A leg support device, method and vehicle

Abstract

The application provides a leg supporting device, method and vehicle. The leg supporting device comprises a driving structure, a supporting plate arranged at an output end of the driving structure, a detection structure for acquiring leg state information, and a controller electrically connected with the driving structure and the detection structure. The driving structure is used for driving the supporting plate to move according to the detection result of the detection structure, so as to laterally support the leg. The application realizes lateral supporting adjustment of the leg of the driver, improves the comfort of the leg of the driver, and improves the driving safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle technology, and more particularly to a leg support device, method, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] As car designs trend towards larger sizes and greater comfort, vehicles are becoming increasingly larger, with widths often approaching or exceeding 2 meters, providing drivers with ample lateral legroom. However, this spacious lateral legroom means that when the driver presses the accelerator pedal, their knees cannot naturally rest on the dashboard, resulting in a lack of effective leg support. This can easily lead to leg fatigue during long drives, affecting driving safety.

[0003] In existing technologies, fixed or manually adjustable structures are typically used to support the driver's legs to improve leg comfort during long drives. However, existing support devices cannot respond to changes in the driver's leg position in real time, requiring the driver to manually adjust the position of the support device, which is cumbersome and provides unsatisfactory leg support. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a leg support device, method, and vehicle that enables lateral support adjustment of the driver's legs according to changes in the driver's leg position, thereby improving the comfort of the driver's leg support process and enhancing driving safety.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, this application adopts the following approach:

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a leg support device, comprising:

[0007] Drive structure;

[0008] A support plate is disposed at the output end of the drive structure;

[0009] A detection structure, wherein the detection structure is used to acquire leg state information;

[0010] A controller, which is electrically connected to both the drive structure and the detection structure;

[0011] The driving structure is used to drive the support plate to move according to the detection result of the detection structure, so as to provide lateral support for the legs.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the driving structure includes:

[0013] A drive unit is disposed on one side of the support plate;

[0014] A motion shaft, one end of which is connected to the output end of the drive unit, and the other end of which is connected to the support plate;

[0015] The drive unit is used to drive the support plate to move axially along the motion axis.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the detection structure includes:

[0017] An infrared camera is mounted on the support plate;

[0018] An ultrasonic radar is mounted on the support plate and is located on one side of the infrared camera.

[0019] A pressure sensor is disposed on the side wall of the support plate opposite to the drive structure.

[0020] An attitude sensor is disposed on the side wall of the support plate opposite to the drive structure.

[0021] In one possible implementation, a support pad is provided on the side wall of the support plate opposite to the drive structure, and the pressure sensor is located between the support plate and the support pad.

[0022] In one possible implementation, a manual adjustment structure is further included, the manual adjustment structure being used to control the drive structure, the manual adjustment structure comprising:

[0023] A manual regulator, which is electrically connected to the controller;

[0024] The manual regulator is equipped with a start / stop switch and at least one adjustment switch.

[0025] Secondly, this application provides a leg support method applied to the leg support device described in any of the above claims, the method comprising:

[0026] Obtain the driver's leg movements and leg position information;

[0027] Based on the driver's leg movements and position, the drive support plate moves closer to the driver's legs and provides lateral support to the driver's legs.

[0028] The pressure F exerted by the driver's leg on the support plate and the angle θ between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane are obtained. The movement state of the support plate is adjusted according to the pressure F and the angle θ so that the driver's leg is in a preset posture.

[0029] In one possible implementation, acquiring the driver's leg movements and leg position includes:

[0030] Using an infrared camera to capture the driver's leg movements;

[0031] The distance L between the support plate and the driver's legs is detected using ultrasonic radar to obtain the position of the driver's legs.

[0032] In one possible implementation, driving the support plate axially closer to the driver's legs based on the driver's leg movements and leg position includes:

[0033] When the spacing L > 200 mm, the speed at which the support plate moves is 0.3 m / s;

[0034] When the spacing L is ≤ 50mm ≤ 200mm, the speed at which the support plate moves is 0.1m / s;

[0035] When the spacing L < 50 mm, the speed at which the support plate moves is 0.02 m / s.

[0036] In one possible implementation, the step of acquiring the pressure F of the driver's leg on the support plate and the angle θ between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane, and adjusting the motion state of the support plate according to the pressure F and the angle θ to place the driver's leg in a preset posture, includes:

[0037] A pressure sensor is used to detect the pressure F of the driver's leg on the surface of the support plate, and an attitude sensor is used to detect the angle θ between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane.

[0038] Based on the pressure F and the included angle θ, the support plate is driven to move so that the angle θ between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane is at a preset angle.

[0039] Thirdly, this application provides a vehicle including the leg support device described in any of the above claims, the leg support device being disposed on the side wall of the sub-dashboard near the driver's seat, the leg support device being used to perform the leg support method described in any of the above claims to provide lateral support for the driver's legs.

[0040] The leg support device, method, and vehicle of this application acquire the driver's leg status information in real time through a detection structure. The drive structure drives the support plate to move axially according to the detection results of the detection structure, approaching the driver's legs and providing lateral support. During the support process, the detection structure detects changes in the driver's leg status in real time, enabling precise lateral support adjustment of the driver's legs based on changes in the driver's leg position, thereby improving the comfort of the driver's leg support process and enhancing driving safety. Attached Figure Description

[0041] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0042] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the leg support device in one embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a leg support method in one embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of step S100 in one embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of step S300 in one embodiment of this application.

[0046] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0047] 100. Drive structure; 101. Drive unit; 102. Motion shaft; 200. Support plate; 201. Support pad; 300. Detection structure; 301. Infrared camera; 302. Ultrasonic radar; 303. Pressure sensor; 304. Attitude sensor; 400. Controller; 500. Manual adjustment structure; 501. Manual adjuster; 502. Start / stop switch; 503. Adjustment switch. Detailed Implementation

[0048] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0049] The technical solution of this application and how the technical solution of this application solves the above-mentioned technical problems are described in detail below with specific embodiments. These specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be described again in some embodiments. The embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0050] This application provides a leg support device, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1The leg support device includes a drive structure 100, a support plate 200, a detection structure 300, and a controller 400. The support plate 200 is disposed at the output end of the drive structure 100. The detection structure 300 is used to acquire leg status information. The controller 400 is electrically connected to the drive structure 100 and the detection structure 300 respectively. The drive structure 100 is used to drive the support plate 200 to move according to the detection result of the detection structure 300, so as to provide lateral support for the leg.

[0051] In one possible implementation, the drive structure 100 drives the support plate 200 to adjust its position according to the detection result of the detection structure 300, thereby forming a lateral abutment or limiting support for the legs. It should be noted that the drive structure 100 can be an electrically driven actuator to drive the support plate 200 to complete the lateral support action.

[0052] In one possible implementation, a support plate 200 is disposed at the output end of the drive structure 100. The support plate 200 is used to move under the drive of the drive structure 100 and to provide lateral support to the legs after moving.

[0053] In one possible implementation, the detection structure 300 is used to acquire the current position, posture change, or force contact state of the driver's legs, and outputs the corresponding detection signal to the controller 400. It should be noted that the detection structure 300 can be an optical sensing unit, a distance sensing unit, a contact sensing unit, or a combination thereof, and the detection structure 300 can continuously or intermittently acquire the driver's leg state information.

[0054] In one possible implementation, the controller 400 is used to receive leg status information output by the detection structure 300, and to activate the drive structure 100 based on the leg status information to control the movement of the support plate 200. It should be noted that the controller 400 can be a PLC controller.

[0055] In this embodiment, the detection structure 300 continuously or periodically acquires the driver's proximity status relative to the support plate 200 and sends the leg status information to the controller 400. The controller 400 activates the drive structure 100 based on the leg status information. The drive structure 100 drives the support plate 200 to move, causing the support plate 200 to gradually approach the outside of the leg and provide lateral support. The detection structure 300 continues to acquire the driver's leg status, and the controller 400 continuously controls the movement of the support plate 200 based on the leg status information, adjusting the angle of the driver's legs to ensure the driver's legs are in a preset comfortable state.

[0056] The detection structure 300 acquires the driver's leg status information in real time. The drive structure 100 drives the support plate 200 to move axially according to the detection results of the detection structure 300, approaching the driver's legs and providing lateral support. During the support process, the detection structure 300 detects changes in the driver's leg status in real time, enabling precise lateral support adjustment of the driver's legs based on changes in the driver's leg position. This provides adaptive lateral support adjustment for drivers of different heights, sitting postures, and leg lengths, improving the comfort of the driver's leg support process and enhancing driving safety.

[0057] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 The drive structure 100 includes a drive unit 101 and a motion shaft 102. The drive unit 101 is disposed on one side of the support plate 200. One end of the motion shaft 102 is connected to the output end of the drive unit 101, and the other end of the motion shaft 102 is connected to the support plate 200. The drive unit 101 is used to drive the support plate 200 to move along the axial direction of the motion shaft 102.

[0058] In one possible implementation, the drive unit 101 is used to drive the motion shaft 102 to move in a preset direction after the controller 400 sends a control signal, so as to push the support plate 200 closer to or away from the driver's legs. It should be noted that the drive unit 101 can be located on one side of the support plate 200, and the drive unit 101 can be a DC motor, a servo motor, or an electric push rod.

[0059] In one possible implementation, the motion shaft 102 is used to transmit driving force and guide the support plate 200 to move axially along the motion shaft 102. It should be noted that the motion shaft 102 and the output end of the drive unit 101 can be connected by a coupling, threaded pair, key connection, pin connection or sliding fit. The motion shaft 102 can be a lead screw, slide rod, guide rod or push rod type telescopic shaft.

[0060] In this embodiment, the controller 400 outputs a control command based on the driver's leg status information acquired by the detection structure 300. This causes the drive unit 101 to output driving force, moving the motion shaft 102 along its axial direction. This, in turn, causes the support plate 200 to move along the axial direction of the motion shaft 102, bringing the support plate 200 closer to the side of the driver's leg and allowing it to rest against the side of the driver's leg, thus providing lateral support. The movement of the support plate 200 is guided by the motion shaft 102, improving the stability of the support plate 200 during movement, enhancing the comfort of the driver's leg support, and improving driving safety.

[0061] In some embodiments, see Figure 1The detection structure 300 includes an infrared camera 301, an ultrasonic radar 302, a pressure sensor 303, and an attitude sensor 304. The infrared camera 301 is mounted on the support plate 200, the ultrasonic radar 302 is mounted on the support plate 200 and is located on one side of the infrared camera 301, the pressure sensor 303 is mounted on the side wall of the support plate 200 away from the drive structure 100, and the attitude sensor 304 is mounted on the side wall of the support plate 200 away from the drive structure 100.

[0062] In one possible implementation, the infrared camera 301 is used to acquire images or perform thermal imaging of the driver's leg area to identify leg contours, relative positions, and posture changes. It should be noted that the infrared camera 301 can be a thermal imaging sensor.

[0063] In one possible implementation, the ultrasonic radar 302 is used to obtain the distance between the support plate 200 and the driver's legs. It should be noted that the ultrasonic radar 302 can be a single-probe or dual-probe structure, or it can be an array of probes.

[0064] In one possible implementation, the pressure sensor 303 is used to detect the local pressure distribution and contact intensity when the support plate 200 contacts the driver's leg. It should be noted that the pressure sensor 303 can be a thin-film or strain gauge element, or it can be a piezoelectric or capacitive element.

[0065] In one possible implementation, the attitude sensor 304 is used to detect changes in the tilt angle when the driver's legs are in contact with the support plate 200.

[0066] In one possible implementation, the infrared camera 301 and the ultrasonic radar 302 can form a spatial sensing unit, and the pressure sensor 303 and the attitude sensor 304 can form a contact and attitude detection unit.

[0067] In one possible implementation, the support plate 200 may be provided with multiple grooves for mounting an infrared camera 301, an ultrasonic radar 302, a pressure sensor 303, and an attitude sensor 304.

[0068] In this embodiment, after the driver enters the cab, the infrared camera 301 continuously collects data on the driver's leg position to detect whether the driver's foot is on the driving pedal. The ultrasonic radar 302 emits ultrasonic waves and receives the reflected echoes from the leg to detect the change in distance between the driver's leg and the support plate 200. After the driver's leg contacts the support plate 200, the pressure sensor 303 detects the pressure of the driver's leg on the support plate 200. The posture sensor 304 detects the angle between the leg and the horizontal plane when the support plate 200 provides lateral support to the driver's leg. Based on the detection results of the pressure sensor 303 and the posture sensor 304, the controller 400 drives the support plate 200 to continuously move along the axial direction of the motion axis 102, so that the angle between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane reaches a preset angle, thereby placing the driver's leg in a preset comfortable state and improving driving safety.

[0069] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 A support pad 201 is provided on the side wall of the support plate 200 away from the drive structure 100, and the pressure sensor 303 is located between the support plate 200 and the support pad 201.

[0070] In one possible implementation, the support pad 201 provides a comfortable pressure contact surface when the support plate 200 contacts the driver's leg, and the support pad 201 is used to uniformly transmit external pressure to the pressure sensor 303. It should be noted that the support pad 201 is fitted onto the side wall of the support plate 200 opposite to the drive structure 100, and the support pad 201 and the support plate 200 can be connected by adhesive, snap-fit, or screws.

[0071] Optionally, the pressure sensor 303 may be embedded or clamped between the support plate 200 and the support pad 201.

[0072] In one possible implementation, the support pad 201 can be a flat foam pad covered with a fabric surface layer, or it can be a curved silicone pad, a memory foam pad, or a multi-layer composite pad, including a breathable surface fabric, a middle buffer layer, and a bottom support layer. It should be noted that the material of the support pad 201 can be PU foam, EVA, silicone, memory foam, or latex.

[0073] In this embodiment, the support plate 200 moves towards the driver's leg under the drive of the drive structure 100. The driver's leg first forms flexible contact with the support pad 201. Then, the pressure applied by the leg is transmitted through the support pad 201 to the pressure sensor 303 located between the support plate 200 and the support pad 201. The pressure sensor 303 detects the pressure applied by the driver's leg to the support plate 200. The support pad 201 reduces the discomfort when the driver's leg contacts the support plate 200. At the same time, the support pad 201, as a pressure transmission medium, makes the pressure of the driver's leg on the support plate 200 more uniform, improves the detection accuracy of the pressure sensor 303, and facilitates the correction of the position of the support plate 200.

[0074] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 The leg support device also includes a manual adjustment structure 500, which is used to control the drive structure 100. The manual adjustment structure 500 includes a manual adjuster 501, which is electrically connected to the controller 400. The manual adjuster 501 is provided with a start / stop switch 502 and at least one adjustment switch 503.

[0075] In one possible implementation, the manual adjuster 501 is used for manual control of the operation of the drive structure 100. It should be noted that the manual adjuster 501 can be located in a position easily accessible to the driver, such as the side of the center console, the side wing of the seat, the armrest area, or the lower part of the sub-dashboard. The manual adjuster 501 can be a snap-fit ​​type, a screw-fixed type, or a bracket-fixed type. The manual adjuster 501 can be a panel-type control box with buttons, a knob-type controller, a lever-type, or a touch-sensitive control module.

[0076] In one possible implementation, the start / stop switch 502 is used to output start or stop commands for the drive structure 100, and the adjustment switch 503 is used to output position adjustment commands for the support plate 200. It should be noted that the start / stop switch 502 and the adjustment switch 503 can be silicone buttons, micro switches, membrane buttons, or touch-sensitive structures, and their surfaces can be provided with different raised or recessed markings, color distinctions, or tactile differences.

[0077] Optionally, there can be multiple adjustment switches 503. These multiple adjustment switches 503 may include one-way incremental adjustment keys, one-way decrement adjustment keys, or multi-level switching keys to enable more precise manual control of the drive structure 100.

[0078] In this embodiment, when the support plate 200 is in manual control mode, the start or stop command is sent to the controller 400 through the start / stop switch 502, so that the drive structure 100 enters the working state or stops working. The driver operates the adjustment switch 503 according to the leg feeling, so that the drive unit 101 drives the motion shaft 102 to move, and drives the support plate 200 to move along the axial direction of the motion shaft 102, adjusting the fit between the support plate 200 and the leg, thereby improving the controllability and adaptability of the support device, improving the comfort of the driver's leg support process, and improving driving safety.

[0079] In addition, this application also provides a leg support method, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 2 The method, applied to the leg support device in any of the above embodiments, includes:

[0080] Step S100: Obtain the driver's leg movements and leg position information.

[0081] Step S200: Based on the driver's leg movements and leg position, drive the support plate 200 closer to the driver's legs and provide lateral support to the driver's legs.

[0082] Step S300: Obtain the pressure F of the driver's leg on the support plate 200 and the angle θ between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane, and adjust the motion state of the support plate 200 according to the pressure F and the angle θ so that the driver's leg is in a preset posture.

[0083] In this embodiment, the detection structure 300 collects the driver's leg movements and position information in real time and sends the detection results to the controller 400. Based on the detection results of the detection structure 300, the controller 400 sends a drive command to the drive structure 100. The drive structure 100 drives the support plate 200 to move towards the driver's leg side, so that the support plate 200 gradually approaches the outside of the leg and provides lateral support to the leg. After the support plate 200 is in contact with the driver's leg, the detection structure 300 detects the pressure F of the driver's leg on the support plate 200 and the angle θ between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane. The controller 400 adjusts the movement state of the support plate 200 based on the pressure F and the angle θ, so that the support plate 200 continues to provide lateral support to the driver's leg. By adjusting the pressure F of the driver's leg on the support plate 200 and the angle θ between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane, the driver's leg reaches a preset comfortable posture and maintains this state, thus completing the adjustment of the support for the driver's leg.

[0084] In some embodiments, see Figure 3 Step S100: Obtain the driver's leg movements and leg positions, including:

[0085] Step S101: Use infrared camera 301 to obtain the driver's leg movements.

[0086] Step S102: Use ultrasonic radar 302 to detect the distance L between the support plate 200 and the driver's legs to obtain the position of the driver's legs.

[0087] In this embodiment, when the vehicle door is opened, the controller 400 activates the infrared camera 301. Through thermal radiation imaging, the controller identifies whether the driver has entered the vehicle and detects whether the driver's foot is on the pedal, thereby acquiring the driver's leg movement information. When the infrared camera 301 detects that the driver's foot has been on the pedal for a time t ≥ 10 seconds, the controller 400 activates the ultrasonic radar 302. The ultrasonic radar 302 emits ultrasonic waves and receives the reflected echoes from the leg, detecting the distance L between the driver's leg and the support plate 200, thereby acquiring the driver's leg position information. The controller then sends the driver's leg movement and position information to the controller 400.

[0088] In some embodiments, step S200, driving the support plate 200 axially closer to the driver's leg based on the driver's leg movement and leg position, includes:

[0089] When the spacing L > 200 mm, the support plate 200 moves at a speed of 0.3 m / s.

[0090] When the spacing L is ≤ 50mm ≤ 200mm, the support plate 200 moves at a speed of 0.1m / s.

[0091] When the spacing L < 50 mm, the support plate 200 moves at a speed of 0.02 m / s.

[0092] In this embodiment, when the controller 400 receives the spacing L transmitted by the ultrasonic radar 302, the controller 400 starts the drive unit 101, the drive unit 101 outputs driving force, drives the motion shaft 102 to move along its axial direction, drives the support plate 200 to move along the axial direction of the motion shaft 102, so that the support plate 200 moves closer to the side of the driver's leg. When the ultrasonic radar 302 detects that the distance L between the driver's leg and the support plate 200 is greater than 200mm, the drive unit 101 drives the motion shaft 102 to output displacement at a higher speed, causing the support plate 200 to approach the driver's leg at a speed of 0.3m / s; when the ultrasonic radar 302 detects that the distance L between the driver's leg and the support plate 200 is between 50mm and 200mm, the controller 400 reduces the output speed of the motion shaft 102, causing the support plate 200 to approach the driver's leg at a speed of 0.1m / s; when the ultrasonic radar 302 detects that the distance L between the driver's leg and the support plate 200 is less than 50mm, the controller 400 further reduces the output speed of the motion shaft 102, causing the support plate 200 to approach the driver's leg at a speed of 0.02m / s.

[0093] The controller 400 adjusts the moving speed of the support plate 200 in segments according to the size of the gap L, so that the support plate 200 approaches quickly at a long distance, decelerates to enter the close-up position at a close distance, and completes the final approach at a low speed at an extremely close distance. This allows the support plate 200 to provide lateral support for the driver's legs and prevent the support plate 200 from hitting the driver's legs at too high a speed, thus affecting driving safety.

[0094] In some embodiments, see Figure 4 Step S300 involves obtaining the pressure F of the driver's leg on the support plate 200 and the angle θ between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane, and adjusting the movement state of the support plate 200 according to the pressure F and the angle θ to ensure that the driver's leg is in a preset posture, including:

[0095] Step S301: Use pressure sensor 303 to detect the pressure F of the driver's leg on the surface of support plate 200, and use attitude sensor 304 to detect the angle θ between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane.

[0096] Step S302: Drive the support plate 200 to move according to the pressure F and the included angle θ, so that the included angle θ between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane is at a preset angle.

[0097] In this embodiment, when the driver's leg is in contact with the support plate 200, the pressure F of the driver's leg on the support plate 200 is detected by the pressure sensor 303, and the angle θ between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane is detected by the posture sensor 304. The detection structure 300 transmits the pressure F output by the pressure sensor 303 and the angle θ output by the posture sensor 304 to the controller 400. The controller 400 drives the support plate 200 to move continuously along the axial direction of the motion axis 102 according to the detected pressure F and angle θ, so that the pressure F of the driver's leg on the support plate 200 reaches a preset value and the angle θ between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane reaches a preset angle, thereby putting the driver's leg in a preset comfortable state and improving driving safety.

[0098] In one possible implementation, the support pad 201 is made of sponge with a compressibility D=30N, meaning that the force required to compress the sponge by half is 30N.

[0099] It should be noted that the average adult weight is M=75kg, and the weight of a single leg is m1=10%M. After extensive data analysis, it was found that when the driver's leg is at an angle θ=70 degrees to the horizontal plane while the driver is pressing the accelerator pedal, the driver's leg is in a suitable and comfortable state.

[0100] The pressure F exerted by the driver's leg on the support pad 201 can be calculated using the following formula:

[0101] F=m1*g* Where g is taken as 10 N / kg;

[0102] Then the pressure F = M * 10% * g =75kg*10%*10N / kg* =25.5N.

[0103] Understandably, when the pressure sensor 303 detects that the driver's leg exerts a pressure F=25.5N on the support pad 201 and the angle θ between the leg and the horizontal plane is 70°, the driver's leg is in a suitable and comfortable state, and the controller 400 shuts down the drive structure 100.

[0104] It is understandable that each driver has a different height and weight. When the pressure sensor 303 detects that the driver's leg exerts a pressure F=25.5N on the support pad 201, and the angle θ between the leg and the horizontal plane is not 70°, the controller 400 continues to activate the drive structure 100 to adjust the position of the support plate 200 so that the angle θ between the leg and the horizontal plane is 70°.

[0105] Furthermore, when the driver's weight M is greater than 75kg, when the pressure F = 25.5N and the included angle θ > 70°, the controller 400 shuts down the drive structure 100 and the support plate 200 stops moving. At this time, the drive structure 100 is restarted by manually adjusting the structure 500, which drives the support plate 200 to move, so that the included angle θ between the leg and the horizontal plane is 70°.

[0106] Similarly, when the driver's weight M is less than 75kg, when the pressure F = 25.5N and the included angle θ < 70°, the controller 400 shuts off the drive structure 100 and the support plate 200 stops moving. At this time, the drive structure 100 is restarted by manually adjusting the structure 500, which drives the support plate 200 to move, so that the included angle θ between the leg and the horizontal plane is 70°.

[0107] In addition, this application embodiment also provides a vehicle including the leg support device in any of the above embodiments. The leg support device is disposed on the side wall of the sub-dashboard near the driver's seat. The leg support device is used to perform the leg support method in any of the above embodiments to provide lateral support for the driver's legs.

[0108] In this embodiment, the leg support device is installed on the side wall of the sub-dashboard near the driver's seat, allowing the driver to naturally lean against the support plate 200 when pressing the pedal. By adjusting the position of the support plate 200, the driver's legs are placed in a preset comfortable posture, ensuring that the leg support device is well-suited for drivers of different heights, leg lengths, and sitting postures, thereby improving driver comfort, leg stability, and vehicle safety.

[0109] It should be noted that the controller 400 can be electrically connected to the vehicle's control system.

[0110] It should be noted that the terms "one embodiment," "embodiment," "exemplary embodiment," and "some embodiments" used in the specification indicate that the described embodiment may include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes that specific feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, when a specific feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, implementing such a feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments, whether explicitly described or not, is within the knowledge scope of those skilled in the art.

[0111] Finally, it should be noted that other embodiments of the invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This invention is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention that follow the general principles of the invention and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein, and is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A leg support device, characterized in that, include: Drive structure (100); A support plate (200) is disposed at the output end of the drive structure (100); A detection structure (300) is used to acquire leg status information; A controller (400) is electrically connected to the drive structure (100) and the detection structure (300) respectively; The drive structure (100) is used to drive the support plate (200) to move according to the detection result of the detection structure (300) so as to provide lateral support for the legs.

2. The leg support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive structure (100) includes: A drive unit (101) is provided on one side of the support plate (200); A motion shaft (102) is provided, one end of which is connected to the output end of the drive unit (101), and the other end of which is connected to the support plate (200). The drive unit (101) is used to drive the support plate (200) to move axially along the motion axis (102).

3. The leg support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection structure (300) includes: An infrared camera (301) is mounted on the support plate (200); An ultrasonic radar (302) is mounted on the support plate (200) and is located on one side of the infrared camera (301). Pressure sensor (303) is disposed on the side wall of the support plate (200) opposite to the drive structure (100); An attitude sensor (304) is disposed on the side wall of the support plate (200) opposite to the drive structure (100).

4. The leg support device according to claim 3, characterized in that, A support pad (201) is provided on the side wall of the support plate (200) away from the drive structure (100), and the pressure sensor (303) is located between the support plate (200) and the support pad (201).

5. The leg support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a manual adjustment structure (500) for controlling the drive structure (100), the manual adjustment structure (500) comprising: Manual regulator (501), which is electrically connected to the controller (400); The manual regulator (501) is provided with a start / stop switch (502) and at least one adjustment switch (503).

6. A leg support method, characterized in that, The method, applied to the leg support device according to any one of claims 1-5, comprises: Obtain the driver's leg movements and leg position information; Based on the driver's leg movements and leg position, the drive support plate (200) moves close to the driver's legs and provides lateral support to the driver's legs; The pressure F of the driver's leg on the support plate (200) and the angle θ between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane are obtained. The movement state of the support plate (200) is adjusted according to the pressure F and the angle θ so that the driver's leg is in a preset posture.

7. The leg support method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The acquisition of the driver's leg movements and leg position includes: The driver's leg movements are captured using an infrared camera (301); The distance L between the support plate (200) and the driver's legs is detected by ultrasonic radar (302) to obtain the position of the driver's legs.

8. The leg support method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The method of driving the support plate (200) to move axially toward the driver's legs based on the driver's leg movements and leg positions includes: When the spacing L > 200 mm, the support plate (200) moves at a speed of 0.3 m / s; When the spacing L is ≤ 50mm ≤ 200mm, the speed at which the support plate (200) moves is 0.1m / s; When the spacing L < 50 mm, the support plate (200) moves at a speed of 0.02 m / s.

9. The leg support method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the pressure F of the driver's leg on the support plate (200) and the angle θ between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane, and adjusting the movement state of the support plate (200) according to the pressure F and the angle θ to make the driver's leg in a preset posture, includes: The pressure F of the driver's leg on the surface of the support plate (200) is detected by the pressure sensor (303), and the angle θ between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane is detected by the attitude sensor (304). Based on the pressure F and the included angle θ, the support plate (200) is driven to move so that the angle θ between the driver's leg and the horizontal plane is at a preset angle.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, The invention includes a leg support device as described in any one of claims 1-5, the leg support device being disposed on the side wall of the sub-dashboard near the driver's seat, the leg support device being used to perform the leg support method as described in any one of claims 6-9 to provide lateral support for the driver's legs.

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