JPS62218250A - Steering switch signal transmitter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a steering angle detectable together with signal transmission, by flashing a light emitting element corresponding to a control switch at a time when the control switch installed in a steering pad is operated, and making the light receiving element installed at the steering column side receive the light via a light passing part. CONSTITUTION:Control switches 3 (3a-3c) of plural pieces of a horn switch and a light switch or the like and light emitting elements 4 (4a-4c) corresponding to these control switches 3 are all installed in a steering pad 2. On the other hand, at the side of a steering column 5, there are provided with plural light receiving elements 6 (6a-6c) corresponding to these light emitting elements 4 and a light emitting device 7 consisting of light receiving parts 7a-7c installing light cutoff part ax-cx and light passing parts ay-cy alternately. And, at the time of operating these control switches, the light emitting element 4 corresponding to these control switches 3 is flashed via a light emitting processing device 8, and the light is received by these light receiving elements 6 via the light emitting device 7 whereby switching information is secured, while it is utilized for steering angle detection.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a steering switch signal transmission device that transmits a switch signal from an operation switch provided on a steering pad and detects a steering angle of a steering wheel.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, the steering pad located on the steering wheel side has been provided with operation switches such as a horn switch and a light switch (for example, in the practical application!).
59-102555).

A switching signal from such an operation switch is supplied to a control circuit or the like via a lead wire. In addition, in the case of the optical communication method, a light emitting element that blinks when an operation switch is operated, and a light receiving element that receives light from the light emitting element and outputs a light reception signal are used. is giving.

On the other hand, the steering angle sensor for detecting the steering angle of the steering wheel is
It is provided in relation to the steering shaft so that rotation of the steering shaft can be detected.

In this way, conventionally, the means for detecting switching information from the operation switch and the steering angle sensor for detecting the steering angle of the steering wheel are provided separately, so the structure tends to be complicated. .

(Object of the invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a steering switch signal transmission device that does not require a steering angle sensor and can detect a steering angle with good viscosity.

(Structure of the Invention) The present invention includes a plurality of operation switches and a light emitting element provided on a steering pad, and when receiving a switching signal from the operation switch, causes the light emitting element to blink in response to the switching signal. a light-emitting processing means for controlling the light-emitting element so that it is always lit when the operation switch is not operated; a light-receiving means for receiving light from the light-emitting element; comprising a light receiving processing means for receiving a signal from the means and detecting a signal from the operation switch and a steering angle;
The light receiving means includes a plurality of light receiving elements provided on the steering column side corresponding to the light emitting elements, a light blocking part that blocks light from the light emitting element from the light receiving element, and a light passing part that passes the light from the light emitting element to the light receiving element. are formed in a circular shape alternately at predetermined intervals and are provided on the steering column side, and the light blocking part and the light passing part of each light receiving part block the light from the adjacent light receiving parts. The blocking portion and the light passing portion are provided so as to be shifted from each other by 1/n period (n is an integer) on the circumference.

With this configuration, when an operation switch is operated, the light emitting element corresponding to the operation switch is dimmed, and the light receiving element corresponding to the light emitting element whose light is dimmed is operated. Therefore, the light reception processing means detects information on the operation switch based on the light reception signal from the light receiving element. Further, the light receiving section is rotated by rotation of the handle, and light from the light emitting element is given to the light receiving element via the light receiving section. Therefore, multiphase light reception signals are provided by the plurality of light receiving elements to the light reception processing means, and the steering angle is detected.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. The steering pad 2 is provided at the center of the steering wheel 1. The steering pad 2 includes a plurality of operation switches 3a, 3b, and 3c such as bone switches and light switches (three in this embodiment), and light emitting elements 4 corresponding to these operation switches 3a, 3b, and 3G.
a, 4b.

4C is provided. On the steering column 5 side, there are a plurality of light receiving elements ea, 6b, 6c corresponding to the light emitting elements 4a, 4b, 4c, and a light guiding ring 7a that receives light from the light emitting elements 4a, 4b, 4C, and the entire ring lights up.
, 7b, and 7c are provided. These light guiding rings 7
a, 7b, and 7c are arranged three times on a concentric circle, and the holding member 7
It is maintained by Rough light guiding rings 7a, 7b,
A light receiving element 5a as shown in FIG. 3 is provided on each upper surface of 7C.

Light blocking parts aχ, bχ that block light from 6b, 6c.

Cχ and light passage part a/! ! , b'! /, Cγ are formed in a circular shape alternately at a predetermined interval.

7C is provided. Light receiving section 7a
The light blocking part aχ and the light passing part ag of the light receiving part 7b are shifted by one cycle and three periods with respect to the light blocking part bχ and the light passing part by of the light receiving part 7b, and the light blocking part bχ and the light passing part b9 of the light receiving part 7b are It is provided so as to be shifted by one cycle and three periods with respect to the light blocking part Cχ and the light passing part cy of the light receiving part 7c. In this way, for example, the light blocking section aχ and the light passing section ay of each light receiving section 7a are the same as the light blocking section bχ and the light passing section b of the neighboring light receiving section 7b.
/y and 1/n rotation of each other in the same way
(in this embodiment, n=3).

The light emission processing means 8 includes operation switches 3a and 3b.

A light emitting element 4a receiving a switching signal from 3C
, 4b, and 4c blink in response to this switching signal, that is, when the operation switch 3a is pressed, the light emitting element 4a decreases once within a predetermined time, and when the operation switch 3b is pressed, the light emitting element 4b decreases once within a predetermined time. Control is performed so that points are deducted twice. Further, the light emission processing means 8 includes an operation switch 3a,
Normally, when 3b and 3c are not operated, the light emitting element 4a is always on.

4b and 4c are controlled to light up. The light-receiving processing means 9 includes light-receiving elements 6a and 6b of the light-receiving means.

Each light reception signal from 6C is inputted to the switch signal discriminator 9a via the OR gate 10, and outputs an operation switch signal. That is, the OR gate 10 allows the light receiving elements 6a, 6
Since the logical sum of each light reception signal from b and 5c is taken,
As is clear from FIG. 5(f), the operation switches 3a, 3
A response signal of the switching signal generated by the operation of the switch 3b and 3c is given to the switch signal discriminator 9a of the light reception processing means 9. Therefore, for example, when the light emitting element 4b is decremented twice as described above and receives a two-pulse light reception signal from the light receiving cable 6b output in response to each, the operation switch signal determination unit 9a detects the operation switch. It is determined that 3b has been manipulated,
A corresponding operation switch signal is output. If this operation switch signal turns on the headlights, the lighting drive circuit etc. will be driven to turn on the headlights.

Further, the light receiving processing means 9 has a function of a three-phase sensor logic circuit, and the light receiving elements 6a and 6b of the light receiving means.

The steering angle of the steering wheel is detected by receiving the light reception signals from 6C. For example, when one of the operation switches 3a, 3b, and 3c is operated, the light emitting device 4a is output from the light emitting processing means 8.
, 4b, and 4C are outputted with signals as shown in FIG. 5(a) (7). When the steering wheel 1 (handle) is turned in this state, the light emitting elements 4a, 4b,
4c also rotates, and the light from the light emitting elements 4a, 4b, 4c is transmitted to the light receiving section 7a.

The light reaches the light receiving elements 6a, 6b, 6c only when the light passing portions at, by, cy of 7b, 7c are irradiated with it.

As a result, the light receiving elements 6a, 6b, and 6c as shown in FIG.
b), (cl, 3-phase light reception signal Pa shown in (d),
Pb and pc are output. This signal Pa, Pb, PC
is input to the light receiving processing means 9 through a signal smoothing section 11 that absorbs short-cycle pulses such as response signals corresponding to switching signals. The rotation direction determining section 9b of the light reception processing means 9 receives the light reception signal Pa.

The received light signal Pa is obtained by smoothing pb and pc in the signal smoothing section 11.
When the steering wheel 1 is rotated in the right direction in response to ', Pb', and Pc', a right signal is output, and when the steering wheel 1 is rotated in the left direction, a left signal is output. Note that the rotation direction determining section 9b distinguishes between the lie 1 direction and the left direction based on the received light signal pa'.

This can be done by detecting the order in which Pb' and Pc' go from low level to high level.

The rotation angle calculation unit 9C receives the left or right signal and calculates the rotation angle of the steering wheel 1. This can be achieved by adding or subtracting the rotation angle corresponding to this signal from the previous rotation angle when the signal is input. The above-mentioned right signal or left signal is shown in FIG.

It becomes high level when two or more of the PCs are on.

The counters 9d and 9e receive the right and left signals from the rotational direction determining section 9b, respectively, and count how many pulses are generated within a predetermined time, thereby detecting the steering angular velocity in the right and left directions.

The signal shown in FIG. 5(f) is, for example, a light emitting signal 1.
The signal shown in FIG. 5(Cf) indicates the input signal to the operation switch signal discriminator 9a corresponding to the signal shown in FIG. The light reception signal Pa shown in b), (c), and (d),
It is obtained by taking the logical sum of Pb and pc.

Three-phase light receiving element 6a as described in this embodiment
, 6b, 6c, the rotational direction and rotational speed of the steering wheel can be determined accurately, and the steering angle can be detected with high precision. Further, in this embodiment, since the device serves both as a means for detecting an operation switch and a means for detecting a steering angle, there is no need to provide a separate steering angle sensor, and the configuration is simplified.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, when the light emitting element provided on the steering pad receives a switching signal from the operation switch, the light emitting element provided on the steering pad performs one point decrement operation according to this signal, and under normal conditions, the light emitting element provided on the steering pad is always operated as described above. A light-emitting control means for controlling the light-emitting element to turn on, and a light-receiving process for detecting the signal from the above-mentioned operation switch and the steering angle, which receives a signal from the light-receiving means that receives light from the light-emitting element. and the light receiving means includes a plurality of light receiving elements, a light blocking part that blocks the light from the light emitting element, and a light passing part that allows the light to pass through, which are formed in a circular shape at predetermined intervals alternately. a light receiving section, and the light blocking section and the light passing section of each light receiving section are provided so as to be shifted from each other by a fixed period on the circumference with respect to the light blocking section and the light passing section of the adjacent light receiving sections. This eliminates the need to provide a steering angle sensor for detecting the steering angle of the steering wheel, and improves steering angle detection accuracy.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
3 is a plan view of the light receiving section shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the steering wheel and steering column according to the above embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of the steering pad shown in FIG. (a) to (f) are signal waveform diagrams of light-receiving signals output from the light-receiving element of the above embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Steering wheel, 2... Steering pad, 3a, 3b, 3c... Operation switch, 4a. 4b, 4c... Light emitting element, 5... Steering column, 6a, 6b, 6G-... Light receiving element (light receiving means), 7
a. 7b, 7c... Light receiving section (light receiving means), aχ, bχ. Cχ... Light blocking section, a'y, by, cy... Light passing section, 8... Control means for light emission, 9... Processing means for light reception, 10... OR gate. Patent applicant Mazda Co., Ltd. Agent
People Patent Attorney Etsushi Kotani
Patent Attorney Chief 1) Masamukai Patent Attorney
Yasuo Itaya Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of operation switches and a light emitting element provided on the steering pad, and when receiving a switching signal from the operation switch, the light emitting element is controlled to perform a blinking operation according to the switching signal, and the a light emission control means for controlling the light emitting element to be lit at all times when the operation switch is not operated; a light receiving means for receiving light from the light emitting element; and a light receiving means for receiving a signal from the light receiving means and for receiving the operation switch. The light receiving means includes a plurality of light receiving cables provided on the steering column side corresponding to the light emitting elements, and a light receiving processing means for detecting a steering angle and a signal from the light emitting element. A plurality of light-receiving parts are provided on the steering column side, and a plurality of light-receiving parts are provided on the steering column side, and a light-blocking part that blocks the light from the light-receiving element and a light-passing part that passes through the light-receiving element are alternately formed in a circular shape at predetermined intervals. , the light blocking part and the light passing part of each light receiving part are provided so as to be shifted by 1/n period (n is an integer) from each other on the circumference with respect to the light blocking part and the light passing part of the adjacent light receiving part. A steering switch signal transmission device characterized by: