JPH0216246Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field] The present invention relates to automobiles, and more particularly to a steering switching angle detection device capable of detecting the steering switching angle at any time.

[Technical background]

When driving a car, it may be difficult to understand the switching angle of the front wheels just by looking at the rotational position of the steering wheel. For example, if the driver is forced to stop on a rough road, he or she may have to get out of the vehicle to determine the direction of the front wheels. Also, while driving, such as pulling over or parking,
I sometimes get confused about which direction to turn the steering wheel because I don't know which direction the front wheels are facing. Especially if you are a beginner, you will often encounter situations like this.

[Purpose of this invention]

This invention was developed based on the above technical background, and aims to improve drivability by making it possible to detect the steering switching angle and knowing the direction of the front wheels while driving. The object of the present invention is to provide a steering switching angle detection device for an automobile.

[Structure of the present invention]

The steering switching angle detection device for an automobile according to the present invention includes a cancel cam having a cancel drive unit that returns a direction support lever rotating together with the steering wheel and rotating in either direction to a neutral position; The cancel cam comprises a code member having a light reflecting surface provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cam and arranged at a predetermined pitch along the rotation direction, and a light emitting element and a light receiving element facing the reflecting surface of the code member. It consists of a sensor installed inside a case that houses the sensor.

In this invention, a sensor detects the reflective surface of the cord member provided on the cancell cam that rotates together with the steering wheel, and the steering switching angle is detected from this detection signal, which can be displayed on the instrument panel inside the car. This allows the driver to check the direction of the front wheels.

[Example of the present invention]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the mounting part of the steering switching angle detection device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the assembled state.

(Configuration of Example) Reference numeral 1 in the figure is a steering shaft.
The lower end of the steering shaft 1 in the drawing is connected to a steering mechanism of an automobile, and by rotating the steering shaft 1, the direction of the front wheels can be changed. A male thread 1a is formed at the tip of the steering shaft 1, and a keyway 1b extending in the axial direction is formed in the male thread 1a.

On the other hand, reference numeral 2 shown in FIG. 2 is a frame that constitutes a part of the vehicle body, and a case 3 is fixed onto this frame 2. The case 3 has brackets 3a on both sides thereof.
The case 3 is fixed onto the frame 2 by a bolt 4 inserted into the frame 2 and a screwed nut 5 (shown only in FIG. 2).
A hole 2a is bored in the frame 2, and a hole 3b communicating with the hole 2a is bored in the bottom surface of the case 3. Further, the case 3 has a concave storage chamber 3c that is continuous with the hole 3b.

A coil spring 6 and a cancel cam 7 placed over the coil spring 6 are housed in the storage chamber 3c. The steering shaft 1 includes a frame 2
passes through the hole 2a of the case 3 and the hole 3a of the case 3,
It is inserted into the coil spring 6 in the storage chamber 3c and further into the center hole 7a of the cancel cam 7. As shown in FIG. 2, a male thread 1a at the tip of the steering shaft 1 protrudes from the cancell cam 7, and a steering wheel 8 is attached to this male thread 1a.
is installed. A mounting hole 8b is located further in the center of the center portion 8a of the steering wheel 8.
A key 8c extending in the axial direction of the hole is integrally formed on the circumferential surface of the mounting hole 8b. The mounting hole 8b of the steering wheel 8 is fitted into the male thread 1a at the tip of the steering shaft 1, and at this time the key 8c is inserted into the key groove 1b formed in the male thread 1a. A nut 9 is screwed onto the tip of the male screw 1a further protruding from the mounting hole 8b, and the nut 9 integrally connects the steering shaft 1 and the steering wheel 8. Furthermore, by fitting the key 8c into the keyway 1b, the steering shaft 1 and the steering wheel 8 are fixed so as to rotate as one unit. Further, a protrusion 7c is integrally formed on the upper flange 7b formed at the upper end of the cancel cam 7, and a recess 8d is formed in the steering wheel 8 at a position opposite to the protrusion 7c. In the assembled state, this protrusion 7c is fitted into the recess 8d. Inside the storage chamber 3c of case 3,
Since the coil spring 6 presses the cancel cam 7 toward the steering wheel 8, the fitting between the projection 7c and the recess 8d is ensured.
Therefore, the cancel cam 7 rotates together with the steering wheel 8 from beginning to end.

A code plate 7d is provided at the lower end of the cancel cam 7.
is integrally formed in a flange shape, and a cord 10 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of this cord plate 7d. In the illustrated embodiment, the code 10 is constructed by arranging light reflecting portions at a predetermined pitch on the outer peripheral surface of the code plate 7d. On the other hand, a detection window 3d is formed in a part of the inner peripheral surface of the storage chamber 3c of the case 3, and an optical sensor 11 is installed inside the detection window 3d. This optical sensor 11 has a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and both elements are installed facing the cord 10. Note that the lead wire 11a of this optical sensor 11 passes through the inside of the case 3 and is guided to the outside (see FIG. 2).

Reference numeral 12 in the figure is a direction indicating lever. This direction indicating lever 12 is provided with a support hole 12a. This support hole 12a is the support post 1 on the case 3.
3, the direction indicating lever 12 can be moved in directions A and B in FIG. Further, a ring 14 is attached to the tip of the column 13 to prevent the direction indicating lever 12 from coming off. The right side of the direction indicator lever 12 in the figure is the operation part 12b.
The steering wheel 8 extends to a position where it can be operated by the hand holding the steering wheel 8. Further, the left side of the direction indicator lever 12 in the figure is the cancel mechanism section 12c, and the left end thereof is the switch operation section 12d.
It's getting old. A hole 12e is formed in the center of the cancel mechanism portion 12c, and in the assembled state, the center portion of the cancel cam 7 faces inside this hole 12e. A pair of claws 12f and 12g are formed on the circumferential surface of the hole 12e so as to be elastically deformable. On the other hand, a cancell drive protrusion 7e extending in the axial direction is integrally formed in the center of the cancell cam 7. As shown in FIG. 2, two grooves 12h and 12
i is formed. A ball 15 and a coil spring 16 that presses the ball 15 are installed in one groove 12h. On the other hand, the upper surface of case 3 has a set of V
Shape-shaped locking grooves 3e, 3f, and 3g are formed. When the direction indicating lever 12 rotates in the A direction, the ball 15 fits into the locking groove 3f, and when the direction indicating lever 12 rotates in the B direction, the ball 15 fits into the locking groove 3f.
is fitted into the locking groove 3g and when the direction indicating lever 12 is in the center position, the ball 15 is fitted into the locking groove 3e.
The direction indicator lever 12 can be easily locked. Furthermore, case 3
On the top surface side, there is a switch operation part 12 that is activated when the direction indicating lever 12 is rotated in the A direction or the B direction.
Stoppers 3h and 3i that both sides of d abut
is formed. In addition, the switch operating section 12d
A movable contact 17 is located in the other hole 12i on the bottom surface.
and a coil spring 18 that biases it. On the other hand, a common contact 19 and direction indicating contacts 20 and 21 located on both sides of the common contact 19 are fixedly provided on the upper surface of the case 3.

(effect) Next, the effect of the above configuration will be explained.

When the steering wheel 8 is rotated, the steering shaft 1, which is integrally connected to the steering wheel 8, is rotated.
rotate together, and a steering mechanism connected to the steering shaft 1 switches the direction of the front wheels of the automobile. Further, when the steering wheel 8 is rotated, the cancel cam 7 connected by the projection 7c also rotates. Then, the code 10 provided on the code plate 7d integrated with the cancel cam 7 is read by the optical sensor 11. That is, the optical sensor 11
The light emitted from the light emitting element inside is reflected only when it hits the reflective part of the code 10 of the code plate 7d, and is detected by the light receiving element. Since these reflective parts are arranged at a predetermined pitch on the outer peripheral surface of the code plate 7d, the steering wheel 8
The number of reflecting portions that pass through the portion facing the optical sensor 11 changes depending on the rotation angle of the optical sensor 11 .
Therefore, the rotational angle of the steering wheel 8 can be adjusted by detecting the number of passages through the reflecting portion with the optical sensor 11 and counting this number. If the switching angle of the front wheels is displayed graphically or digitally on the instrument panel inside the vehicle based on this detection output, the driver can confirm the steering switching state, that is, the direction of the front wheels at any time.

Next, the operation of the cancel cam 7 will be explained.

When the operating portion 12b of the direction indicating lever 12 is pushed in the A direction, the direction indicating lever 12 rotates in the A direction (counterclockwise) using the support 13 as a fulcrum. In the neutral state, the ball 15 fitted in the locking groove 3e is
As the direction indicating lever 12 rotates, it comes to fit into the locking groove 3f, and at that position, the direction indicating lever 1 is rotated.
2 is lightly locked. At this time, the movable contact 17
contacts the common contact 19 and the direction indicating contact 20 to short-circuit both fixed contacts. If this contact is shorted, the left turn signal installed on the vehicle will flash. When the direction indicating lever 12 rotates in the direction A, the claw 12f formed in the hole 12e moves to a position approaching the cancel cam 7.

When the steering wheel 8 is rotated counterclockwise to move the vehicle body to the left, the cancel cam 7 is also rotated together with the steering wheel 8 in the same direction. Then, the cancel driving protrusion 7e provided on the cancel cam 7 comes into contact with the pawl 12f, and drives the direction indicating lever 12 to return to the neutral position.

Further, the operation is the same as that described above when pushing the operating portion of the direction indicating lever 12 in the B direction to flash a rightward turn signal.

[Effects of this invention]

As described above, according to the present invention, the cord member is provided on the cancellation cam and the sensor is provided on the case of the cancellation cam, so there is no need to provide a special space in the steering operation section, and the structure of this part can be simplified. It becomes possible to configure a highly reliable steering switching angle detection device for an automobile without making significant changes.
In addition, even when installing a steering switching angle detection device consisting of a cord member and a sensor as an option, there is no need to change the structure of the installation part, and the detection device installation becomes possible.

In addition, since the cord is composed of light reflecting surfaces arranged at a predetermined pitch, and the sensor has a light emitting element and a light receiving element, space and the number of parts can be minimized, making the device smaller and lower in cost. It becomes possible to achieve this goal.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is an exploded perspective view showing an automobile steering switching angle detection device together with its surrounding mechanisms, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing its assembled state. 1... Steering shaft, 3... Case, 6...
Coil spring, 7... Cancel cam, 7e... Cancel drive protrusion, 7d... Code plate, 8... Steering wheel, 10... Cord, 11... Sensor, 1
2...Direction indicator lever, 17...Movable contact, 19,2
0, 21...Fixed contact.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A cancel cam has a cancel drive part that returns a direction support lever that rotates together with the steering wheel and rotates in either direction to a neutral position, and a code member having light reflecting surfaces arranged at a predetermined pitch; and a sensor installed in a case that houses the cancel cam and includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element facing the reflecting surface of the code member. An automotive steering switching angle detection device.