WO1998026952A1 - Vehicle turn indicator system - Google Patents
Vehicle turn indicator system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO1998026952A1 WO1998026952A1 PCT/AU1997/000847 AU9700847W WO9826952A1 WO 1998026952 A1 WO1998026952 A1 WO 1998026952A1 AU 9700847 W AU9700847 W AU 9700847W WO 9826952 A1 WO9826952 A1 WO 9826952A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- indicators
- turn indicator
- indicator system
- signal processing
- switch
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
- B60Q1/26—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
- B60Q1/34—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating change of drive direction
- B60Q1/40—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating change of drive direction having mechanical, electric or electronic automatic return to inoperative position
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
- B60Q1/26—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
- B60Q1/34—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating change of drive direction
- B60Q1/343—Manually actuated switching arrangements therefor
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a vehicle turn indicator system.
- Vehicle turn indicator systems include turn indicator levers which are used to activate and deactivate left and right indicator lamps of a vehicle.
- the indicator levers include a sophisticated mechanical ratchet mechanism which is used to deactivate the indicators as the vehicle steering wheel is turned back towards a centre position after a turn has been completed.
- the mechanical ratchet mechanism also includes a latching mechanism which physically locks the lever in a turn position to ensure the left or right indicators remain on whilst a turn is completed.
- a vehicle turn indicator system including: a turn indicator switch; left and right turn indicators; a steering angle sensor; and signal processing means responsive to the state of said switch for activating said indicators, and responsive to said steering angle sensor for deactivating said indicators.
- Figure 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle turn indicator system.
- a turn indicator system 2 as shown in Figure 1 , includes a turn indicator lever switch
- the indicator lever 4, the steering column module 6 and the steering angle sensor 10 are mounted in the vehicle's steering wheel assembly.
- the turn indicator lever 4 is connected to the steering column module 6 and both the steering column module 6 and the steering wheel sensor 10 are connected to body electronics module 8 by a multiplexed serial bus which forms a local area network (LAN) in the vehicle
- the body electronics module 8 is able to receive signals from other parts of the vehicle, such as a vehicle speed sensor 16 and a brake sensor 18, and transmit activation signals to parts of the vehicle, such as the left and right indicator lamps 12 and 14, using the LAN or dedicated wires forming part of wiring looms of the vehicle
- the turn indicator lever 4 is a self-centring lever with four similarly spaced switching positions LI , L2, Rl and R2 where two each are disposed on opposite sides of a centre position 20 of the lever 4
- One side is tor Rl and R2 for the right indicator 14 and the other side is for LI and L2 for the left indicator 12, as shown in Figure 1
- Mild actuating pressure moves the lever 4 to the first positions Rl and LI , whilst stronger pressure will move the lever to the second positions R2 and L2
- a detent action at the first position Rl or LI provides tactile feedback to a driver that the first position Rl or LI has been reached
- the lever 4 does not include a mechanical ratchet or a latching mechanism, as is the case tor normal indicator levers, and on releasing the lever 4 it will return immediately to the centre position 20
- the lever 4 includes switches which are activated for each of the positions LI , L2, Rl and R2, and the switches can be implemented using moulded silicon conductive pads Alternatively the switches may be implemented
- the steering column module 6 encodes the state of the switches, which represents whether the lever 4 has been placed in one of the positions LI , L2, Rl or Rl , together with the state of other switches on the steering wheel column, into serial bit stream tor transmission to the body electronics module (BEM) 8 Upon a serial bit stream request from the BEM 8.
- BEM body electronics module
- the steering control module 6 transmits the state of all switches to the BEM 8 Alternatively the steering control module 6 may transmit only the status of the switch that has changed state, along with a switch identifier
- the steering angle sensor 10 converts the physical angle of the steering wheel from a predetermined position into a number that is transmitted to the BEM 8
- the steering angle sensor 10 may already be provided as part of a vehicle dynamic control system which is used to effect brake control during turning as an extension of an ABS system This system is 5 included in Mercedes Benz vehicles and is described in a Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) Technical Paper, No 950759, Advancements in ABS/TCS and Brake Technology SP-1075
- the sensor 10 may consist of a plastic moulded annular disk magnet with a number, such as 30, of radially arranged north-south pole transitions Two magnetic sensors, such as solid state hall effect sensors, can be offset from each other by an appropriate
- the senor 10 amount to generate a two-bit grey coded quadrature signal which can be ted to the steering column module 6 to determine both the direction and magnitude of rotation of the vehicle steering wheel This data can then be transmitted serially to the BEM 8 to allow the calculation of the absolute steering wheel angle
- the sensor 10 may include an optical chopper disk with alternating radially transmissive and opaque sections
- the body electronics module 8 controls activation and deactivation of the indicators
- the BEM 8 may also use data from other vehicle sensors 16 and 18 When the
- BEM 8 receives data that the lever 4 has been moved from the centre position 20 to the LI or Rl position, the BEM 8 causes the following the occur
- 25 or right indicator 12 or 14 will flash tor as long as the lever 4 is held in the LI or Rl position It the lever is held in the LI or Rl position for less than one flash period, the left or right indicator 12 or 14 will produce one full flash
- the BEM 8 determines the steering wheel angle which then needs to be traversed before the left or right indicators 12 or 14 can be subsequently deactivated
- the BEM 8 uses the angle data provided by the steering angle sensor 10 to determine the current angle, when the lever 4 has been moved to L2 or R2, and the deactivation angle Therefore the left or right indicator 12 or 14 will be held in an activated state until the BEM 8 receives data from the steering angle sensor 10 indicating that the deactivation angle has been reached
- the angle information provided may be provided by the steering column module 6 Alternatively the BEM 8 may use current and historical values of vehicle speed from the speed sensor 16, brake pedal activation information from the brake sensor 18 and steering wheel angle to determine when the indicators 12 or 14 should be deactivated
- the vehicle turn indicator system 2 described above is particularly advantageous as it does not require use of the complex and relatively expensive mechanical ratchet and latching mechanism used in existing turn indicator levers
- a simpler self-centring turn indicator lever 4 can be employed allowing cost savings to be made, which are even more significant in a vehicle which already includes a steering angle sensor 10 as part of a vehicle dynamic control system Activation and deactivation of the turn indicators is determined on the basis of electronic information provided concerning steering wheel position instead of the standard mechanical and ratchet mechanism employed in existing turn indicator levers
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AU53949/98A AU5394998A (en) | 1996-12-16 | 1997-12-15 | Vehicle turn indicator system |
EP97947652A EP0944493A4 (en) | 1996-12-16 | 1997-12-15 | Vehicle turn indicator system |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AUPO4218 | 1996-12-16 | ||
AUPO4218A AUPO421896A0 (en) | 1996-12-16 | 1996-12-16 | Vehicle turn indicator system |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO1998026952A1 true WO1998026952A1 (en) | 1998-06-25 |
Family
ID=3798526
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/AU1997/000847 WO1998026952A1 (en) | 1996-12-16 | 1997-12-15 | Vehicle turn indicator system |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0944493A4 (en) |
AU (1) | AUPO421896A0 (en) |
WO (1) | WO1998026952A1 (en) |
Cited By (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP1186471A1 (en) * | 2000-09-12 | 2002-03-13 | Sc2N | Control device for vehicle direction indicators |
EP1186472A1 (en) | 2000-09-12 | 2002-03-13 | Sc2N | Automatic device for switching off vehicle direction indicators |
EP1197389A2 (en) * | 2000-10-13 | 2002-04-17 | Yazaki Corporation | Winker lever canceling apparatus |
WO2006021297A1 (en) * | 2004-08-26 | 2006-03-02 | Valeo Schalter Und Sensoren Gmbh | Steering column switch |
EP1681203A3 (en) * | 2005-01-15 | 2007-10-10 | GM Global Technology Operations, Inc. | Method for cancelling a vehicle direction indicator |
WO2014127416A1 (en) * | 2013-02-19 | 2014-08-28 | Weel Inventions Pty Limited | Steering wheel mounted indicator system |
US11685307B2 (en) | 2021-02-26 | 2023-06-27 | Dsrj Inc. | Turn signal control system and methods |
Citations (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4275379A (en) * | 1978-05-01 | 1981-06-23 | Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho | Traffic indicator |
US4333071A (en) * | 1980-08-07 | 1982-06-01 | Hiroshi Kira | Self-cancelling apparatus for vehicle turn indicators |
US4403211A (en) * | 1980-11-26 | 1983-09-06 | Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Automatic turn-signal cancelling system |
FR2539360A1 (en) * | 1983-01-14 | 1984-07-20 | Dav Ind | Device for disconnecting a steering indicator member of a motor vehicle |
US4633214A (en) * | 1983-02-07 | 1986-12-30 | Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha | Device for detecting center of steering angle in vehicle |
US4638290A (en) * | 1985-05-22 | 1987-01-20 | Motorola, Inc. | Electronic turn signal cancellation apparatus |
US5260685A (en) * | 1992-03-20 | 1993-11-09 | Federal-Mogul Corporation | Time-delayed self-cancelling turn signal |
US5528218A (en) * | 1992-07-22 | 1996-06-18 | Grote Industries, Inc. | Electronic self-canceling turn signal device |
DE19534087A1 (en) * | 1995-09-14 | 1997-03-20 | Kostal Leopold Gmbh & Co Kg | Resetting system for motor vehicle directional indicator signal switch |
US5614884A (en) * | 1993-03-31 | 1997-03-25 | Evans; Harold A. | Vehicle turn signal |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE2721879C3 (en) * | 1977-05-14 | 1985-11-14 | SWF Auto-Electric GmbH, 7120 Bietigheim-Bissingen | Switching device for controlling the flashing lamps in motor vehicles |
JPS5668165U (en) * | 1979-10-31 | 1981-06-06 | ||
US4962366A (en) * | 1982-01-08 | 1990-10-09 | Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Automatic turn signal cancelling apparatus |
DE19508426C2 (en) * | 1995-03-09 | 1997-10-23 | Fritz Hetzer | Circuit for automatically switching off a car blinker |
-
1996
- 1996-12-16 AU AUPO4218A patent/AUPO421896A0/en not_active Abandoned
-
1997
- 1997-12-15 WO PCT/AU1997/000847 patent/WO1998026952A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1997-12-15 EP EP97947652A patent/EP0944493A4/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4275379A (en) * | 1978-05-01 | 1981-06-23 | Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho | Traffic indicator |
US4333071A (en) * | 1980-08-07 | 1982-06-01 | Hiroshi Kira | Self-cancelling apparatus for vehicle turn indicators |
US4403211A (en) * | 1980-11-26 | 1983-09-06 | Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Automatic turn-signal cancelling system |
FR2539360A1 (en) * | 1983-01-14 | 1984-07-20 | Dav Ind | Device for disconnecting a steering indicator member of a motor vehicle |
US4633214A (en) * | 1983-02-07 | 1986-12-30 | Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha | Device for detecting center of steering angle in vehicle |
US4638290A (en) * | 1985-05-22 | 1987-01-20 | Motorola, Inc. | Electronic turn signal cancellation apparatus |
US5260685A (en) * | 1992-03-20 | 1993-11-09 | Federal-Mogul Corporation | Time-delayed self-cancelling turn signal |
US5528218A (en) * | 1992-07-22 | 1996-06-18 | Grote Industries, Inc. | Electronic self-canceling turn signal device |
US5614884A (en) * | 1993-03-31 | 1997-03-25 | Evans; Harold A. | Vehicle turn signal |
DE19534087A1 (en) * | 1995-09-14 | 1997-03-20 | Kostal Leopold Gmbh & Co Kg | Resetting system for motor vehicle directional indicator signal switch |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
See also references of EP0944493A4 * |
Cited By (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP1186471A1 (en) * | 2000-09-12 | 2002-03-13 | Sc2N | Control device for vehicle direction indicators |
EP1186472A1 (en) | 2000-09-12 | 2002-03-13 | Sc2N | Automatic device for switching off vehicle direction indicators |
FR2813830A1 (en) * | 2000-09-12 | 2002-03-15 | Sc2N Sa | DEVICE FOR THE AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF EXTINCTION OF DIRECTION CHANGE INDICATORS ON A MOTOR VEHICLE |
FR2813831A1 (en) * | 2000-09-12 | 2002-03-15 | Sc2N Sa | DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING DIRECTION CHANGE INDICATORS ON MOTOR VEHICLE |
EP1197389A2 (en) * | 2000-10-13 | 2002-04-17 | Yazaki Corporation | Winker lever canceling apparatus |
WO2006021297A1 (en) * | 2004-08-26 | 2006-03-02 | Valeo Schalter Und Sensoren Gmbh | Steering column switch |
EP1681203A3 (en) * | 2005-01-15 | 2007-10-10 | GM Global Technology Operations, Inc. | Method for cancelling a vehicle direction indicator |
WO2014127416A1 (en) * | 2013-02-19 | 2014-08-28 | Weel Inventions Pty Limited | Steering wheel mounted indicator system |
US11685307B2 (en) | 2021-02-26 | 2023-06-27 | Dsrj Inc. | Turn signal control system and methods |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
AUPO421896A0 (en) | 1997-01-16 |
EP0944493A4 (en) | 2002-01-09 |
EP0944493A1 (en) | 1999-09-29 |
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