Steering wheel device, vehicle steering system and vehicle

Abstract

The present invention belongs to the field of automotive parts, and in particular relates to a steering wheel device, an automotive steering system, and an automobile; the steering wheel device includes: a steering wheel main body, which includes a steering wheel bottom plate, a first grip, and a second grip. The first grip and the second grip are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the steering wheel bottom plate respectively and are rotatably connected to the back side of the steering wheel bottom plate, so that the first grip and the second grip can be flipped to the back side of the steering wheel bottom plate for storage; a driving mechanism, which is connected to the back side of the steering wheel main body, and the driving mechanism drives the steering wheel main body to move at least axially and the first grip and the second grip to flip, so as to control the telescoping of the steering wheel main body and the folding of the first grip and the second grip; wherein, an instrument screen is integrated on the surface of the steering wheel bottom plate facing away from the driving mechanism, and the storage of the first grip and the second grip is synchronized or asynchronous with that of the steering wheel main body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of automotive spare parts design, and particularly relates to a steering wheel device, an automotive steering system, and an automobile. Background Art

[0002] The steering wheel is a component for operating the driving direction of vehicles and the like, and is essential as an important component in the steering device. Most of the existing steering wheels are fixedly arranged and are in a wheel shape. During use, they cannot adjust the specifications of the steering wheel itself according to the different needs of different people. The structure is relatively fixed and not flexible enough. Although the traditional steering column can be manually or electrically adjusted up and down and back and forth, the steering wheel is fixedly connected to the core shaft of the steering column, and cannot meet the requirement of completely storing and hiding the steering wheel in the future for fully autonomous driving or steer-by-wire.

[0003] Currently, there is a foldable steering wheel on the market. However, most of the existing foldable steering wheels adopt driving mechanisms such as lifting motors and rotating motors, and achieve folding through different movement modes of the motors. The problem is that its folding and storage function only lies in retracting the steering wheel into a certain cavity after folding, which requires a relatively large axial space and is prone to conflict with the space of the instrument area. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To solve the technical problems proposed in the prior art, the present invention provides a split grip reversible folding and storage steering wheel device.

[0005] In the first aspect of the present invention, a steering wheel device is provided, including: a steering wheel main body, including a steering wheel bottom plate, a first grip, and a second grip. The first grip and the second grip are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the steering wheel bottom plate and are rotatably connected to the back side of the steering wheel bottom plate, so that the first grip and the second grip can be flipped to the back side of the steering wheel bottom plate for storage; a driving mechanism, connected to the back side of the steering wheel main body, the driving mechanism driving the steering wheel main body to move at least axially and the flipping of the first grip and the second grip to control the telescoping of the steering wheel main body and the folding of the first grip and the second grip; wherein, an instrument screen is integrated on the surface of the steering wheel bottom plate facing away from the driving mechanism, and the storage of the first grip and the second grip is synchronized or asynchronous with that of the steering wheel main body.

[0006] In a further solution of the present application, the back side of the steering wheel bottom plate includes: a hinge support, the first grip and the second grip are provided with hinge beams, and the hinge is realized through the hinge beams and the hinge support; a connection plate, arranged at the center position of the steering wheel bottom plate, the connection plate is provided with flange mounting holes arranged in a circular pattern, and a cylindrical protrusion for positioning is arranged in the center. The flange mounting holes are used to connect with the driving mechanism, and the cylindrical protrusion plays a role of central positioning.

[0007] In a further aspect of the present application, the drive mechanism further includes: a nylon sliding sleeve connected to the lead screw; a nylon lining, the nylon sliding sleeve is nested in the nylon lining, and the nylon sliding sleeve and the nylon lining are slidably connected to be axially movable relative to each other within the nylon lining.

[0008] In an alternative aspect of the present application, the drive mechanism includes: a thrust bearing disposed between the lead screw and the cylindrical protrusion; the thrust bearing can be used to bear the axial force exerted by the nylon sliding sleeve on the lead screw.

[0009] In a further aspect of the present application, the nylon sliding sleeve includes a cylinder and fins symmetrically disposed on both sides of the cylinder; a threaded through-hole is provided at the center of the cylinder; the nylon lining includes lining elongated holes corresponding to the fins, and the lining elongated holes guide the sliding of the nylon sliding sleeve and limit the sliding stroke of the fins; the cylindrical outer peripheral surface of the cylinder is in arc surface fit with the inner surface of the nylon lining.

[0010] In a further aspect of the present application, the back side of the steering wheel bottom plate further includes: a connecting rod, one end of the connecting rod is a first connecting hole and the other end is a second connecting hole; wherein, the first connecting hole is coaxially installed with the grip hole of the articulated beam, and the first end surface of the first connecting hole is in surface fit with the grip open crotch surface; the second connecting hole is coaxially installed with the fin holes symmetrically distributed with the fins, and the second end surface of the second connecting hole is in surface fit with the inner fin surface of the fins, and the threaded through-hole can be converted into the axial movement of the nylon sliding sleeve through screw connection to make the connecting rod rotate, thereby driving the first grip and the second grip to flip.

[0011] In a further aspect of the present application, the drive mechanism further includes: a first motor lead screw mechanism, a core shaft and a first bearing; the core shaft is internally connected to the nylon lining and the first motor lead screw mechanism respectively, and the first bearing is disposed on the outer periphery of the core shaft; the first motor lead screw mechanism includes a motor and a lead screw, and the lead screw is connected to the threaded through-hole.

[0012] In a further aspect of the present application, the core shaft has a variable cross-section feature, including a large-diameter section and a small-diameter section. The large-diameter section includes the inner surface of the tubular core shaft and a fixed window. The outer surface of the nylon lining is in arc surface fit with the inner surface of the tubular core shaft, and the outer periphery of the lining elongated hole is placed within the window for fixation; a first anti-rotation feature is provided on the outer housing of the motor, and a second anti-rotation feature is provided within the large-diameter section of the pipe. The first anti-rotation feature and the second anti-rotation feature are closely fitted through partial pressing; the first bearing is a deep groove ball bearing and is sleeved on the small-diameter section.

[0013] In a further aspect of the present application, the drive mechanism further includes a steering sensor and a force feedback motor. The steering sensor includes a steering sensor protrusion, and the force feedback motor includes an external spline on the shaft. A notch is provided on the outer side of the small diameter section, and the notch is used to cooperate with the steering sensor protrusion for connection. An internal spline is provided inside the small diameter section for cooperating with the external spline of the force feedback motor.

[0014] In a further aspect of the present application, the drive mechanism further includes an outer tube of the column and a nylon slider. The inner surface of the outer tube of the column is fitted with the outer ring of the first bearing. A bracket is welded to the outer tube of the column, and a bolt is projection welded on the bracket for connecting with the nylon slider. The end of the outer tube of the column away from the steering wheel main body is used to accommodate the socket of the steering sensor.

[0015] In a further aspect of the present application, the drive mechanism further includes an outer seat of the column, a conversion structure, and a second motor lead screw mechanism. The outer seat of the column is provided with a mounting bracket and a body, and the inner side of the outer seat of the column is in shaft-hole fit with the second motor lead screw mechanism. The outer side of the outer seat of the column includes a chute, and the nylon slider is accommodated in the chute. The conversion structure is connected to the end of the outer seat of the column away from the steering wheel main body, and the conversion structure is connected to the force feedback motor for converting mechanical steering into steer-by-wire.

[0016] In a further aspect of the present application, the drive mechanism further includes a second bearing and a snap ring. The inner surface of the conversion structure is fitted with the outer ring of the second bearing, and the snap ring is placed in the inner groove of the conversion structure to prevent the bearing from coming out.

[0017] In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automotive steering system, which includes the above-mentioned steering wheel device.

[0018] The present invention further provides an automobile, which includes the above-mentioned automotive steering system.

[0019] Advantageous effects:

[0020] By providing a steering wheel device according to an embodiment of the present invention, which includes a steering wheel main body and a drive mechanism, the steering wheel main body has a first grip and a second grip that can be folded and stored backward, and the steering wheel main body that can axially move driven by the drive mechanism, the following effects are achieved:

[0021] 1) The traditional closed-ring steering wheel is split into two independent rotatable grips to achieve the deformation and folding function. After the steering grips are folded, they are completely hidden behind the multimedia screen, achieving the effect of hidden storage and making better use of the longitudinal space of the main driver's instrument area;

[0022] 2) The multimedia screen is integrated in the center of the steering wheel body, thus canceling the traditional instrument panel, which can simplify the instrument panel structure, optimize the driver's forward vision and take into account the sense of technology;

[0023] 3) In the autonomous driving mode, the steering wheel is in a hidden state, and the multimedia screen is flush with the instrument panel; when the driver needs to intervene, the steering column will first be pushed out of the instrument panel by the driving mechanism, and when it reaches a certain position, another moving target of the driving mechanism will be activated to change the steering grip from the folded state to the unfolded state, realizing the normal driving function.

[0024] Other features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention will be described in the subsequent specific implementation section. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific implementation of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the description of the specific implementation or the prior art. Obviously, the following drawings are some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0026] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the steering wheel body A provided by the embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 It is a structural demonstration diagram of the steering wheel device A and the storage area B provided by the embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of the steering wheel device A provided by the embodiment of the present invention in the storage state;

[0029] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of the steering wheel device A provided by the embodiment of the present invention in the extended state;

[0030] Figure 5 It is an exploded schematic diagram of the steering wheel device A provided by the embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 6 It is a schematic structural diagram of the steering wheel bottom plate in the steering wheel device A provided by the embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 7 It is a schematic structural diagram of the first grip (second grip) in the steering wheel device A provided by the embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 8 It is a schematic structural diagram of the connecting rod in the steering wheel device A provided by the embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 9Schematic diagram of the nylon sliding sleeve and nylon lining in the steering wheel device A provided by the embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 10 First exploded view of the steering wheel device A provided by the embodiment of the present invention; and

[0036] Figure 11 Second exploded view of the steering wheel device A provided by the embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Reference numerals

[0038] Detailed implementation manners

[0039] In order to make the above and other features and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments given herein are for the purpose of explaining to those skilled in the art and are merely exemplary, not restrictive.

[0040] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus cannot be understood as a limitation of the present invention.

[0041] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In the description of the present invention, "a plurality" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0042] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the terms "mounted", "connected", "connected to", "fixed", etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it may be the internal communication of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly limited. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0043] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and defined, the first feature being "on" or "under" the second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "over" and "on top of" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The first feature being "under", "beneath" and "underneath" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or merely indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is less than that of the second feature.

[0044] As described above, in view of the technical problems of the prior art that the folding and storage function only lies in folding the steering wheel and retracting it into a certain cavity, which requires a relatively large axial space and is likely to conflict with the space in the instrument area, etc., an overall inventive concept of an embodiment of the present invention provides a steering wheel device.

[0045]

Steering Wheel Device

[0046] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 , which is a schematic structural diagram of the steering wheel main body A provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 , which is a structural demonstration diagram of the steering wheel device A and the storage area B provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] The storage area is the instrument area faced by the driver directly, such as the instrument panel.

[0048] In view of the above, an overall inventive concept of an embodiment of the present invention first provides a steering wheel device A, including:

[0049] A steering wheel main body a, including a steering wheel bottom plate 100, a first grip 200 and a second grip 300. The steering wheel bottom plate 100 is a panel-like structure in the embodiment of the present invention. The first grip 200 and the second grip 300 are connected to the back side of the steering wheel bottom plate 100, and the first grip 200 and the second grip 300 are rotatably connected to the steering wheel bottom plate 100, so that the first grip 200 and the second grip 300 can be flipped to the back side of the steering wheel bottom plate 100 for storage;

[0050] A driving mechanism b, connected to the back side of the steering wheel main body a. The driving mechanism b drives the steering wheel main body a to move at least axially, and can drive the rotation of the first grip 200 and the second grip 300 to control the telescoping of the steering wheel main body a and the folding of the first grip 200 and the second grip 300;

[0051] It can be understood that the steering wheel device A has degrees of freedom in at least two directions. One is the freedom of movement of the steering wheel main body a in the axial direction, and the other is the freedom of rotation of the first grip 200 and the second grip 300. That is, driven by the drive mechanism b, the steering wheel device A provided in the embodiment of the present invention has at least two movement targets in different directions. Corresponding to the former, the first grip 200 and the second grip 300 can be automatically folded and stored backward to save the lateral space of the steering wheel main body a. Corresponding to the latter, the steering wheel main body a can be telescoped in the axial direction and, in a specific mode, the steering wheel main body a can be stored.

[0052] In the embodiment of the present invention, an instrument screen C is integrated on the surface of the steering wheel bottom plate 100 facing away from the drive mechanism b; that is, the instrument panel and the steering wheel are integrally designed, so as to cancel the traditional instrument panel, simplify the structure of the instrument panel, increase the forward vision of the driver, and optimize the longitudinal space at the same time.

[0053] It should be noted that the steering wheel main body a is in the shape of a rectangular panel in the figure and can be changed to other shapes according to design requirements, such as circular, irregular, etc.

[0054] In some embodiments, the steering wheel main body a can retain the freedom of rotation under specific circumstances. For example, the rotational freedom of the steering wheel main body a is locked during driving, and in some specific usage scenarios, such as the parking entertainment mode, the rotation of the steering wheel main body a is unlocked, so as to facilitate the user to use it vertically.

[0055] It is also possible to retain the freedom in the radial direction or the freedom in other directions to adjust the use height, angle, etc. of the steering wheel main body a.

[0056] In the embodiment of the present invention, the gear shift and the turn signal can be integrated on the grip or can be set in the area of the steering wheel main body a close to the grip.

[0057] Furthermore, the storage of the first grip 200 and the second grip 300 is synchronized or asynchronous with that of the steering wheel main body a.

[0058] It can be understood that in the control direction of the drive mechanism b, the folding of the first grip 200 and the second grip 300 and the storage of the steering wheel main body a can be synchronized or asynchronous, and the specific control method can be referred to the following text.

[0059] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 which is a schematic structural diagram of the steering wheel device A provided in the embodiment of the present invention in the storage state. Figure 4 which is a schematic structural diagram of the steering wheel device A provided in the embodiment of the present invention in the extended state.

[0060] By Figure 3 and Figure 4It can be seen that when the steering wheel device A is fully retracted, its drive mechanism b is hidden in the retraction area B, and the instrument screen C integrated with the steering wheel body a is exposed, that is, it is fully folded and retracted into the retraction area B to leave more space for the driver's seat and the instrument screen C can be used. When the steering wheel device A is in the extended state, the height and angle can be adjusted according to the driver's sitting posture habit.

[0061] Please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 which is an exploded schematic view of the steering wheel device A provided by an embodiment of the present invention; the steering wheel device A includes a steering wheel body a and a drive mechanism b;

[0062] wherein the steering wheel body a includes a steering wheel bottom plate 100, a first grip 200 and a second grip 300;

[0063] The drive mechanism b includes: a thrust bearing 400, a connecting rod 500, a nylon sliding sleeve 600, a nylon lining 700, a first motor screw mechanism 800, a core shaft 900, a first bearing 1000, an outer tube of the column 1100, a steering sensor 1200, an outer seat of the column 1300, a nylon slider 1400, a conversion structure 1500, a second bearing 1600, a snap ring 1700, a force feedback motor 1800 and a second motor screw mechanism 1900;

[0064] It can be understood that the first grip 200 and the second grip 300 are connected to the back side of the steering wheel bottom plate 100. One end of the connecting rod 500 is connected to the nylon sliding sleeve 600 in the central area of the steering wheel bottom plate 100, and the other end is connected to the first grip 200 and the second grip 300; the connecting rod 500 is used to realize the sliding of the first grip 200 and the second grip 300. The nylon sliding sleeve 600 can drive the connecting rod 500 to move through axial movement, and then act on the first grip 200 and the second grip 300 through the connecting rod 500 to make them swing, that is, the folding function of the first grip 200 and the second grip 300.

[0065] On the other hand, when the second motor screw mechanism 1900 is in motion, it can realize the axial sliding of the core shaft 900 relative to the outer seat of the column 1300, so that the steering wheel bottom plate 100 can be axially retracted into the instrument area, that is, the telescopic function of the steering wheel body a. The thrust bearing 400 is arranged between the lead screw 820 and the cylindrical protrusion 131; it can be used to bear the axial force applied by the nylon sliding sleeve 600 to the lead screw 820.

[0066] The following is a specific description of the above structural features:

[0067] Please refer to Figures 6 - 8 , Figure 6 which is a structural schematic view of the steering wheel bottom plate 100 in the steering wheel device A provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7Schematic diagram of the structure of the first grip 200 (second grip 300) in the steering wheel device A provided by the embodiments of the present invention; Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the structure of the connecting rod 500 in the steering wheel device A provided by the embodiments of the present invention.

[0068] In the embodiments of this invention, the back side of the steering wheel base plate 100 includes:

[0069] Hinge supports 110. The first grip 200 and the second grip 300 are provided with hinge beams 210, and the hinge is realized through the hinge beams 210 and the hinge supports 110;

[0070] A connecting disk 130, which is arranged at the central position of the steering wheel base plate. The connecting disk 130 is provided with flange mounting holes 181 arranged in a ring shape, and a cylindrical protrusion 131 for positioning is arranged in the center. The flange mounting holes 181 are used to connect with the driving mechanism b, and the cylindrical protrusion 131 plays a role in central positioning.

[0071] Specifically, on the symmetrically arranged hinge supports 110, first mounting through holes 121 are respectively arranged, and the inner side surfaces of the hinge supports 110 are respectively first mounting mating surfaces 122;

[0072] The flange mounting holes 181 are optionally 3 to 4;

[0073] Corresponding second mounting through holes 221 are designed on the hinge beam 210, and the first mounting through hole 121 and the second mounting through hole 221 are coaxial.

[0074] Furthermore, the back side of the steering wheel base plate 100 further includes:

[0075] A connecting rod 500, one end of the connecting rod is a first connecting hole 551, and the other end is a second connecting hole 561;

[0076] Wherein, the first connecting hole 551 is coaxially installed with the grip hole 251 of the hinge beam 210, and the first end face 503 of the first connecting hole 551 is in surface-to-surface fit with the grip open crotch face 253;

[0077] The grip hole 251 is located on one side of the second mounting through hole 221;

[0078] When the connecting rod 500 rotates along the first connecting hole 551, due to the surface-to-surface fit between the first end face 503 and the grip open crotch face 253, the first grip 200 and the second grip 300 rotate along the axis of the second mounting through hole 221, thereby realizing the folding function of the first grip 200 and the second grip 300.

[0079] Figure 9Schematic diagram of the nylon sliding sleeve 600 and nylon lining 700 in the steering wheel device A provided by the embodiment of the present invention;

[0080] The nylon sliding sleeve 600 is connected to the first lead screw (820);

[0081] Wherein, the nylon sliding sleeve 600 is nested in the nylon lining 700, and the nylon sliding sleeve 600 and the nylon lining 700 are slidably connected to be axially movable relative to each other within the nylon lining 700.

[0082] The nylon sliding sleeve 600 includes a cylinder 615 and fins 616 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the cylinder 615. A threaded through hole 608 is provided at the center of the cylinder, and the threaded through hole 608 can be threadedly connected to achieve screw rotation;

[0083] The nylon lining 700 includes lining long holes 716 corresponding to the fins 616, and the length of the lining long holes 716 limits the sliding stroke of the fins 616;

[0084] The cylindrical outer peripheral surface 606 of the cylinder 615 is in arc surface fit with the inner surface 706 of the nylon lining 700. The lining long holes 716 give the fins 616 space for axial sliding and play an axial guiding role,

[0085] Further, the second connection hole 561 is coaxially installed with a fin hole 661 symmetrically distributed with the fin 616, and the second end face 505 of the second connection hole 561 is in surface-to-surface fit with the fin inner surface 605 of the fin 616. The threaded through hole 608 can be transformed into axial movement of the nylon sliding sleeve 600 through screw connection to drive the connecting rod 500 to rotate synchronously.

[0086] Wherein, the length of the lining long holes 716 can determine the distance range that the fins 616 can move, thereby further limiting the angular range of rotation of the connecting rod 500, that is, the folding stroke of the first grip 200 and the second grip 300.

[0087] It can be understood that by designing the transmission between the lining long holes 716 and the threaded through hole 608, the first grip 200 and the second grip 300 are within a reasonable folding stroke.

[0088] Please refer to Figure 10 , Figure 10 Exploded view of the first part of the steering wheel device A provided by the embodiment of the present invention.

[0089] The mandrel 900 is a tubular structure of a hollow shell, and a nylon lining 700 and a first motor lead screw mechanism 800 are respectively internally connected therein. A first bearing 1000 is arranged on the outer periphery of the mandrel 900 to provide rotational sliding support;

[0090] Further, the first motor lead screw mechanism 800 includes a motor 810 and a first lead screw 820. The motor 810 provides a rotational driving force for the first lead screw 820. The thread feature 826 of the first lead screw 820 matches the threaded through-hole 608 of the nylon sliding sleeve 600. By connecting the first lead screw 820 and the threaded through-hole 608, the rotational movement of the first lead screw 820 is converted into a flipping movement of the first grip 200 and the second grip 300 through the nylon sliding sleeve 600.

[0091] In a specific embodiment, the mandrel 900 has a variable cross-section feature, including a large-diameter section 910 and a small-diameter section 920. The large-diameter section 910 includes an inner surface 919 of the tube mandrel and a fixing window 916. The outer surface 719 of the nylon liner 700 is in arc-shaped fit with the inner surface 919 of the tube mandrel. The outer periphery of the long hole 716 of the liner is placed inside the window 916 to achieve snap-fitting and fixation. A notch 921 is provided on the outer side of the small-diameter section 920, and the notch 921 is used to cooperate with the steering sensor 1200 for connection.

[0092] A first anti-rotation feature 818 is provided on the outer housing of the motor 810, and a second anti-rotation feature 918 is provided inside the tube of the large-diameter section 910. The first anti-rotation feature 818 and the second anti-rotation feature 918 are tightly fitted through local pressing to fix and lock the motor 810.

[0093] The first bearing 1000 is a deep groove ball bearing and is sleeved on the small-diameter section 920.

[0094] Please refer to Figure 10 and Figure 11 , Figure 11 , which is the second exploded view of the steering wheel device A provided by the embodiment of the present invention.

[0095] The column outer tube 1100 presents a cylindrical shell structure. It is provided with a notch 1102 to make the column outer tube 1100 semi-closed for convenient installation, so that the inner surface 1101 of the outer tube is in fit with the outer ring of the first bearing 1000. A bracket 1110 is welded on the outside of the column outer tube 1100, and a bolt 1120 is projection-welded on the bracket 1110. The bolt 1120 is used to connect the nylon slider 1400 for connection.

[0096] The steering sensor 1200 can determine the current angular position, be used to feedback the currently detected rotation angle and steering direction, and the force feedback motor 1800 is used to output power and control the torque magnitude.

[0097] In the embodiment of the present invention, the steering sensor 1200 includes a plurality of designed uniformly distributed steering sensor protrusions 1201 and a sensing through-hole 1208. The notch 921 of the small-diameter section 920 is used to cooperate with the steering sensor protrusions 1201 for snap-fitting.

[0098] At the end of the outer tube 1100 of the column away from the steering wheel main body a, the steering sensor 1200 is also designed with a socket 1202 for accommodating the wire harness. The socket 1202 can be used to guide the wire harness, improving the neatness of the structure.

[0099] The outer seat 1300 of the column is a hollow rectangular shell structure, which includes a main body 1320. An installation bracket 1310 is arranged on the outer side of the main body 1320. A plurality of first installation holes 1311 are arranged on the installation bracket 1310, and second installation holes 1321, third installation holes 1322 and fourth installation holes 1323 are arranged on the outer side of the shell of the main body 1320. The first installation holes 1311 and the third installation holes 1322 are respectively designed on the opposite sides of the main body 1320, and are both used for installation with the outside, such as the instrument pipe beam at the interior trim.

[0100] It should be noted that the installation form of the outer seat 1300 of the column is only for illustration, and simple replacements made on this basis all fall within the protection scope covered by the embodiments of the present invention;

[0101] The nylon slider 1400 includes a slider through hole 1402 and a sliding surface 1404. The slider through hole 1402 is used for the receiving bolt 1120 of the outer tube 1100 of the column, so as to realize the connection between the nylon slider 1400 and the outer tube 1100 of the column.

[0102] Continuing from the above, the second installation hole 1321 of the outer seat 1300 of the column is used for shaft hole fit with the shaft pin 1940 of the second motor screw mechanism 1900;

[0103] Furthermore, the outer seat 1300 of the column further includes a chute 1324. The outer seat 1300 of the column is accommodated in the nylon slider 1400, and the inner wall of the chute 1324 is in arc surface fit with the sliding surface 1404 of the nylon slider 1400 to realize sliding;

[0104] The conversion structure 1500 is used to be connected to the end of the outer seat 1300 of the column away from the steering wheel main body a. The conversion structure 1500 is connected to the force feedback motor 1800 and is used to convert mechanical steering into steer-by-wire.

[0105] Specifically, the conversion structure 1500 includes an inner surface 1506 of the conversion structure, an axial installation port 1502 along the axial direction and a radial installation port 1503 along the radial direction. The inner surface 1506 of the conversion structure is used for arc surface fit with the outer ring of the second bearing 1600. The radial installation port 1503 is used for bolt connection and fixation with the fourth installation hole 1323 of the outer seat 1300 of the column with an opposed design. The axial installation port 1502 is used for axial connection with the force feedback motor 1800.

[0106] Furthermore, the second bearing 1600 is connected inside the conversion structure 1500. Specifically, the outer ring of the second bearing 1600 is fitted with the inner surface 1506 of the conversion structure of the conversion structure 1500, and the inner ring of the second bearing 1600 is nested on the output shaft of the force feedback motor 1800 to achieve smooth rotation of the force feedback motor.

[0107] The snap ring 1700 is placed in the inner groove 1507 of the conversion structure 1500, specifically arranged between the outer ring of the second bearing 1600 and the inner surface 1506 of the conversion structure of the conversion structure 1500, providing radial elastic force to prevent the second bearing 1600 from coming out.

[0108] In the embodiment of the present invention, the force feedback motor 1800 is firmly connected through the motor mounting hole 1812. It includes an output shaft 1820 facing the steering wheel main body a, and an external spline 1828 is provided on the output shaft 1820; at the end of the small diameter section 920 facing the force feedback motor 1800, an internal spline 928 is provided inside it to cooperate with the external spline 1828 of the force feedback motor 1800 to form a fixed connection.

[0109] The second motor screw mechanism 1900 includes a driving part 1910, a fixed connection block 1920, a screw rod two 1930 threadedly connected inside the fixed connection block 1920, and a shaft pin 1940 connected to the end of the screw rod two 1930. The fixed connection block 1920 includes a fixed connection part 1922 for fixing the overall position of the second motor screw mechanism 1900. The second motor screw mechanism 1900 and the inner side of the column outer seat 1300 are in shaft hole fit; among them, the shaft pin 1940 on the screw rod two 1930 is in shaft hole fit with the screw rod mounting hole 1141 of the extension frame 1130 below the column outer tube 1100 for transmitting axial movement; the screw rod two 1930 and the shaft pin 1940 can rotate relative to each other along the screw axis to drive the column outer tube 1100 to move axially. Under the action of force transmission, the core shaft 900 slides axially relative to the column outer seat 1300, so that the steering wheel body a can be axially received in the instrument panel.

[0110] In summary, the embodiment of the present invention provides a steering wheel device A, which includes a steering wheel main body a and a driving mechanism b. The steering wheel main body a has a first grip 200 and a second grip 300 that can be folded backward and stored, and the steering wheel main body a that can move axially driven by the driving mechanism b. It has the following effects:

[0111] 1) Split the traditional closed-ring steering wheel into two independent rotatable grips to achieve the deformation and folding function. After the steering grips are folded, they are completely hidden behind the multimedia screen to achieve the hidden storage effect and make better use of the longitudinal space of the main driver's instrument area;

[0112] 2) The multimedia screen is integrated in the center of the steering wheel body, thus eliminating the traditional instrument panel, which can simplify the instrument panel structure, optimize the driver's forward vision and take into account the sense of technology;

[0113] 3) In the autonomous driving mode, the steering wheel is in a hidden state, and the multimedia screen is flush with the instrument panel; when driver intervention is required, the steering column will first be pushed out of the instrument panel by the drive mechanism, and when it reaches a certain position, another drive mechanism will be activated to change the steering grip from the folded state to the unfolded state to achieve the normal driving function.

[0114]

Automobile Steering System

[0115] The embodiment of the present invention also provides an automobile steering system, including the above-mentioned steering wheel device A.

[0116]

Automobile

[0117] The embodiment of the present invention also provides an automobile, including the above-mentioned automobile steering system. This automobile is not limited to fuel, electric, hybrid, etc., and can be used in all vehicle models equipped with the above automobile steering system.

[0118] Furthermore, those skilled in the art should understand that if all or part of the sub-modules involved in the products of the steering wheel device A provided by the embodiment of the present invention are combined, replaced, etc. through ways such as fusion, simple change, mutual transformation, such as moving the positions of the components; or integrating the products formed thereby; or designing them to be detachable; any device / device / system formed by the combined components that can perform specific functions, replacing the corresponding components of the present invention with such a device / device / system also falls within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0119] In the description of this specification, the descriptions referring to terms such as "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. mean that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0120] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it can be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art can make changes, modifications, replacements, and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A steering wheel device, characterized in that, Comprising: A steering wheel main body (a), including a steering wheel bottom plate (100), a first grip (200) and a second grip (300). The first grip (200) and the second grip (300) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the steering wheel bottom plate (100) respectively and are rotatably connected to the back side of the steering wheel bottom plate (100), so that the first grip (200) and the second grip (300) can be flipped to the back side of the steering wheel bottom plate (100) for storage; A driving mechanism (b), connected to the back side of the steering wheel main body (a). The driving mechanism (b) drives the steering wheel main body (a) to move at least axially and the first grip (200) and the second grip (300) to flip, so as to control the telescoping of the steering wheel main body (a) and the folding of the first grip (200) and the second grip (300); Wherein, an instrument screen (C) is integrated on the surface of the steering wheel bottom plate (100) facing away from the driving mechanism (b), and the storage of the first grip (200) and the second grip (300) is synchronized or asynchronous with that of the steering wheel main body (a); The driving mechanism (b) includes a nylon sliding sleeve (600). The nylon sliding sleeve (600) includes a cylinder (615) and fins (616) symmetrically arranged on both sides of the cylinder (615). A threaded through hole (608) is provided at the center of the cylinder; The back side of the steering wheel bottom plate (100) includes: A connecting rod (500), one end of the connecting rod is a first connecting hole (551) and the other end is a second connecting hole (561); Wherein, the first grip (200) and the second grip (300) are provided with a hinge beam (210). The first connecting hole (551) is coaxially installed with the grip hole (251) of the hinge beam, and the first end face (503) of the first connecting hole (551) is in surface-to-surface fit with the grip open crotch surface (253); The second connecting hole (561) is coaxially installed with the fin holes (661) symmetrically distributed with the fins (616). The second end face (505) of the second connecting hole (561) is in surface-to-surface fit with the fin inner surface (605) of the fins (616). The threaded through hole (608) can be transformed into the axial movement of the nylon sliding sleeve (600) through screw connection to make the connecting rod (500) rotate, thereby driving the first grip (200) and the second grip (300) to flip.

2. The steering wheel device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The back side of the steering wheel bottom plate (100) further includes: A hinge support (110), which is hinged through the hinge beam (210) and the hinge support (110); A connecting disk (130), arranged at the center position of the steering wheel bottom plate (100). The connecting disk (130) is provided with flange mounting holes (181) arranged in a ring shape, and a cylindrical protrusion (131) for positioning is provided at the center. The flange mounting holes (181) are used to connect with the driving mechanism (b), and the cylindrical protrusion (131) plays a role of central positioning.

3. The steering wheel device according to claim 1, wherein, The driving mechanism (b) further includes: Nylon liner (700), the nylon sliding sleeve (600) is nested in the nylon liner (700), and the nylon sliding sleeve (600) and the nylon liner (700) are slidably connected to be axially movable relative to each other within the nylon liner (700).

4. The steering wheel device according to claim 2, wherein, The drive mechanism (b) includes: A thrust bearing (400), arranged on the back side of the cylindrical protrusion (131); The thrust bearing (400) can be used to bear the axial force applied by the nylon sliding sleeve (600).

5. The steering wheel device according to claim 3, characterized in that The nylon liner (700) includes a liner long hole (716) corresponding to the fin (616), and the liner long hole (716) guides the sliding of the fin (616) and limits the sliding stroke of the fin (616); The cylindrical outer peripheral surface (606) of the column (615) is in arc surface fit with the inner surface (706) of the nylon liner (700).

6. The steering wheel device according to claim 5, wherein, The drive mechanism (b) further includes: A first motor screw mechanism (800), a core shaft (900) and a first bearing (1000); The core shaft (900) is internally connected to the nylon liner (700) and the first motor screw mechanism (800) respectively, and the first bearing (1000) is arranged on the outer periphery of the core shaft (900); The first motor screw mechanism (800) includes a motor (810) and a first screw (820), the first screw (820) is connected to the threaded through hole (608), and the nylon sliding sleeve (600) is connected to the first screw (820).

7. The steering wheel device according to claim 6, characterized in that The core shaft (900) has a variable cross-section feature, including a large-diameter section (910) and a small-diameter section (920), the large-diameter section (910) includes an inner surface of the pipe core shaft (919) and a fixed window (916), the outer surface of the nylon liner (700) is in arc surface fit with the inner surface of the pipe core shaft (919), and the outer periphery of the liner long hole (716) is placed within the window (916) for fixation; A first anti-rotation feature (818) is provided on the outer housing of the motor (810), a second anti-rotation feature (918) is provided within the pipe of the large-diameter section (910), and the first anti-rotation feature (818) and the second anti-rotation feature (918) are closely fitted by partial pressing; The first bearing (1000) is a deep groove ball bearing and is sleeved on the small-diameter section (920).

8. The steering wheel device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The drive mechanism (b) further includes a steering sensor (1200) and a force feedback motor (1800), the steering sensor (1200) includes a steering sensor protrusion (1201), and the force feedback motor (1800) includes an external spline (1828) on the shaft; A notch (921) is provided on the outer side of the small-diameter section (920), and the notch (921) is used to cooperate with the steering sensor protrusion (1201) for connection; An internal spline (928) is provided inside the small-diameter section (920) for cooperating with the external spline (1828) of the force feedback motor (1800).

9. The steering wheel device according to claim 8, wherein, The driving mechanism (b) further includes an outer pipe of the pipe column (1100) and a nylon slider (1400); The inner surface of the outer pipe of the pipe column (1100) is fitted with the outer ring of the first bearing (1000). A bracket (1110) is welded to the outer pipe of the pipe column (1100), and a bolt (1120) is projection-welded on the bracket (1110). The bolt (1120) is used to connect with the nylon slider (1400); At the end of the outer pipe of the pipe column (1100) away from the steering wheel main body (a), a socket (1202) for accommodating the steering sensor (1200) is provided.

10. The steering wheel device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The driving mechanism (b) further includes an outer seat of the pipe column (1300), a conversion structure (1500), and a second motor lead screw mechanism (1900); The outer seat of the pipe column (1300) is provided with a mounting bracket (1310) and a body (1320), The inner side of the outer seat of the pipe column (1300) is in shaft-hole fit with the second motor lead screw mechanism (1900). The second motor lead screw mechanism (1900) is used to realize the axial sliding of the mandrel (900) relative to the outer seat of the pipe column (1300); The outer side of the outer seat of the pipe column (1300) includes a chute (1324), and the nylon slider (1400) is accommodated in the chute (1324); The conversion structure (1500) is connected to the end of the outer seat of the pipe column (1300) away from the steering wheel main body (a). The conversion structure (1500) is connected to the force feedback motor (1800) and is used to convert mechanical steering into steer-by-wire.

11. The steering wheel device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The driving mechanism (b) further includes a second bearing (1600) and a snap ring (1700); The inner surface of the conversion structure (1500) is fitted with the outer ring of the second bearing (1600). The snap ring (1700) is placed in the inner groove of the conversion structure (1500) to prevent the second bearing (1600) from coming out.

12. An automotive steering system, characterized in that, The steering wheel device according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle steering system according to claim 12.

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