JPS644616Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an automatic tilt steering lock release device that can adjust the vertical position and inclination angle of the steering wheel according to the physique and preference of the driver.

[Description of prior art]

Conventionally, in sporty cars and the like, the driving position of the steering wheel is low, and the clearance between the steering wheel and the driver's seat is small. For this reason, in this type of vehicle, the driver has to use the tilt adjustment lever to push the steering wheel up to the uppermost position each time the driver gets on or off the vehicle, which is cumbersome.

[Purpose of invention]

The present invention improves on this point by incorporating an automatic tilt steering lock release device that automatically flips the steering wheel upward in conjunction with the opening and closing of the driver's door when getting on and off the vehicle, making it easier for the driver to get on and off the vehicle. The purpose is to provide.

[Characteristics of the invention]

The present invention relates to a tilt steering device comprising a tilt lock means for locking the steering wheel in a driving position, a release means for releasing the lock of the lock means by an electric signal, and a spring for lifting the steering wheel upward when the lock is released by the release means. The tilt steering device further comprises a steering position detection means for detecting that the steering wheel is in the lifted position, a door switch for detecting that the driver's door is open, and a parking brake switch for detecting that the parking brake is being used. The tilt steering device takes in the detection outputs of the steering position detection means, the parking brake switch, and the door switch, and detects whether the steering wheel is in the driving position, the parking brake is being used,
The device further comprises a control circuit for applying an electric signal to the release means when it detects that the door is open.

[Effect]

When the parking brake is set and the door is opened, the steering wheel automatically flips up due to spring force. When riding the vehicle, the driver can easily return the steering wheel to its normal position by manually moving the steering wheel against this spring after taking the seat.

〔Example〕

Examples will be described in detail below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a steering wheel 1 is locked at a desired operating position by a pawl 2, which is a tilt lock mechanism, and a latch 3 thereof. An electromagnetic solenoid 4 for unlocking is connected to this pawl 2. A steering switch 6 is provided on the steering wheel 1. This switch 6 is turned on when the steering wheel 7 is in the normal driving position, and turned off when the steering wheel 1 is unlocked and the steering wheel 1 is at its uppermost position where it springs up due to the spring 8. .

Reference numeral 9 is a door switch for the driver's seat, and its common contact 9a is switched to the first contact 9b because the rod 11 is in pressure contact with the driver's door 10 when it is closed, and when the door 10 is open, the rod 11 is pressed. In order to separate, the switch is made to the second contact point 9c. A parking brake switch 12 is turned on when the lever 13 is pulled up and the parking brake is used, and turned off when the lever 13 is lowered and the parking brake is not used. The steering switch 6, door switch 9, and parking brake switch 12 described above are connected to a control circuit 14 that controls the electromagnetic solenoid 4.

FIG. 2 is an electrical circuit diagram of the switches 6, 9, and 12, the electromagnetic solenoid 4, and the control circuit 14. In FIG. 2, a driving coil 16 of the electromagnetic solenoid 4 and a steering wheel 6 are connected to the power terminal 15. Coil 16 is connected to the collector electrodes of transistors 17 and 18 which are Darlington connected. The steering switch 6 is connected to a first contact 9b of a door switch 9. A common contact 9a of the door switch 9 is grounded via a capacitor 19. Further, the second contact 9c of the door switch 9 is connected to the transistor 17.
connected to the base electrode of. The emitter electrodes of transistors 17 and 18 are grounded via the parking brake switch 12.

The operation of the device having such a configuration will be explained. First, when the steering wheel 7 is in the normal driving position and the driver's door 10 is closed,
Since the steering switch 6 is in the on state and the common contact 9a of the door switch 9 has been switched to the first contact 9b, the capacitor 19 is in a charging state.

Next, the driver presses the parking brake lever 1 in this state.
3 and open the driver's door 10, the parking brake switch 12 is turned on and
The common contact 9a of the door switch 9 is the second contact 9c
Therefore, a discharge current flows from the capacitor 19 to the base electrode of the transistor 17 for a certain period of time. Current flows through the drive coil 16 for this time, and the solenoid 4 is energized to draw the claw 2. As a result, the steering wheel 1 is unlocked, and the steering wheel 1 automatically springs up due to the tensile elastic force of the spring 8. After a certain discharge time of the capacitor 19 has elapsed, the solenoid 4 is deenergized and the steering wheel 1 is fixed in the raised position, increasing the clearance between the steering wheel 7 and the driver's seat, so the driver can You can get off easily.

Next, when the driver gets in the car, when he returns the steering wheel 7 to the desired driving position after taking the seat, the solenoid 4 is not energized at this time.
The pawl 2 is latched at a predetermined position on the latch 3, and the steering wheel 1 is locked, and at the same time the steering switch 6 is turned on.
turns on. Next, when the door 10 is closed, the capacitor 19 is charged and the above operation is repeated.

Note that even if the driver's door 10 is left open when getting into the vehicle, the steering switch 6 is in the OFF state before the steering wheel 1 is set to the desired driving position, so the solenoid 4 will not be energized and become unable to lock. do not have.

In addition, if the driver leaves the driver's door 10 open in order to check the rear of the vehicle when reversing the vehicle, the parking brake switch 12 acts as a cancel switch for this device and prohibits the steering wheel 1 from being unlocked. do. That is, if the parking brake is not used and the parking brake switch 12 is turned off, the solenoid 4 is not energized and the steering wheel 1 is not unlocked.

[Effects of the invention] As described above, according to the invention, when the door is opened with the parking brake activated, the steering wheel automatically flips up due to the spring force, so the driver does not have to operate the tilt steering wheel. At the very least, it has the effect of allowing you to get in and out of the vehicle with a large clearance between the steering wheel and the driver's seat.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of the device of the present invention;
The figure shows the electrical circuit configuration diagram. 1... Steering, 2... Claw, 3... Latch, 4... Electromagnetic solenoid, 6... Steering switch, 7... Steering wheel, 8...
Spring, 9... Driver's door switch, 9a
...Common contact, 9b...First contact, 9c...Second contact, 10...Driver's door, 12...Parking brake switch, 13...Parking brake lever, 14...Control circuit, 19 ... Capacity.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) Tilt lock means 2 and 3 for locking the steering wheel 1 in the operating position; a release means 4 for releasing the lock of the lock means by an electric signal; and a release means 4 for releasing the lock by the release means. A tilt steering device comprising a spring 8 that flips the steering wheel upward when the steering wheel is in the tilted-up position, comprising: a steering position detection means 6 that detects that the steering wheel is in the flipped-up position; and a driver's seat door 10 that is opened. and a parking brake switch 12 that detects whether the parking brake is being used, and receives the respective detection outputs of the steering position detection means, the parking brake switch, and the door switch, and determines whether the steering position is in operation. 1. An automatic lock release device for a tilt steering system, comprising: a control circuit that applies an electric signal to the release means when the parking brake is in the position, the parking brake is used, and the door is opened. (2) The tilt steering system according to claim (1) of the utility model registration claim, wherein the control circuit includes a capacitor 19 and an electric circuit that provides the electric signal for a period during which the discharge current of the capacitor continues. Automatic lock release device.