KR20220101505A - Steering wheel apparatus of vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a steering wheel apparatus of an automobile, comprising: a rim unit divided into first and second rims; a hub provided at the center of the rim unit; and a rotation module which rotates the second rim disposed on a rear side of the hub upward so as to overlap the first rim. Accordingly, a driver's seat space can be secured by rotating the second rim disposed on a driver's side of a steering wheel so as to overlap an upper part of the first rim disposed on the front side. In addition, various mounting target objects such as a smart phone or a laptop computer may be mounted.

Description

Steering wheel device of a car

The present invention relates to a steering wheel device for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a steering wheel device for a vehicle that secures a driver's space by partially overlapping a steering wheel provided on a driver's seat of the vehicle.

Recently, autonomous vehicles that move by themselves even when the driver does not drive the vehicle are being developed.

The autonomous vehicle uses a high-tech sensor capable of recognizing surrounding objects and a high-performance graphic processing device to detect each device provided in the vehicle and the situation around the vehicle, and controls the operation of each device provided in the vehicle according to the detection result to drive

The state-of-the-art sensor measures the distance between an object and an object like a human, detects danger, and helps to see all areas without blind spots. In addition, the graphic processing device helps the vehicle to safely drive by identifying the surrounding environment of the vehicle through a plurality of cameras and analyzing the image.

For example, the autonomous vehicle may be equipped with LiDAR equipment, sound wave equipment, 3D camera, radar equipment, and the like.

In the autonomous vehicle configured as described above, as the driver does not need to drive, the entire seat including the driver's seat rotates freely, and the angle of the backrest is adjusted to a horizontal state by tilting operation.

The occupant can adjust the angle of the backrest in various ways, and the seat can be rotated to face the occupant in the rear seat for a meeting.

Meanwhile, a steering wheel for driving a steering device connected to the wheel according to a driver's manipulation is provided in the driver's seat of the vehicle.

A steering wheel for a vehicle according to the prior art includes a ring-shaped rim and a hub provided at the center of the rim and on which the driver's seat airbag module is installed, and a plurality of spokes connecting the hub and the rim, and a steering shaft is connected to the front end of the hub.

For example, the following Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 disclose a steering wheel configuration according to the prior art.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2020-006954 (published on January 21, 2020) Republic of Korea Patent Registration No. 10-1420689 (Announced on July 17, 2014)

However, the steering wheel for a vehicle according to the prior art always occupies a certain space in the driver's seat as the rim is formed in a ring shape.

For this reason, when the steering wheel for a vehicle according to the prior art is driven in the autonomous driving mode of the autonomous vehicle, the driver rotates the backrest of the seat backward to take a posture leaning on the backrest or lying down, and twisting the legs or rotating the seat There was a problem that the rim and interference occurred during the process.

In addition, the steering wheel for a vehicle according to the prior art has a problem in that the injury value increases according to the posture or direction of the driver when the vehicle collides.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a steering wheel device for a vehicle capable of maximizing a driver's seat space by partially folding a rim.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a steering wheel device for a vehicle that is applied to an autonomous vehicle, etc. to secure a driver's seat space and avoid interference with the driver regardless of the driver's posture or inclination angle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a steering wheel device for a vehicle capable of holding a book or a portable terminal by folding a part of the rim.

In order to achieve the above object, a steering wheel device for a vehicle according to the present invention includes a rim portion divided into first and second rims, a hub provided at the center of the rim portion, and the first disposed at the rear of the hub. and a rotation module for rotating the second rim upward so as to overlap the first rim, wherein the second rim is rotated upward by holding and fixing the object to be mounted between the first rim and the second rim. do it with

As described above, according to the steering wheel device for a vehicle according to the present invention, the driver's seat space is maximized by arranging the second rim disposed on the driver's side of the steering wheel to overlap the upper portion of the first rim disposed on the front side. The effect is that it can be done.

Accordingly, according to the present invention, there is an effect that a sufficient space can be secured in which the driver can cross or move his legs in a lying position or leaning on the back of the seat.

And, according to the present invention, when applied to an autonomous vehicle, it is possible to effectively avoid interference between the driver and the steering wheel during the rotation operation of the seat and the adjustment of the inclination angle.

In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to effectively mount the object to be mounted by arranging the second rim to overlap the upper part of the first rim, and to prevent in advance the flow and fall of the object to be mounted due to vibration or shock generated during the driving process. effect is obtained.

1 is a perspective view of a steering wheel device for a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' shown in FIG. 1;
3 is an exploded perspective view of the rotation module;
4 to 5 are respectively an operation state diagram of rotating the second rim shown in FIG. 1 upward to overlap the lower part of the first rim;
6 is a view illustrating a cradle function using a second rim;
7 is a view illustrating a second cover.

Hereinafter, a steering wheel device for a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, the direction toward the front of the vehicle with the driver's seat as the center is referred to as 'front (F)', and the direction toward the rear of the vehicle is referred to as 'rear (B)'. In addition, terms indicating directions such as 'left (L)', 'right (R)', 'up (U)' and 'down (D)' indicate each direction based on the front and rear defined as doing

1 is a perspective view of a steering wheel apparatus for a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' shown in FIG. 1 .

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the steering wheel device 10 for a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a rim portion 20 and a rim portion ( 20) provided in the center of the hub 23, on which the driver's seat airbag module 26 is installed, and a plurality of spokes 24 connecting the first rim 21 and the hub 23 disposed on the front side of the hub 23 and a rotation module 30 for rotating the second rim 22 disposed on the rear side of the hub 23 to overlap the first rim 21 .

In addition, the steering wheel device 10 for a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is installed on the driver's seat of the vehicle, and the detection result of the detection unit 40 and the detection unit 40 for detecting the driver's posture and direction, and The control unit 50 may further include a control unit 50 for controlling the driving of the rotation module 30 based on whether the vehicle is started or whether the autonomous driving mode is set.

That is, the present invention is applicable not only to a general vehicle but also to an autonomous vehicle, and the second rim disposed on the driver's side of the steering wheel is raised and lowered according to whether the vehicle is started, whether the autonomous driving mode is set, and the driver's posture and direction of rotation. direction to maximize the driver's seat space.

In addition, the present invention may be configured to move the second rim by the driver's manual operation, or may be configured to drive the rotation module by driving the driving motor using a control signal from the control unit.

In detail, the rim portion 20 is formed in an approximately arc shape and is formed in an approximately arc shape with a pair of first rims 21 fixed to the front side of the hub 23 , and the rear side of the hub 23 , that is, the driver It may include a pair of second rims 22 disposed on the sides.

Of course, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and the first rim 21 and the second rim 22 may be modified to form an arc shape or a half-ring shape each having an angle of 180 ± α°.

The hub 23 may be provided in a substantially rectangular plate shape in cross section.

A housing 25 in which a driver's seat airbag module 26 and a horn switch are installed may be coupled to the hub 23 , and an airbag cover 27 may be coupled to an upper surface of the housing 25 .

The spokes 24 may be provided as a pair so as to be connected to a pair of first rims 21 each formed in an arc shape.

First and second cases 35 and 36 are coupled to the pair of spokes 24, respectively, and the first and second cases 35 and 36 indicate the operating state of each device provided in the vehicle, and each device A touch screen for receiving an operation signal for controlling the control unit may be installed.

In addition, an emblem or a lighting emblem symbolizing a vehicle or a manufacturer may be installed on the airbag cover 27 .

The rotation module 30 includes a third cover 37 that is rotatably coupled between a pair of second rims 22 and a fourth cover ( 35 ) that is rotatably coupled to one end, for example, an upper end of the third cover ( 35 ). 38) can be installed inside.

The detection unit 40 includes detection sensors for detecting the rotation direction of the driver's seat and the inclination angle of the backrest, and the detection signal output from the detection sensors is transmitted to the control unit 50 .

The control unit 50 is provided as an electronic control unit for controlling the driving of each electronic component provided in the vehicle or a controller provided to be able to communicate with the electronic control unit, the detection signal of the sensing unit 40 and various sensors provided in the vehicle; It is possible to control the driving of the rotation module 30 based on whether the vehicle is started, whether the autonomous driving mode is set, the rotation direction of the seat, the inclination angle of the backrest, etc., confirmed through the communication.

For example, when the autonomous driving mode is set after the vehicle is started, the controller 50 drives the rotation module 30 to rotate the second rim 22 upward or downward in order to maximize the driver's seat space. can be controlled to do so.

Of course, the controller 50 may subdivide and control the driving of the rotation module 30 according to the direction of rotation of the driver's seat or the inclination angle of the backrest.

Next, the configuration and operation method of the rotation module will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5 .

3 is an exploded perspective view of the rotation module, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are diagrams of an operation state of rotating the second rim shown in FIG. 1 upward to overlap the lower portion of the first rim.

The rotation module 30 functions to rotate the second rim 22 upward or downward by applying a dual link structure.

The rotation module 30 may be provided between the pair of second rims 22 and the hub 23 . Of course, the rotation module 30 may be provided as a pair by being spaced apart by a preset interval.

In detail, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the rotation module 30 has a lower end connected to the hub 23 and a support member 31 extending upwardly, both ends of a pair of second It includes a fixing member 32 connected to the rim 22 , and first and second connection members 33 and 34 , both ends of which are rotatably connected to the support member 31 and the fixing member 32 , respectively.

The support member 31 is disposed inside the third cover 37 , and both upper ends of the support member 31 and the fixing member 32 , the first and second connecting members 33 and 34 are respectively connected to the second cover 36 . ) can be placed inside. Here, the third cover 37 in which the support member 31 is installed may be provided separately from the housing 25 or may be integrally formed with the housing 25 .

The support member 31 is bent into an approximately 'L' shape in cross section when viewed from the side, and the vertical portion of the support member 31 is divided into both sides to have an approximately 'U' shape in cross section when viewed from the rear side. . And the upper ends of both sides of the support member may be formed by bending forward in a ''' shape, respectively.

A pair of first and second shafts 311 and 312 may be installed at both upper ends of the support member 31 at positions spaced apart from each other by a preset interval in the left and right directions. Here, the first shaft 311 may be disposed closer to the center of the steering wheel than the second shaft 312 .

The fixing member 32 has an approximately 'H' cross-section when viewed from the top, and a pair of second rims 22 may be disposed on both sides of the fixing member 32 , respectively.

A third shaft 321 and a fourth shaft 322 may be installed at both front and rear ends of the fixing member 32 in the left and right directions at positions spaced apart by a preset interval. Here, the third shaft 321 may be disposed closer to the center of the steering wheel than the fourth shaft 322 .

The first connecting member 33 and the second connecting member 34 may each have an approximately 'H' cross-section when viewed from above.

Both front ends of the first connection member 33 are rotatably connected to the support member 31 by a first shaft 311 , and both rear ends of the first connection member 33 are connected to each other by a third shaft 321 . It may be rotatably connected to the fixing member 32 .

Both front ends of the second connection member 34 are rotatably connected to the support member 31 by a second shaft 312 , and both rear ends of the second connection member 34 are rotatably connected by a fourth shaft 322 . It may be rotatably connected to the fixing member 32 .

Here, the first connecting member 33 and the second connecting member 34 are provided with the same length and are connected to the respective shafts 312, 312, 321 and 322 provided at different positions, so that the radius of rotation is the same, but the rotation trajectory is The first and second axes 311 and 312 may be spaced apart by a distance.

Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the pair of second rims 22 are connected to the first rim 21 by rotation of the first and second connecting members 33 and 34 about each axis. It can be rotated upward to partially overlap.

As such, the present invention can rotate the second rim upward by rotating a pair of connecting members about different axes by applying the double link structure.

Meanwhile, according to the present invention, the rotation radius and trajectory of the second rim 22 can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the lengths of the first and second connecting members 33 and 34 .

That is, when the lengths of the first and second connecting members 33 and 34 are increased, as the rotation radius and trajectory of the first and second connecting members 33 and 34 are increased, the first rim 21 and the second rim 21 are formed. The area where the 2 rims 22 overlap can be increased.

On the other hand, when the lengths of the first and second connecting members 33 and 34 are reduced, as the rotation radius and trajectory of the first and second connecting members 33 and 34 are reduced, the first rim 21 and the first rim 21 are The area where the 2 rims 22 overlap can be reduced.

In this way, the present invention can adjust the area where the first rim and the second rim overlap by adjusting the length of a pair of connecting members applied to the rotation module.

In particular, the second rim 22 may be rotated upward in a clockwise direction when viewed in FIG. 2 so as to be disposed on the upper portion of the first rim 21 .

Of course, the control unit 50 changes the rotation direction of the driving motor 61 to which the rotation module 30 is applied to control the rotation direction to move the second rim 22 to the upper or lower portion of the first rim 21 . can also

Meanwhile, the steering wheel device 10 of the vehicle may further include a driving module 60 that generates a driving force to rotate the rotation module 30 .

For example, the driving module 60 is driven according to a control signal from the controller 50 to generate a driving motor 61 , and a power transmission unit 61 for transferring the driving force generated from the driving motor to the rotation module 30 . ) may be included.

The driving motor 61 may be provided as a motor having various configurations and specifications, such as a linear motor or a step motor.

The power transmission unit 62 may include a rod that moves in and out by a driving force generated from the driving motor 61 .

For example, the rod may contract and contract so that the length is reduced by the driving force of the driving motor 61 .

Accordingly, the first connecting member 33 connected to the rod may rotate the second rim 22 upward while rotating in the clockwise direction.

Of course, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and various types of power transmission units that can convert the power transmission direction such as a worm and a worm gear type, a pair of bevel gears, screw gears, and helical gears are applied. can be changed to

And the present invention may be changed to change the installation direction of the drive motor, apply a rack and pinion to the power transmission unit, or apply a pair of spur gears.

In addition, the present invention may transmit the driving force to the rotation module using a power transmission unit using a pulley and a belt instead of the gear type.

The driving module 60 may be installed inside the third cover 37 having one side connected to a pair of support members 31 or hub 23 provided in the rotation module 30 and fixed at a predetermined position.

As described above, according to the present invention, the driving force generated from the driving motor of the driving module may be transferred to the rotation module to rotate the second rim upwards of the first rim.

Alternatively, the driving module 60 generates a linear pushing force to extend the rod 67 connected to the first connecting member 33 to rotate the second rim to the lower part of the first rim. may be

Therefore, according to the present invention, the second rim can be rotated to the upper or lower portion of the first rim by rotating the rotation module using the driving motor.

That is, the driving motor 61 generates a pushing force to extend the rod upward to rotate the second rim 22 to the upper part of the first rim 21, or use a pulling force to move the second rim ( 22) may be rotated to the lower part of the first rim 21, or the second rim 22 may be rotationally moved to the upper and lower portions of the first rim 21 by using a pushing force and a pulling force.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5 , when the second rim 22 is rotated upward to overlap the upper part of the first rim 21 , the second cover 36 is a large space such as a book or a laptop computer. It can perform a cradle function for holding an object.

For example, FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a cradle function using a second rim, and FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a second cover.

The second rim 22 is a portable communication device such as a smartphone or tablet mounted between the second rim 22 and the first rim 21, as shown in (a) to (f) of FIG. 6 , It can hold a stationary object such as a book or a laptop computer.

Of course, the second cover 36 may hold cosmetics or food contained in a cup or container.

At this time, both ends of the pair of second rims 22 protrude upward on both sides while being spaced upward by a predetermined interval from the pair of first rims 21, effectively fixing the lower ends of both sides of the book or laptop computer. can do.

As shown in (a) of FIG. 7 , the second cover 36 may be provided with a slip prevention unit 361 to prevent slipping of an object to be mounted due to vibration or shock generated during driving of the vehicle. .

The anti-slip part 361 may be provided with a friction pad having increased frictional force, such as rubber or fabric, or may include a slip-preventing member having an anti-slip pattern.

As shown in (b) of FIG. 7 , the third cover 36 may be provided with a seating part 362 to seat the object to be mounted and prevent the flow.

The seating part 362 may be formed as a concave groove so that a paper cup or container containing cosmetics or food can be inserted.

Of course, the seating portion 362 is not limited to a specific shape, and may be formed in various shapes such as a cylindrical shape or a polygonal shape to correspond to the shape of the object to be mounted.

As shown in (c) of FIG. 7, the third cover 36 may include a fixing member 363 for fixing an object to be mounted.

One end of the fixing member 363 is shaft-coupled to one or both sides of the third cover 36, and through a rotation operation around the shaft-coupled end, a relatively small mounting object, such as a smart phone or food, is effectively fixed. You may.

In (c) of FIG. 7 , the fixing member 363 is shown to rotate in the front-rear direction around one end coupled to the third cover 36 , but the fixing member 363 is attached to the third cover 36 . It may be changed to rotate along the left and right directions around the coupled one end.

Through the process as described above, in the present invention, the driver's seat space can be maximized by arranging the second rim disposed on the driver's side of the steering wheel to overlap the upper portion of the first rim disposed on the front side.

Accordingly, according to the present invention, it is possible to sufficiently secure a space for the driver to cross or move his/her legs in a lying position or leaning on the backrest of the seat.

In addition, when the present invention is applied to an autonomous vehicle, it is possible to effectively avoid interference between the driver and the steering wheel when rotating the seat and adjusting the inclination angle.

In addition, the present invention can effectively mount the object to be mounted by arranging the second rim to overlap the upper part of the first rim, and to prevent the flow and fall of the object to be mounted due to vibration or shock generated during the driving process in advance.

Although the invention made by the present inventors has been described in detail according to the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

The present invention secures the driver's seat space by rotating the second rim disposed on the driver's side of the steering wheel to overlap the upper part of the first rim disposed on the front side, and for mounting various objects such as smartphones and laptop computers. Applied to steering wheel device technology.

10: car steering wheel device
20: rim 21, 22: first and second limbs
23: hub 24: spoke
25: housing 26: driver's seat airbag module
27: air bag cover
30: rotation module
31: support members 311 and 312: first and second shafts
32: fixing member 321, 322: third, fourth shaft
33,34: first and second connecting members
35 to 37: first to third covers
40: sensing unit 50: control unit
60: drive module
61: drive motor 62: power transmission unit

Claims (9)

A rim portion divided into first and second rims;
a hub provided in the center of the rim; and
and a rotation module for rotating the second rim disposed on the rear side of the hub upward to overlap the first rim,
The steering wheel device of a vehicle, characterized in that the second rim is rotated upwardly, and the object to be mounted is mounted and fixed between the first rim and the second rim. According to claim 1,
A sensor that is installed on the driver's seat of the car and detects the angle of inclination and the direction of rotation of the driver;
a driving module that generates a driving force to rotate the rotating module; and
The steering wheel device for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit for controlling the driving of the driving module based on the detection result of the sensing unit, whether the vehicle is started, and whether the autonomous driving mode is set. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2,
The first rim is fixed to the hub by a pair of spokes,
The second rim is disposed on the rear side of the hub and rotates to overlap an upper portion of the first rim by a rotation operation of the rotation module. According to claim 3, wherein the rotation module is
a support member having a lower end connected to the hub and extending upward;
A fixing member having one end rotatably connected to the second rim and extending toward the center of the steering wheel; and
A steering wheel device for a vehicle, characterized in that the second rim is rotated by applying a dual link structure including first and second connecting members, both ends of which are rotatably connected to the supporting member and the fixing member, respectively. 5. The method of claim 4,
A first shaft and a second shaft are installed on the upper end of the support member at positions spaced apart by a preset interval,
A third axis and a fourth axis are installed in the fixing member at positions spaced apart by a preset interval,
Both ends of the first connection member are rotatably connected to the support member and the fixing member by the first shaft and the third shaft, respectively,
Both ends of the second connection member are rotatably connected to the support member and the fixing member by the second shaft and the fourth shaft, respectively. 6. The method of claim 5,
The turning radius and trajectory of the second rim are adjusted according to lengths of the first and second connecting members to adjust an area overlapping the first rim. 4. The method of claim 3,
A cover is rotatably coupled between the second rim and the rotation module by the rotation operation of the rotation module,
and the cover includes an anti-slip part for preventing slip of a mounted object mounted between the first rim and the second rim in a state in which the second rim is rotated upward. 4. The method of claim 3,
A cover is rotatably coupled between the second rim and the rotation module by the rotation operation of the rotation module,
and the cover includes a seating part on which a mounting object mounted between the first rim and the second rim is seated in a state in which the second rim is rotated upward. 4. The method of claim 3,
A cover is rotatably coupled between the second rim and the rotation module by the rotation operation of the rotation module,
and the cover includes a fixing member for fixing an object to be mounted between the first rim and the second rim in a state in which the second rim is rotated upward.

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