switch 220, a key existance detecting switch 230 and a door open/closed condition detecting switch 240 are turned on and the speed is more than the preset specific speed. When mirror housing are brought down under a normal running condition, these mirror housings are restored to a normal position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a retractable door mirror device provided in a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Normally, a door mirror for a vehicle does not become an obstacle when a vehicle is parked or stopped or when a narrow road is passed, and for a safety measure during traveling, etc., when a certain amount of force is applied, the door mirror is moved forward or backward. It is designed to fall down.

As a device for returning the door mirror which has fallen back to its original position, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 0-122246, a driver or the like performs a switch operation or the like to return a collapsed door mirror to an original position. And the like, in which the door mirror is automatically returned to the original position.

[0004]

However, in the former case, it is necessary for the driver to manually perform a switch operation to return the door mirror to the original position, which is a burden on the driver. On the other hand, in the latter case, even when the door mirror is manually forcibly retracted when the vehicle is parked or stopped, there is a disadvantage that the door mirror is automatically returned to the original position against the driver's will.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and it is possible to automatically return the door mirror to the original position only when the door mirror is collapsed during normal operation of the automobile. It is an object of the present invention to provide a door mirror device capable of performing such operations.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a door mirror device according to the present invention is rotatably mounted on a mirror base fixed to a vehicle body of an automobile, and is provided with a front forward position from a normal position and a front position. A mirror housing that is tiltable to a rear storage position, a rotation driving unit that rotationally drives the mirror housing, a position detection unit that detects a position where the mirror housing is tilted, and the position detection unit. A position determining unit that determines whether or not the mirror housing is at the normal position based on the position detection signal, and the vehicle is in a normal traveling state based on an output signal from vehicle state detection means provided on the vehicle. A traveling state determination unit that determines whether or not the vehicle is in a normal traveling state by the traveling state determination unit, and the position determination unit When serial mirror housing is determined not to the normal position, characterized in that a drive control unit for driving the rotary drive means to return the mirror housing in the normal position.

The vehicle state detecting means may be an ignition switch, a door open / close detecting means and a vehicle speed detecting means, and the running state determining section may turn on the ignition switch to detect a door closed / open state. When the door is determined to be closed based on the output signal from the means, and when the speed of the vehicle detected by the vehicle speed detecting means is determined to be equal to or higher than a predetermined speed, the vehicle normally travels. It is good to judge that it is a state.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A door mirror device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the door mirror device includes a pair of left and right door mirrors 1 provided in an automobile.
0A, 10B and a control unit 100 for controlling the tilting of the door mirrors 10A, 10B. The control unit 100 controls the rotation driving means 40A, 40B of the door mirrors 10A, 10B in accordance with the operation of a mirror operation switch 260 provided around the driver's seat of the automobile, and moves the mirror housings 30A, 30B to a normal position described later. Return or tilt to the storage position. Also,
Based on position detection signals from position detection means 70A, 70B provided on the door mirrors 10A, 10B, respectively.
In addition to detecting the tilt position of each of the mirror housings 30A and 30B, an accessory switch 210, an ignition switch 220, a key presence / absence switch 230, and a door closing / opening switch 2 of the vehicle, which are vehicle state detecting means.
40 and the output signal from the vehicle speed sensor 250,
The running state of the car is determined. Then, the vehicle is in a normal running state and the mirror housings 30A, 3A
Only when 0B is not in the normal position, the rotation driving means of each mirror housing 30A, 30B is driven to return each mirror housing 30A, 30B to the normal position.

The door mirror 10A is provided on the left side of the vehicle body, and as shown in FIG. 2, a substantially L-shaped mirror base 12A fixed to the front of the front door of the vehicle body.
The lower end of one end of the mirror housing 30A is rotatably supported on the support arm 14A of the mirror housing 3A.
0A is in a normal position in which it stands up toward the outside of the vehicle body (FIG. 5).
(See FIG. 5 (a)) from the forward tilted position (FIG. 5 (c))
(See FIG. 5 (d))
It can be tilted freely.

The mirror housing 30A is formed in a housing that is open toward the rear of the automobile. A mirror 22A is provided in the opening, and inside the mirror housing 30A, the angle of the mirror 22A is adjusted vertically and horizontally. 24A is disposed. When the driver operates a mirror switch (not shown) from inside the driver's seat, the attitude of the mirror 22A can be adjusted vertically and horizontally.

Also, inside the mirror housing 30A,
Rotation driving means 4 for rotationally driving the mirror housing 30A between the storage position and the normal position through the normal position.
0A is provided. In the rotation driving means 40A, the shaft portion 42A is fixed to the support arm 14A side, while the motor 56A is fixed to the mirror housing 30A side, and the rotational motion of the motor 56A is transmitted to the shaft portion 42A via the reduction gear mechanism 60A. Transmitted to the mirror housing 30
A is configured to be driven to rotate.

That is, the shaft portion 42A is fixed to the support arm 14A in an upright state, and the lower right end of the mirror housing 30A is inserted into the support arm 14A so that the mirror housing 3
0A is rotatably mounted. A gear circumferential body portion 44A is fixed to an axially intermediate portion of the shaft portion 42A protruding into the mirror housing 30A, and a holder 46A is rotatably mounted above the shaft portion 42A. The holder 46A is connected to a side 52A of a substantially L-shaped bracket fixed to the bottom surface of the housing 30A, and is configured to rotate on the shaft 42A as the housing 30A rotates.

A motor 56A is mounted and fixed on a base 54A of the bracket 50A. The motor 56A
The rotational motion of the rotating shaft 58A is transmitted to the gear peripheral body portion 44A at a reduced speed via a reduction gear mechanism 60A including a worm 59A, a worm wheel 62A, and gears 64A and 66A. The gear 66A is connected to the gear peripheral body 44.
The housing 30A is rotated along the circumference of
It is driven to rotate around A.

Further, the upper end of the shaft 42A and the holder 4
Position detecting means 70A for detecting the tilt position of the housing 30A is provided between 6A. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the position detecting means 70A includes a shaft 42A.
The first contact portion 72A and the second contact portion 74
A, a third contact portion 76A is provided, and each contact portion 72A, 74A, 76A is provided on the inner lower surface of the holder 46A.
A first contact 82A, a second contact 84A, and a third contact 86A are provided correspondingly to the above.
The first contact portion 72A and the first contact 82A
Constitutes a first switch 90A. The second switch 92A is composed of the second contact portion 74A and the second contactor 84A.
A is formed, and further, a ground contact is formed from the third contact portion 76A and the third contact 86A, whereby the tilt position of the housing 30A is detected.

Each of the contacts 82A, 84A, 86A is
The mirror housing 30A is arranged on the inner lower surface of the holder 46A in order from the outside to the inside along the radial direction.
As a result of the rotation of the holder 46A due to the tilting, the shaft slides on the upper end surface of the shaft portion 42A, and rotates while drawing the trajectories of the circles C1, C2, and C3, respectively. When the housing 30A is in the normal position, each of the contacts 82A, 82A
4A and 86A are arranged on the vehicle body side (on the straight line L in FIG. 4), and when the housing 30A is in the retracted position, they are arranged on the front side of the vehicle body (on the straight line M in FIG. 4), and when the housing 30A is tilted forward. In some cases, it is configured to be disposed behind the vehicle body (on the straight line N in FIG. 4).

The first contact portion 72A provided in correspondence with the first contact 82A is formed by attaching a copper foil or the like to the intersection of the circle C1 and the straight line L. When the housing 30A is in the normal position and the first contact 82A is disposed on the straight line L, the first contact 82
A is configured so that A contacts the first contact portion 72A to obtain conduction between them, and the first switch 90A is turned on.

The second contact portion 74A provided corresponding to the second contact 84A is connected to straight lines L and N on the circle C2.
A copper foil or the like is attached to each of the quarter-arc portions between the circles C2 and the straight line L except for the intersections between the circles C2 and the straight lines M. When the housing 30A is at an intermediate position between the normal position and the forward position, when the housing 30A is at the forward position, and when the housing 30A is at the storage position, the second contactor 84A is connected to the second contact portion 7A.
4A, so that conduction is obtained between them so that the second switch 92A is turned on.

Further, the third contact portion 76A provided corresponding to the third contact 86A is formed by sticking a copper foil or the like over the entire circumference of the circle C3, and is formed of the housing 30A. Irrespective of the tilt position, the third contact 86A and the third contact portion 76A are always in contact with each other so that conduction is obtained.

The door mirror 10B provided on the right side of the vehicle body has the same configuration as the above-mentioned door mirror 10A in a symmetrical manner.

The control unit 100 includes a control unit 1 electrically connected to a vehicle battery via a fuse 202.
10 inclusive. As the control unit 110, a general microcomputer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like is used, and all the arithmetic operations are executed by a software program stored in advance.

Further, the control unit 110 controls the running state determination unit 1.
12, a drive control unit 114, and a position determination unit 116.

The running state determination unit 112 receives, via the input circuit 102, the accessory switch 21 of the automobile.
0, an ignition switch 220, a key presence / absence detection switch 230 for detecting whether or not a key has been inserted into an ignition key cylinder, a door closed / open state detection switch 240 as closed / open state detection means for detecting the closed / open state of each door, and The vehicle speed sensor 250 is connected. Then, the traveling state determination unit 112 includes these switches 210, 220, 230, 240 and the vehicle speed sensor 250 as described later.
The traveling state of the automobile is determined based on the output signal from the vehicle.

That is, a key is inserted into the ignition key cylinder, and the key presence / absence detection switch 230 is turned on.
The accessory switch 210 is turned on, the ignition switch 220 is turned on, the door closed / open state detection switch 240 is turned on by the closed state of each door, and the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 250 is set to a preset speed (for example, When it is determined that the speed is equal to or more than 40 km / h), it is determined that the vehicle is in a normal traveling state, not when the vehicle is parked or stopped or when the vehicle is running slowly.

The position judging section 116 is connected to position detecting means 70A and 70B of the door mirrors 10A and 10B via input circuits 104A and 104B, and receives input signals from the position detecting means 70A and 70B as described later. , The tilt position of each mirror housing 30A, 30B is detected.

The operation of detecting the tilted position of the mirror housing 30A will be described with reference to FIGS.
When the mirror housing 30A is in the normal position, the first contact 82A and the second contact 84A are on the straight line L, so that the first switch 90A is turned on and the second switch 90A is turned on.
Switch 92A is turned off. Mirror housing 30
When A is in the storage position, each contact 82A, 84A
Is on the straight line M, the first switch 90A is turned off, and the second switch 92A is turned on. When the mirror housing 30A is located between the normal position and the storage position, the contacts 82A and 84A are located between the straight line M and the straight line L, and both switches 90A and 92A are turned off. When the mirror housing 30A is in the forward position or between the forward position and the normal position, each contact 8
Since 2A and 84A are on the straight line N or between the straight line N and the straight line L, the first switch 90A is turned off, and the second switch 92A is turned on.

Here, if it is determined that the mirror housing 30A is in the retracted position when the second switch 92A is turned on from the state where both switches 90A and 92A are off, the position determination unit 116 determines whether the mirror housing 30A is in the first position. Second switch 90
The tilting position of each mirror housing 30A is set to the storage position, between the storage position and the normal position, between the normal position, and between the normal position and the front position, or between the normal position and the front position, depending on the on / off state of A, 92A. Detection can be performed by distinguishing between the four states.

The detection of the tilt position of the mirror housing 30B is performed in the same manner.

The drive control unit 114 includes an output circuit 106A,
Motor 5 for door mirrors 10A and 10B via 106B
6A and 56B. Then, the traveling state determination unit 112, the position determination unit 116, and the mirror operation switch 2
60 based on each output signal from
A, 40B are driven to rotate, and the mirror housing 30A,
Control such as returning the 30B to the normal position or tilting the 30B to the storage position is performed.

The control operation of the door mirror device will be described below with reference to the timing chart of FIG.

First, when the driver gets into the car and closes the door, inserts the key presence / absence detection switch 230 and the ignition key into the ignition key cylinder and starts the engine, the accessory switch 210, the ignition switch 220, and the door closed / open state. Detection switch 24
0 turns on. Thereafter, when the vehicle starts driving and its traveling speed exceeds a preset speed of 40 km / h, the traveling state determination unit 112 determines that the vehicle is in a normal traveling state based on an output signal from the vehicle speed sensor 250. Is determined. In this state, the switch 90A of the position detecting means 70A
Is on and the second switch 92A is off, the position determination unit 116
Is determined to be in the normal position, but when the first switch 90A is turned off as shown in the section P of FIG. 7, the position determination unit 116 moves the mirror housing 30A between the normal position and the storage position. It is detected that it is in a state of being defeated during the period. Then, the drive of the rotation drive unit 40A is controlled based on the command signal from the drive control unit 114, and the mirror housing 30A returns to the normal position. FIG.
When the first switch 90A is turned off and the second switch 92A is turned on, as shown in the section Q, the mirror housing 30A is tilted to the forward tilt position by the position determination unit 116. Is determined. Also in this case, the drive of the rotation drive unit 40A is controlled based on the output signal from the drive control unit 114, and the mirror housing 30
A returns to the normal position.

On the other hand, when the mirror housing 30A is manually retracted when the vehicle is not in the normal running state, the section R shown in FIG.
As shown in (1), first, after the first switch 90A is turned off, when it is completely moved to the storage position, the second switch 92A is turned on. In this case, the position determination unit 116
Detects that the mirror housing 30A is not in the normal position, but since the traveling state determination unit 112 has detected that it is not in the normal traveling state, the mirror housing 30A does not return to the normal position in the storage position.

The same operation is performed on the side of the door mirror 10B, but the description is omitted here.

Next, a series of operations of the door mirror device will be described with reference to flowcharts shown in FIGS.

First, the mirror operation switch 260 of the driver
When the manual operation by the operation is performed, as shown in FIG. 8, first, in step S1, it is determined whether or not the accessory switch 210 is turned on based on the output signal from the accessory switch 210.
In the case of S, in step S2, it is determined whether or not the mirror operation switch 260 is on based on the output signal from the mirror operation switch 260. If YES here, in step S3, the position detecting means 70A,
70B, it is determined whether or not the mirror housings 30A and 30B are at the normal position.
In the case of S, that is, in the case of being in the normal position, step S
In 4, the drive of the rotary drive units 40A and 40B is controlled based on the command signal from the drive control unit 114, and the mirror housings 30A and 30B are driven to rotate and stored. On the other hand, when the determination result is NO in step S3, that is, when the mirror housings 30A and 30B are not in the normal positions but in the storage positions, the rotation driving units 40A and 40B are controlled based on a command signal from the drive control unit 114. Is controlled, and the mirror housings 30A and 30B are returned to the normal positions.

Next, the mirror housing 30A is applied by external force.
Or, the operation of automatic return when 30B is defeated will be described.

As shown in FIG. 9, first, at step T1, each vehicle state detecting means 210, 220, 230,
Based on the output signals from 240 and 250, traveling state determination section 112 determines whether or not the vehicle is in a normal traveling state, and YES
In other words, if the vehicle is in the normal running state, it is determined in step T2 whether or not the mirror operation switch 260 is on. If the determination result is NO, that is, if the mirror operation switch 260 is not being operated, in step T3, the position determination unit 116 determines whether or not the mirror housing 30A or 30B is at the normal position. In other words, if the mirror housing 30A or 30B is not at the normal position, in step T4, the drive of the rotary drive unit 40A or 40B is controlled based on a command signal from the drive control unit 114, and the mirror housing 30A or 30B is controlled. 30B is returned to the normal position.

According to the door mirror device configured as described above, the traveling state determination unit 112 determines that the vehicle is in the normal traveling state, and the position determination unit 116 moves the mirror housings 30A and 30B out of the normal position. Only when it is determined that the rotation
A, 40B are driven and controlled, and the mirror housing 30A,
30B is tilted to return to the normal position. Therefore, during such normal traveling, even if the mirror housings 30A and 30B are tilted down due to contact with another vehicle or the like, it is possible to automatically return to the normal position without bothering the driver. On the other hand, for example, when the vehicle is parked or stopped or when traveling on a narrow road, it is determined that the vehicle is not in the normal running state from the ON / OFF state of the accessory switch 210 or the ignition switch 220 or the speed condition of the vehicle. Therefore, even if the mirror housings 30A and 30B are manually forcibly stored at these times, there is no inconvenience that the mirror housings 30A and 30B return to the normal position.

The determination of whether or not the vehicle is in the normal traveling state is not limited to the above example. For example, when the ignition switch 220 is turned on, or when the speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 250 is set to a predetermined value. When the vehicle speed exceeds the speed, it may be determined that the vehicle is in the normal traveling state only under the respective conditions. Also in these cases, the mirror housings 30A and 30B can be returned to the normal position only in the normal running state.

In the first embodiment, the control unit 100 having the function of tilting the mirror housings 30A and 30B is used. However, as in the second embodiment shown in FIG. Mirror control ECU with the function of tilting the 22B up, down, left and right)
11 and the body ECU 310 determines the traveling state and the like, determines the positions of the mirror housings 30A and 30B, and controls the driving of the rotation driving means 40A and 40B, as in the third embodiment shown in FIG. Door ECU3
12A and 312B.
Multiplex communication may be used for communication between the door ECUs 312A and 312B. Further, as in a fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 12, a mirror control ECU 322 integrated with a mirror switch 320 for tilting the mirrors 22A and 22B up, down, left and right is used, or as in a fifth embodiment shown in FIG. The determination of the running state and the like are performed by the body ECU 33.
On the other hand, the mirror control ECU 332 may perform position determination of the mirror housings 30A and 30B, drive control of the rotation driving units 40A and 40B, and the like, and use multiplex communication for communication therebetween. Further, as in the sixth embodiment shown in FIG. 14, while the determination of the traveling state and the like are performed by the body ECU 340, the position determination of the mirror housings 30A and 30B and the rotation driving means 40 are performed.
A, 40B drive control and the like are performed by an EC integrated with the rotary drive means 40A, 40B incorporated in the door mirrors 10A, 10B.
U342A and 342B may be used, and multiplex communication may be used for communication between them. In each of the above embodiments, when multiplex communication is used, an effect is obtained that the wire harness between the ECUs can be reduced.

[0041]

As described above, according to the door mirror device of the present invention, the position detecting means for detecting the tilted position of the mirror housing and the mirror housing in the normal position based on the position detection signal from the position detecting means. A traveling state determining unit that determines whether or not the vehicle is in a normal traveling state based on an output signal from vehicle state detecting means provided in the vehicle; and a traveling state. When the determination unit determines that the vehicle is in a normal running state and the position determination unit determines that the mirror housing is not at the normal position, the driving unit drives the rotation driving unit to return the mirror housing to the normal position. When the mirror housing is out of the normal position when the vehicle is in the normal running state, the mirror housing is automatically It is possible to return to the normal position to. On the other hand, when the mirror housing is manually forcibly stored when the vehicle is parked or stopped, there is no inconvenience that the mirror housing returns to a normal position unexpectedly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a door mirror device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cutaway view showing a door mirror.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part showing a door mirror.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a position determination unit.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a tilt position of a door mirror.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing a relationship between a state of a mirror housing and states of first and second switches.

FIG. 7 is a timing chart showing the relationship between the running state of the automobile and the operation of the rotary drive means.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the door mirror device.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining another operation of the door mirror device.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a door mirror device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a door mirror device according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating a door mirror device according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a door mirror device according to a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating a door mirror device according to a sixth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12A Mirror base 30A, 30B Mirror housing 40A, 40B Rotation driving means 70A, 70B Position detection means 112 Running state determination unit 114 Drive control unit 116 Position determination unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A mirror housing rotatably mounted on a mirror base fixed to a vehicle body of an automobile, and being tiltable from a normal position to a front forward position and a rear storage position, and rotating the mirror housing. Rotation driving means for driving, position detection means for detecting a position where the mirror housing is tilted, and whether or not the mirror housing is at the normal position based on a position detection signal from the position detection means A traveling state determining unit that determines whether or not the vehicle is in a normal traveling state based on an output signal from vehicle state detecting means provided in the vehicle; Is determined to be in the normal traveling state, and when the position determination unit determines that the mirror housing is not at the normal position, the rotating drive And a drive control unit for driving a moving means to return the mirror housing to the normal position. 2. The vehicle state detecting means is an ignition switch, a door open / close detecting means, and a vehicle speed detecting means, wherein the running state determining section turns on the ignition switch to detect a door open / close state. When the door is determined to be closed based on the output signal from the means, and when the speed of the vehicle detected by the vehicle speed detecting means is determined to be equal to or higher than a predetermined speed, the vehicle normally travels. The door mirror device according to claim 1, wherein the door mirror device is determined to be in a state.