WO2022196674A1

WO2022196674A1 - Operating device

Info

Publication number: WO2022196674A1
Application number: PCT/JP2022/011529
Authority: WO
Inventors: 生佳伊藤; 一真成田
Original assignee: テイ・エステック株式会社
Priority date: 2021-03-17
Filing date: 2022-03-15
Publication date: 2022-09-22

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an operating device for a vehicle in which the operating position is fixed. [Solution] Provided is an operating device installed in a vehicle and including: an armrest having a tabular main body provided with an upper surface on which the arm of an occupant rests, a front surface, a side surface facing the occupant, and a lower surface; an operation input unit which is provided at the front end of the side surface and which receives an operation performed by the occupant for operating at least one onboard device; a first sensor which is provided at the front end of the lower surface and which detects the finger of the occupant; and a control device connected to the operation input unit, the first sensor, and the onboard device, wherein the control device controls the onboard device on the basis of a signal from the operation input unit in a case where the first sensor detects the occupant, and prohibits control of the onboard device based on a signal from the operation input unit in a case where the first sensor does not detect the occupant.

Description

Operating device

The present invention relates to an operating device.

It is known that a vehicle door is provided with an operation device having an operation switch (for example, a touch sensor, etc.) for operating an in-vehicle device (for example, Patent Document 1). In order to prevent erroneous operation of the operation switch, the operation device is provided in a concave portion forming a grip portion of the armrest, and is provided with a first sensor for detecting the hand and fingers of the occupant, and a side surface of the main body portion of the grip portion. and a second sensor for detecting a finger. A control device for a vehicle door controls an in-vehicle device when an operation switch provided on a side surface of an armrest on an inner side of the vehicle is operated by an occupant while the first sensor and the second sensor detect the fingers of the occupant. .

In addition, a display system is known in which a display device provided in front of the driver performs a countdown when the driving mode of the vehicle switches from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode (for example, Patent Document 2). The display device is provided on the A-pillar or the front window. A plurality of display devices perform a countdown by turning off the light in stages.

JP 2021-035816 A Japanese Patent No. 6620774

A touch sensor is composed of, for example, a capacitance sensor, etc., and may be formed in a planar shape. In this case, there is a problem that it is difficult for the passenger to recognize the position to be operated. Also, if the operation position is misaligned, there is a risk that an erroneous operation input will be detected.

In view of the above background, an object of the present invention is to make the operation position constant in an operation device.

In addition, since the occupants are freed from driving in self-driving vehicles, it is expected that the occupants' postures and conditions will diversify. Therefore, it is desirable that the display system of the vehicle performs notification in consideration of the posture and state of the occupant.

In view of the above background, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle display system that provides notification according to the state of the occupant in an automated driving vehicle provided with the above operation device.

In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is mounted on the vehicle and includes a top surface (32) on which an occupant's arm is placed, a front surface (35), side surfaces (33, 133) facing the occupant, and an armrest (37, 137) having a plate-like main body (31, 131) with a lower surface (34, 134); a first sensor (45, 145) provided at the front end of the lower surface for detecting the fingers of the occupant; a control device (55) connected to an input unit, the first sensor, and the in-vehicle device, the control device receiving a signal from the operation input unit when the first sensor detects an occupant; a vehicle operation device (20, 120) that controls the in-vehicle device based on the above and prohibits control of the in-vehicle device based on the signal from the operation input unit when the first sensor does not detect an occupant offer.

According to this aspect, the occupant can perform operation input with the first sensor detecting the finger. As a result, the operating position of the operating device can be made constant. Further, the positions of the occupant's fingers can be comprehended with relatively high accuracy based on the detection signal from the first sensor. Accordingly, it is possible to determine whether the input to the operation input unit is intentional by the passenger or unintentional contact. Therefore, the in-vehicle device can be controlled only when the input is intended by the passenger.

In the above aspect, it is preferable that an extension wall (39) is provided on the occupant side of the lower surface so as to protrude downward and extend the side surface downward.

According to this aspect, the aspect is expanded. Thereby, the operation input section can be enlarged. Therefore, it becomes easier for the passenger to operate the operation input unit. Furthermore, the occupant is less likely to touch the first sensor unintentionally. Therefore, erroneous operation by the passenger can be reliably prevented.

In the above aspect, the front end of the operation input section may be arranged forward of the rear end of the first sensor, and the rear end of the operation input section may be arranged rearward of the front end of the first sensor.

According to this aspect, the operation input section and the first sensor are provided at positions that are at least partially aligned in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the occupant can easily operate the operation input unit with the first finger while touching the first sensor with the second to fourth fingers.

In the above aspect, it is preferable that a concave portion (41) recessed upward is provided on the lower surface, and the first sensor is provided in the concave portion.

According to this aspect, the occupant's fingers are arranged along the concave portion, making it easier to contact the first sensor. Therefore, the first sensor can appropriately detect the occupant's finger. Furthermore, the occupant is less likely to touch the first sensor unintentionally. Therefore, erroneous operation by the passenger can be reliably prevented.

In the above aspect, a second sensor (46) for detecting the occupant's fingers is provided on the front surface, and the control device detects the occupant when both the first sensor and the second sensor detect the occupant. controlling the in-vehicle device based on the signal from the operation input unit, and controlling the in-vehicle device based on the signal from the operation input unit when at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor does not detect an occupant; should be prohibited.

According to this aspect, in order for the occupant to operate the operation input unit, it is necessary to grip the armrest in a predetermined gripping manner and have both the first sensor and the second sensor detect the fingers. As a result, even if the occupant unintentionally touches the operation input unit, the in-vehicle device is not operated. In other words, erroneous operation by the passenger can be reliably prevented.

In the above aspect, it is preferable that the front portion of the armrest is thinner in the vertical direction than the other portions.

According to this aspect, the occupant can easily grasp the front portion of the armrest. Furthermore, the vertical thickness of the rear portion of the armrest that is not gripped by the occupant can be increased. Therefore, the rigidity of the armrest can be increased.

In the above aspect, the front portion of the lower surface of the armrest may be offset upward with respect to other portions, and the front portion of the armrest may be thinner in the vertical direction than the other portions.

In the above aspect, the armrest may be provided on the door (1) of the vehicle.

According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a door equipped with an operating device whose operating position is fixed.

In the above aspect, the armrest may be provided on the seat (101) of the vehicle.

According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a seat equipped with an operating device whose operating position is fixed.

In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention includes armrests (331, 401) provided on a vehicle door (301) and at least one in-vehicle device (321) provided on the outer surface of the armrest. an operation input unit (348) for receiving an operation by an occupant for operation; a first sensor (345) provided behind the operation input unit on the outer surface of the armrest for detecting the occupant's fingers; A control device (355) connected to the operation input unit, the first sensor, and the in-vehicle device, wherein the control device receives the operation input unit from the operation input unit when the first sensor detects an occupant. and for prohibiting control of the in-vehicle device based on the signal from the operation input unit when the first sensor does not detect an occupant. )I will provide a.

In the above aspect, the upper surface (332, 402) of the armrest is provided with a pull pocket (335) recessed downward, and the inner wall portion (338, 408) defining the inner side portion of the pull pocket has a , a recess (351) recessed toward the inside of the vehicle is provided, a second sensor (346) for detecting the fingers of the occupant is provided on an upper wall (352) defining the upper part of the recess, and the control device controls the in-vehicle device based on the signal from the operation input unit when both the first sensor and the second sensor detect the occupant, and controls at least the first sensor and the second sensor It is preferable to prohibit the control of the in-vehicle device based on the signal from the operation input unit when one does not detect the occupant.

According to this aspect, in order for the occupant to operate the operation input unit, it is necessary to grip the pull pocket in a predetermined gripping manner and have both the first sensor and the second sensor detect the fingers. As a result, the in-vehicle device is not operated even if the occupant unintentionally touches the operation input unit when the occupant is trying to close the door by catching his/her finger in the pull pocket. In other words, erroneous operation by the passenger can be reliably prevented.

In the above aspect, it is preferable that the recess is recessed from the inner wall portion toward the inside of the vehicle and upward, and the second sensor is arranged on the uppermost side of the upper wall portion.

According to this aspect, when the occupant grips the pull pocket to operate the operation input unit, the finger can be deeply inserted into the pull pocket and the fingertip can be brought into contact with the second sensor. This makes it easier for the occupant to hold the pull pocket and keep the fingertips in contact with the second sensor. Therefore, it becomes easier for the passenger to operate the operation input unit.

In the above aspect, the inner wall portion preferably has an inner side surface (340) that extends substantially vertically from the bottom (336) of the recess and faces the outside of the vehicle.

According to this aspect, when the occupant is trying to close the door by catching the finger in the pull pocket, the finger is locked on the inner side surface. This makes it easier to close the door. Furthermore, since the finger is locked on the inner surface and does not enter the recess, it is possible to reliably prevent erroneous operation by the passenger.

In the above aspect, the first sensor may be arranged inside the vehicle from the pull pocket.

According to this aspect, the occupant contacts the second sensor in the pull pocket with the second to fifth fingers, and contacts the base of the first finger (that is, the ball of the foot) with the first sensor. , the first finger can be used to operate the operation input unit.

In the above aspect, at least a portion of the operation input section may be arranged on the vehicle inner side of the pull pocket.

According to this aspect, the position where the operation input section is provided can be selected from a wider area. Therefore, the operation input section can be provided at a position where it is easier for the passenger to operate.

In the above aspect, the outer surface of the armrest has an inner side surface (333, 403) that is bent with respect to the upper surface and extends downward, and an uneven portion (344) along the boundary between the upper surface and the inner side surface. ) is provided, and the operation input portion is preferably formed in a planar shape and arranged on the upper surface or the inner side surface of the vehicle adjacent to the uneven portion.

According to this aspect, the occupant can identify the position of the operation input unit by the tactile sensation when touching the uneven portion. Therefore, it is easy for the passenger to recognize the position to be operated. Therefore, the occupant can perform correct operation inputs.

In the above aspect, the first sensor includes an upper sensor (345A) provided on the upper surface and a lower sensor (345B) provided on the inner side surface of the vehicle, and the concave/convex portion includes the upper sensor and the lower sensor (345B). It is good to arrange|position between the said lower side sensor.

According to this aspect, the first sensor detects contact with the occupant's fingers at two locations, the upper sensor and the lower sensor. This increases the number of positions to be touched when operating the operation input unit, and specifies the placement of the occupant's fingers. Therefore, the occupant's fingers can be guided to an arrangement that allows the operation input unit to be easily operated. Therefore, the operating position of the passenger becomes constant.

In the above aspect, the irregularities may include stitches.

According to this aspect, the uneven portion can be provided on the armrest without impairing the design.

In the above aspect, the second sensor preferably has a protrusion (346A) protruding toward the pull pocket.

According to this aspect, the occupant can tactilely identify that the fingers are in contact with the second sensor.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle door comprising the operating device according to any one of the above aspects.

In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a display system (501) for a vehicle, comprising a plurality of display devices (530) provided in a passenger compartment (502), and a plurality of the display devices ( The display device (530) includes a first display device provided on a first member provided in the vehicle compartment (502) and the vehicle compartment (502). 502) and includes a second display device provided on a second member different from the first member, and the control device (551) selects an operation mode of the vehicle including an automatic operation mode and a manual operation mode. Select the display device (530) to acquire and display vehicle information based on the driving mode (559).

According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a vehicle display system that notifies according to the state of the occupant. It is expected that the occupant's condition will change according to the driving mode. Therefore, by selecting the display device for displaying the vehicle information based on the driving mode, it is possible to notify according to the state of the occupant.

In the above aspect, the passenger compartment (502) is provided with a seat (523) forming a driver's seat, and the seat (523) is mounted on the floor (503) forming the bottom of the passenger compartment (502). and a seat back (527) rotatably supported by the seat cushion (526), and the control device (551) controls the seat cushion (526). The reclining angle, which is the angle of the seat back (527), may be obtained, and the display device (530) for displaying the vehicle information may be selected based on the reclining angle.

According to this aspect, it is possible to change the display device that notifies according to the posture of the occupant.

In the above aspect, the passenger compartment (502) is provided with a seat (523) constituting a driver's seat, and the seat cushion (526) is rotatable about a vertical axis with respect to the floor (503). The controller (551) acquires a horizontal rotation angle, which is the angle of the seat cushion (526) with respect to the floor (503), and displays the vehicle information (560) based on the horizontal rotation angle. The display device (530) may be selected.

According to this aspect, it is possible to change the display device that performs notification according to the direction of the passenger.

In the above aspect, the display device (530) comprises pillars (505-508), roof (504), door trims (521, 522), and window panels (512-516) of the vehicle (M). Two or more selected from the group may be provided.

According to this aspect, the position of the display device can be adapted to various postures and states of the occupant.

In the above aspect, the vehicle information preferably includes at least one of the driving mode, speed, acceleration, and turning direction of the vehicle.

According to this aspect, the crew can acquire various vehicle information.

In the above aspect, the side windows (513 to 515) of the vehicle (M) are provided with a liquid crystal light control film (549) whose transmittance changes according to the application of voltage, and the control device (551) , the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film (549) may be changed based on the operation mode.

According to this aspect, the brightness inside the vehicle can be changed according to the driving mode. For example, during automatic driving, the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film can be lowered to darken the interior of the vehicle. Also, during manual driving, the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film can be increased to make it easier to see outside the vehicle.

In the above aspect, the control device (551) may change the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film (549) based on a signal from the switch (550) operated by the passenger.

According to this aspect, the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film can be changed even by manual operation of the switch by the passenger.

In the above aspect, it is preferable that a vehicle exterior notification device (552) that notifies the outside of the vehicle is provided between the side windows (513 to 515) and the liquid crystal light control film (549).

According to this aspect, the side windows (513 to 515) can be provided with the vehicle outside alarm device (552). The outside notification device (552) can notify the outside without being obstructed by the liquid crystal light control film (549).

In the above aspect, an occupant detection sensor (553) that detects an occupant in the vehicle compartment (502) is provided, and the control device (551) determines that an occupant is present in the vehicle compartment (502), In addition, when it is determined that the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film (549) is equal to or less than a predetermined value, it is preferable to operate the vehicle outside alarm device (552).

According to this aspect, it is possible to notify that there is a person inside the vehicle by the outside notification device.

In the above aspect, the vehicle (M) has an external object sensor (554) that detects an object around the vehicle (M), and the control device (551) controls the vehicle (M) based on a signal from the external object sensor (554). It is determined whether or not an object exists around (M), and if the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film (549) is equal to or less than a predetermined judgment value and if an object exists around the vehicle (M) It is preferable to cause the display device (530) to display information about the approach of the object when the determination is made.

According to this aspect, when the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film is low, the passengers in the vehicle can recognize the presence of objects such as people around the vehicle by looking at the display device.

One aspect of the present invention is mounted on the vehicle and has an upper surface (32), a front surface (35) on which an occupant's arm is placed, a side surface (33, 133) facing the occupant, and a lower surface (34, 134). an armrest (37, 137) having a plate-like main body (31, 131) provided with an armrest (37, 137) provided at the front end of the side surface for receiving an operation by the occupant for operating at least one in-vehicle device (21); a first sensor (45, 145) provided at the front end of the lower surface for detecting the occupant's fingers, the operation input unit, the first sensor and a control device (55) connected to the in-vehicle device, wherein the control device controls the in-vehicle device based on a signal from the operation input unit when the first sensor detects an occupant; and a vehicle operation device (20, 120) that prohibits control of the vehicle-mounted device based on a signal from the operation input unit when the first sensor does not detect the occupant.

One aspect of the present invention is an armrest (331, 401) provided on a door (301) of a vehicle, and an armrest provided on the outer surface of said armrest for operation by an occupant for operating at least one in-vehicle device (321). an operation input unit (348) for receiving an operation input unit; a first sensor (345) provided behind the operation input unit on the outer surface of the armrest for detecting the fingers of the occupant; A control device (355) connected to a sensor and the in-vehicle device, wherein the control device controls the in-vehicle device based on a signal from the operation input unit when the first sensor detects an occupant. and inhibits the control of the in-vehicle device based on the signal from the operation input unit when the first sensor does not detect the occupant.

In the above aspect, the irregularities may include stitches.

One aspect of the present invention is a display system (501) for a vehicle, comprising a plurality of display devices (530) provided in a passenger compartment (502) and a control device ( 551), wherein the display device (530) includes a first display device provided on a first member provided in the vehicle compartment (502), and a first display device provided in the vehicle compartment (502), and a second display device provided on a different second member, the control device (551) acquires a driving mode of the vehicle including an automatic driving mode and a manual driving mode, and based on the driving mode to select the display device (530) on which vehicle information is to be displayed.

According to this aspect, the crew can acquire various vehicle information.

1 is a side view of a vehicle door provided with an operation device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an operating device according to a first embodiment; FIG. Block diagram showing operation device and in-vehicle device IV-IV sectional view of Fig. 2 FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the positions of the fingers of the passenger when operating the operation input unit of the operation device according to the first embodiment; The perspective view of the vehicle seat which provided the operating device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. The perspective view of the operating device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment VIII-VIII sectional view of FIG. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the positions of the fingers of the passenger when operating the operation input section of the operation device according to the second embodiment; The side view of the vehicle door provided with the operating device according to the third embodiment. Perspective view of operating device Block diagram showing operation device, in-vehicle device and display XIII-XIII sectional view of FIG. Explanatory diagram showing the positions of the occupant's fingers when operating the operation input unit An explanatory diagram showing the positions of the occupant's fingers when opening and closing the vehicle door by putting the finger on the concave portion. A perspective view of an operating device according to a fourth embodiment XVII-XVII sectional view of Fig. 16 Perspective view of the passenger compartment of a vehicle equipped with a seat system Perspective view of seat Cross-sectional view of a side window with a liquid crystal light control film Cross-sectional view of a side window equipped with an outside warning device and a liquid crystal light control film A diagram showing the configuration of a display system according to the present invention. Flow chart of switching control of display device Flow chart related to control of liquid crystal light control film Flow chart related to control of vehicle outside alarm device Flowchart relating to in-vehicle notification control of the display device Schematic diagram of light decoration switch according to the first embodiment Sectional view of an armrest provided with a decorative light switch according to the second embodiment Schematic diagram of a modified example of the light decoration switch according to the second embodiment Schematic diagram of another modification of the light decoration switch according to the second embodiment Schematic diagram of still another modification of the light decoration switch according to the second embodiment Schematic diagram of a further modified example of the light decoration switch according to the second embodiment Sectional view of a seat cushion provided with a decorative light switch according to the third embodiment Sectional view of a seat cushion provided with a modification of the decorative light switch according to the third embodiment Schematic diagram of retention mechanism Schematic diagram of a variant of the holding mechanism Schematic of locking mechanism Plan view showing engagement holes of FPC Schematic diagram of a variant of the locking mechanism Schematic diagram of another variant of the locking mechanism Schematic diagram of yet another variation of the locking mechanism Schematic diagram showing a further modification of the fixing mechanism from below Explanatory drawing of another modification of a holding mechanism

Hereinafter, embodiments of the operating device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<First embodiment>
As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle door 1 according to the first embodiment has a door panel 2 as a frame member and a door trim 3 provided to cover the inner side surface of the door panel 2 . The door panel 2 has an inner panel and an outer panel made of steel. The inner panel and the outer panel are joined to the outer panel at the leading edge, the lower edge and the trailing edge, excluding the upper edge, forming a space in the middle.

The door trim 3 is made of a resin material. The door trim 3 includes a trim body portion 3A arranged on the vehicle interior side of the door panel 2, and a trim portion protruding toward the door panel 2 from the peripheral edge of the trim body portion 3A and abutting on the edge portion of the door panel 2 on the vehicle interior side surface. and an edge wall portion 3B. The trim edge wall portion 3B extends along the periphery of the trim body portion 3A.

A door handle 11 for opening and closing the door is provided on the top of the trim main body 3A. A speaker 12 may be provided at the lower front portion of the trim body portion 3A. In addition, a pocket portion that bulges toward the vehicle interior may be provided in a portion located behind the speaker 12 in the lower portion of the trim main body portion 3A.

An operating device 20 is provided at an intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the inner side surface of the trim body portion 3A. The operation device 20 is a device that receives an input operation by a passenger in order to operate at least one in-vehicle device 21 . As shown in FIG. 3, the in-vehicle device 21 includes, for example, a power window device 22, an electric seat device 23, a car navigation device 24, an audio device 25, an air conditioner 26, and the like.

The electric seat device 23 includes, for example, a front-rear adjustment mechanism 23A that moves the seat in the longitudinal direction with respect to the vehicle body, a height adjustment mechanism 23B that changes the height of the seat with respect to the vehicle body, and a seatback angle with respect to the seat cushion. and a seat heater 23D for changing the temperature of a heater provided on the seat. Each of the forward/backward adjustment mechanism 23A, the height adjustment mechanism 23B, and the reclining mechanism 23C includes an electric motor and is driven by the electric motor. The seat heater 23D includes a heating wire and changes its temperature according to the supplied current.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the operating device 20 has a body portion 31 formed in a plate shape without an outer shell. The body portion 31 is made of a resin material. The main body portion 31 is attached to the central portion in the up-down direction of the vehicle interior side surface of the trim main body portion 3A and extends in the front-rear direction. The main body portion 31 is preferably connected to the trim main body portion 3A with screws or the like. Further, the body portion 31 may be formed integrally with the trim body portion 3A.

A main body portion 31 of the operation device 20 protrudes toward the interior of the vehicle with respect to the trim main body portion 3A, and has an upper surface 32 facing upward, a side surface 33 extending downward from the protruding end of the upper surface 32 and facing the occupant, and an upper surface 32. and a front surface 35 connecting the front ends of the upper surface 32 and the lower surface 34 . The upper surface 32 can support the forearms of the occupant. An occupant's fingers can be hooked on the front surface 35 from the front. The body portion 31 functions as at least part of the armrest 37 .

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 , an extension wall 39 is provided on the occupant side of the lower surface 34 of the main body 31 of the operating device 20 to protrude downward and extend the side surface 33 downward. A recess 41 recessed upward from the lower surface 34 is provided at the front end of the lower surface 34 of the main body 31 . An upper portion of the recess 41 is defined by an upper wall portion 42 . The concave portion 41 is not an essential component and may be omitted in other embodiments. A first sensor 45 for detecting the finger of the occupant is provided on the uppermost part of the upper wall portion 42 . A second sensor 46 is provided on the front surface 35 of the main body 31 to detect the fingers of the passenger. The first sensor 45 and the second sensor 46 are sensors capable of detecting the contact or approach of the occupant's fingers, and may be, for example, a capacitance sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a membrane switch, an infrared beam switch, or the like.

The first sensor 45 is preferably embedded in the upper wall portion 42 so that the surface of the first sensor 45 is flush with the surface of the upper wall portion 42 . The second sensor 46 is preferably embedded in the front surface 35 so that the surface of the second sensor 46 is flush with the surface of the front surface 35 . The occupant-side end of the second sensor 46 is arranged closer to the occupant than the occupant-side end of the first sensor 45, and the end of the second sensor 46 on the outside of the vehicle (that is, the side opposite to the occupant) is It is arranged on the vehicle exterior side of the vehicle exterior end portion of the first sensor 45 .

An operation input section 48 is provided at the front end of the side surface 33 . The operation input unit 48 receives an operation by the passenger in order to operate at least one in-vehicle device 21 (see FIG. 3). The operation input unit 48 is a switch operated by a passenger's finger, and is formed of, for example, a capacitance sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a membrane switch, or the like. In this embodiment, the operation input unit 48 is a capacitive touch sensor, and receives a touch operation by the passenger's finger.

The front end of the operation input section 48 is arranged forward of the rear end of the first sensor 45 , and the rear end of the operation input section 48 is arranged rearward of the front end of the first sensor 45 . That is, the operation input unit 48 and the first sensor 45 are provided at positions that are at least partially aligned in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the operation input unit 48 is arranged at a position where the occupant can operate it with the first finger when the occupant grips the front end of the main body 31 with the palm and the second to fifth fingers. is preferred.

As shown in FIG. 2, the operation input unit 48 includes a plurality of

planar touch sensors

48A, 48B, 48C, and 48D. The

touch sensors

48A, 48B, 48C, and 48D are preferably embedded in the side surface 33 so that the surfaces of the

touch sensors

48A, 48B, 48C, and 48D are flush with the surface of the side surface 33 .

As shown in FIG. 3, the first sensor 45, the second sensor 46, the operation input section 48 and the in-vehicle device 21 are connected to the control device 55. The control device 55 is an electronic control device including a hardware processor such as a CPU. The control device 55 is arranged inside the body portion 31 . In other embodiments, the control device 55 may be arranged between the door panel 2 and the door trim 3 (see FIG. 1), or may be provided in the vehicle body.

The control device 55 selects the in-vehicle device 21 to be operated from among the plurality of in-vehicle devices 21 based on the signal from the operation input unit 48 . If there are a plurality of in-vehicle devices 21 of the same type, the control device 55 may be configured to select one of them. For example, when the electric seat devices 23 are provided in the front right seat and the front left seat, the control device 55 can independently select the electric seat device 23 for the front right seat and the electric seat device 23 for the front left seat. It is configured.

The control device 55 detects whether the occupant's finger is in contact with the first sensor 45 based on the signal from the first sensor 45 or whether the occupant's finger is present in the vicinity of the first sensor 45 . Further, the control device 55 detects whether or not the passenger's finger is in contact with the second sensor 46 based on the signal from the second sensor 46 or whether the passenger's finger is present in the vicinity of the second sensor 46. do. The control device 55 controls the selected in-vehicle device 21 based on the signal from the operation input unit 48 when both the first sensor 45 and the second sensor 46 detect the occupant. That is, when the occupant's fingers are detected based on the signal from the first sensor 45 and the occupant's fingers are detected based on the signal from the second sensor 46, based on the signal from the operation input unit 48 to control the selected in-vehicle device 21 . On the other hand, the control device 55 prohibits control of the in-vehicle device 21 based on the signal from the operation input section 48 when at least one of the first sensor 45 and the second sensor 46 does not detect the occupant. That is, the control device 55 controls at least one of the case where the occupant's fingers are not detected based on the signal from the first sensor 45 and the case where the occupant's fingers are not detected based on the signal from the second sensor 46. , the control of the in-vehicle device 21 based on the signal from the operation input unit 48 is prohibited.

In this embodiment, the operation input unit 48 accepts touch operations by the passenger. The control device 55 detects that the

touch sensors

48A, 48B, 48C, and 48D (see FIG. 2) have been operated based on the signal from the operation input section 48. FIG. The control device 55 controls the corresponding in-vehicle device 21 based on the signal from the operation input unit 48 .

For example, when the touch sensor 48A (see FIG. 2) corresponding to the front-rear adjusting mechanism 23A of the electric seat device 23 for the front right seat is operated, the control device 55 performs the touch operation based on the signal from the operation input unit 48. is detected, the forward/backward adjustment mechanism 23A may be controlled to move the electric seat device 23 forward. The control device 55 may determine the amount of forward movement of the electric seat device 23 based on the duration of the touch operation.

For example, when the touch sensor 48B (see FIG. 2) corresponding to the height adjustment mechanism 23B of the electric seat device 23 for the left front seat is operated, the control device 55 performs the touch operation based on the signal from the operation input unit 48. is detected, the height of the electric seat device 23 may be increased by controlling the height adjustment mechanism 23B. The control device 55 may determine the height of the electric seat device 23 based on the duration of the touch operation.

The occupant's operation on the operation input unit 48 and the control mode of the in-vehicle device 21 in response to the occupant's operation may be arbitrarily set. Adjacent to the operation input unit 48 is a selection input unit (not shown) for selecting one of the plurality of in-vehicle devices 21 that can be operated by the occupant with each

touch sensor

48A, 48B, 48C, 48D (see FIG. 2). may be provided as

According to the operating device 20 according to the present embodiment, the occupant can perform operation input with the first sensor 45 and the second sensor 46 detecting the fingers. Thereby, in the operating device 20, the operating position can be fixed. Further, based on the detection signals from the first sensor 45 and the second sensor 46, the positions of the occupant's fingers can be grasped with relatively high accuracy. Accordingly, it is possible to determine whether the input to the operation input unit 48 is intentional by the passenger or unintentional contact. Therefore, the in-vehicle device 21 can be controlled only when the input is intended by the passenger. Furthermore, since the first sensor 45, the second sensor 46, and the operation input section 48 are provided in the main body 31, the operation device 20 can be made into a relatively small unit. Accordingly, it is possible to provide the operating device 20 that can be easily mounted on the vehicle.

Since the first sensor 45 and the second sensor 46 are provided on different surfaces of the body portion 31, the positions of the occupant's fingers can be determined with relatively high accuracy based on the detection signals from the first sensor 45 and the second sensor 46. can grasp. Accordingly, it is possible to accurately determine whether the input to the operation input unit 48 is intentional by the passenger or unintended contact.

In order to operate the operation input unit 48, the occupant must grip the main body 31 in a predetermined gripping manner and have both the first sensor 45 and the second sensor 46 detect the fingers, as shown in FIG. be. As a result, when the occupant is using the body portion 31 as part of the armrest 37 , even if the occupant touches the operation input portion 48 unintentionally, the in-vehicle device 21 is not operated. As a result, erroneous operations by the passenger can be reliably prevented.

Since an extension wall 39 is provided on the occupant side of the lower surface 34 of the main body portion 31 to extend the side surface 33 downward by protruding downward, the operation input portion 48 provided on the side surface 33 can be enlarged in the vertical direction. can. Therefore, it becomes easier for the passenger to operate the operation input unit 48 . Furthermore, since the extension wall 39 is provided on the occupant side, it is difficult for the occupant to touch the first sensor 45 unintentionally. Therefore, erroneous operation by the passenger can be reliably prevented.

The front end of the operation input section 48 is arranged forward of the rear end of the first sensor 45, and the rear end of the operation input section 48 is arranged rearward of the front end of the first sensor 45. 1 sensor 45 is provided at a position at least partially aligned in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the occupant can easily operate the operation input unit 48 with the first finger while touching the first sensor 45 with the second to fourth fingers.

The lower surface 34 of the main body 31 is provided with a recessed portion 41 that is recessed upward, and the first sensor 45 is provided on the upper wall portion 42 that defines the upper portion of the recessed portion 41 . , and is easily contacted with the first sensor 45 . Therefore, the first sensor 45 can appropriately detect the occupant's finger. Furthermore, it becomes difficult for the passenger to touch the first sensor 45 unintentionally. Therefore, erroneous operation by the passenger can be reliably prevented.

<Second embodiment>
Next, the operating device 120 according to the second embodiment will be described. In the configuration of the operating device 120, the same components as those of the operating device 20 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a vehicle seat 101 according to the second embodiment is used as a driver's seat or a passenger's seat of a vehicle, has a seat cushion 102, a seat back 103 and a headrest 104, and It is supported by a pair of left and right slide rails (not shown) fixed to the floor and covered with a rail cover 105 . An operation device 120 is provided at the outer (that is, the vehicle outer side) end portion of the seat back 103 in the vehicle width direction.

The operating device 120 has a main body 131 formed in a plate shape with an outer shell. The body portion 131 is made of a resin material. The body portion 131 is attached to the center portion of the seat back 103 in the vertical direction and extends in the front-rear direction. The body portion 131 is preferably hinged to the seat back 103 with screws or the like. Also, the body portion 131 may be formed integrally with the seat back 103 .

A body portion 131 of the operating device 120 projects forward with respect to the seat back 103 , and has an upper surface 32 facing upward, a side surface 133 extending downward from the projecting end of the upper surface 32 and facing the occupant, and a side surface 133 facing the occupant. and an opposite bottom surface 134 and a front surface 135 connecting the forward ends of the top surface 32 and the bottom surface 134 . The upper surface 32 can support the occupant's forearms, and the body portion 131 functions as at least part of an armrest 137 .

The front portion of the main body portion 131 is thinner in the vertical direction than the other portions of the main body portion 131 . In this embodiment, the front portion of the lower surface 134 of the body portion 131 is offset upward with respect to the rest of the body portion 131 .

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a first sensor 145 is provided at the front end of the lower surface 134 of the main body 131. As shown in FIGS. The recess 41 (see FIG. 4) is omitted. The first sensor 145 is preferably embedded in the lower surface 134 so that the surface of the first sensor 145 is flush with the surface of the lower surface 134 .

An operation input section 148 is provided on the side surface 133 of the main body section 131 . As shown in FIG. 9, the operation input unit 148 is arranged at a position where the occupant can operate it with the first finger when the occupant grips the front end of the main body 131 with the palm and the second to fifth fingers. is preferred.

As shown in FIG. 7, the operation input unit 148 includes a plurality of

planar touch sensors

148A and 148B. Each

touch sensor

148A, 148B is preferably embedded in the side surface 133 so that the surface of each

touch sensor

148A, 148B is flush with the surface of the side surface 133 .

According to the operating device 120 according to the present embodiment, the front portion of the lower surface 134 of the main body portion 131 is offset upward with respect to the other portion of the main body portion 131 , and the front portion of the main body portion 131 is offset from the other portion of the main body portion 131 . The thickness in the vertical direction is thin with respect to the portion. This makes it easier for the occupant to grip the front portion of the main body portion 131 . Furthermore, the thickness in the vertical direction of the rear portion of the body portion 131 that is not gripped by the occupant can be increased. Therefore, the rigidity of the body portion 131 can be enhanced.

Although the

operation input units

48 and 148 are touch sensors in the above embodiments, they are not limited to this. For example, the

operation input units

48 and 148 may be touch panel displays that accept swipe operations.

<Third Embodiment>
As shown in FIG. 10, a vehicle door 301 according to the third embodiment has a door panel 302 as a frame member and a door trim 303 provided to cover the inner side surface of the door panel 302 . The door panel 302 has an inner panel and an outer panel made of steel. The inner panel and the outer panel are joined to the outer panel at the leading edge, the lower edge and the trailing edge, excluding the upper edge, forming a space in the middle.

The door trim 303 is made of a resin material. The door trim 303 includes a trim main body portion 303A arranged on the vehicle interior side of the door panel 302, and a trim portion protruding toward the door panel 302 from the peripheral edge of the trim main body portion 303A and abutting on the edge portion of the door panel 302 on the vehicle interior side surface. and an edge wall portion 303B. The trim edge wall portion 303B extends along the periphery of the trim body portion 303A.

A door handle 311 for opening and closing the door is provided on the top of the trim main body 303A. A speaker 312 may be provided at the lower front portion of the trim body portion 303A. In addition, a pocket portion that bulges toward the vehicle interior may be provided in a portion located behind the speaker 312 in the lower portion of the trim main body portion 303A.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, an operation device 320 is provided at an intermediate portion in the up-down direction of the vehicle interior side surface of the trim body portion 303A. The operation device 320 is a device that receives an input operation by the passenger in order to operate at least one in-vehicle device 321 . As shown in FIG. 12, the in-vehicle device 321 includes, for example, an electric seat device 323, a car navigation device 324, an audio device 325, an air conditioner 326, and the like.

The electric seat device 323 includes, for example, a front-rear adjustment mechanism 323A that moves the seat in the longitudinal direction with respect to the vehicle body, a height adjustment mechanism 323B that changes the height of the seat with respect to the vehicle body, and a seatback angle with respect to the seat cushion. and a seat heater 323D for changing the temperature of a heater provided on the seat. Each of the forward/backward adjustment mechanism 323A, the height adjustment mechanism 323B, and the reclining mechanism 323C includes an electric motor and is driven by the electric motor. The seat heater 323D includes a heating wire and changes its temperature according to the electric current supplied.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the operating device 320 has a body portion 331 forming an outer shell. The body portion 331 is made of a resin material. The main body portion 331 is attached to the central portion in the up-down direction of the vehicle interior side surface of the trim main body portion 303A and extends in the front-rear direction. The main body portion 331 may be coupled to the trim main body portion 303A with screws or the like. Also, the body portion 331 may be formed integrally with the trim body portion 303A.

The outer surface of the main body portion 331 of the operation device 320 protrudes toward the inside of the vehicle with respect to the trim main body portion 303A, and has an upper surface 332 facing upward, and a side surface 333 inside the vehicle that is bent with respect to the upper surface 332 and facing downward toward the inside of the vehicle. and The upper surface 332 can support the occupant's forearms, and the body portion 331 functions as an armrest.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 13, a power window switch 334 and a downwardly recessed pull pocket 335 located behind the power window switch 334 are formed on the upper surface 332 of the main body 331 of the operating device 320. It is The pull pocket 335 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and extends forward and backward. Pull pocket 335 is defined by a bottom portion 336 and a cylindrical sidewall 337 extending from bottom portion 336 to top surface 332 . A portion of the side wall 337 defining the inner side portion of the pull pocket 335 in the vehicle width direction and facing outward in the vehicle width direction is referred to as an inner side wall portion 338 . The inner wall portion 338 extends substantially vertically. A first upper surface portion 341 is a portion of the upper surface 332 located between the upper end of the inner wall portion 338 and the upper end of the vehicle interior side surface 333 .

The vehicle interior side surface 333 has, on its upper portion, an inclined surface portion 343 that is inclined upward toward the vehicle interior side in the vehicle width direction. It is preferable that the upper end of the inclined surface portion 343 and the first upper surface portion 341 are smoothly connected. The inclined surface portion 343 is not an essential component, and may be omitted in other embodiments. By providing the inclined surface portion 343, the width of the first upper surface portion 341 in the vehicle width direction may be minute. An uneven portion 344 is formed along the boundary between the vehicle interior side surface 333 and the first upper surface portion 341 .

The uneven portion 344 extends forward and backward along the extending direction of the main body portion 331 . The front end of the uneven portion 344 is preferably located forward of the front end of the pull pocket 335 (the front end of the inner wall portion 338). The rear end of the concave-convex portion 344 is preferably arranged behind the rear end of the pull pocket 335 (the rear end of the inner wall portion 338). Concavo-convex portion 344 has a concavo-convex shape that can be perceived by the occupant with the touch of the fingers. In this embodiment, the concave-convex portion 344 is formed in a shape that imitates a stitch (seam).

A concave portion 351 recessed upward from the inner wall portion 338 toward the inside of the vehicle is provided at a substantially central portion of the inner wall portion 338 in the vertical direction. The upper portion of the recess 351 is defined by an upper wall portion 352 . A lower wall portion 353 defines the lower portion of the recess 351 . A portion of the inner wall portion 338 located between the outer end of the first upper surface portion 341 and the outer end of the upper wall portion 352 is defined as a first inner surface 339 . A second inner side surface 340 is a portion of the inner wall portion 338 that is located between the inner end portion of the bottom portion 336 and the outer end portion of the lower wall portion 353 . The first inner side surface 339 extends substantially vertically from the first upper surface portion 341 and faces the outside of the vehicle. The second inner side surface 340 extends substantially vertically from the bottom portion 336 and faces toward the outside of the vehicle. The second inner surface 340 is not an essential component and may be omitted in other embodiments.

The recess 351 has an upper portion defined by an upper wall portion 352 connected to the lower end of the first inner side surface 339 . A second sensor 346 for detecting the finger of the passenger is provided on the uppermost part of the upper wall portion 352 . A first sensor 345 for detecting the finger of the passenger is provided on the first upper surface portion 341 and the inclined surface portion 343 . The first sensor 345 and the second sensor 346 are sensors capable of detecting the contact or approach of the occupant's fingers, and may be, for example, a capacitance sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a membrane switch, an infrared beam switch, or the like.

The second sensor 346 extends forward and backward in the recess 351 . The second sensor 346 preferably has a convex portion 346</b>A that protrudes toward the pull pocket 335 so that at least part of its surface protrudes from the surface of the upper wall portion 352 .

The first sensor 345 extends forward and backward on the upper surface 332 and the inclined surface portion 343 . That is, the first sensor 345 is arranged inside the vehicle from the pull pocket 335 . The first sensor 345 is preferably provided on the vehicle inner side of the upper surface 332 and at the upper end portion of the vehicle inner side surface 333 . In this embodiment, the first sensor 345 includes an upper sensor 345 A provided on the first upper surface portion 341 and a lower sensor 345 B provided on the inclined surface portion 343 . An uneven portion 344 is arranged between the upper sensor 345A and the lower sensor 345B. The first sensor 345 is preferably embedded in the inclined surface portion 343 so that the surface of the first sensor 345 is flush with the surface of the inclined surface portion 343 .

The rear end of the first sensor 345 is arranged forward of the rear end of the pull pocket 335 (the rear end of the inner wall portion 338). Further, the front end of the first sensor 345 is arranged behind the front end of the pull pocket 335 (the front end of the inner wall portion 338).

An operation input section 348 is provided on the upper surface 332 and the inclined surface section 343 . The operation input unit 348 receives an operation by the passenger in order to operate at least one in-vehicle device 321 (see FIG. 12). The operation input unit 348 is a switch operated by a passenger's finger, and is formed of, for example, a capacitance sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a membrane switch, or the like. In this embodiment, the operation input unit 348 is a capacitive touch sensor, and receives a touch operation by the passenger's finger.

The operation input section 348 is arranged forward of the first sensor 345 on the upper surface 332 and the inclined surface section 343 . As shown in FIG. 14, the operation input unit 348 is operated when the occupant puts the second to fifth fingers into the pull pocket 335 and touches the first sensor 345 with the vicinity of the base of the first finger (that is, the ball of the foot). It is preferable that the occupant is arranged at a position where it can be operated with the first finger in the folded state.

As shown in FIG. 11, the operation input unit 348 includes a plurality of

planar touch sensors

348A, 348B, 348C, and 348D. The

touch sensors

348A, 348B, 348C, and 348D are embedded in the upper surface 332 and the inclined surface portion 343 so that the surfaces of the

touch sensors

348A, 348B, 348C, and 348D are flush with the surfaces of the upper surface 332 and the inclined surface portion 343. It's good to be Each of the

touch sensors

348A, 348B, 348C, and 348D may be arranged adjacent to the uneven portion 344 . At least part of the operation input unit 348 may be arranged on the inside of the pull pocket 335 (that is, the inner wall portion 338) so that the position where the operation input unit 348 is provided can be selected from a wider area. good.

As shown in FIG. 12, the first sensor 345, the second sensor 346, the operation input section 348 and the in-vehicle device 321 are connected to the control device 355. The control device 355 is an electronic control device including a hardware processor such as a CPU. The control device 355 is arranged inside the body portion 331 . In other embodiments, controller 355 may be located between door panel 302 and door trim 303 (see FIG. 10), or may be provided on the vehicle body.

The control device 355 selects the in-vehicle device 321 to be operated from among the plurality of in-vehicle devices 321 based on the signal from the operation input unit 348 . The control device 355 may be configured to select one of the multiple in-vehicle devices 321 of the same type. For example, when the electric seat devices 323 are provided in the front right seat and the front left seat, the control device 355 can independently select the electric seat device 323 for the front right seat and the electric seat device 323 for the front left seat. It is configured.

The control device 355 detects whether the occupant's finger is in contact with the first sensor 345 based on the signal from the first sensor 345 or whether the occupant's finger is present in the vicinity of the first sensor 345 . Further, the control device 355 detects whether the occupant's finger is in contact with the second sensor 346 based on the signal from the second sensor 346 or whether the occupant's finger is present in the vicinity of the second sensor 346. do. The control device 355 controls the selected in-vehicle device 321 based on the signal from the operation input unit 348 when both the first sensor 345 and the second sensor 346 detect the occupant. That is, when the occupant's fingers are detected based on the signal from the first sensor 345 and the occupant's fingers are detected based on the signal from the second sensor 346, based on the signal from the operation input unit 348 to control the selected in-vehicle device 321 . On the other hand, the control device 355 prohibits control of the in-vehicle device 321 based on the signal from the operation input section 348 when at least one of the first sensor 345 and the second sensor 346 does not detect the occupant. That is, the control device 355 controls at least one of when the occupant's fingers are not detected based on the signal from the first sensor 345 and when the occupant's fingers are not detected based on the signal from the second sensor 346. , the control of the in-vehicle device 321 based on the signal from the operation input unit 348 is prohibited.

In this embodiment, the operation input unit 348 receives touch operations by the passenger. The control device 355 detects that the

touch sensors

348A, 348B, 348C, and 348D (see FIG. 11) have been operated based on the signal from the operation input section 348. FIG. The control device 355 controls the corresponding in-vehicle device 321 based on the signal from the operation input section 348 .

For example, when the touch sensor 348A (see FIG. 11) corresponding to the front-rear adjustment mechanism 323A of the electric seat device 323 for the front right seat is operated, the control device 355 performs the touch operation based on the signal from the operation input unit 348. is detected, the forward/backward adjustment mechanism 323A may be controlled to move the electric seat device 323 forward. The control device 355 may determine the amount of forward movement of the electric seat device 323 based on the duration of the touch operation.

For example, when the touch sensor 348B (see FIG. 11) corresponding to the height adjustment mechanism 323B of the electric seat device 323 for the left front seat is operated, the control device 355 performs the touch operation based on the signal from the operation input unit 348. is detected, the height of the electric seat device 323 may be increased by controlling the height adjustment mechanism 323B. The control device 355 may determine the height of the electric seat device 323 based on the duration of the touch operation.

The occupant's operation on the operation input unit 348 and the control mode of the in-vehicle device 321 in response to the occupant's operation may be set arbitrarily. A selection input unit (not shown) is adjacent to the operation input unit 348 for selecting one of the plurality of in-vehicle devices 321 that can be operated by the occupant with the

touch sensors

348A, 348B, 348C, and 348D (see FIG. 11). may be provided as

According to the operating device 320 according to the present embodiment, the occupant can perform operation input with the first sensor 345 and the second sensor 346 detecting the fingers. Thereby, the operating position of the operating device 320 can be fixed. Further, based on the detection signals from the first sensor 345 and the second sensor 346, the positions of the occupant's fingers can be grasped with relatively high accuracy. Accordingly, it is possible to determine whether the input to the operation input unit 348 is intentional by the passenger or unintended contact. Therefore, the in-vehicle device 321 can be controlled only when the input is intended by the passenger. Furthermore, since the first sensor 345, the second sensor 346, and the operation input section 348 are provided on the armrest (body portion 331), the operating device 320 can be made into a relatively small unit. Accordingly, it is possible to provide the operation device 320 that can be easily attached to the vehicle door 301 .

Since the first sensor 345 and the second sensor 346 are provided on different surfaces of the armrest, the positions of the occupant's fingers can be grasped with relatively high accuracy based on the detection signals from the first sensor 345 and the second sensor 346. be able to. As a result, it is possible to accurately determine whether the input to the operation input unit 348 is intentional by the occupant or is due to an unintended contact.

In order to operate the operation input unit 348, the occupant must grip the pull pocket 335 in a predetermined grip manner and have both the first sensor 345 and the second sensor 346 detect the fingers, as shown in FIG. be. As a result, as shown in FIG. 15, when the occupant is trying to close the door by hooking a finger on the pull pocket 335, even if the occupant unintentionally touches the operation input unit 348, the in-vehicle device 321 is not operated. Even if the second sensor 346 detects the occupant's finger while the occupant is trying to close the door by hooking the finger in the pull pocket 335, the first sensor 345 does not detect the occupant's finger. Further, even if the first sensor 345 detects the finger of the passenger while the passenger puts the hand on the body portion 331 as an armrest, the second sensor 346 does not detect the finger of the passenger. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent erroneous operations by the occupant.

Since the second sensor 346 is arranged on the uppermost side of the upper wall portion 352 that defines the upper portion of the recessed portion 351 provided in the inner wall portion 338 of the pull pocket 335, the occupant can operate the operation input portion 348 by pulling When the pocket 335 is gripped in a predetermined gripping manner, the finger can be deeply inserted into the pull pocket 335 and the fingertip can be brought into contact with the second sensor 346 . This makes it easier for the occupant to grip the pull pocket 335 and keep the fingertips in contact with the second sensor 346 . Therefore, it becomes easier for the passenger to operate the operation input unit 348 .

The inner side wall portion 338 extends substantially vertically from the bottom of the pull pocket 335 and has a second inner side surface facing the outside of the vehicle. When closing, the occupant's fingers are locked to the second inner surface. This makes it easier for the passenger to close the door. Furthermore, since the finger is locked to the second inner side surface and does not enter the recess 351, it is possible to reliably prevent the occupant from erroneously operating the operation input portion 348.

Since the first sensor 345 is arranged inside the vehicle from the pull pocket 335, the occupant touches the second sensor 346 in the pull pocket 335 with the second to fifth fingers and touches the base of the first finger (that is, The operation input unit 348 can be operated with the first finger while the ball of the foot (the ball of the foot) is in contact with the first sensor 345 .

The outer surface of the body portion 331 has a vehicle interior side surface 333 that is bent with respect to the upper surface 332 and extends downward. An uneven portion 344 is provided along the boundary between the upper surface 332 and the vehicle interior side surface 333 . The operation input portion 348 is formed in a planar shape, and is arranged on the upper surface 332 or the vehicle interior side surface 333 adjacent to the uneven portion 344 . Therefore, the occupant can identify the position of the operation input unit 348 by the tactile sensation when touching the uneven portion 344 . Therefore, it is easy for the passenger to recognize the position to be operated. Therefore, the occupant can perform correct operation inputs.

The first sensor 345 includes an upper sensor 345A provided on the upper surface 332 and a lower sensor 345B provided on the vehicle interior side surface 333. The stitching as the uneven portion 344 is a sensor between the upper sensor 345A and the lower sensor 345B. placed in between. Therefore, the first sensor 345 detects contact with the occupant's fingers at two locations, the upper sensor 345A and the lower sensor 345B. This increases the number of positions to be touched when operating the operation input unit 348, and specifies the placement of the occupant's fingers. Therefore, the occupant's fingers can be guided to an arrangement that facilitates operation of the operation input unit 348 . Therefore, the operating position of the passenger becomes constant.

Since the second sensor 346 has a protrusion projecting toward the pull pocket 335 side, the occupant can tactilely identify that the finger is in contact with the second sensor 346 .

Next, the operating device 400 according to the fourth embodiment will be described. The configuration of the vehicle door 301 provided with the operation device 400 is mostly the same as the configuration of the vehicle door 301 according to the third embodiment, so the same configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted. do.

<Fourth Embodiment>
As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the upper surface 402 of the main body portion 401 of the operating device 400 faces upward and is inclined toward the vehicle interior. The vehicle interior side surface 403 is bent with respect to the upper surface 402 and faces toward the vehicle interior and downward. The inclined surface portion 343 (see FIG. 13) is omitted. An inner wall portion 408 that defines the inner side portion of the pull pocket 335 formed in the upper surface 402 of the main body portion 401 is provided with a recessed portion 411 recessed from the inner wall portion 408 toward the inner side and upward of the vehicle. A lower wall portion 413 that defines the lower portion of the recess 411 is connected to the vehicle-interior end portion of the bottom portion 336 of the pull pocket 335 . That is, the second inner side surface 340 (see FIG. 13) is omitted.

A first sensor 425 extends forward and backward on the upper surface 402 of the main body 401 . The first sensor 425 is arranged adjacent to the uneven portion 344 formed along the boundary between the top surface 402 and the vehicle interior side surface 403 . An operation input portion 348 is arranged adjacent to the uneven portion 344 on the upper surface 402 and the vehicle interior side surface 403 of the main body portion 401 .

According to the operating device 400 according to this embodiment, the width of the upper surface 402 of the main body 401 in the vehicle width direction is increased. As a result, the size of the first sensor 425 in the vehicle width direction can be increased, so that the finger of the passenger can be easily detected by the first sensor 425 . In addition, since the size of the operation input unit 348 in the vehicle width direction can be increased, the operation input unit 348 can be easily operated by the passenger.

Furthermore, since the lower wall portion 413 of the recessed portion 411 and the vehicle-interior end portion of the bottom portion 336 of the pull pocket 335 are connected, the opening area of the recessed portion 411 provided in the inner wall portion 408 of the pull pocket 335 is increased. . Therefore, it becomes easier for the occupant to put his/her fingertip into the concave portion 411 and bring it into contact with the second sensor 346 .

Although the operation input unit 348 is a touch sensor in the above embodiment, it is not limited to this. For example, the operation input unit 348 may be a touch panel display that accepts swipe operations.

Next, in a vehicle provided with the operating device of the first to fourth embodiments, a vehicle display system that notifies according to the state of the occupant will be described.

As shown in FIG. 18, the display system 501 is provided in a vehicle M such as an automobile. Vehicle M includes a floor 503 that defines the bottom of vehicle compartment 502 and a roof 504 that defines the top of vehicle compartment 502 . An A pillar 505, a B pillar 506, a C pillar 507, and a D pillar 508 are arranged at intervals from the front side on the left and right sides of the vehicle compartment 502, respectively. A front door 509 is provided in the opening between the A pillar 505 and the B pillar 506 , and a rear door 510 is provided in the opening between the B pillar 506 and the C pillar 507 . The C-pillar 507 and the D-pillar 508 are connected to each other by a vehicle body panel, and a rear side trim 511 is provided on the inside of the vehicle body panel.

A front window panel 512 is provided in the front part of the passenger compartment 502 and between the left and right A pillars 505 . A plurality of side window panels are provided on the sides of the passenger compartment 502 . The first side window panel 513 is provided above the front door 509 . A second side window panel 514 is provided above the rear door 510 . The third side window panel 515 is provided above the rear side trim 511 . A rear window panel 516 is provided at the rear portion of the passenger compartment 502 . The rear window panel 516 is bounded at its left and right ends by left and right D-pillars 508 . Each of the side window panels 513 to 515 has a window panel provided inside the vehicle so that it can be opened and closed. Each of the window panels 512 to 516 is preferably made of glass or resin, and is glass in this embodiment.

An instrument panel 520 is provided in the front part of the passenger compartment 502 and below the front window panel 512 . Instrument panel 520 extends left and right. The instrument panel 520 has a rear facing rear surface 520B. The rear surface may be slanted upwards. A first door trim 521 is provided on the lower surface of the front door 509 facing the inside of the vehicle. A second door trim 522 is provided on the lower surface of the rear door 510 facing the inside of the vehicle.

On the floor 503, left and right front seats 523, left and right mid seats 524, and left and right rear seats 525 are provided from the front side. The left and right front seats 523 are provided between the left and right front doors 509 . The left and right mid seats 524 are provided between the left and right rear doors 510 . The left and right rear seats 525 are provided between the left and right rear side trims 511 .

As shown in FIG. 19, each seat includes a seat cushion 526 provided on the floor 503 of the passenger compartment 502, a seat back 527 coupled to the rear portion of the seat cushion 526, and a headrest provided above the seat back 527. 528. The seat cushion 526 is a seating portion that supports the buttocks and thighs of a seated user from below, and the top surface of the seat cushion 526 constitutes a seating surface. The seat back 527 is a backrest that supports the back of the seated user from behind.

Each seat has an adjustment mechanism 561 for adjusting its position. The adjustment mechanism 561 includes a rotation mechanism that rotates the seat cushion 526 around the vertical axis B with respect to the floor 503 . Each seat also includes a reclining mechanism 529 that tilts the seat back 527 with respect to the seat cushion 526 about the horizontal axis A within a predetermined range.

A plurality of display devices 530 are provided in the passenger compartment 502 . The display device 530 is a device that outputs light, characters, images, video, and the like to the occupants in the passenger compartment 502 . The display device 530 includes, for example, a display such as a liquid crystal display or an organic panel display, or a light emitting device composed of a plurality of LEDs. In this embodiment, the display device 530 is a liquid crystal display. The display device 530 includes first to fourteenth display devices 530A to 530N provided at appropriate locations within the vehicle.

A first display device 530A is provided on the A pillar 505. The first display device 530A extends vertically along the A-pillar 505. As shown in FIG. The instrument panel 520 is provided with a second display device 530B. The second display device 530B is provided on the rear surface 520B of the instrument panel 520 facing the passenger compartment 502 side, and extends in the left and right width direction of the instrument panel 520 . The first door trim 521 is provided with a third display device 530C. The third display device 530</b>C extends forward and backward along the first door trim 521 . The second door trim 522 is provided with a fourth display device 530D. The fourth display device 530D extends forward and backward along the second door trim 522 . A plurality of display devices 530 are provided on the roof 504 . A fifth display device 530E is provided on the front portion of the roof 504, a sixth display device 530F is provided on the rear portion of the roof 504, and between the fifth display device 530E and the sixth display device 530F on the roof 504 A seventh display 530G is provided. The B pillar 506 is provided with an eighth display device 530H. The eighth display device 530H extends vertically along the B pillar 506 . The C-pillar 507 is provided with a ninth display device 530I. The ninth display device 530I extends vertically along the C-pillar 507 . The D pillar 508 is provided with a tenth display device 530J. The tenth display device 530J extends vertically along the D-pillar 508 . The rear side trim 511 is provided with an eleventh display device 530K. The eleventh display device 530K extends forward and backward along the rear side trim 511 . The first side window panel 513 is provided with a twelfth display device 530L. The second side window panel 514 is provided with a thirteenth display device 530M. The third side window panel 515 is provided with a fourteenth display device 530N.

Each display device 530 is divided into the following groups according to the position where it is provided. A first group 544 includes a first display 530A, a second display 530B, and a fifth display 530E. A second group 545 includes a third display 530C, a sixth display 530F, an eighth display 530H, and a twelfth display 530L. A third group 546 includes a fourth display 530D, a sixth display 530F, a ninth display 530I, and a thirteenth display 530M. A fourth group 547 includes a seventh display 530G, a tenth display 530J, an eleventh display 530K, and a fourteenth display 530N. A fifth group 548 includes a fifth display 530E, a sixth display 530F, and a seventh display 530G.

A liquid crystal light control film 549 is provided on the first to third side window panels 513 to 515 of the vehicle M. The liquid crystal light control film 549 is a known light control film that uses voltage to control transmittance. The liquid crystal light control film 549 may be attached to the first to third side window panels 513 to 515, for example. Alternatively, if the glass of the first through third side window panels 513-515 has multiple layers, the liquid crystal light control film 549 may be sandwiched between the multiple layers. As shown in FIG. 20, in this embodiment, the liquid crystal light control film 549 is adhered to the inner side surfaces of the first to third side window panels 513 to 515 .

The liquid crystal light control film 549 controls the light entering the passenger compartment 502 through the first to third side window panels 513 to 515. The liquid crystal light control film 549 can change the transmittance by changing the applied voltage. Transmittance is controlled by controller 551 . The control device 551 may control the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 based on a signal from the switch 550 operated by the passenger, for example. The control device 551 changes the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 by controlling the voltage applied to the liquid crystal light control film 549 . As the voltage applied to the liquid crystal light control film 549 decreases, the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 decreases. As a result, the amount of light entering the vehicle interior 502 from the first to third side window panels 513 to 515 is reduced, and the interior of the vehicle interior 502 is kept dark even during the day. On the other hand, when a predetermined voltage is applied to the liquid crystal light control film 549, the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 increases. As a result, the amount of light entering the vehicle interior 502 from the first to third side window panels 513 to 515 increases, and even at night or in a tunnel, the exterior light is taken into the vehicle interior, making it possible to keep the interior bright. be.

The vehicle M is provided with an outside notification device 552 . The vehicle exterior notification device 552 is a device that notifies the exterior of the vehicle of the presence of a passenger in the vehicle interior 502 by means of light or sound. The outside notification device 552 may be an LED, a liquid crystal display, or a speaker as means for outputting light or sound. As shown in FIG. 21, in this embodiment, the vehicle exterior notification device 552 is an LED, and performs notification to the exterior of the vehicle with light. The outside notification device 552 is provided between the first to third side window panels 513 to 515 and the liquid crystal light control film 549 . In other words, the outside notification device 552 is provided outside the vehicle with respect to the liquid crystal light control film 549 .

As shown in FIG. 19, an occupant detection sensor 553 is provided above the seat cushion 526 . Specifically, the sensor is arranged between the upper surface of a pad (not shown) that forms the seat cushion 526 and the upholstery material. The occupant detection sensor 553 is a load sensor that detects a load. The occupant detection sensor 553 may be, for example, a piezoelectric element, or a membrane switch that deforms according to a load and connects contacts. An occupant detection sensor 553 is provided to detect whether or not an occupant is seated on the seat cushion 526 . In this embodiment, the occupant detection sensor 553 is a membrane switch that outputs an ON signal when a load greater than or equal to a predetermined value is applied.

The vehicle M is provided with an external object sensor 554 (not shown). The vehicle exterior object sensor 554 is a sensor that detects an object existing around the vehicle M. FIG. The vehicle exterior object sensor 554 may detect objects around the vehicle M using ultrasonic waves or infrared rays. In this embodiment, the vehicle exterior object sensor 554 is an ultrasonic sensor provided on the exterior surface of the vehicle M and includes a camera 555 . The external object sensor 554 outputs an ON signal and activates the camera 555 when an object existing within a predetermined distance from the vehicle M is detected.

A reclining sensor 556 is provided in the reclining mechanism 529 . Reclining sensor 556 is a known angle sensor and detects the angle of seat back 527 with respect to seat cushion 526 . A rotation angle sensor 557 is provided in the adjustment mechanism 561 . The rotation angle sensor 557 is a known rotation angle sensor and detects the horizontal rotation angle of the seat cushion 526 with respect to the floor 503 .

The control device 551 is an electronic control unit (ECU) configured by a so-called microcomputer, and includes ROM, RAM, peripheral circuits, input/output interfaces, and the like. As shown in FIG. 22 , the control device 551 includes a switch 550 , a travel control device 558 , a reclining sensor 556 , a rotation angle sensor 557 , an external object sensor 554 , an occupant detection sensor 553 , and a liquid crystal light control film 549 . , the outside notification device 552, and the display device 530 via predetermined signal lines. When the control device 551 receives signals from various sensors, the switch 550, and the travel control device 558, it controls the display device 530, the liquid crystal light control film 549, and the outside notification device 552 based on the signals, and causes the corresponding processing to be performed. .

The control device 551 is connected to the running control device 538. Travel control device 558 is a device that controls travel of vehicle M. FIG. The control device 551 acquires the driving mode and vehicle information from the travel control device 558 . A driving mode is a mode of driving including an automatic driving mode and a manual driving mode.

The control device 551 is connected to the display device 530. The control device 551 causes the display device 530 to display vehicle information based on the acquired driving mode. The control device 551 selects the display device 530 for displaying vehicle information based on the driving mode. The vehicle information displayed here is information related to the vehicle M such as the driving mode, the speed of the vehicle M, the acceleration, and the turning direction.

The control device 551 displays, on the display device 530, an image or a message for prompting the occupant to prepare for manual operation before switching the vehicle M running in the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode. The image or message for prompting the preparation for manual operation may be, for example, the remaining time from before the end of the automatic operation mode to the start of the manual operation mode. At this time, the control device 551 may display the remaining time until the start of the manual operation mode on the display device 530 by increasing/decreasing numbers, graphics that change with the passage of time, or the like.

Alternatively, the image or message for urging preparations for manual operation may be a message for urging preparations for manual operation, which is displayed on the display device every time a predetermined time elapses. At this time, the control device 551 may display the speed of the vehicle M on the display device 530 .

The control device 551 may display a message prompting safe driving on the display device 530 based on the vehicle information. For example, in the manual driving mode, the control device 551 may display a message to alert the occupant when the speed of the vehicle M is outside the legal speed range. Further, the control device 551 may display the acceleration of the vehicle M, and display a message on the display device 530 to call the attention of the occupant when the acceleration is greater than a predetermined value. Furthermore, when the vehicle M turns, the control device 551 may display a message on the display device 530 to alert the occupant to the fact that the vehicle M will turn and the turning direction.

The control device 551 is connected to a reclining sensor 556. The control device 551 acquires the reclining angle of the seat back 527 with respect to the seat cushion 526 from the reclining sensor 556 . The control device 551 selects the display device 530 for displaying the vehicle information based on the acquired reclining angle of the seat back 527 . Specifically, the control device 551 selects the display devices 530 of the first group 544 to the fourth group 547 when the reclining angle of the seat back 527 is equal to or less than a predetermined value. Here, the reclining angle is based on the angle when the seat back 527 on the driver's seat side of the front seat 523 is not reclining around the A axis. That is, the state in which the seat back 527 of the driver's seat extends in the vertical direction is 0 degrees, and the reclining angle increases as the seat back 527 inclines rearward. If the reclining angle of the seat back 527 is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the control device 551 selects the display devices 530 of the third group 546, the fourth group 547 and the fifth group 548.

The control device 551 is connected to a rotation angle sensor 557. The control device 551 acquires the horizontal rotation angle of the seat cushion 526 with respect to the floor 503 from the rotation angle sensor 557 . The control device 551 selects the display device 530 for displaying the vehicle information based on the acquired horizontal rotation angle of the seat cushion 526 . Specifically, when the horizontal rotation angle of the seat cushion 526 is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the control device 551 selects the display devices 530 of the first group 544 and the second group 545 . Here, the horizontal rotation angle is based on the angle when the seat cushion 526 on the driver's seat side of the front seat 523 does not rotate about the B axis with respect to the floor 503 . That is, the horizontal rotation angle is 0 degrees when the seat cushion 526 of the driver's seat faces forward, and 180 degrees when the seat cushion 526 faces rearward. When the horizontal rotation angle of the seat is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, that is, when the seat cushion 526 of the driver's seat faces rearward, the control device 551 selects the display devices 530 of the third group 546 and the fourth group 547 .

The control device 551 is connected to the liquid crystal light control film 549 and the switch 550. The control device 551 controls the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 based on the operation mode acquired from the travel control device 558 or the ON signal from the switch 550 . Specifically, it is preferable to increase the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 during the manual operation mode. During the automatic operation mode, the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 should be lowered. On the other hand, even in the automatic operation mode, when the ON signal from the switch 550 is received, the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 is increased.

The control device 551 controls the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 based on the acquired horizontal rotation angle of the seat cushion 526 . Specifically, when the horizontal rotation angle of the seat cushion 526 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 may be decreased. The control device 551 controls the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 based on the acquired reclining angle of the seat back 527 . Specifically, when the reclining angle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 may be decreased.

The control device 551 controls the outside notification device 552 when the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 is low and there are passengers inside the vehicle. Specifically, when no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal light control film 549 and when an ON signal is received from the occupant detection sensor 553, the LED of the outside notification device 552 is turned on.

The control device 551 controls the display device 530 when the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 is low and there are people or objects around the vehicle M. Specifically, when no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal light control film 549 and an ON signal is received from the vehicle exterior object sensor 554, the image information from the camera 555 provided in the vehicle exterior object sensor 554 is obtained. get. The control device 551 displays the acquired image information on the display device 530 .

The switching process of the display device 530 performed by the control device 551 will be described below with reference to FIG.

In step ST1, the control device 551 determines whether the driving mode of the vehicle M is automatic driving. As a result of the determination, if the operation mode is automatic operation, step ST2 is executed, and if the operation mode is not automatic operation, step ST5 is executed.

In step ST2, the control device 551 determines whether or not the reclining angle of the seatback 527 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. As a result of the determination, if the reclining angle is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, step ST3 is executed, and if the reclining angle is less than the predetermined value, step ST4 is executed.

After activating the display devices 530 of the third group 546, the fourth group 547, and the fifth group 548 in step ST3, the control device 551 terminates the process.

At step ST4, the control device 551 determines whether the horizontal rotation angle of the seat cushion 526 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. As a result of the determination, if the horizontal rotation angle is less than the predetermined value, step ST5 is executed, and if the horizontal rotation angle is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, step ST6 is executed.

After activating the display devices 530 of the first group 544 and the second group 545 in step ST5, the control device 551 terminates the process.

After activating the display devices 530 of the third group 546 and the fourth group 547 in step ST6, the control device 551 terminates the process.

Next, control processing of the liquid crystal light control film 549 performed by the control device 551 will be described with reference to FIG.

In step ST7, the control device 551 determines whether the driving mode of the vehicle M is automatic driving. As a result of the determination, if the operation mode is automatic operation, step ST8 is executed, and if the operation mode is not automatic operation, the process is terminated.

The control device 551 determines whether or not it has received an ON signal from the switch 550 in step ST8. If the ON signal has not been received from the switch 550, step ST9 is executed, and if the ON signal has been received from the switch 550, step ST11 is executed.

At step ST9, the control device 551 determines whether or not the reclining angle of the seatback 527 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. As a result of the determination, if the reclining angle is less than the predetermined value, step ST10 is executed, and if the reclining angle is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, step ST11 is executed.

At step ST10, the control device 551 determines whether the horizontal rotation angle of the seat cushion 526 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. As a result of the determination, if the obtained horizontal rotation angle is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, step ST11 is executed, and if the horizontal rotation angle is less than the predetermined value, the process is terminated.

In step ST11, the control device 551 lowers the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 and ends the process.

Next, the control processing of the outside notification device 552 performed by the control device 551 will be described with reference to FIG.

In step ST12, the control device 551 determines whether or not the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 is equal to or less than a predetermined value. As a result of the determination, if the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 is equal to or less than the predetermined value, step ST13 is executed.

The control device 551 determines whether or not the ON signal from the occupant detection sensor 553 has been received in step ST13. As a result of the determination, if the ON signal has been received from the occupant detection sensor 553, step ST14 is executed, and if the ON signal has not been received from the occupant detection sensor 553, the process ends.

At step ST14, the control device 551 activates the vehicle exterior notification device 552 and terminates the process.

Finally, the notification of objects around the vehicle M performed by the control device 551 will be described with reference to FIG.

In step ST15, the control device 551 determines whether or not the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 is equal to or less than a predetermined value. As a result of the determination, if the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 is equal to or less than the predetermined value, step ST16 is executed.

At step ST16, the control device 551 determines whether or not the ON signal from the vehicle external object sensor 554 has been received. As a result of the determination, if the ON signal from the vehicle exterior object sensor 554 has been received, step ST17 is executed, and if the ON signal from the vehicle exterior object sensor 554 has not been received, the processing ends.

In step ST17, the control device 551 acquires image information from the camera 555 provided in the vehicle exterior object sensor 554, and executes step ST18.

The control device 551 operates the display device 530 in step ST18. At this time, the acquired image information is displayed on the display device 530, and the process ends.

The display system 501 of this embodiment includes a plurality of display devices 530 provided in the passenger compartment 502 and a control device 551 that controls the display devices 530, and notifies vehicle information according to the state of the passenger based on the driving mode. be able to. Since the control device 551 acquires the reclining angle of the seat back 527 with respect to the seat cushion 526 and selects the display device 530 according to the reclining angle, vehicle information can be notified according to the posture of the occupant. In addition, since the control device 551 acquires the horizontal rotation angle of the seat cushion 526 with respect to the floor 503 and selects the display device 530 according to the horizontal rotation angle, vehicle information is notified according to various directions of the passenger's line of sight. be able to. By providing the display device 530 on a plurality of members inside the vehicle, it is possible to respond to various postures and line-of-sight directions of the occupants. Since the vehicle information displayed on the display device 530 includes at least one of the driving mode, speed, acceleration, and turning direction of the vehicle M, the occupant can acquire various vehicle information.

A liquid crystal light control film 549 is provided on the first to third side window panels 513 to 515, and the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 can be changed according to the driving mode and the operation of a switch 550 provided in the passenger compartment 502. be. Therefore, the brightness in the passenger compartment 502 can be adjusted according to the driving mode and the preference of the passenger. In addition, this aspect can prevent the display of the display device 530 from becoming difficult to see due to light coming in from outside the vehicle.

Since the outside notification device 552 is provided between the liquid crystal light control film 549 and the first to third side window panels 513 to 515, even when the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 is low, It is possible to notify the vehicle exterior notification device 552 . In addition, when a passenger is present in the vehicle interior 52 and the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 is low, it is possible to notify the presence of the passenger inside the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle by operating the vehicle exterior notification device 552 . . With this configuration, even when the liquid crystal light control film has a low transmittance and the inside of the vehicle cannot be seen from the outside, the presence of the occupant can be notified and the risk of leaving a child behind in the vehicle can be avoided.

The display system 501 of this embodiment is provided with a vehicle exterior object sensor 554 that detects objects around the vehicle M, and the vehicle exterior object sensor 554 includes a camera 555 . Here, when the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 is low and an object such as a person exists around the vehicle M, the information of the object is displayed on the display device 530 . With this aspect, even when the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film 549 is low, objects around the vehicle M can be confirmed by looking at the display device 530 .

The outside notification device may issue a notification when the transmittance of the liquid crystal light control film is low and when there are no passengers in the vehicle. With this configuration, it is possible to disguise the presence of passengers inside the vehicle, and avoid the risk of crimes such as vehicle break-ins.

By the way, the operation switches provided in the vehicle of the above embodiment are sometimes decorated with light for the purpose of improving operability and design. Below, with reference to drawings, various examples of an operation switch decorated with light (henceforth light decoration switch 700) are described. In the following, for convenience of explanation, vertical, horizontal and longitudinal directions are defined with reference to the traveling direction of the vehicle, but this does not limit the present invention.

<First embodiment>
FIG. 27 shows a light decoration switch 700 according to the first embodiment. The light decoration switch 700 is provided on the inner side surface of the trim that covers the inner side surface of the vehicle body panel. The light decoration switch 700 may be provided on any trim of the vehicle such as a door trim, an instrument panel and a seat trim. In this embodiment, the light decoration switch 700 functions as a heater switch for heating the interior of the vehicle. The optical decoration switch 700 has a sensor portion 701 , a heater portion 702 , a light emitting portion 703 , a light blocking portion 704 and a decoration portion 705 . The sensor section 701, the heater section 702, the light emitting section 703, the light shielding section 704, and the decorating section 705 are each formed in a thin planar shape. The light decoration switch 700 has a layered structure formed by a plurality of planar members.

The sensor unit 701 is provided on the inner side surface of the trim. The sensor unit 701 receives a touch operation by the passenger. The sensor section 701 may be formed of, for example, a piezoelectric sensor. The sensor section 701 constitutes one planar member together with the heater section 702 . The heater section 702 generates heat when energized. Heater unit 702 functions as a heater for heating the interior of the vehicle. The sensor portion 701 and the heater portion 702 are preferably made of a material with high light transmittance. The sensor section 701 and the heater section 702 are preferably made of, for example, a carbon nanobud material. A light emitting portion 703 is arranged between the sensor portion 701 and the heater portion 702 and the trim.

The light emitting unit 703 emits light toward the passenger side. The light emitting unit 703 is configured with a light emitting element such as an organic EL or an LED, for example. The light emitting unit 703 is preferably configured to emit a plurality of lights having different wavelengths. A light shielding portion 704 is provided on the outer surfaces of the light emitting portion 703 , the sensor portion 701 and the heater portion 702 .

The light shielding portion 704 has an opaque area 706 and a transmissive area 707 . Opaque region 706 is formed from a material having a transmittance below a predetermined threshold. Transmissive region 707 is made of a material having a transmittance higher than a predetermined threshold. Also, the transmissive region 707 may be configured by a hole or a notch that is formed in the non-transmissive region 706 and allows light to pass therethrough. The light shielding portion 704 displays an icon 708 by combining an opaque area 706 and a transmissive area 707 .

The icon 708 may have any shape, pattern, pattern, or the like. For example, the light blocking section 704 may display an icon 708 at a position corresponding to the sensor section 701 below. An icon 708 may represent a switch for the heater section 702 . The light shielding portion 704 is covered with the decorating portion 705 .

The decorating portion 705 is an interior member for decorating the interior of the vehicle. The decorating portion 705 is formed so as to transmit at least part of the light from the light emitting portion 703 . The decorative portion 705 preferably transmits light at least in a region corresponding to the transmissive region 707 . The decorative portion 705 may be a translucent film or the like having optical transparency.

The light decoration switch 700 is connected to the control device. The control device preferably controls the light decoration switch 700 to cause the light emitting unit 703 to emit light when the ignition of the vehicle is turned on.

Part of the light emitted from the light emitting unit 703 passes through the sensor unit 701 and the heater unit 702, the transmission region 707 of the light shielding unit 704, and the decorating unit 705, and illuminates the interior of the vehicle. Opaque regions 706 of light blocking portion 704 block another portion of the light. As a result, the icon 708 provided in the light shielding portion 704 is displayed in the decorating portion 705 . Therefore, by touching the icon 708 displayed by light, the passenger can operate the sensor section 701 of the light decoration switch 700 to heat the interior of the vehicle.

The light decoration switch 700 transmits a signal to the control device when detecting a touch operation by the passenger on the sensor unit 701 . Upon receiving the signal, the control device controls the light decoration switch 700 to cause the heater section 702 to generate heat. The control device may heat the heater section 702 and control the voltage applied to the light emitting section 703 to change the light emission color of the light emitting section 703 . For example, the light emitting section 703 may be configured to emit light in a cool color when the ignition is on, and to emit light in a warm color when the heater section 702 is generating heat. Thereby, the passenger can visually sense that the heater portion 702 is generating heat.

Further, as another modification, the heater section 702 and the sensor section 701 may be formed so as to constitute separate planar members. Furthermore, the heater section 702 may be arranged between the sensor section 701 and the light emitting section 703 . In this case, the control device preferably causes the heater section 702 to generate heat in the portion corresponding to the sensor section 701 when the ignition of the vehicle is turned on. Thereby, only the portion corresponding to the sensor portion 701 can be heated in the light decoration switch 700 before the touch operation by the passenger. Thereby, the passenger can sense the place where the sensor section 701 is provided by heat.

<Second embodiment>
Next, a light decoration switch 710 according to a second embodiment is shown with reference to FIG. In the decorative light switch 710, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same components as those of the decorative light switch 700 according to the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

The light decoration switch 710 functions as a switch for operating any in-vehicle device provided in the vehicle. Light decoration switch 710 is provided on armrest 711 . The light decoration switch 710 has an operation input section 712 , a substrate 713 and an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) 714 .

The operation input section 712 has a sensor section 701 and a light blocking section 704 . The sensor unit 701 receives a touch operation by the passenger. The sensor portion 701 and the light shielding portion 704 are formed in a planar shape. The sensor section 701 and the light shielding section 704 may constitute the same planar member. The sensor section 701 and the light shielding section 704 may be formed as separate planar members. The sensor section 701 and the light shielding section 704 may be covered with the decorating section 705 .

The board 713 is connected to a control device mounted on the vehicle. The substrate 713 is formed in a thin plate shape. A light emitting unit 716 is connected to the substrate 713 . Light emitting unit 716 may be an LED. A light guide member 715 is provided between the light emitting section 716 and the operation input section 712 . The light guide member 715 is made of a material with high light transmittance. The light guide member 715 may be made of acrylic resin, glass, or the like, for example. The FPC 714 electrically connects the operation input unit 712 and the substrate 713 . The FPC 714 is a thin belt-like member. The FPC 714 is flexible and bendable.

The operation input unit 712 is arranged so as to be visible from the side of the armrest 711 . A side portion of the operation input portion 712 is arranged to constitute a part of a side portion of the armrest 711 . The operation input unit 712 extends vertically and forwardly along the side of the armrest 711 . A substrate 713 is attached to the lower portion of the armrest 711 .

The substrate 713 is arranged so that its main surface faces the vertical direction. The board 713 and the operation input unit 712 are arranged vertically in a cross-sectional view. The lower portion of the operation input section 712 and the right end portion of the board 713 are connected by an FPC 714 . The FPC 714 is bent along the corner connecting the side surface and the bottom surface of the armrest 711 .

A light emitting part 716 is connected to the top of the substrate 713 . The light emitting part 716 is preferably arranged at the right end of the substrate 713 . A light guide member 715 is arranged above the light emitting portion 716 . The light guide member 715 is arranged adjacent to the left side surface of the operation input section 712 . The light guide member 715 may extend vertically and in the front-rear direction along the operation input section 712 .

The light decoration switch 710 transmits a signal to the control device when detecting a touch operation by the passenger on the sensor unit 701 . Upon receiving the signal, the control device controls the light decoration switch 710 to cause the light emitting section 716 to emit light.

The light emitted from the light emitting section 716 is guided to the light shielding section 704 by the light guide member 715 . The guided light passes through the light blocking portion 704 and illuminates the interior of the vehicle, so that the icon 708 is displayed on the operation input portion 712 . Therefore, the passenger can operate the sensor section 701 of the light decoration switch 710 by touching the icon 708 displayed by light. This allows the occupant to operate the in-vehicle device.

The armrest 711 is provided with a pull pocket 720 for the occupant to put his/her fingers in and operate. Therefore, the width of the armrest 711 in the left-right direction is insufficient for providing a conventional light decoration switch. According to the above configuration, light from the light emitting section 716 can be guided to the operation input section 712 via the light guide member 715 . Therefore, even when it is difficult to secure a sufficient space, the light decoration switch 710 can be provided.

Also, the substrate 713 may be provided adjacent to the operation input unit 712 in the front-rear direction. In this case, the board 713 is preferably arranged in alignment with the operation input unit 712 in the horizontal direction. The FPC 714 preferably extends between the board 713 and the operation input section 712 and connects the board 713 and the operation input section 712 in the front-rear direction. Also, the light emitting unit 716 is preferably arranged adjacent to the left side of the substrate 713 . The light guide member 715 is preferably arranged adjacent to the light emitting section 716 in the front-rear direction. Thereby, even when sufficient space cannot be secured under the armrest 711, the light decoration switch 710 can be provided.

29-32 are schematic diagrams of various modifications of the light decoration switch 710. FIG. In the light decoration switch 722 , the light guide member 723 has at least one prism 724 . The prism 724 refracts the light emitted from the light emitting section 716 and guides it to the operation input section 712 . By providing the prism 724 , light can be efficiently guided to the operation input section 712 . Therefore, the icon 708 can be efficiently displayed.

A plurality of prisms 724 may be provided for one light guide member 723 as shown in FIG. Each prism 724 can guide light to a corresponding portion of the operation input section 712 . Therefore, multiple icons 708 can be displayed simultaneously.

As shown in FIG. 30, the prism 724 may be arranged on a different plane with respect to the light emitting section 716. By arranging in this manner, the icon 708 can be decorated with light even when the installation space is limited.

As shown in FIG. 31, the substrate 713 and the light emitting section 716 may be connected by an FPC726. The FPC 726 can be arranged in a narrower space compared to the light guide member 723 . Therefore, even if the installation space is limited, the icon 708 can be decorated with light.

As shown in FIG. 32 , a plurality of light emitting units 716 , light guide members 723 and prisms 724 may be provided for one substrate 713 . When the light emitting section 716 emits light, the emitted light is guided by the corresponding light guide member 723 . Each guided light is refracted by a corresponding prism 724 . The refracted light is guided to the operation input section 712 . With such a configuration, the plurality of light emitting units 716 can emit light having wavelengths different from each other. Therefore, a plurality of icons 708 can be displayed in different colors. Moreover, in the above configuration, it is not necessary to provide a complicated-shaped light guide member that guides light only to a specific portion of the operation input section 712 . Therefore, the configuration of the light decoration switch 710 can be simplified as a whole. In addition, in the above configuration, it is also possible to mix colors by causing the plurality of light emitting units 716 to emit light at the same time. Thereby, the icon 708 can be decorated with many kinds of colors.

Further, a side emission type LED may be used as the light emitting portion 716 . In this case, a diffusion member may be provided instead of the light guide member 723 . The diffusing member diffuses the light from the light emitting section 716 . The light emitting part 716 is preferably embedded in a groove formed in the diffusion member. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to achieve high brightness of the light decoration switch 710 .

<Third embodiment>
Next, a light decoration switch 730 according to a third embodiment is shown with reference to FIG. In the decorative light switch 730, the same components as those of the decorative light switch 710 according to the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

The light decoration switch 730 is provided on a seat cushion 731 that constitutes the seat trim. The light decoration switch 730 is provided so that the operation input portion 712 is arranged on the upper right side of the seat cushion 731 . The upper portion of the operation input portion 712 is arranged so as to constitute a part of the right upper portion of the seat cushion 731 . The operation input portion 712 extends front to back and left to right along the right upper portion of the seat cushion 731 . A substrate 713 is attached to the right side of the seat frame 732 arranged inside the seat cushion 731 .

The substrate 713 is arranged so that its main surface faces the left-right direction. The board 713 and the operation input unit 712 are arranged vertically in a cross-sectional view. The left end portion of the operation input section 712 and the upper portion of the substrate 713 are connected by an FPC 714 . The FPC 714 is bent and arranged.

A light-emitting portion 716 is provided on the right side of the substrate 713 . A light guide member 715 is arranged between the light emitting portion 716 and the operation input portion 712 . The light guide member 715 is arranged adjacent to the lower portion of the operation input section 712 . The light guide member 715 may be provided along the operation input section 712 in the front-rear and left-right directions. With such a configuration, the light decoration switch 730 can be provided on the seat of the vehicle.

Further, as shown in FIG. 34, as a modified example of the decorative light switch 730, the substrate 713 may function as a substrate for another switch with a different substrate. For example, the seat cushion 731 is provided with a power seat switch 735 for changing the posture of the seat. Substrate 713 may also serve as a substrate for power seat switch 735 . In this case, a power seat switch 735 is provided on the outer surface of the seat cushion 731 . A connection mechanism 736 is provided at a position corresponding to the power seat switch 735 on the inner surface of the seat cushion 731 . A connection mechanism 736 electrically connects the power seat switch 735 and the board 713 . As a result, the substrate 713 of the decorative light switch 730 can be used as the substrate of the power sheet switch 735 as well. Cost can be reduced by sharing the substrate of the two

switches

730 and 735 .

Also, the light decoration switch 730 may be provided with a holding mechanism 740 for holding the FPC 714 . Various embodiments of retention mechanism 740 are described below with reference to FIGS. 33-43.

As shown in FIGS. 33-35, the holding mechanism 740 is provided between the substrate 713 and the operation input section 712. As shown in FIGS. A holding mechanism 740 holds the FPC 714 . The holding mechanism 740 has a substrate-side holding portion 741 and a sensor-side holding portion 742 .

The board-side holding part 741 is arranged adjacent to the board 713 . The board-side holding portion 741 has a board-side body portion 743 and a board-side projecting portion 745 . The board-side protruding portion 745 protrudes rightward (that is, toward the operation input section 712 side) from the board-side main body portion 743 . The board-side body portion 743 and the board-side projecting portion 745 form a stepped surface (hereinafter referred to as a board-side stepped surface 746). The board-side protrusion 745 has a first protrusion 745A and a second protrusion 745B. The first protruding portion 745A and the second protruding portion 745B are spaced apart in the front-rear direction. Thereby, a notch portion 748 is formed between the first projecting portion 745A and the second projecting portion 745B. The notch portion 748 is formed so that the FPC 714 can be inserted therethrough, as will be described later. The substrate-side holding portion 741 may be configured by part of the substrate 713 .

The sensor-side holding portion 742 is arranged adjacent to the operation input portion 712 . The sensor-side holding portion 742 has a sensor-side body portion 751 and a sensor-side projecting portion 752 . The sensor-side protruding portion 752 protrudes leftward (that is, toward the substrate 713 side) from the sensor-side main body portion 751 . The sensor-side body portion 751 and the sensor-side projecting portion 752 form a step surface (hereinafter referred to as a sensor-side step surface 753). The board-side holding portion 741 may be configured by a part of the operation input portion 712 .

The board-side step surface 746 and the sensor-side step surface 753 have shapes corresponding to each other. When the right end face of the board-side main body portion 743 is arranged to face the left end face of the sensor-side protruding part 752 , the right end face of the board-side protruding part 745 faces the left end face of the sensor-side main body part 751 . Accordingly, the substrate-side holding portion 741 and the sensor-side holding portion 742 are arranged with a space therebetween.

The FPC 714 is arranged between the board-side holding portion 741 and the sensor-side holding portion 742 and received in the notch portion 748 . As a result, the FPC 714 is arranged to extend vertically between the substrate-side holding portion 741 and the sensor-side holding portion 742 .

According to the above configuration, the FPC 714 is held between the board side holding portion 741 and the sensor side holding portion 742 . Since the FPC 714 is received in the notch 748, it is possible to prevent the FPC 714 from breaking and disconnecting. Further, the movement of the FPC 714 in the front-rear direction is restricted by the notch portion 748 . Therefore, the FPC 714 can be reliably held.

Further, as a modified example of the holding mechanism 740, a fixing mechanism 755 may be provided below the sensor-side body portion 751 as shown in FIG. The fixing mechanism 755 fixes the FPC 714 to the sensor-side body portion 751 . The fixing mechanism 755 may be screws, clips, or the like, for example. The FPC 714 is displaceable in the left-right direction by providing a notch 748 (see FIG. 35). By providing the fixing mechanism 755, the horizontal movement of the FPC 714 is restricted. Therefore, disconnection or deterioration of the FPC 714 due to vibration or the like can be suppressed. Also, since the position of the FPC 714 is fixed, the assembling workability is improved.

Another modification of the holding mechanism 740 is shown in FIG. The fixing mechanism 755 is preferably configured by an engaging protrusion 760 provided on the sensor-side body portion 751 and an engaging hole 761 formed in the FPC 714 . The engaging protrusion 760 extends downward from the lower portion of the sensor-side body portion 751 . The FPC 714 is fixed to the sensor-side body portion 751 by inserting the engaging protrusion 760 into the engaging hole 761 and locking it.

A locking groove 762 for locking the FPC 714 may be provided on the outer peripheral surface of the engaging projection 760 . By providing the locking groove 762, the FPC 714 can be fixed more reliably.

Further, as shown in FIG. 38, the FPC 714 may be provided with an extension portion 765 and an engagement hole 761 may be formed in the extension portion 765 . The extending portion 765 preferably extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the FPC 714 extends. By providing the extending portion 765 , the engaging hole 761 can be formed at any position on the FPC 714 .

In addition, as shown in FIG. 39, the fixing mechanism 755 may further have locking members 770 for fixing the FPC 714 to the engaging projections 760 . The locking member 770 is arranged below the FPC 714 . The locking member 770 has a fitting portion 771 and a plate portion 772 . The fitting portion 771 fits into the engaging projection 760 from below the FPC 714 . The plate portion 772 is connected to the lower end of the fitting portion 771 . The plate portion 772 is preferably provided perpendicular to the fitting portion 771 and extends in the left-right direction. By providing the locking member 770 as described above, the FPC 714 can be fixed more reliably. Furthermore, the locking member 770 may be fastened to the engaging projection 760 using fastening members (not shown) such as screws. The fastening member preferably has the same axial direction as the extending direction of the engaging projection 760 and the fitting portion 771 . Thereby, the FPC 714 can be more reliably fixed to the sensor-side body portion 751 .

Further, another modified example is shown in FIG. The fixing mechanism 755 may be a first biasing member 775 that biases the FPC 714 upward toward the lower portion of the sensor-side body portion 751 . The first biasing member 775 is provided below the sensor-side body portion 751 . The FPC 714 is inserted between the first biasing member 775 and the sensor-side body portion 751 . The first biasing member 775 fixes the FPC 714 to the sensor-side body portion 751 with a restoring force. According to the above configuration, the number of members required for providing the fixing mechanism 755 can be reduced.

Further, as shown in FIG. 41 , the fixing mechanism 755 may be a contact member 780 that contacts the FPC 714 and a second biasing member 781 that biases the FPC 714 toward the contact member 780 . The contact member 780 is arranged below the sensor-side body portion 751 . The contact member 780 may be attached to the sensor-side body portion 751 by any method. The second biasing member 781 is provided below the sensor-side body portion 751 . The FPC 714 is arranged between the contact member 780 and the second biasing member 781 . The second biasing member 781 fixes the FPC 714 to the contact member 780 with a restoring force. As a result, the FPC 714 is fixed to the sensor-side body portion 751 . According to the above configuration, the FPC 714 can be reliably fixed to the sensor-side body portion 751 .

Further, as shown in FIG. 42, the fixing mechanism 755 may be a slit hole 785. The slit hole 785 is formed so that the FPC 714 can be inserted in the horizontal direction. The slit hole 785 is preferably formed in a holding member 786 attached to the lower portion of the sensor-side body portion 751 . Alternatively, the slit hole 785 may be directly formed in the sensor-side body portion 751 . According to the above configuration, the movement of the FPC 714 can be restricted in the front-rear direction.

Further, the fixing mechanism 755 may be attached to the board-side body portion 743 shown in FIGS. 35 and 36. For example, the fixing mechanism 755 may be a connector provided between the FPC 714 and the substrate 713 (see FIGS. 33 and 34). The connector may electrically connect the FPC 714 and the substrate 713 . The connector may be attached to the board-side body portion 743 in any manner such as mating, gluing, fastening, or the like. According to this configuration, even if the length of the FPC 714 is insufficient for connecting the operation input unit 712 and the substrate 713, the operation input unit 712 and the substrate 713 can be connected via the connector. can. In addition, since the connector is attached to the board-side body portion 743, the influence of the swing on the FPC 714 can be reduced.

Next, another modified example of the holding mechanism 740 will be described with reference to FIG. The holding mechanism 740 has a substrate-side holding portion 741 and a sensor-side holding portion 742 . The board-side holding portion 741 has a board-side body portion 743 and a board-side projecting portion 745 . A through hole 790 penetrating vertically is provided in the board-side projecting portion 745 .

The sensor-side holding portion 742 has a sensor-side body portion 751 and a sensor-side projecting portion 752 . A claw portion 791 is provided on the sensor-side projecting portion 752 . The claw portion 791 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the sensor-side projecting portion 752 . The claw portion 791 preferably has a main surface facing in the left-right direction. The ends of the claw portions 791 are preferably bent toward the sensor-side body portion 751 . The claw portion 791 is inserted into the through hole 790 and engages with the board-side projecting portion 745 . As a result, the substrate-side holding portion 741 and the sensor-side holding portion 742 are engaged.

The FPC 714 is arranged between the board-side body portion 743 and the sensor-side projecting portion 752 and is inserted into the through hole 790 . The FPC 714 is arranged on the side opposite to the bending direction of the claw portion 791 with respect to the claw portion 791 .

According to the above configuration, the FPC 714 is held between the board side holding portion 741 and the sensor side holding portion 742 . Since the FPC 714 is inserted into the through hole 790, it is possible to prevent the FPC 714 from being broken and disconnected. Further, the movement of the FPC 714 in the front-rear direction can be restricted. Therefore, the FPC 714 can be reliably held. Further, since the claw portion 719 is inserted into the through hole 790 together with the FPC 714, the horizontal movement of the FPC 714 is restricted. Therefore, the FPC 714 can be held more reliably. Furthermore, the ends of the claw portions 719 are bent toward the side opposite to the FPC 714 . Therefore, it is possible to prevent the FPC 714 from being damaged due to contact with the claw portion 719 .

The board-side body portion 743 is preferably provided at least at a portion corresponding to the claw portion 719 in the front-rear direction. Also, the through hole 790 may be provided in any shape that allows the FPC 714 and the claw portion 719 to pass through.

Although the light decoration switches 700, 710, and 730 of the above embodiment are operated by touch operation by the passenger, they may be operated in combination with voice input. For example, in the optical decoration switch 710 configured to be able to operate a plurality of in-vehicle devices, the in-vehicle device to be operated may be selectable by voice input by the passenger. After selecting the in-vehicle device, the selected in-vehicle device may be operable by a touch operation by the occupant. Specifically, the occupant may select operation of the in-vehicle audio device by voice input. After selecting the operation of the audio device, the passenger may operate the audio device (for example, select music, change the volume, etc.) by touch operation.

1 : Door 20 : Operating device 21 : In-vehicle device 31 : Main body 32 : Upper surface 33 : Side surface 34 : Lower surface 35 : Front surface 37 : Armrest 39 : Extension wall 41 : Recess 45 : First sensor 46 : Second sensor 48 : Operation Input unit 55 : Control device 101 : Seat 120 : Operating device 131 : Main unit 133 : Side surface 134 : Lower surface 137 : Armrest 145 : First sensor 148 : Operation input unit

Claims

A vehicle operating device,
an armrest that is mounted on the vehicle and has a plate-like main body that includes an upper surface on which an occupant's arm is placed, a front surface, a side surface facing the occupant, and a lower surface;
an operation input unit provided at the front end of the side surface for receiving an operation by the occupant for operating at least one in-vehicle device;
a first sensor provided at the front end of the lower surface for detecting the occupant's fingers;
a control device connected to the operation input unit, the first sensor, and the in-vehicle device;
The control device controls the in-vehicle device based on a signal from the operation input unit when the first sensor detects the occupant, and controls the in-vehicle device when the first sensor does not detect the occupant. An operation device for prohibiting control of the in-vehicle device based on a signal from an input unit.
The operating device according to claim 1, wherein an extension wall is provided on the occupant side of the lower surface to project downward and extend the side surface downward.
3. A front end of the operation input section is arranged forward of a rear end of the first sensor, and a rear end of the operation input section is arranged rearward of the front end of the first sensor. Operating device as described.
The operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lower surface is provided with a recess that is recessed upward, and the first sensor is provided in the recess.
A second sensor for detecting the occupant's fingers is provided on the front surface,
The control device controls the in-vehicle device based on the signal from the operation input unit when both the first sensor and the second sensor detect the occupant, and The operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein control of the vehicle-mounted device based on the signal from the operation input unit is prohibited when at least one of the sensors does not detect the occupant.
The operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the front portion of the armrest is thinner in the vertical direction than other portions.
The front portion of the lower surface of the armrest is offset upward with respect to the other portion, and the front portion of the armrest is thinner in the vertical direction than the other portion. Operating device according to paragraph.
The operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the armrest is provided on a door of the vehicle.
The operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the armrest is provided on the seat of the vehicle.