STEERING WHEEL

Abstract

Steering wheel (10) with: a steering section (1) which is gripped and steered by a driver; a hub section (2) which is arranged within the steering section (1) and is coupled to a steering center shaft of the steering section (1); and an actuation section which is arranged adjacent to the steering section (1) and which is designed to be pivotable for inputting an acceleration pedal actuation by means of an actuation for pivoting in a first direction (R1) with respect to the steering section (1) and for inputting a brake actuation by means of an actuation for pivoting in a second direction (R2) opposite to the first direction (R1) with respect to the steering section (1), wherein the actuating section is a right-hand actuating section (3) which is arranged on a right-hand side in relation to the hub section (2), the steering wheel (10) further comprises a left actuation section (4) which is arranged on a left side of the hub section (2) and is designed to be pivotable in a third direction (R3) with respect to the steering section (1) for the purpose of initiating the acceleration pedal actuation by means of an actuation to pivot in a third direction (R3) with respect to the steering section (1) and to be pivotable in a fourth direction (R4) opposite to the third direction (R3) with respect to the steering section (1) for the purpose of initiating the brake actuation, and a pivoting of the right actuating section (3) in the first direction (R1) and a pivoting of the left actuating section (4) in the third direction (R3) are synchronized with each other and the pivoting of the right actuating section (3) in the second direction (R2) and the pivoting of the left actuating section (4) in the fourth direction (R4) are synchronized with each other by a force transmission mechanism which mechanically transmits a force from one of the right actuating section (3) or the left actuating section (4) during a pivoting to the other of the right actuating section (3) or the left actuating section (4).

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a steering wheel with an actuation section for inputting an accelerator pedal actuation and a brake actuation. BACKGROUND

[0002] As described in JP 2008-014 204 A, a configuration is known in which an actuation section for inputting an accelerator pedal actuation and an actuation section for inputting a brake actuation are provided separately in a steering wheel.

[0003] KR 10 2015 051 428 A discloses a device for setting the speed of a vehicle using a steering wheel. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] In a configuration such as that of JP 2008-014 204 A, if the actuation section for inputting the accelerator pedal actuation and the actuation section for inputting the brake actuation are provided separately, a driver must switch the actuation section when changing the actuation between the accelerator pedal actuation and the brake actuation, and thus the actuation by the driver is complicated.

[0005] Accordingly, it is an objective of the present disclosure to provide a steering wheel with an actuation section capable of inputting both the accelerator pedal actuation and the brake actuation.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a steering wheel is provided comprising: a steering section which is gripped and steered by a driver; a hub section which is arranged within the steering section and is coupled to a steering center shaft of the steering section; and an actuating section which is arranged adjacent to the steering section and is configured to be pivotable with respect to the steering section, for inputting an accelerator pedal actuation (acceleration actuation) by means of an actuation to pivot in a first direction with respect to the steering section and for inputting a brake actuation by means of an actuation to pivot in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[0007] According to the present invention, the accelerator pedal actuation is initiated when the actuating section for pivoting in the first direction is actuated, and the brake actuation is initiated when the actuating section for pivoting in the second direction is actuated. Therefore, since the driver can perform both the accelerator pedal actuation and the brake actuation with a single actuating section without changing the actuating section, the operation is prevented from becoming complicated for the driver.

[0008] It is preferred that the actuating section pivots in the first direction by being pushed by the driver and pivots in the second direction by being pulled up by the driver.

[0009] During driving, the accelerator pedal is generally used more frequently than the brake pedal. Additionally, because the driver is in a forward-leaning posture, it is easier to pivot the actuator by pushing it with the palm of the hand or thumb using body weight than by pulling it upwards with four fingers (excluding the thumb). Therefore, such a configuration, since the driver can easily perform the accelerator pedal operation, which occurs relatively frequently, can facilitate operation for the driver.

[0010] The actuating section is a right-hand actuating section located on the right side of the hub section. The steering wheel further comprises a left-hand actuating section located on the left side of the hub section and configured to pivot in a third direction relative to the steering section for the purpose of initiating accelerator pedal actuation by means of an actuating section to pivot in a third direction relative to the steering section, and to initiate brake actuation by means of an actuating section to pivot in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, wherein a pivoting of the right-hand actuating section in the first direction and a pivoting of the left-hand actuating section in the third direction are synchronized with each other, and the pivoting of the right-hand actuating section in the second direction and the pivoting of the left-hand actuating section in the fourth direction are synchronized with each other.by a force transmission mechanism that mechanically transmits force from one of the right actuating sections or the left actuating section to the other during a pivoting motion.

[0011] With this configuration, steering wheel operability is improved because the driver can operate the accelerator and brake pedals using either their left or right hand. Furthermore, since the pivoting movements of the right and left control sections are synchronized, incorrect operation, such as using the right control section for the accelerator and the left control section for the brake, is prevented.

[0012] In addition, it is preferred that a right pivot shaft, which is a pivot shaft of the right actuating section, is arranged along a direction that intersects a left-right direction on the right side of the hub section, a left pivot shaft, which is a pivot shaft of the left actuating section, is arranged substantially parallel to the right pivot shaft at a position symmetrical to the right pivot shaft with respect to the hub section, and the power transmission mechanism comprises a connection mechanism with a rotating component in which a rotary shaft is arranged such that it is substantially parallel to the left pivot shaft at a position with substantially equal distances to each of the left pivot shaft and the right pivot shaft in the left-right direction, a first connection,which is coupled to the rotating component and is designed to rotate the rotating component in a first direction by moving it in conjunction with a pivoting actuation of the right-hand actuating section in the first direction and to rotate the rotating component in a second direction opposite to the first direction of rotation by moving it in conjunction with a pivoting actuation of the right-hand actuating section in the second direction, and a second connection,which is coupled to the rotating component at a position symmetrically to a coupling position between the first connection and the rotating component with respect to the rotating shaft and is designed to rotate the rotating component in the first direction of rotation by moving in conjunction with a pivoting actuation of the left actuating section in the third direction and to rotate the rotating component in the second direction of rotation by moving in conjunction with a pivoting actuation of the left actuating section in the fourth direction.

[0013] In this way, by using the linkage mechanism as a mechanism to synchronize the pivoting movement of the right actuating section and the pivoting movement of the left actuating section, since space can be saved for multiple gears and support shafts carrying the gears compared to a configuration where synchronization is carried out using a gearbox, the size of the steering wheel can be reduced.

[0014] In addition, it is preferred that the connection mechanism is arranged below the steering section.

[0015] With such a configuration, if an airbag is provided on the steering wheel, it can be prevented that the activated airbag is disturbed by the connection mechanism and prevented from inflating.

[0016] In addition, it is preferred that the steering section is annular and that the right actuating section and the left actuating section are arranged within the steering section.

[0017] With such a configuration, since the right actuation section and the left actuation section do not protrude to the outside of the steering section, the size of the steering wheel can be reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. Figure 1 is a top view of a steering wheel according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 2 is a top view of the steering wheel in a state where a pad and a bottom cover have been removed. Fig. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the steering wheel in the state where the padding and lower cover are removed, from below. Fig. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the steering wheel along a line A1-A1 in Fig. 1. Fig. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the steering wheel's operating levers. Fig. Figure 6 is a perspective view of a connection mechanism. Fig. Figure 7 is a perspective view of a cam unit of the linking mechanism. Fig. Figure 8 is a perspective exploded view of the cam unit of the connection mechanism and a cross-sectional view of a cam component. Fig. 9A, Fig. 9B and Fig. 9C are side views of the cam component and a pusher of the cam unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] A steering wheel 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described below. The steering wheel 10 is mounted on a vehicle, which is not shown in the figures. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, an up-down direction denotes an up-down direction along an axial direction of a steering shaft (not shown in the figures), a front-back direction denotes a front-back direction that is orthogonal to the axial direction of the steering shaft during straight-ahead steering of a vehicle, and a left-right direction denotes a left-right direction that is orthogonal to the axial direction of the steering shaft during straight-ahead steering of the vehicle.

[0019] Fig. Figure 1 is a top view of the steering wheel 10. Fig. Figure 2 is a top view of the steering wheel 10 in a state in which a cushion 5 and a lower cover 6 have been removed. Fig. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the steering wheel 10 in the state in which the padding 5 and the lower cover are removed, from below. Fig. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the steering wheel 10 along a line A1-A1 in Fig. 1. Fig. Figure 5 is a perspective view of operating levers 3 and 4 of the steering wheel 10.

[0020] As in Fig. As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the steering wheel 10 comprises a steering section 1, which is gripped and rotated by the driver of a vehicle; a hub section 2, which is arranged within the steering section 1 and coupled to a steering shaft (not shown in the figures), which serves as a steering shaft; the pad 5, which covers one upper surface of the hub section 2; and the lower cover 6, which is arranged on one side of a lower surface of the steering wheel 10. The steering wheel 10 has the actuating levers 3 and 4, which are arranged separately on a right and a left side of the hub section 2 and are used to input an accelerator pedal actuation and a brake actuation.

[0021] The steering section 1 is an essentially elliptical, ring-shaped component, elongated in the left-right direction, and consists of a core metal 1a and a resin cover 1b covering the core metal 1a. Parts on the left and right sides of the hub section 2 within the resin cover 1b of the steering section 1 are gripping sections 1b1 and 1b2, which the driver grasps with both hands during normal driving. The driver grips the gripping sections 1b1 and 1b2 and changes the direction of travel of the vehicle by rotating and steering the steering section 1 about the steering shaft (not shown in the figures), which is coupled to the hub section 2.

[0022] The hub section 2 is located in the center of the steering section 1 and has a shaft hole 2a into which the steering shaft (not shown in the figures) is inserted and fitted. With an end section of the steering shaft inserted and fitted into the shaft hole 2a of the hub section 2, the end section of the steering shaft is secured with a nut, thus coupling the hub section 2 and the steering shaft. It should be noted that an airbag (not shown in the figures) is mounted between the hub section 2 and the cushion 5. This airbag is folded and enclosed, and inflates by an inflation gas flowing from an inflation device (not shown in the figures) when the vehicle is involved in a collision. Inflates to protrude towards the driver's side, accommodating and protecting the driver as they move towards the front of the vehicle.

[0023] Furthermore, the hub section 2 is coupled to the steering section 1 by a support metal plate 20 and two coupling components 21. More precisely, the hub section 2 is supported by the support metal plate 20, which is a flat metal plate, by being fitted into a hub support hole 20a in the support metal plate 20 and fastened to the support metal plate 20 by screws 71. One end section 21a of each coupling component 21, which is a metal plate bent into an L-shape, is fastened to the support metal plate 20 by screws 72, and the other end section 21b is fastened by screws (not shown in the figures) to a lower surface of the core metal 1a of the steering section 1. In this way, the hub section 2 and the steering section 1 are coupled to each other.

[0024] The actuating lever 3, as a right-hand actuating section, is a component arranged on the right side of the hub section 2 and within the steering section 1 such that it is adjacent to and pivotable with respect to the steering section 1, and comprises a metal core 3a and a resin actuating cover 3b. The core 3a has a shaft support section 3a1 extending in the left-right direction and pivotably mounted by a pivot shaft 31 of the actuating lever 3, a cover mounting section 3a2 extending in one direction substantially orthogonal to an end face of the shaft support section 3a1 and to which the actuating cover 3b is attached, and a connecting section 3a3 extending downwards from the other end of the shaft support section 3a1 and connected to a connecting mechanism 50, which is described below.

[0025] A shaft hole 3a1a is formed in the shaft support section 3a1 of the core metal 3a, and the pivot shaft 31, which is pivotably supported by a lever support element 30, is inserted into the shaft hole 3a1a. The pivot shaft 31 is arranged so that it is parallel to the front-back direction, which is orthogonal to (intersecting) the left-right direction. The shaft support section 3a1 and the pivot shaft 31 are fastened by a screw 73 and a pin 74 so that they do not move relative to each other. In this way, the actuating lever 3 is pivoted around the pivot shaft 31 in the direction of an arrow R1. Fig. 4 and an arrow R2 opposite to it. Pivoting of the actuating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R1 is regulated (limited) at a predetermined pivot angle by a regulating surface 3a1b, which is formed on the shaft support section 3a1 of the core metal 3a and comes into contact with a pivot regulating section 30a of the lever support component 30. Pivoting of the actuating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R2 is regulated at a predetermined pivot angle by a regulating surface 3a1c, which is formed on the shaft support section 3a1 of the core metal 3a and comes into contact with a pivot regulating section 30b of the lever support component 30. Near the pivot shaft 31 in the lever support component 30, a pivot angle of the pivot shaft 31 can be detected, and a magnetic rotary angle sensor 32, which is electrically connected to a CPU (not shown in the figures), is provided.In addition, a metal support base 23 is erected on a right end side of the support metal plate 20, and the lever support component 30 is fixed to the support base 23 by screws 75.

[0026] Since the actuation cover 3b is a section that is touched by the driver's hand when the driver performs the actuation to pivot the actuating lever 3, the actuation cover 3b is made of resin so that it provides a good tactile feel. The actuation cover 3b has an accelerator pedal actuation surface 3b1, which is a section on one side of an upper surface and a section to be pressed with the palm or thumb of a right hand when the driver performs the acceleration actuation; a brake actuation surface 3b2, which is a section on one side of a lower surface and is pressed by four fingers, excluding the thumb, when the driver performs the brake actuation; and a fitting hole 3b3 into which the cover fastening section 3a2 of the core metal 3a is fitted and secured with a screw (not shown in the figures).To improve usability for the driver, at least part of the accelerator pedal actuation surface 3b1 of the actuation cover 3b is positioned on a driver's side in relation to the steering section 1, and at least part of the brake actuation surface 3b2 is positioned on a side away from the driver in relation to the steering section 1.

[0027] The actuating lever 3 initiates the accelerator pedal actuation when the accelerator pedal actuation surface 3b1 of the actuating cover 3b is pressed by the palm or thumb of the driver's right hand and actuated to pivot in the direction of arrow R1 as a first direction. It initiates the brake actuation when the brake actuation surface 3b2 of the actuating cover 3b is pulled upward by the other four fingers, excluding the thumb, and actuated to pivot in the direction of arrow R2 as a second direction. More precisely, when the actuating lever 3 is actuated to pivot, the pivot angle of the pivot shaft 31 is detected by the rotary angle sensor 32, and the CPU (not shown in the figures) controls an acceleration and deceleration device of the vehicle based on a detection signal received from the rotary angle sensor 32 to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle.Thus, when the rotation angle sensor 32 detects that the pivot shaft 31 is pivoting in the direction of arrow R1, the CPU controls the vehicle's acceleration and deceleration device according to the pivot angle of the pivot shaft 31 to accelerate the vehicle. When the rotation angle sensor 32 detects that the pivot shaft 31 is pivoting in the direction of arrow R2, the CPU controls the vehicle's acceleration and deceleration device according to the pivot angle of the pivot shaft 31 to decelerate the vehicle.

[0028] The actuating lever 4, as a left-hand actuating section, is arranged in a position symmetrical to the actuating lever 3 with respect to the hub section 2 and is a component with a shape symmetrical to the actuating lever 3, and performs movements symmetrical to the actuating lever 3. That is, the actuating lever 4 is a component located on the left side of the hub section 2 and within the steering section 1, so that it is adjacent to the steering section 1, and is pivotable with respect to the steering section 1 and has a metal core 4a and a resin actuating cover 4b.The core metal 4a has a shaft support section 4a1 extending in the left-right direction and pivotably supported by a pivot shaft 41 of the actuating lever 4, a cover fastening section 4a2 extending in one direction substantially orthogonal to one end face of the shaft support section 4a1 and to which the actuating cover 4b is attached, and a connecting section 4a3 extending downwards from the other end face of the shaft support section 4a1 and connected to the connecting mechanism 50, which is described below.

[0029] A shaft hole 4a1a is formed in the shaft support section 4a1 of the core metal 4a, and the pivot shaft 41, which is pivotably supported by a lever support element 40, is inserted into the shaft hole 4a1a. The pivot shaft 41 is arranged such that it is substantially parallel to the pivot shaft 31 of the actuating lever 3. The substantially parallel configuration includes a configuration in which the pivot shaft 31 and the pivot shaft 41 are displaced within a tolerance range, in addition to a configuration in which the pivot shaft 31 and the pivot shaft 41 are completely parallel to each other. The shaft support section 4a1 and the pivot shaft 41 are fixed by a screw 76 and a pin 77 such that they do not move relative to each other. In this way, the actuating lever 4 is pivoted around the pivot shaft 41 in the direction of an arrow R3. Fig. The actuating lever 4 is pivotable in the direction of arrow R3 and in the opposite direction to arrow R4. Pivoting of the actuating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R3 is regulated by a regulating surface 4a1b, which is formed on the shaft support section 4a1 of the core metal 4a and comes into contact with a pivot regulating section 40a of the lever support component 40, at a predetermined pivot angle. Pivoting of the actuating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R4 is regulated by a regulating surface 4a1c, which is formed on the shaft support section 4a1 of the core metal 4a and comes into contact with a pivot regulating section 40b of the lever support component 40, at a predetermined pivot angle. In addition, a metal support base 24 is erected on a left end face of the support metal plate 20, and the lever support component 40 is fastened to the support base 24 by screws 78.

[0030] Since the actuation cover 4b is a section that is touched by the driver's hand when the driver performs the actuation to pivot the actuating lever 4, the actuation cover 4b is made of resin so that it provides a good tactile feel. The actuation cover 4b has an accelerator pedal actuation surface 4b1, which is a section on one side of an upper surface thereof and is to be pressed with the palm or thumb of a left hand when the driver performs the acceleration actuation; a brake actuation surface 4b2, which is a section on one side of a lower surface and is pressed by four fingers, excluding the thumb, when the driver performs the brake actuation; and a fitting hole 4b3 into which the cover fastening section 4a2 of the core metal 4a is fitted and secured with a screw (not shown in the figures).To improve usability for the driver, at least part of the accelerator pedal actuation surface 4b1 of the actuation cover 4b is positioned on a driver's side in relation to the steering section 1, and at least part of the brake actuation surface 4b2 is positioned on a side away from the driver in relation to the steering section 1.

[0031] The actuating lever 4 initiates the accelerator pedal actuation when the accelerator pedal actuation surface 4b1 of the actuating cover 4b is pressed by the driver's palm or thumb and actuated to pivot in the direction of arrow R3 as a third direction. It initiates the brake actuation when the brake actuation surface 4b2 of the actuating cover 4b is pulled up by four other fingers, excluding the thumb, and actuated to pivot in the direction of arrow R4 as a fourth direction. In the embodiment, as described below, a pivoting movement of the actuating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R1 and a pivoting movement of the actuating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R3 are synchronized, and a pivoting movement of the actuating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R2 and a pivoting movement of the actuating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R4 are synchronized.Therefore, when the actuating lever 4 is actuated to pivot in direction R3, the actuating lever 3 pivots in conjunction with the pivot actuation in direction R1. The pivot angle of the pivot shaft 31 of the actuating lever 3 is detected by the rotary angle sensor 32, and the CPU performs the control described above according to the pivot angle to accelerate the vehicle. Additionally, when the actuating lever 4 is actuated to pivot in direction R4, the actuating lever 3 pivots in conjunction with the pivot actuation in direction R2. The pivot angle of the pivot shaft 31 of the actuating lever 3 is detected by the rotary angle sensor 32, and the CPU performs the control described above according to the pivot angle to decelerate the vehicle.If the pivoting movements of the actuating levers 3 and 4 are not synchronized, a rotary angle sensor, which detects a pivot angle of the pivot shaft 41 of the actuating lever 4, is provided separately, and the CPU performs the control described above according to a detection result of the rotary angle sensor, and thus the same movement can be carried out.

[0032] As described above, according to the configuration of the embodiment, acceleration is engaged when actuating lever 3 is pivoted in the direction of arrow R1, and braking is engaged when actuating lever 3 is pivoted in the direction of arrow R2. Similarly, acceleration is engaged when actuating lever 4 is pivoted in the direction of arrow R3, and braking is engaged when actuating lever 4 is pivoted in the direction of arrow R4. Therefore, since the driver can operate both the acceleration and braking functions using either actuating lever 3 or actuating lever 4, the operation is not complicated for the driver.

[0033] In the embodiment described, the configuration is such that the actuating levers 3 and 4 are activated by pushing them in the direction of arrows R1 and R3 with the palm or thumb of the driver's hand, and by pulling them upwards in the direction of arrows R2 and R4 with the driver's four fingers, excluding the thumb. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration, and the pivot direction of the actuating levers 3 and 4 during acceleration pedal actuation and the pivot direction during braking actuation can be opposite to that described in the embodiment. During driving, however, the frequency of acceleration pedal actuation is generally higher than the frequency of braking actuation.In addition, because the driver is in a forward-leaning posture, pressing the actuating levers 3 and 4 using the palm or thumb, utilizing body weight, facilitates the pivoting of the actuating levers 3 and 4 compared to pulling them up using four fingers without the thumb. Therefore, by adjusting the pivoting direction according to the embodiment, since the driver can easily perform the accelerator pedal actuation, which is a relatively frequent action, the driver's workload can be reduced.

[0034] Next, a configuration of the linking mechanism 50 is described as a force transmission mechanism that synchronizes the pivoting movement of the actuating lever 3 and the pivoting movement of the actuating lever 4. Fig. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the connection mechanism 50. Fig. Figure 7 is a perspective view of a cam unit 60 of the connection mechanism 50. Fig. Figure 8 is a perspective exploded view of the cam unit 60 of the connection mechanism 50 and a cross-sectional view of a cam component 62 of the cam unit 60. Fig. 9A, Fig. 9B and Fig. Figure 9C shows side views of the cam component 62 and a pusher 63 of the cam unit 60.

[0035] As in Fig. As shown in Figures 6 to 9C, the connection mechanism 50 comprises links 52 to 55 and the cam unit 60 and is located below the steering section 1. The cam unit 60 includes a cam holder 61, the cam component 62, the actuator 63, a compression spring 64, and a spring retaining plate 65, and is mounted on a mounting plate 66, which is fastened to the support bases 23 and 24 by screws 81. A pivot shaft 67, which pivotably supports the cam holder 61 and the cam component 62, is fastened to the mounting plate 66 by a nut 83. The pivot shaft 67 is arranged such that it is substantially parallel to the pivot shaft 31, at a position with substantially the same distance to the pivot shaft 31 of the actuating lever 3 and the pivot shaft 41 of the actuating lever 4 in the left-right direction.The substantially equal spacing includes a configuration in which the center of the rotary shaft 67 is offset within a tolerance range, in addition to a configuration in which the center of the rotary shaft 67 is positioned at the center of an imaginary line connecting the center of the pivot shaft 31 and the center of the pivot shaft 41. Additionally, the substantially parallel configuration includes a configuration in which the pivot shaft 31 and the rotary shaft 67 are offset within the tolerance range, in addition to a configuration in which the pivot shaft 31 and the rotary shaft 67 are completely parallel to each other.

[0036] One end section 52a of the connection 52 is connected to a connection section 3c of the actuating lever 3 by a nut 86, and the other end section 52b is connected to the connection 53 by a fastener. Since the connection 52 is connected to the actuating lever 3, the connection 52 pivots integrally with the actuating lever 3 when the actuating lever 3 pivots. One end section 53a of the connection 53 is attached to and coupled with the connection 52, and the other end section 53b is attached to and coupled with a connection coupling section 61a of the cam holder 61 of the cam unit 60. The connection 53 moves linearly to the left in the direction of arrow R1 in conjunction with the pivoting of the connection 52, and moves linearly to the right in conjunction with the pivoting of the connection 52 in the direction of arrow R2.

[0037] One end section 54a of the connection 54 is connected by a nut 87 to a connection section 4c of the actuating lever 4, and the other end section 54b is coupled by a fastener to a connection 55. Since the connection 54 is coupled to the actuating lever 4, the connection 54 pivots integrally with the actuating lever 4 when the actuating lever 4 pivots. One end section 55a of the connection 55 is attached to and coupled with the connection 54, and the other end section 55b is attached to and coupled with a connection coupling section 61b of the cam holder 61 of the cam unit 60. The connection 55 moves linearly to the right in the direction of arrow R3 in conjunction with the pivoting of the connection 54, and moves linearly to the left in conjunction with the pivoting of the connection 54 in the direction of arrow R4.

[0038] The cam holder 61, as a turned component, is attached to the rotating shaft 67 via a bearing 85 and a washer 82 such that it can be rotated in the direction of arrow W1 and arrow W2 in the opposite direction, as shown in Fig. Figure 8 shows the connecting coupling section 61a, to which the connection 53 is coupled, and the connecting coupling section 61b, to which the connection 55 is coupled, are provided on a rear surface (one side of a back surface) of the cam holder 61. The connecting coupling section 61a and the connecting coupling section 61b are arranged symmetrically with respect to the rotating shaft 67. Furthermore, a cam mounting section 61c, to which the cam component 62 is fitted, is provided on a surface side (one side of a front surface) of the cam holder 61, and two recessed sections 61c1 for positioning the cam component 62 are formed on the cam mounting section 61c. A shaft hole 61d, through which the rotating shaft 67 is inserted, is provided in a central section of the cam holder 61.

[0039] The cam component 62 is fitted and held by the cam mounting section 61c of the cam holder 61 and rotates integrally with the cam holder 61. The cam component 62 has two convex sections 62b which fit into the two recessed sections 61c1 of the cam holder 61 for positioning relative to the cam holder 61. A shaft hole 62c, through which the rotating shaft 67 is inserted, is provided in a central section of the cam component 62. A cam surface 62a for controlling the position of the actuator 63 is provided on a surface (an end face) of the cam component 62.

[0040] The cam surface 62a has two neutral surfaces 62a3 as neutral points, which are located on surfaces that are substantially parallel to a plane H orthogonal to an axis of rotation L of the cam component 62, two inclined surfaces 62a1 as a first inclined surface and a third inclined surface, which are surfaces that are inclined forward with respect to the plane H and are arranged in the direction of arrow W1 (a rotation in the direction of arrow W1) as a first direction of rotation downstream of the neutral surfaces 62a3, and two inclined surfaces 62a2 as a second inclined surface and a fourth inclined surface, which are surfaces that are inclined forward with respect to the plane H and are arranged in the direction of arrow W2 (a rotation in the direction of arrow W2) as a second direction of rotation downstream of the neutral surfaces 62a3.The two inclined surfaces 62a1 are arranged at positions that are symmetrical to each other with respect to the axis of rotation L of the cam component 62, the two inclined surfaces 62a2 are arranged at positions that are symmetrical to each other, and the two neutral surfaces 62a3 are arranged at positions that are symmetrical to each other. In this embodiment, an inclination angle θ1 of the inclined surface 62a1 is smaller than an inclination angle θ2 of the inclined surface 62a2, and the inclined surface 62a2 is a curved surface.

[0041] The actuator 63 is a cylindrical component that moves linearly along the cam surface 62a of the cam component 62 in directions of approach and retraction from the spring retaining plate 65 according to the rotation of the cam component 62. On a rear surface of the actuator 63, two projections 63a are provided as a first projection and a second projection, which project towards the cam component 62 and come into contact with the cam surface 62a of the cam component 62. The two projections 63a are arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of rotation L of the cam component 62, and the actuator 63 is arranged such that, in a free state in which the actuating levers 3 and 4 are not actuated for pivoting, the projections 63a are positioned on the neutral surfaces 62a3. A spring seat surface 63b for holding an end section 64a of the compression spring 63 is provided within a cylinder of the pusher 63.

[0042] The spring retaining plate 65 is a circular metal plate, and a spring seat (not shown in the figures) for holding the other end section 64b of the compression spring 64 is provided on a rear surface of the spring retaining plate 65. A shaft hole 65a, through which the pivot shaft 67 is inserted, is provided in a central section of the spring retaining plate 65. An end section 67a of the pivot shaft 67 is inserted into the shaft hole 65a of the spring retaining plate 65 and then secured by a nut 84. This prevents the cam component 62, the actuator 63, the compression spring 64, and the spring retaining plate 65 from detaching from the pivot shaft 67. The bearing 85, the washer 82 and the cam holder 61 are arranged between the mounting plate 66 and a flange section 67b of the rotating shaft 67, thus preventing the bearing 85, the washer 82 and the cam holder 61 from detaching from the rotating shaft 67.

[0043] When the actuating lever 3 is actuated to pivot in the direction of arrow R1, the connection 52, which is coupled to the actuating lever 3, pivots in the direction of arrow R1, and the connection 53, which is coupled to the other end section 52b of the connection 52, moves linearly to the left, and thus the cam holder 61, which is coupled to the other end section 53b of the connection 53, rotates in the direction of arrow W1 about the pivot shaft 67. When the cam holder 61 rotates in the direction of arrow W1, the connection 55, which is coupled to the cam holder 61, moves linearly to the right, and the connection 54, which is coupled to one end section 55a of the connection 55, and the actuating lever 4, which is coupled to one end section 54a of the connection 54, pivot integrally in the direction of arrow R3 about the pivot shaft. 41.

[0044] When the actuating lever 3 is actuated to pivot in the direction of arrow R2, the connection 52, which is coupled to the actuating lever 3, pivots in the direction of arrow R2, and the connection 53, which is coupled to the other end section 52b of the connection 52, moves linearly to the right, and thus the cam holder 61, which is coupled to the other end section 53b of the connection 53, rotates in the direction of arrow W2 about the pivot shaft 67. When the cam holder 61 rotates in the direction of arrow W2, the connection 55, which is coupled to the cam holder 61, moves linearly to the left, and the connection 54, which is coupled to one end section 55a of the connection 55, and the actuating lever 4, which is coupled to one end section 54a of the connection 54, pivot integrally in the direction of arrow R4 about the pivot axis. 41.

[0045] When the actuating lever 4 is actuated to pivot in the direction of arrow R3, the connection 54, which is coupled to the actuating lever 4, pivots in the direction of arrow R3, and the connection 55, which is coupled to the other end section 54b of the connection 54, moves linearly to the right, and thus the cam holder 61, which is coupled to the other end section 55b of the connection 55, moves in the direction of arrow W1 about the pivot shaft 67. When the cam holder 61 rotates in the direction of arrow W1, the connection 53, which is coupled to the cam holder 61, moves linearly to the left, and the connection 52, which is coupled to one end section 53a of the connection 53, and the actuating lever 3, which is coupled to one end section 52a of the connection 52, pivot integrally in the direction of arrow R1 about the pivot shaft. 31.

[0046] When the actuating lever 4 is actuated to pivot in the direction of arrow R4, the connection 54, which is coupled to the actuating lever 4, pivots in the direction of arrow R4, and the connection 55, which is coupled to the other end section 54b of the connection 54, moves linearly to the left, and thus the cam holder 61, which is coupled to the other end section 55b of the connection 55, rotates in the direction of arrow W2 about the pivot shaft 67. When the cam holder 61 rotates in the direction of arrow W2, the connection 53, which is coupled to the cam holder 61, moves linearly to the right, and the connection 52, which is coupled to one end section 53a of the connection 53, and the actuating lever 3, which is coupled to one end section 52a of the connection 52, pivot integrally in the direction of arrow R2 about the pivot shaft. 31.

[0047] In this way, the linkage mechanism 50 synchronizes the pivoting movement of actuating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R1 and the pivoting movement of actuating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R3, and synchronizes the pivoting movement of actuating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R2 and the pivoting movement of actuating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R4. With such a configuration, faulty actuation, in which the accelerator pedal actuation is performed by actuating lever 3 and the brake pedal actuation is performed by actuating lever 4, can be prevented.

[0048] When the cam holder 61 rotates in the direction of arrow R1 and in the direction of arrow R3 in the direction of arrow W1 according to the pivot actions of the actuating levers 3 and 4, the cam component 62, which is held by the cam holder 61, also rotates integrally with the cam holder 61 in the direction of arrow W1. When the cam component 62 rotates in the direction of arrow W1, the pusher 63, which is positioned on the neutral surfaces 62a3, moves forward while compressing the compression spring 64 against a preload force of the compression spring 64, along the inclined surfaces 62a1 of the cam surface 62a of the cam component 62 ( Fig. 9A and Fig. 9B). Subsequently, when the pivoting actions of the actuating levers 3 and 4 are released, the push button 63 is preloaded rearward by a restoring force of the compression spring 64. The cam component 62, which receives the preload force via the push button 63, rotates in the direction of arrow W2 to return to a phase prior to rotation, and the push button 63 also returns to the neutral surfaces 62a3. Furthermore, the connections 52 to 55 move as the cam component 62 rotates in the direction of arrow W2 to return to the phase prior to rotation, as described above. Accordingly, the actuating levers 3 and 4 pivot in the direction of arrow R2 and arrow R4, respectively, and return to their respective initial positions prior to pivoting.

[0049] Similarly, when the cam holder 61 rotates in the direction of arrow W2, according to the pivoting actions of the actuating levers 3 and 4 in the direction of arrow R2 and in the direction of arrow R4, the cam component 62, which is held by the cam holder 61, also rotates integrally with the cam holder 61 in the direction of arrow W2. As the cam component 62 rotates in the direction of arrow W2, the actuator 63, which is positioned on the neutral surfaces 62a3, moves forward while compressing the compression spring 64 against a preload force along the inclined surfaces 62a2 of the cam surface 62a of the cam component 62. Fig. 9A and Fig.9C). Subsequently, when the pivoting actions of the actuating levers 3 and 4 are released, the push button 63 is preloaded rearward by a restoring force of the compression spring 64. The cam component 62, which receives the preload force via the push button 63, rotates to return to its pre-rotation phase in the direction of arrow W1, and the push button 63 also returns to the neutral surfaces 62a3. Furthermore, as the cam component 62 rotates to return to its pre-rotation phase in the direction of arrow W1, the connections 52 to 55 move as described above, and accordingly, the actuating levers 3 and 4 pivot in the direction of arrow R1 and arrow R3, respectively, and return to their initial positions before the pivoting action.

[0050] Thus, the cam surface 62a of the cam component 62 has a shape such that the actuator 63 is moved in a direction in which the compression spring 64 is elastically deformed against the preload force of the compression spring 64, even if the cam component 62 rotates in any direction from the direction of arrow W1 and the direction of arrow W2. When the pivoting actuations of the actuating levers 3 and 4 are then released, the cam component 62, which receives the preload force of the compression spring 64 via the actuator 63, rotates and returns to the phase before the rotation, and the actuating levers 3 and 4 return to their initial positions.As described above, according to the configuration of the embodiment, when the pivoting actuations of the actuating levers 3 and 4 are released to input the accelerator pedal actuation or the brake actuation, the actuating levers 3 and 4 can be returned to their initial positions by the common cam component 62, the push button 63 and the compression spring 64, the number of components can be reduced, and the actuating levers 3 and 4 can be returned to their initial positions with a simple configuration.

[0051] In addition, the force required for pivoting the actuating levers 3 and 4 for the accelerator pedal is primarily determined by the spring pressure of the compression spring 64 and the inclination angle of the inclined surfaces 62a1 of the cam surface 62a of the cam component 62, although frictional resistance and the like between the components forming the connection mechanism 50 have a certain influence. Similarly, the force required for pivoting the actuating levers 3 and 4 for the brake pedal is primarily determined by the spring pressure of the compression spring 64 and the inclination angle of the inclined surfaces 62a2 of the cam surface 62a of the cam component 62.Therefore, by adjusting the inclination angles of the inclined surfaces 62a1 and 62a2, a relationship between an actuation stroke and an actuation load for the actuating levers 3 and 4 can be established, and the forces required for the pivot actuation for accelerator pedal actuation or brake actuation of the actuating levers 3 and 4 can each be adjusted. As described above, according to the configuration of the embodiment, the forces required for the pivot actuations to initiate the accelerator pedal actuation or the brake actuation can be adjusted by the common cam component 62, the push button 63, and the compression spring 64, and the force required for the pivot actuation to initiate the accelerator pedal actuation and the force required for the pivot actuation to initiate the brake actuation can be set with a simple configuration.

[0052] In this embodiment, the inclination angle θ1 of the inclined surface 62a1 and the inclination angle θ2 of the inclined surface 62a2 are different angles. With such a configuration, the relationship between the actuation stroke and the actuation load of the accelerator pedal actuation of the actuating levers 3 and 4 and the relationship between the actuation stroke and the actuation load of the brake actuation can differ from each other, and the force required for pivoting the accelerator pedal actuation and the force required for pivoting the brake actuation can differ. For example, during normal driving, the frequency of accelerator pedal actuation is generally higher than the frequency of brake actuation.Therefore, by reducing the angle of inclination θ1 of the inclined surface 62a1 compared to the angle of inclination θ2 of the inclined surface 62a2, as in the embodiment, the force required for the pivot actuation for the accelerator pedal actuation can be made smaller than the force required for the pivot actuation for the brake actuation, and driving comfort for the driver can be improved.

[0053] In this embodiment, the inclined surface 62a2 is a curved surface. Accordingly, the force required for the pivot actuation for braking can be increased non-linearly as the pivot angle increases. It should be noted that a configuration can be used in which the inclined surface 62a1 is formed by a curved surface, and the force required for the pivot actuation for accelerator pedal actuation increases non-linearly as the pivot angle increases. For example, the force required for the pivot actuation for accelerator pedal actuation is reduced when accelerator pedal actuation is initiated, and the force required for the pivot actuation increases non-linearly as the pivot angle exceeds a predetermined angle. Therefore, it can be prevented that the driver increases the speed too much.To provide a non-linearity between the swivel angle and the force required for the swivel actuation for the accelerator pedal actuation or the brake actuation of the actuating levers 3 and 4, a configuration can be used in which several inclined surfaces with different angles of inclination are continuously arranged in one direction of rotation of the cam component 62 at positions corresponding to the inclined surfaces 62a1 or the inclined surfaces 62a2 on the cam surface 62a, or a configuration can be used in which a surface parallel to the curved surface or the neutral surface 62a3 can be arranged between the several inclined surfaces.

[0054] In this embodiment, the pusher 63 is in contact with the cam surface 62a of the cam component 62 with the two projections 63a. With such a configuration, since the pusher 63 is in contact with the cam surface 62a at at least two points, the pusher 63 can follow the cam surface 62a more stably compared to a configuration in which the pusher 63 is in contact with the surface 62a at only one point.

[0055] In this embodiment, the connecting mechanism 50 is arranged below the steering wheel 10 with respect to the steering section 1. With such a configuration, when an airbag (not shown in the drawings) is activated, the components forming the connecting mechanism 50 prevent the activated airbag from being interfered with and thus prevented from inflating.

[0056] In the embodiment described, the configuration in which the pivoting movements of the actuating levers 3 and 4 are synchronized using the connecting mechanism 50 was described; however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The pivoting movements of the actuating levers 3 and 4 can be synchronized by another force transmission mechanism that mechanically transmits force from one of the actuating levers 3 and 4 to the other during a pivoting movement of the actuating levers 3 and 4.

[0057] As an alternative power transmission mechanism, for example, a configuration can be used in which the pivoting movements of the actuating levers 3 and 4 are synchronized using a gearbox that rotates in accordance with the pivoting actions of the actuating levers 3 and 4 and transmits a driving force. However, when the gearbox is used, since several support shafts are required to carry gears, it is preferable, from the point of view of reducing the size of the steering wheel 10, to use the linkage mechanism 50 as in the embodiment. Similarly, the embodiment described a configuration in which the cam unit 60 is actuated by rotating the cam holder 61 using the links 52 to 55; however, the present disclosure is not limited to this.The cam unit 60 can be actuated by rotating the cam holder 61 by means of another power transmission mechanism, which mechanically transmits the force of one of the actuating levers 3 and 4 to the other during a pivoting of the actuating levers 3 and 4.

[0058] In addition, the embodiment described a configuration in which the actuating levers 3 and 4 are arranged within the steering section 1; however, the present disclosure is not limited to this. That is to say, the actuating levers 3 and 4 can be arranged in positions outside the steering section 1, adjacent to the steering section 1. However, by arranging the actuating levers 3 and 4 within the steering section 1, as in the embodiment, the size of the steering wheel 10 can be reduced without causing the actuating levers 3 and 4 to protrude from the outside of the steering section 1.

[0059] In the embodiment described, the configuration in which the compression spring 64 is used as the component that applies the preload force to the cam component 62 to return it to the phase prior to rotation has been described. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration, and other springs may be used. For example, by using a configuration in which a tension spring is provided instead of the compression spring 64 and the cam surface 62a has a shape such that the pusher 63 is moved in a direction in which the tension spring is elastically deformed against the preload force of the tension spring, even if the cam component 62 rotates in any direction between arrow W1 and arrow W2, the same effect as described above can be obtained. REFERENCE MARK LIST 1 Steering section 2 Hub section 3, 4 operating levers 10 Steering wheel 50 connection mechanism 52 to 55 connection 61 cam holders 62 Cam component 62a Cam surface 63 push buttons 64 Compression spring

Claims

[1] Steering wheel (10) with: a steering section (1) which is gripped and steered by a driver; a hub section (2) which is arranged within the steering section (1) and is coupled to a steering center shaft of the steering section (1); and an actuation section which is arranged adjacent to the steering section (1) and which is designed to be pivotable for inputting an acceleration pedal actuation by means of an actuation for pivoting in a first direction (R1) with respect to the steering section (1) and for inputting a brake actuation by means of an actuation for pivoting in a second direction (R2) opposite to the first direction (R1) with respect to the steering section (1), wherein the actuating section is a right-hand actuating section (3) which is arranged on a right-hand side in relation to the hub section (2), the steering wheel (10) further comprises a left actuation section (4) which is arranged on a left side of the hub section (2) and is designed to be pivotable in a third direction (R3) with respect to the steering section (1) for the purpose of initiating the acceleration pedal actuation by means of an actuation to pivot in a third direction (R3) with respect to the steering section (1) and to be pivotable in a fourth direction (R4) opposite to the third direction (R3) with respect to the steering section (1) for the purpose of initiating the brake actuation, and a pivoting of the right actuating section (3) in the first direction (R1) and a pivoting of the left actuating section (4) in the third direction (R3) are synchronized with each other and the pivoting of the right actuating section (3) in the second direction (R2) and the pivoting of the left actuating section (4) in the fourth direction (R4) are synchronized with each other by a force transmission mechanism which mechanically transmits a force from one of the right actuating section (3) or the left actuating section (4) during a pivoting to the other of the right actuating section (3) or the left actuating section (4). [2] Steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the actuating section pivots in the first direction (R1) when pressed by the driver and pivots in the second direction (R2) when pulled up by the driver. [3] Steering wheel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a right pivot shaft (31), which is a pivot shaft of the right actuating section (3), is arranged along a direction that intersects a left-right direction on the right side of the hub section (2), a left pivot shaft (41), which is a pivot shaft of the left actuating section (4), is arranged substantially parallel to the right pivot shaft (31), at a position symmetrical to the right pivot shaft (31) with respect to the hub section (2), and the power transmission mechanism is a connecting mechanism (50) with a rotating component (61) in which a rotating shaft (67) is arranged such that it is substantially parallel to the left pivot shaft (41), at a position with substantially the same distance to each of the left pivot shaft (41) and the right pivot shaft (31) in the left-right direction, a first connection (52) which is coupled to the rotary component (61) and is designed to rotate the rotary component (61) in a first direction of rotation (W1) by moving in conjunction with a pivot actuation of the right actuating section (3) in the first direction (R1) and to rotate the rotary component (61) in a second direction of rotation (W2) opposite to the first direction of rotation (W1) by moving in conjunction with a pivot actuation of the right actuating section (3) in the second direction (R2), and a second connection (54) which is coupled to the rotary component (61) at a position symmetrical to a coupling position between the first connection (52) and the rotary component (61) with respect to the rotating shaft (67) and is designed to rotate the rotary component (61) in the first direction of rotation (W1) by moving in conjunction with a pivot actuation of the left actuating section (4) in the third direction (R3) and to rotate the rotary component in the second direction of rotation (W2) by moving in conjunction with a pivot actuation of the left actuating section (4) in the fourth direction (R4). [4] Steering wheel according to claim 3, wherein the connecting mechanism (50) is arranged below the steering section (1). [5] Steering wheel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the steering section (1) is annular and the right actuating section (3) and the left actuating section (4) are arranged within the steering section (1).

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