JPS6312018B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a vehicle control device, and more particularly to a vehicle control device that allows optical signals to be exchanged between a door and a vehicle body.

In recent years, as the application of electronics technology to automobiles has progressed, automobiles have come to be equipped with electronic devices with advanced functions, such as drive computers and constant speed driving devices. These devices usually have an operating device equipped with switches for setting time data and driving data, and
It is comprised of control circuits that control various indicators and actuators in response to inputs to the operating device and detection values of various sensors. By the way, the above-mentioned operating devices must be placed around the driver's seat so that they can be easily operated by the driver, but as the number of such electronic devices increases, it is becoming increasingly difficult to place them in the vicinity of the driver's seat. Because it is necessary to make effective use of available space, a system is often adopted in which an operating device is installed on the driver's side door and sends a signal to a control device installed in the vehicle body.

However, in conventional vehicle control devices, signals from an operating device provided on the door are usually connected by an electric wire from one end of the door to a control device on the vehicle body, so the door opens and closes. Along with this, electric wires were frequently bent and stretched, which caused the inconvenience that accidents such as wire breakage were likely to occur. Furthermore, as the number of electric wires increases as the signals from the controller increase, the above-mentioned connection using electric wires becomes extremely difficult in terms of space and reliability. .

The present invention has been made in order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, and includes an operating device consisting of a plurality of switches, an electro-optical converter that converts an electrical signal into an optical signal, and a system based on the signal from the operating device. a transmission circuit that drives the electro-optical converter; an opto-electric converter that receives an optical signal emitted by the electro-optic converter and converts it into an electrical signal; and a photo-electric converter that decodes the output signal of the opto-electric converter. and a control circuit that outputs a predetermined control signal in response to a signal from the operating device, and converts the signal transmission between the electro-optical converter and the opto-electric converter into an optical signal. The purpose of this invention is to eliminate the transmission line for signals and provide a highly reliable vehicle control device that takes up less space.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 1,
1 is a plurality of switches 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d
3 is a light-emitting diode that serves as an electro-optical converter that converts an electrical signal into an optical signal; 4 is a light-emitting diode that encodes the signal from the controller 1 into a temporally serial signal; The operating device 1, the light emitting diode 3, and the transmitting circuit 4 are arranged in a door 5 of a vehicle, for example, an automobile. Further, 6 is a phototransistor that serves as a photoelectric converter that receives the optical signal emitted by the light emitting diode 3 and converts it into an electrical signal;
7 is a control circuit that decodes the signal output from the phototransistor 6 and outputs a predetermined control signal 8 in response to the signal from the operating device 1; It is arranged on the vehicle body 9.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing how each component of the vehicle control device in FIG. 1 is mounted. In FIG. 2, an automobile door 5 is hinged to a vehicle body 9 by hinges 10, 10, and an operating device 1 is provided on the surface of the door 5 on the passenger compartment side, and includes a plurality of switches 2a to 2d. 11 is the light emitting surface 3 of the light emitting diode 3
A (see FIG. 3 described later) or a light-receiving surface (not shown) of the phototransistor 6, respectively, and a light-emitting diode 3 is installed inside the door 5 on the back side of the cleaner 11 on the door 5 side. A phototransistor 6 is installed inside the vehicle body 9 on the back side of the cleaner 11 on the vehicle body 9 side. 1
Reference numeral 2 denotes a rod that slides in a direction perpendicular to each end face of the door 5 or the vehicle body 9, and each cleaner 11 is operated by the sliding movement of each rod 12, 12 in response to the opening and closing of the door 5. When the door 5 is closed, the door 5 and the vehicle body 9 push in the opposing rods 12, 12, respectively, so that the cleaners 11, 11 are moved to a position where they do not interfere with the transmission of optical signals. Also, when door 5 is opened,
The light emitting diode 3 and the phototransistor 6 are arranged so that the optical axes of the light emitting diode 3 and the phototransistor 6 do not coincide with each other, but when the door 5 is closed, the optical axes of the light emitting diode 3 and the phototransistor 6 almost coincide with each other. .

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the section A shown by the dotted line in FIG. 2 when the door 5 is in an open state, viewed from above. In FIG. 3, 3a is a light emitting diode 3
12a is a stopper protruding from the rod 12, 13 is a link that converts the sliding movement of the rod 12 into the cleaning movement of the cleaner 11, and the central axis 13
a, and is provided with a groove 13b, into which one end 11b of the arm 11a fixed to the cleaner 11 is fitted, and in the arm 11a, the link 13 is rotatable. A step is provided to prevent the link 13 from colliding with the link 13.
The cleaner 11 is interposed between the light emitting surface 3a of the light emitting diode 3 and the window 14 provided in the door 5, and slides in the vertical direction in FIG. 3 along a guide rail (not shown). 11c is a cleaning member such as a brush fixed to the cleaner 11, and when the cleaner 11 slides in the vertical direction, the cleaning member 11
c cleans the light emitting surface 3a of the light emitting diode 3.
Reference numeral 15 denotes a spring stretched between the door 5 and the link 13. When the door 5 is open as shown in FIG.
3 is pulled in the direction of arrow C, and at the same time link 1
3 presses the rod 12, which causes the rod 12 to
is held in a locked position by its stopper 12a.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cross-section A shown by the dotted line when the door 5 in FIG. 2 is in the closed state, viewed from above. In FIG. 4, when the door 5 is closed, the end face of the vehicle body 9 pushes the tip of the rod 12, and as the rod 12 slides, the link 13 is rotated in the direction of arrow D. Cleaner 1
1 is moved upward in FIG. This results in
The light emitting diode 3 can emit light to the outside of the door 5 through the window 14.

Next, the operation of an embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be explained using FIGS. 1 to 4. When the door 5, which is in the open state as shown in FIG. The link 13 is slid by the tensile force of the spring 15.
, the link 13 is rotated in the direction of arrow D around the central axis 13a. As the link 13 rotates, one end 11b of the arm 11a fitted into the groove 13b of the link 13 slides within the groove 13b, and the cleaner 11 to which the arm 11a is fixed is shown in FIG. direction, and at this time,
The cleaning member 11c is the light emitting surface 3a of the light emitting diode 3.
The light emitting surface 3a is cleaned to remove foreign matter such as dust adhering to the surface of the light emitting surface 3a, and the light emitting surface 3a is maintained in the state shown in FIG.

In this way, when the driver operates the switches 2a to 2d of the operating device 1 shown in FIG. 1 as necessary with the door 5 closed, the transmitting circuit 4 activates each switch 2a to 2d. The state is detected and converted into a temporally serial signal, and the light emitting diode 3 is driven based on this signal. The light signal emitted by the light emitting diode 3 passes through the window 14 in FIG. The signal is converted into an electrical signal and input to the control circuit 7 shown in FIG. The control circuit 7 decodes this signal and controls each switch 2a to 2d of the operating device 1.
The operating state of the controller is determined, and a predetermined control signal 8 is output depending on the operating state. This control signal 8 causes, for example, the drive computer to set the departure time and reset the trip meter, and the constant speed driving device to drive the actuator for setting and canceling the vehicle speed.

On the other hand, when the door 5 is open as shown in FIG. 2, no force is applied to push the rods 12, 12, so the link 13 is moved in the direction of arrow C by the tensile force of the spring 15 shown in FIG. As a result, the rod 12 is slid to the right in FIG. 3 and is held at a predetermined position by the stopper 12a. Since the link 13 rotates as described above, the arm 1 inserted into the groove 13b
One end 11b of 1a is moved downward in FIG. 3, and therefore the cleaner 11 to which the arm 11a is fixed is similarly moved downward in FIG. 3, but at this time, the cleaning member 11c is moved downward in FIG. As the cleaner 11 slides, the light emitting surface 3a of the light emitting transistor 3
is cleaned and held in the position shown in FIG. Similarly, the cleaning member 11c cleans the light receiving surface of the phototransistor 6 as the cleaner 11 slides.

In this way, when the door 5 is open, the cleaner 11 on the door 5 side and the cleaner 1 on the vehicle body 9 side
1 cleans foreign matter such as dust adhering to the light emitting surface 3a of the light emitting diode 3 and the light receiving surface of the phototransistor 6, respectively. A situation in which transmission cannot be performed accurately can be avoided in advance.

As described above, in the embodiment of the present invention, the electric wires used in the conventional apparatus for transmitting signals are not required, so that accidents such as wire breakage are avoided and reliability is improved. Further, input signals from the plurality of switches 2a to 2d are transmitted to the transmitting circuit 4.
Since the signal is converted into a temporally serial signal, a large number of signals can be transmitted using a pair of light emitting diodes 3 and a phototransistor 6.

By the way, the transmitting circuit 4 requires a power source, and therefore only a power line (not shown) must be led from the vehicle body 9 side to the door 5 side, but such a transmitting circuit 4 generally consumes only a small amount of power. By providing a battery dedicated to the transmitting circuit 4 inside the door 5, there can be no electric wire between the door 5 and the vehicle body 9.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the operating device 1, the light emitting diode 3, and the transmitting circuit 4 are provided on the door 5 side, and the phototransistor 6 and the control circuit 7 are provided on the vehicle body 9 side. To,
The operating device 1, the light emitting diode 3, and the transmitting circuit 4 are connected to the vehicle body 9, and the phototransistor 6 and the control circuit 7 are connected to the vehicle body 9.
By providing each on the door 5 side, the vehicle body 9
For example, a power window device or an automatic door lock device on the door 5 side can be driven from the side, and an operating device 1, a light emitting diode 3, a transmitter circuit 4, a phototransistor 6, and a control device are installed on both the door 5 side and the vehicle body 9 side. Even if the circuit 7 is provided so that signals can be transmitted between the door 5 and the vehicle body 9,
The same effects as in the above embodiment are achieved.

Furthermore, the door 5 is not limited to the driver's side door.
It may also be applied to doors in other locations.

As described above, according to the vehicle control device according to the present invention, the operating device, the electro-optic converter, and the transmitting circuit are provided on at least one of the vehicle door or the vehicle body, and the photo-electric converter is provided on the other side. and a control circuit, and the electro-optical converter and the photo-electric converter are arranged so that their respective optical axes do not coincide or substantially coincide with each other depending on the opening and closing of the door, and Since the light-emitting surface of the electro-optical converter and the light-receiving surface of the photo-electric converter are each provided with means for cleaning, there is no need for electric wires for transmitting signals from the operating device to the control circuit. Therefore, it is possible to avoid accidents such as wire breakage, which has an excellent effect of further improving reliability.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing how each component of the vehicle control device in FIG. 1 is installed.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show cross-section A shown by dotted lines when the door in FIG. 2 is in the open or closed state, respectively.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1...operator, 2a to 2d...switch,
3... Light emitting diode (electro-optical converter), 4...
Transmission circuit, 5...Door, 6...Phototransistor (photoelectric converter), 7...Control circuit, 8...Control signal, 9...Vehicle body, 11...Cleaner, 11c
... Cleaning member, 12 ... Rod, 13 ... Link, 14 ... Window, 15 ... Spring. In addition, in the figures, the same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An operating device consisting of a plurality of switches, an electro-optical converter that converts an electrical signal into an optical signal, a transmission circuit that drives the electro-optic converter based on a signal from the operating device, and the electro-optical converter. a photoelectric converter that receives an optical signal emitted by the controller and converts it into an electrical signal; and a photoelectric converter that decodes the output signal of the photoelectric converter and generates a predetermined control signal in response to the signal from the operating device. Consists of a control circuit that outputs
The operating device, the electro-optical converter, and the transmitting circuit are provided on at least one of the door or the vehicle body of the vehicle, and the photo-electric converter and the control circuit are provided on the other side. The electro-optical converter and the opto-electric converter are arranged so that their respective optical axes do not coincide or almost coincide, and the light-emitting surface of the electro-optic converter and the opto-electric converter 1. A vehicle control device comprising means for cleaning each of the light-receiving surfaces of the vehicle.