steering wheel

Abstract

The steering wheel has: a boss portion connected to a steering center shaft of a vehicle; a support plate supporting the boss portion; a steering handle portion held by a driver to rotate steering around the steering center shaft; a right operation portion disposed on a right side of the boss portion, capable of swinging relative to the steering handle portion, inputting an acceleration operation by swinging operation in a first direction, and inputting a brake operation by swinging operation in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a left operation portion disposed on a left side of the boss portion, capable of swinging relative to the steering handle portion, inputting an acceleration operation by swinging operation in a third direction, and inputting a brake operation by swinging operation in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction; a right connecting portion connecting the support plate and the right operation portion; a left connecting portion connecting the support plate and the left operation portion; and an air bag housed in a folded state between the right connecting portion and the left connecting portion, inflated to protect the driver when the vehicle collides.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a steering wheel having an operating section for inputting acceleration and braking operations. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, as described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-14204, there is a known structure in which the steering wheel is provided with an operating unit for inputting acceleration operation and an operating unit for inputting braking operation.

[0003] As in the structure disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-14204, when separate operating units for inputting acceleration and braking are provided, the driver needs to switch the grip operating units when switching between acceleration and braking operations, thus complicating the driver's operation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a steering wheel having an operating part capable of both acceleration and braking operations.

[0005] The representative structural feature of the steering wheel according to the present invention is that it comprises: a boss portion connected to the steering center axis of the vehicle; a support plate supporting the boss portion; a steering control portion held by the driver and rotated around the steering center axis; a right control portion disposed on the right side of the boss portion, configured to swing relative to the steering control portion, inputting acceleration by swinging in a first direction and inputting braking by swinging in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a left control portion disposed on the left side of the boss portion, configured to swing relative to the steering control portion, inputting acceleration by swinging in a third direction and inputting braking by swinging in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction; and a right connecting portion connecting the support plate and the right control portion, and having a right plate connecting portion, a right swing shaft, and a right shaft support portion, wherein the right plate connecting portion connects to the boss portion of the support plate. The support plate is connected to the support surface and extends in a direction orthogonal to the support surface. The right swing axis is the swing axis of the right operating part. The right axis support extends from the right plate connection to the right and supports the right swing axis. When viewed from above, at least a portion of the right swing axis is positioned overlapping the right plate connection. The left connection connects the support plate and the left operating part and has a left plate connection, a left swing axis, and a left axis support. The left plate connection is connected to the support surface and extends in a direction orthogonal to the support surface. The left swing axis is the swing axis of the left operating part. The left axis support extends from the left plate connection to the left and supports the left swing axis. When viewed from above, at least a portion of the left swing axis is positioned overlapping the left plate connection. The airbag is folded and stored between the right connection and the left connection, and inflates to protect the driver in the event of a vehicle collision.

[0006] According to the present invention, an acceleration operation is input by swinging the right operating unit in a first direction, and a braking operation is input by swinging the right operating unit in a second direction. Furthermore, an acceleration operation is input by swinging the left operating unit in a third direction, and a braking operation is input by swinging the left operating unit in a fourth direction. Therefore, the driver can perform both acceleration and braking operations using either the right or left operating unit, thus reducing the complexity of the driver's operation. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 This is a top view of a steering wheel according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0008] Figure 2 This is a top view of the steering wheel after the padding and airbag assembly have been removed.

[0009] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the steering wheel after the lower cover has been removed.

[0010] Figure 4 Therefore Figure 1 The diagram shown is a cross-sectional view of the steering wheel cut along section A1-A1.

[0011] Figure 5 Therefore Figure 1 The diagram shown is a cross-sectional view of the steering wheel cut along section A2-A2.

[0012] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the control levers on the steering wheel.

[0013] Figure 7 It is a perspective view of the control lever and linkage mechanism.

[0014] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of the cam unit in the linkage mechanism.

[0015] Figure 9 This is an exploded oblique view of the cam unit. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The steering wheel 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will now be described. The steering wheel 10 is mounted on a vehicle (not shown). In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the vertical direction refers to the vertical direction along the axis of the steering shaft (not shown), the front-back direction refers to the front-back direction orthogonal to the axis of the steering shaft when the vehicle is turning straight, and the left-right direction refers to the left-right direction orthogonal to the axis of the steering shaft when the vehicle is turning straight.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a top view of steering wheel 10. Figure 2 This is a top view of the steering wheel 10 after the pad 5 and airbag device 90 have been removed. Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the steering wheel 10 after the lower cover 6 has been removed, viewed from below. Figure 4 Therefore Figure 1 The cross-sectional view shown is a section of the steering wheel 10 cut along section A1-A1. Figure 5 Therefore Figure 1 The cross-sectional view shown is a section of the steering wheel 10 cut along section A2-A2. Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the control levers 3 and 4 on the steering wheel 10.

[0018] like Figures 1-6As shown, the steering wheel 10 has: a boss 2 connected to a steering shaft (not shown), which serves as the vehicle's steering center axis; and a steering control unit 1 held by the driver for rotation around the steering shaft. Additionally, the steering wheel 10 includes: an airbag device 90; a pad 5 covering the top of the airbag device 90; and a lower cover 6 disposed on the lower surface of the steering wheel 10. Furthermore, the steering wheel 10 has levers 3 and 4 respectively disposed on the right and left sides of the boss 2 for inputting acceleration and braking operations.

[0019] The steering control unit 1 is a roughly elliptical ring-shaped component that is longer in the left-right direction. It is formed by a metal core 1a and a resin cover 1b that covers the core 1a. The left and right sides of the boss portion 2 of the resin cover 1b of the steering control unit 1 become the grip portions 1b1 and 1b2 that the driver usually holds while driving. By holding the grip portions 1b1 and 1b2, the driver rotates the steering control unit 1 around the steering axis connected to the boss portion 2, thereby changing the direction of travel of the vehicle.

[0020] The boss portion 2 is located at the center of the steering control unit 1 and is supported by the support plate 20. The support plate 20 is a thin metal plate extending in the front-rear and left-right directions and is connected to the lower cover 6 by small screws (not shown). The boss portion 2 has a shaft hole 2a for the steering shaft to be inserted and fitted. With the front end of the steering shaft inserted and fitted into the shaft hole 2a, the front end of the steering shaft is fixed by a nut, thus connecting the boss portion 2 to the steering shaft. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the boss portion 2 and the support plate 20 are integrally formed by die casting. The method of supporting the boss portion 2 based on the support plate 20 is not limited to this; for example, it can be formed into a structure in which the boss portion 2 is fixedly supported to the support plate 20 by small screws or the like.

[0021] Furthermore, the steering control unit 1 and the boss part 2 are connected by connecting parts 21a to 21d. Connecting parts 21a to 21d are metal components that have been bent into an approximately S-shape. The upper end 21a1 of connecting part 21a is fixed to the lower part of the core 1a of the steering control unit 1 using a small screw 41a, and the lower end is fixed to the support surface 20a of the support plate 20 (not shown) using a small screw, thereby connecting the two. Similarly, the upper ends 21b1 to 21d1 of connecting parts 21b to 21d are fixed to the lower part of the core 1a of the steering control unit 1 using small screws 41b to 41d, and the lower ends are fixed to the support surface 20a of the support plate 20 (not shown) using small screws, thereby connecting the two. This connects the boss part 2 and the steering control unit 1.

[0022] Additionally, a metal rod connecting member 30 is installed on the support surface 20a of the support plate 20, connecting the support plate 20 to the operating levers 3 and 4. The rod connecting member 30 consists of: a right connecting portion 30a, which connects the operating lever 3 to the support plate 20; a left connecting portion 30b, which connects the operating lever 4 to the support plate 20; and a central connecting portion 30c, which connects the right connecting portion 30a and the left connecting portion 30b. The central connecting portion 30c is connected to the support surface 20a of the support plate 20 using a small screw 45. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the right connecting portion 30a, the left connecting portion 30b, and the central connecting portion 30c are integrally formed as the rod connecting member 30, but they can also be formed separately and connected using small screws, welding, or other methods.

[0023] The right connecting portion 30a has a plate connecting portion 30a1, which is connected to the support surface 20a of the support plate 20 and extends in a vertical direction orthogonal to the support surface 20a. Furthermore, the phrase "orthogonal to the support surface 20a" in this disclosure refers not only to a direction at 90 degrees relative to the support surface 20a, but also to a broad concept including directions from 85 degrees to 95 degrees. In this embodiment, the lower part of the plate connecting portion 30a1 is connected to the central connecting portion 30c by a small screw 46, and the plate connecting portion 30a1 is indirectly connected to the support surface 20a of the support plate 20 via the central connecting portion 30c. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a structure in which the plate connecting portion 30a1 is directly connected to the support surface 20a of the support plate 20 can also be formed. That is, the connection between the plate connecting portion 30a1 and the support surface 20a of the support plate 20 mentioned here includes structures where the plate connecting portion 30a1 is directly connected to the support surface 20a of the support plate 20 and structures where it is indirectly connected to the support surface 20a of the support plate 20. Furthermore, the right connecting portion 30a has: a swing shaft 30a3 (right swing shaft); and a shaft support portion 30a2 (right shaft support portion), which extends to the right from the plate connecting portion 30a1 (right plate connecting portion) to support the swing shaft 30a3. The shaft support portion 30a2 has a bearing (not shown) inside, through which the swing shaft 30a3 is supported so that it can move towards... Figure 4The swing axis 30a3 swings in the directions of arrows R1 and R2. The swing axis of the swing axis 30a3 is arranged along the front-to-back direction and is positioned so that at least a portion overlaps with the plate connection portion 30a1 when viewed from above. Furthermore, a magnetic (not shown) rotation angle sensor for detecting the swing angle of the swing axis 30a3 is provided near the swing axis 30a3 of the right connection portion 30a. The rotation angle sensor is electrically connected to a CPU (not shown). In this embodiment, the diameter of the rear end of the swing axis 30a3 is smaller than the diameter of the front end, and correspondingly, the width in the left-to-right direction of the rear end of the floor connection portion 30a1 is also reduced. Therefore, when viewed from above from the rear end, the swing axis 30a3 and the plate connection portion 30a1 are not positioned in an overlapping position, but they are positioned in an overlapping position at the front end.

[0024] The left connecting portion 30b has a plate connecting portion 30b1, which is connected to the support surface 20a of the support plate 20 and extends in a vertical direction orthogonal to the support surface 20a. In this embodiment, the lower part of the plate connecting portion 30b1 is connected to the central connecting portion 30c by a small screw 47, and the plate connecting portion 30b1 is indirectly connected to the support surface 20a of the support plate 20 via the central connecting portion 30c. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it can also be configured such that the plate connecting portion 30b1 is directly connected to the support surface 20a of the support plate 20. That is, the connection between the plate connecting portion 30b1 and the support surface 20a of the support plate 20 mentioned here includes both a structure in which the plate connecting portion 30b1 is directly connected to the support surface 20a of the support plate 20 and a structure in which it is indirectly connected to the support surface 20a of the support plate 20. Additionally, the left connecting portion 30b includes: a swing shaft 30b3 (left swing shaft); and a shaft support portion 30b2 (left shaft support portion), which extends to the left from the plate connecting portion 30b1 (left plate connecting portion) to support the swing shaft 30b3. The shaft support portion 30b2 has a bearing (not shown) internally, via which the swing shaft 30b3 is supported so that it can move towards... Figure 4 The swing axis 30b3 swings in the directions indicated by arrows R3 and R4. The swing axis of the swing axis 30b3 is arranged along the front-to-back direction, and at least a portion of it is positioned to overlap with the plate connection portion 30b1 when viewed from above. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the diameter of the rear end of the swing axis 30b3 is smaller than the diameter of the front end, and correspondingly, the width of the rear end of the plate connection portion 30b1 in the left-to-right direction is also reduced. Therefore, when viewed from above from the rear end, the swing axis 30b3 and the plate connection portion 30b1 are not positioned to overlap, but they are positioned to overlap at the front end.

[0025] The airbag device 90 is disposed in the left-right direction between the right connecting portion 30a and the left connecting portion 30b. The airbag device 90 includes: an airbag 91; an inflator 94 that supplies inflation gas to the airbag 91; a housing 95 that holds the airbag 91 and the inflator 94; and a nearly square annular retainer 92 that is housed inside the airbag 91 for fixing the airbag 91 and the inflator 94 to the housing 95.

[0026] The inflator 94 is an approximately cylindrical component that generates expansion gas, and has an outlet 94a at its upper part for discharging the expansion gas. Additionally, the inflator 94 has a flange 94b extending radially from the surface where the outlet 94a is formed in the aforementioned cylindrical shape. The inflator 94 is electrically connected via a control device (not shown) and leads (not shown), and operates by receiving a working signal from the control device during a vehicle collision to generate expansion gas.

[0027] The airbag 91 is a component that, when folded, is stored in a stowed state, and when a vehicle collision occurs, it inflates by being supplied with inflation gas from the inflator 94, causing the liner 5 to break and extend towards the driver's side to protect the driver. An opening 91a is provided on the lower surface of the airbag 91 for inserting into the upper portion of the inflator 94, which has a discharge port 94a.

[0028] The housing 95 is a metal component having a circular plate-shaped bottom wall portion 95a and a side wall portion 95b extending upward from the outer edge of the bottom wall portion 95a. An insertion hole 95a1 for inserting an inflator 94 is formed in the bottom wall portion 95a. The side wall portion 95b is connected to the core 1a of the steering control unit 1 by a connecting member (not shown). The airbag 91 and the inflator 94 are fixed to the bottom wall portion 95a of the housing 95 via a retainer 92 disposed inside the airbag 91. Specifically, the periphery of the opening 91a of the airbag 91 is held by the lower surface of the retainer 92 and the upper surface of the bottom wall portion 95a of the housing 95. Furthermore, the upper surface of the flange portion 94b of the inflator 94 presses against the lower surface of the bottom wall portion 95a of the housing 95. In this state, bolt 99 is inserted through the periphery of the opening 91a of the airbag 91, the bottom wall 95a of the housing 95, and the flange 94b of the inflator 94 and secured by a nut. This secures the airbag 91 and the inflator 94 to the bottom wall 95a of the housing 95.

[0029] The operating lever 3, serving as the right operating part, is disposed adjacent to the steering control part 1 on the right side of the boss part 2 and is configured as a component capable of swinging relative to the steering control part 1. It is composed of a metal core 3a and a resin operating cover 3b. The core 3a has: a shaft support part 3a1, which extends in the left-right direction and is axially supported on the swing shaft 30a3 of the right connecting part 30a; a cover mounting part 3a2, which extends laterally orthogonally from one end of the shaft support part 3a1 for mounting the operating cover 3b; and a connecting part 3a3, which extends downward from the other end of the shaft support part 3a1 and is connected to the linkage mechanism 50 described later.

[0030] A shaft hole 3a1a is formed in the shaft support portion 3a1 of the core 3a. The swing shaft 30a3 is inserted through the shaft hole 3a1a, thereby supporting the operating lever 3 on the swing shaft 30a3. The shaft support portion 3a1 and the swing shaft 30a3 are restricted from relative movement by a small screw 73 and a pin 74. In this way, the operating lever 3 is supported on the swing shaft 30a3, thereby enabling the operating lever 3 to move about the swing shaft 30a3 as the center. Figure 4 The lever oscillates in the direction of arrow R1 and its opposite direction, arrow R2. Regarding the operating lever 3, the limiting surface 3a1b of the shaft support portion 3a1 formed in the core 3a abuts against the swing limiting portion 30a1a (right limiting portion) formed in the plate connecting portion 30a1, thereby limiting the oscillation in the direction of arrow R1 at a predetermined oscillation angle. The limiting surface 3a1c abuts against the swing limiting portion 30a1b (right limiting portion) formed in the plate connecting portion 30a1, thereby limiting the oscillation in the direction of arrow R2 at a predetermined oscillation angle.

[0031] The control cover 3b has: an acceleration operation surface 3b1, which is the upper surface side of the control cover 3b and is the part that is pressed by the right palm and thumb when the driver performs the acceleration operation; a braking operation surface 3b2, which is the lower surface side of the control cover 3b and is the part that is lifted by the four fingers other than the thumb when the driver performs the braking operation; and a fitting hole 3b3, into which the cover mounting part 3a2 of the core 3a is inserted and fixed by a small screw (not shown).

[0032] The driver uses their right palm and thumb to press the acceleration control surface 3b1 of the control cover 3b and swing the control lever 3 in the direction of arrow R1 (first direction) to input acceleration. The driver uses their four fingers (excluding the thumb) to pull the brake control surface 3b2 of the control cover 3b and swing the control lever 3 in the direction of arrow R2 (second direction) to input braking. Specifically, when the control lever 3 is swinged, the swing angle of the swing shaft 30a3 is detected by a rotation angle sensor (not shown). The CPU (not shown) controls the vehicle's acceleration and deceleration devices based on the detection signal received from the rotation angle sensor to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle. That is, when the rotation angle sensor detects that the swing shaft 30a3 is swinging in the direction of arrow R1, the CPU controls the vehicle's acceleration and deceleration devices based on the swing angle of the swing shaft 30a3 to accelerate the vehicle. In addition, when the rotation angle sensor detects that the swing shaft 30a3 is swinging in the direction of arrow R2, the CPU controls the vehicle's acceleration and deceleration devices according to the rotation angle of the swing shaft 30a3 to decelerate the vehicle.

[0033] The operating lever 4, serving as the left operating part, is a component with a left-right symmetrical shape, positioned symmetrically to the left and right of the operating lever 3, based on the boss 2, and performs actions symmetrically to the left and right of the operating lever 3. Specifically, the operating lever 4 is a component that is arranged adjacent to the steering control part 1 on the left side of the boss 2, configured to swing relative to the steering control part 1, and is composed of a metal core 4a and a resin operating cover 4b. The core 4a has: a shaft support 4a1 extending in the left-right direction and axially supported on the swing shaft 30b3 of the left connecting part 30b; a cover mounting part 4a2 extending laterally orthogonally from one end of the shaft support 4a1 for mounting the operating cover 4b; and a connecting part 4a3 extending downwardly from the other end of the shaft support 4a1 and connected to the linkage mechanism 50 described later.

[0034] A shaft hole 4a1a is formed in the shaft support portion 4a1 of the core 4a. The swing shaft 30b3 is inserted through the shaft hole 4a1a, thereby supporting the operating lever 4 on the swing shaft 30b3. The shaft support portion 4a1 and the swing shaft 30b3 are restricted from relative movement by a small screw 75 and a pin 76. In this way, the operating lever 4 is supported on the swing shaft 30b3, so that the operating lever 4 is configured to be able to move about the swing shaft 30b3 as the center. Figure 4The lever oscillates in the direction of arrow R3 and its opposite direction, arrow R4. Regarding the operating lever 4, the limiting surface 4a1b of the shaft support portion 4a1 formed in the core 4a abuts against the swing limiting portion 30b1a (left limiting portion) formed in the plate connecting portion 30b1, thereby limiting the oscillation in the direction of arrow R3 at a predetermined oscillation angle. The limiting surface 4a1c abuts against the swing limiting portion 30b1b (left limiting portion) formed in the plate connecting portion 30b1, thereby limiting the oscillation in the direction of arrow R4 at a predetermined oscillation angle.

[0035] The control cover 4b has: an acceleration control surface 4b1, which is the upper surface of the control cover 4b and is the part that the driver presses with the palm and thumb of the left hand when performing acceleration operation; a braking control surface 4b2, which is the lower surface of the control cover 4b and is the part that the driver pulls with the four fingers other than the thumb when performing braking operation; and a fitting hole 4b3, into which the cover mounting part 4a2 of the core 4a is inserted and fixed by a small screw (not shown).

[0036] The driver uses their left palm and thumb to press the acceleration control surface 4b1 of the control cover 4b, swinging the control lever 4 in the direction of arrow R3 (third direction) to input acceleration. The driver uses their four fingers (excluding the thumb) to pull the brake control surface 4b2 of the control cover 4b, swinging the control lever 4 in the direction of arrow R4 (fourth direction) to input braking. In this embodiment, as described later, the swinging motion of the control lever 3 in the direction of arrow R1 and the swinging motion of the control lever 4 in the direction of arrow R3, as well as the swinging motion of the control lever 4 in the direction of arrow R2 and the swinging motion of the control lever 4 in the direction of arrow R4, are synchronized. Therefore, if the control lever 4 is swinged in the direction of R3, the control lever 3 swings in the direction of R1 in conjunction with this swinging motion. The swing angle of the swing axis 30a3 of the control lever 3 is detected by a rotation angle sensor, and the CPU performs the aforementioned control based on this swing angle to accelerate the vehicle. Furthermore, if the lever 4 is swung in the R4 direction, the lever 3 will swing in the R2 direction in conjunction with this swung operation. A rotation angle sensor detects the swing angle of the lever 3's swing axis 30a3, and the CPU performs the aforementioned control based on this swing angle to decelerate the vehicle. Additionally, if the swinging movements of the levers 3 and 4 are asynchronous, a rotation angle sensor is provided to detect the swing angle of the lever 4's swing axis 30b3. The CPU can then perform the same control action based on the detection result of this rotation angle sensor.

[0037] Thus, according to the structure of this embodiment, an acceleration operation is input by swinging the control lever 3 in the direction of arrow R1, and a braking operation is input by swinging the control lever 3 in the direction of arrow R2. Similarly, an acceleration operation is input by swinging the control lever 4 in the direction of arrow R3, and a braking operation is input by swinging the control lever 4 in the direction of arrow R4. Therefore, the driver can perform both acceleration and braking operations using either the control lever 3 or the control lever 4 without switching between the two levers, thus reducing the complexity of the driver's operation.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the following structure is described: acceleration is input by pressing the control levers 3 and 4 in the directions of arrows R1 and R3 using the driver's palm and thumb; braking is input by pulling the control levers 3 and 4 in the directions of arrows R2 and R4 using the driver's four fingers (excluding the thumb). However, the present invention is not limited to this; the swing directions of the control levers 3 and 4 during acceleration and braking operations can also be reversed. That is, the structure can be configured such that braking is input by pressing the control levers 3 and 4 in the directions of arrows R1 and R3 using the driver's palm and thumb; acceleration is input by pulling the control levers 3 and 4 in the directions of arrows R2 and R4 using the driver's four fingers (excluding the thumb).

[0039] For example, the decision was made considering the following points. Firstly, during driving, the frequency of acceleration operations is generally greater than the frequency of braking operations. Secondly, drivers tend to lean forward, making it easier to swing the levers 3 and 4 using their own weight and the palm and thumb compared to pulling them using the other four fingers. Therefore, by setting the swing direction in this embodiment, the driver can easily perform acceleration operations with a relatively high frequency, thus reducing the driver's workload. On the other hand, for example, in the case where the vehicle has a constant speed control function that operates at a speed set by the driver, the frequency of braking operations is greater than the frequency of acceleration operations. In this case, by forming a structure where the swing direction during acceleration and braking operations is opposite to that of this embodiment, the driver can easily perform braking operations with a relatively high frequency, thus reducing the driver's workload. The relationship between the swing direction of the levers 3 and 4 and acceleration and braking operations was determined considering the above aspects.

[0040] Furthermore, the steering wheel 10 has a right connecting portion 30a and a left connecting portion 30b that connect the support plate 20 and the operating levers 3 and 4. Therefore, given the narrow width between them, it is difficult to ensure sufficient space for arranging the airbag device 90. In contrast, in this embodiment, in the right connecting portion 30a, the plate connecting portion 30a1 extends in a direction orthogonal to the support surface 20a, and a portion of the swing shaft 30a3 is positioned overlapping the plate connecting portion 30a1 when viewed from above. Similarly, in the left connecting portion 30b, the plate connecting portion 30b1 extends in a direction orthogonal to the support surface 20a, and a portion of the swing shaft 30b3 is positioned overlapping the plate connecting portion 30b1 when viewed from above. The direction orthogonal to the support surface 20a, as mentioned here, includes not only directions orthogonal to the support surface 20a but also directions offset within a range of ±5 degrees.

[0041] According to this structure, the space between the right connecting portion 30a and the left connecting portion 30b is increased, making it easier to ensure space for arranging the airbag device 90. That is, when a part of the swing shaft 30a3 is arranged at a position overlapping with the plate connecting portion 30a1, the swing shaft 30a3 must be arranged close to the plate connecting portion 30a1. In this case, even if the length of the shaft support portion 30a2 in the left-right direction is shorter, the swing shaft 30a3 can still be supported. Therefore, compared with the structure in which the swing shaft 30a3 is arranged far away from the plate connecting portion 30a1, the length of the shaft support portion 30a2 in the left-right direction can be shortened. The plate connecting portion 30a1 extends in a direction orthogonal to the support surface 20a. Therefore, if the length of the shaft support portion 30a2 in the left-right direction is shortened in order to improve the load resistance during the swing operation of the operating lever 3, it is necessary to extend the length of the shaft support portion 3a1 of the operating lever 3 in the left-right direction in order to arrange the operating lever 3 near the steering control portion 1, or to arrange the right connecting portion 30a entirely close to the right side. Here, when the shaft support portion 3a1 of the operating lever 3 is extended, the shaft support portion 3a1 is prone to breakage due to the load when operating the operating lever 3. Therefore, there is a need to increase the strength of the shaft support portion 3a1, resulting in a larger and heavier steering wheel 10. On the other hand, by configuring the right connecting portion 30a as a whole closer to the right side, as in this embodiment, the operating lever 3 can be positioned near the steering control portion 1 without making the steering wheel 10 larger and heavier, and the space between the right connecting portion 30a and the left connecting portion 30b in the left-right direction can be increased. For the same reason, as in this embodiment, the left connecting portion 30b is configured as a whole closer to the left side, so that the operating lever 4 can be positioned near the steering control portion 1 without making the steering wheel 10 larger and heavier, and the space between the right connecting portion 30a and the left connecting portion 30b can be increased. Thus, according to the structure of this embodiment, the load-bearing capacity during the swinging operation of the operating levers 3 and 4 can be improved, and the space between the right connecting part 30a and the left connecting part 30b can be expanded to ensure space for arranging the airbag device 90.

[0042] Furthermore, swing limiting portions 30a1a and 30a1b, which restrict the swing angle of the operating lever 3, are formed in the plate connecting portion 30a1. With this structure, compared to a structure where the swing limiting portions 30a1a and 30a1b are provided in the shaft support portion 30a2 of the right connecting portion 30a, the length of the shaft support portion 30a2 in the left-right direction can be shortened, thus improving the load-bearing capacity of the right connecting portion 30a when operating the operating lever 3. Similarly, swing limiting portions 30b1a and 30b1b, which restrict the swing angle of the operating lever 4, are formed in the plate connecting portion 30b1. With this structure, compared to a structure where the swing limiting portions 30b1a and 30b1b are provided in the shaft support portion 30b2 of the left connecting portion 30b, the length of the shaft support portion 30b2 in the left-right direction can be shortened, thus improving the load-bearing capacity of the left connecting portion 30b when operating the operating lever 4.

[0043] Next, the structure of the linkage mechanism 50, which serves as the power transmission mechanism for synchronizing the swinging motion of the control lever 3 and the swinging motion of the control lever 4, will be described. Figure 7 This is a perspective view of the operating levers 3 and 4 and the linkage mechanism 50. Figure 8 This is a perspective view of the cam unit 60 of the linkage mechanism 50. Figure 9 This is an exploded oblique view of cam unit 60.

[0044] like Figures 7-9 As shown, the linkage mechanism 50 is positioned below and rearward of the operating levers 3 and 4, and consists of connecting rods 52-55 and a cam unit 60. The cam unit 60 comprises a push rod 62, a cam component 63, a compression spring 64, a mounting plate 66, and a shaft component 67, and is fixed to the central connecting portion 30c of the lever connecting component 30. Specifically, the mounting plate 66 is fixed to the central connecting portion 30c of the lever connecting component 30 using small screws (not shown). In this state, the shaft component 67 is inserted through the push rod 62, the cam component 63, the compression spring 64, and the mounting plate 66, and the nut 68 is tightened, thereby fixing the cam unit 60 to the central connecting portion 30c of the lever connecting component 30. Furthermore, the shaft component 67 is positioned at equal intervals in the left-right direction from the swing axes 30a3 and 30b3 of the operating lever 3 and 4, and is parallel to the swing axes 30a3 and 30b3.

[0045] One end 52a of the connecting rod 52 is inserted into a hole 3a3a formed in the connecting portion 3a3 of the operating lever 3 and connected to the operating lever 3 by a small screw (not shown). The other end 52b is fastened to the connecting rod 53. Since the connecting rod 52 is connected to the operating lever 3, it swings together with the operating lever 3 as the operating lever 3 swings. One end 53a of the connecting rod 53 is fastened to the connecting rod 52, and the other end 53b is fastened to the connecting rod connection portion 62b of the push rod 62 of the cam unit 60. The connecting rod 53 moves linearly to the left as the connecting rod 52 swings in the direction of arrow R1, and moves linearly to the right as the connecting rod 52 swings in the direction of arrow R2.

[0046] One end 54a of the connecting rod 54 is inserted into the hole 4a3a formed in the connecting portion 4a3 of the operating lever 4 and connected to the operating lever 4 by a small screw (not shown). The other end 54b is fastened to the connecting rod 55. The connecting rod 54 is connected to the operating lever 4, and therefore swings together with the operating lever 4 as the operating lever 4 swings. One end 55a of the connecting rod 55 is fastened to the connecting rod 54, and the other end 55b is fastened to the connecting rod connection portion 62c of the push rod 62 of the cam unit 60. The connecting rod 55 moves linearly to the right as the connecting rod 54 swings in the direction of arrow R3, and moves linearly to the left as the connecting rod 54 swings in the direction of arrow R4.

[0047] The push rod 62 (rotating component) has a bearing 85 inside, and is mounted via the bearing 85 to be able to move relative to the shaft component 67. Figure 8 The push rod 62 rotates in the direction of arrow W1 (first rotation direction) and the opposite direction of arrow W2 (second rotation direction). A connecting rod connection portion 62b, which engages with connecting rod 53, and a connecting rod connection portion 62c, which engages with connecting rod 55, are provided on the front surface of the push rod 62. The connecting rod connection portions 62b and 62c are positioned point-symmetrically about the shaft member 67. Additionally, two protrusions 62a for controlling the position of the cam member 63 are provided on the front surface of the push rod 62. The two protrusions 62a protrude forward along the rotation axis L of the push rod 62 and are positioned symmetrically about the rotation axis L of the push rod 62.

[0048] The cam component 63 (moving component) is a component that moves linearly along the rotation axis L of the push rod 62 in both directions towards and away from the mounting plate 66. A cam surface 63a is provided on the rear surface of the cam component 63, which contacts the protrusion 62a of the push rod 62. The cam surface 63a has: a neutral point 63a3; two inclined surfaces 63a1, which are arranged downstream of the neutral point 63a3 in the direction of arrow W1 and are inclined relative to a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis L of the push rod 62; and two inclined surfaces 63a2, which are arranged downstream of the neutral point 63a3 in the direction of arrow W2 and are inclined relative to a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis L of the push rod 62. The neutral point 63a3 is positioned forward relative to the inclined surfaces 63a1 and 63a2 in the front-rear direction; in other words, the neutral point 63a3 is the deepest part of the valley formed by the inclined surfaces 63a1 and 63a2. Two inclined surfaces 63a1 are positioned symmetrically with respect to the shaft component 67, two inclined surfaces 63a2 are positioned symmetrically, and two neutral points 63a3 are positioned symmetrically. In the free state where the operating levers 3 and 4 are not oscillating, the protrusion 62a of the push rod 62 is located at the neutral point 63a3.

[0049] Furthermore, two protrusions 63b1 and 63b2 (first protrusion and second protrusion) protruding forward along the rotation axis L of the push rod 62 are provided on the front surface of the cam member 63. The protrusions 63b1 and 63b2 are positioned symmetrically about the rotation axis L of the push rod 62. The protrusions 63b1 and 63b2 are respectively inserted into the holes 66a1 and 66a2 (first hole and second hole) formed in the mounting plate 66, contacting the inner circumference of the holes 66a1 and 66a2, thereby restricting the rotation of the cam member 63 and guiding the forward and backward movement of the cam member 63. In addition, the cam member 63 holds one end of the compression spring 64 (spring member). The other end of the compression spring 64 is held in the mounting plate 66.

[0050] When the operating lever 3 is swung in the direction of arrow R1, the connecting rod 52 connected to the operating lever 3 swings in the direction of arrow R1, and the connecting rod 53 connected to the other end 52b of the connecting rod 52 moves linearly to the left. This causes the push rod 62 connected to the other end 53b of the connecting rod 53 to rotate in the direction of arrow W1 about the shaft member 67. If the push rod 62 rotates in the direction of arrow W1, the connecting rod 55 connected to the push rod 62 moves linearly to the right, and the connecting rod 54 connected to one end 55a of the connecting rod 55 and the operating lever 4 connected to one end 54a of the connecting rod 54 swing together in the direction of arrow R3 about the swing axis 30b3.

[0051] When the operating lever 3 is swung in the direction of arrow R2, the connecting rod 52 connected to the operating lever 3 swings in the direction of arrow R2, and the connecting rod 53 connected to the other end 52b of the connecting rod 52 moves linearly to the right. This causes the push rod 62 connected to the other end 53b of the connecting rod 53 to rotate in the direction of arrow W2 about the shaft member 67. If the push rod 62 rotates in the direction of arrow W2, the connecting rod 55 connected to the push rod 62 moves linearly to the left, and the connecting rod 54 connected to one end 55a of the connecting rod 55 and the operating lever 4 connected to one end 54a of the connecting rod 54 swing together in the direction of arrow R4 about the swing axis 30b3.

[0052] When the operating lever 4 is swung in the direction of arrow R3, the connecting rod 54 connected to the operating lever 4 swings in the direction of arrow R3, and the connecting rod 55 connected to the other end 54b of the connecting rod 54 moves linearly to the right. This causes the push rod 62 connected to the other end 55b of the connecting rod 55 to rotate in the direction of arrow W1 about the shaft member 67. If the push rod 62 rotates in the direction of arrow W1, the connecting rod 53 connected to the push rod 62 moves linearly to the left, and the connecting rod 52 connected to one end 53a of the connecting rod 53 and the operating lever 3 connected to one end 52a of the connecting rod 52 swing together in the direction of arrow R1 about the swing axis 30a3.

[0053] When the operating lever 4 is swung in the direction of arrow R4, the connecting rod 54 connected to the operating lever 4 swings in the direction of arrow R4, and the connecting rod 55 connected to the other end 54b of the connecting rod 54 moves linearly to the left. This causes the push rod 62 connected to the other end 55b of the connecting rod 55 to rotate in the direction of arrow W2 about the shaft member 67. If the push rod 62 rotates in the direction of arrow W2, the connecting rod 53 connected to the push rod 62 moves linearly to the right, and the connecting rod 52 connected to one end 53a of the connecting rod 53 and the operating lever 3 connected to one end 52a of the connecting rod 52 swing together in the direction of arrow R2 about the swing axis 30a3.

[0054] Thus, the linkage mechanism 50 synchronizes the swinging motion of the operating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R1 and the swinging motion of the operating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R3, as well as the swinging motion of the operating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R2 and the swinging motion of the operating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R4. This structure can suppress erroneous operations such as acceleration by the operating lever 3 and braking by the operating lever 4.

[0055] Furthermore, if push rod 62 rotates in the direction of arrow W1 due to the swinging operation of operating levers 3 and 4 in the directions of arrow R1 and arrow R3, the protrusion 62a of push rod 62, located at the neutral point 63a3 of cam surface 63a of cam component 63, moves on inclined surface 63a1. Cam component 63, pressed by protrusion 62a, moves forward while resisting the preload force of compression spring 64 and causing elastic deformation of compression spring 64. Then, if the swinging operation of operating levers 3 and 4 is released, the restoring force of compression spring 64 preloads cam component 63 backward. Push rod 62, which is subjected to preload force via cam surface 63a of cam component 63, rotates in the direction of arrow W2 to return to the phase before rotation, and the protrusion 62a of push rod 62 also returns to the neutral point 63a3 of cam surface 63a of cam component 63. In addition, by rotating the push rod 62 in the direction of arrow W2 to restore it to the phase before rotation, the connecting rods 52 to 55 are moved in the manner described above. At the same time, the operating rods 3 and 4 swing in the directions of arrow R2 and arrow R4 respectively to return to their initial positions before the swing operation.

[0056] Similarly, if push rod 62 rotates in the direction of arrow W2 due to the swinging operation of operating levers 3 and 4 in the directions of arrow R2 and arrow R4, the protrusion 62a of push rod 62, located at the neutral point 63a3 of the cam surface 63a of cam component 63, moves on the inclined surface 63a2. The cam component 63, pressed by the protrusion 62a, resists the preload force of compression spring 64 and presses it against the compression spring 64, causing it to elastically deform, while moving forward. Then, if the swinging operation of operating levers 3 and 4 is released, the restoring force of compression spring 64 preloads the cam component 63 backward. Push rod 62, which is subjected to the preload force via the cam surface 63a of cam component 63, rotates in the direction of arrow W1 and returns to the phase before rotation. The protrusion 62a of push rod 62 also returns to the neutral point 63a3 of the cam surface 63a of cam component 63. Furthermore, by rotating in the direction of arrow W1 to restore the push rod 62 to its pre-rotation phase, the connecting rods 52-55 move in the manner described above. Simultaneously, the operating levers 3 and 4 swing in the directions of arrow R1 and arrow R3, respectively, to return to their initial positions before the swing operation. That is, if the swing operation of the operating levers 3 and 4 is released, the preload of the compression spring 64 causes the push rod 62 to rotate to its pre-rotation phase, and the operating levers 3 and 4 return to their initial positions.

[0057] Thus, according to the structure of this embodiment, when the swinging operation of the operating levers 3 and 4 used for inputting acceleration and braking operations is released, the operating levers 3 and 4 can be returned to their initial positions using the shared push rod 62, cam member 63, and compression spring 64. This reduces the number of parts and allows the operating levers 3 and 4 to return to their initial positions with a simplified structure. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the structure in which the push rod 62 has a protrusion 62a and the cam member 63 has a cam surface 63a has been described, but the relationship between the two can also be reversed. That is, even if the structure is formed such that a protrusion protrudes towards the push rod 62 relative to the cam member 63, and a cam surface is provided on the push rod 62 that contacts the protrusion, the same effect described above can be obtained.

[0058] Furthermore, the forward and backward movement of the cam member 63 is guided by the protrusions 63b1 and 63b2 of the cam member 63. By providing portions that guide the movement of the cam member 63 at positions away from the shaft member 67, the wobble between the cam member 63 and the shaft member 67 is reduced, allowing the cam member 63 to move smoothly in the forward and backward direction. While the number of protrusions 63b1 and 63b2 is arbitrary, and even a single protrusion can achieve the aforementioned effect, providing multiple protrusions 63b1 and 63b2 allows for the distribution of load when restricting the rotation of the cam member 63, making this a preferred method.

[0059] In addition, such as Figure 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the operating levers 3 and 4, the lever connecting component 30, and the linkage mechanism 50 are modularized, and this unit is configured to be detachable from the support plate 20. With this structure, the unit and other parts of the steering wheel 10 can be manufactured in different locations depending on the component's placement location, thus improving manufacturing efficiency.

Claims

1. A steering wheel (10), characterized in that, The steering wheel (10) has: The boss (2) is connected to the vehicle's steering center axis; A support plate (20) supports the boss portion (2); Steering control unit (1), which is held by the driver and rotates around the steering center axis; The right operating part (3) is located on the right side of the boss part (2) and is configured to swing relative to the steering operating part (1). It can input an acceleration operation by swinging in the first direction and input a braking operation by swinging in the second direction opposite to the first direction. The left operating part (4) is located on the left side of the boss part (2) and is configured to swing relative to the steering operating part (1). It can input an acceleration operation by swinging in the third direction and input a braking operation by swinging in the fourth direction opposite to the third direction. The right connecting part (30a) connects the support plate (20) and the right operating part (3), and has a right plate connecting part (30a1), a right swing shaft (30a3) and a right shaft support part (30a2). The right plate connecting part (30a1) is connected to the support surface (20a) that supports the boss part (2) of the support plate (20) and extends in a direction orthogonal to the support surface (20a). The right swing shaft (30a3) is the swing shaft of the right operating part (3). The right shaft support part (30a2) extends from the right plate connecting part (30a1) to the right and supports the right swing shaft (30a3). When viewed from the top and bottom, at least a portion of the right swing shaft (30a3) is arranged at a position overlapping with the right plate connecting part (30a1). A left connecting portion (30b) connects the support plate (20) and the left operating portion (4), and has a left plate connecting portion (30b1), a left swing shaft (30b3), and a left shaft support portion (30b2). The left plate connecting portion (30b1) is connected to the support surface (20a) and extends in a direction orthogonal to the support surface (20a). The left swing shaft (30b3) is the swing shaft of the left operating portion (4). The left shaft support portion (30b2) extends to the left from the left plate connecting portion (30b1) and supports the left swing shaft (30b3). When viewed from above, at least a portion of the left swing shaft (30b3) is positioned overlapping the left plate connecting portion (30b1). An airbag (91), which is folded and stored between the right connector (30a) and the left connector (30b), inflates to protect the driver in the event of a vehicle collision.

2. The steering wheel (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, A right limiting part (30a1a, 30a1b) is provided in the right plate connecting part (30a1) to contact the right operating part (3) and limit the swing angle of the right operating part (3). A left limiting part (30b1a, 30b1b) is provided on the left plate connecting part (30b1) to contact the left operating part (4) and limit the swing angle of the left operating part (4).

3. The steering wheel (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The steering wheel (10) has a power transmission mechanism (50) that mechanically transmits the power of either the right operating part (3) or the left operating part (4) when it swings to the other, so that the swing of the right operating part (3) in the first direction and the swing of the left operating part (4) in the third direction, as well as the swing of the right operating part (3) in the second direction and the swing of the left operating part (4) in the fourth direction, are synchronized. The power transmission mechanism (50), the right connecting part (30a), the left connecting part (30b), the right operating part (3), and the left operating part (4) are modularized and configured to be detachable from the support plate (20).

4. The steering wheel (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The steering wheel (10) has a central connecting part (30c) that connects the right connecting part (30a) and the left connecting part (30b). The power transmission mechanism (50) is fixed to the central connecting part (30c).

5. The steering wheel (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The power transmission mechanism (50) includes: The rotating component (62) rotates in the first rotation direction as the right operating part (3) swings in the first direction and the left operating part (4) swings in the third direction, and rotates in the second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction as the right operating part (3) swings in the second direction and the left operating part (4) swings in the fourth direction. The moving component (63) moves in a direction along the rotation axis of the rotating component (62) due to the rotation of the rotating component (62) in the first rotation direction and the second rotation direction, respectively. as well as A spring component (64) preloads the rotating component (62) via the moving component (63). When the rotating component (62) rotates in either the first or the second rotation direction, the rotating component (62) resists the preload of the spring component (64) and causes the moving component (63) to move in the direction that causes the spring component (64) to elastically deform. When the swing operation of the right operating part (3) or the swing operation of the left operating part (4) is released, the rotating component (62) returns to the phase before rotation by utilizing the preload of the spring component (64).

6. The steering wheel (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that, The power transmission mechanism (50) has: A protrusion (63b1), provided on the moving member (63), protrudes in the direction along the axis of rotation; and A hole (66a1) for inserting the protrusion (63b1), The moving part (63) moves along the axis of rotation as the rotating part (62) rotates, guided by the protrusion (63b1).

7. The steering wheel (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The power transmission mechanism (50) has: As the first protrusion (63b1) of the protrusion (63b1); The second protrusion (63b2) is provided on the moving member (63) at a different position than the first protrusion (63b1) and protrudes in the direction along the axis of rotation; As the first hole (66a1) of the hole (66a1); and The second hole (66a2) is for the second protrusion (63b2) to be inserted. The moving part (63) moves along the direction of the rotation axis as the rotating part (62) rotates, guided by the first protrusion (63b1) and the second protrusion (63b2).

8. The steering wheel (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The right operating part (3) swings in the first direction by being pressed by the driver, and swings in the second direction by being pulled by the driver. The left operating part (4) swings in the third direction by being pressed by the driver, and swings in the fourth direction by being pulled by the driver.

9. The steering wheel (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The right operating part (3) swings in the second direction by being pressed by the driver, and swings in the first direction by being pulled by the driver. The left operating part (4) swings in the fourth direction by being pressed by the driver, and swings in the third direction by being pulled by the driver.

10. The steering wheel (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The boss (2) and the support plate (20) are integrally formed.

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