Vehicle steering handle

Abstract

To provide a vehicle steering handle that is easily operable by a driver and imposes a small burden on the driver.SOLUTION: A vehicle steering handle 100 comprises: a steering wheel 10 that is an isosceles trapezoidal annular body composed of an upper bottom portion 11, a lower bottom portion 12 longer than the upper bottom portion 11, and left and right leg portions 13L, 13R; an accelerator lever 30 attached to the right leg portion 13R; and brake levers 40L, 40R attached respectively to the left leg portion 13L and the right leg portion 13R.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a steering wheel structure for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Driving devices for people with disabilities have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a driving device that uses a joystick instead of a steering wheel, accelerator, and brake. Patent Document 1 also discloses a driving device that is composed of a joystick and an auxiliary handle that is operated by the driver.

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a driving device in which the driver holding the steering wheel operates the brake with his / her thumb and operates the accelerator with the fingers other than the thumb. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-52887 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2022-135592 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the driving device described in Patent Document 1, the joystick needs to be moved forward and backward when accelerating and decelerating, which may cause a lot of strain on the driver's hands when driving for long periods of time. Also, in the driving device described in Patent Document 2, the brake is operated with the thumb and the accelerator is operated with the fingers other than the thumb, so the driving operation is not intuitive and may be difficult for some drivers to operate.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle steering wheel that is easy for a driver to operate and places less strain on the driver. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The vehicle steering handle of the present disclosure is characterized by comprising a trapezoidal steering wheel, an accelerator lever attached to one or both of the legs, and a brake lever attached to one or both of the legs.

[0008] With this configuration, the driver can steer, accelerate, and decelerate the vehicle by gripping the leg portion of the steering wheel, making driving easier and reducing the burden on the driver.

[0009] In the vehicle steering handle of the present disclosure, the steering wheel may be an isosceles trapezoidal ring-shaped body composed of an upper base, a lower base that is longer than the upper base, and the left and right legs.

[0010] This makes driving easier.

[0011] In the vehicle steering handle of the present disclosure, the left and right legs may be inclined with respect to the vertical direction, and the angle of inclination may be in the range of 10 degrees to 30 degrees.

[0012] This reduces the angle at which the wrists need to be bent when turning the steering wheel, reducing the burden on the driver when driving.

[0013] In the vehicle steering handle of the present disclosure, the accelerator lever may be rotatably attached around the leg so that its operating end is on the inner circumference of the steering wheel, and the accelerator opening degree may be adjusted according to the rotation angle, and the brake lever may be rotatably attached at its upper end to the leg so that its lower end moves toward and away from the leg and toward and away from the driver, and the braking force may be adjusted according to the stroke of the lower end relative to the leg.

[0014] This allows the driver to adjust the accelerator opening by turning the accelerator lever with his / her thumb while holding the leg of the steering wheel, and adjust the braking force by holding the brake lever with fingers other than the thumb. This makes driving easier and reduces the burden on the driver. In addition, driving becomes intuitive, which also makes driving easier.

[0015] In the vehicle steering handle of the present disclosure, a turn switch and a wiper switch may be provided on one or both of the leg portions.

[0016] This allows the driver to steer, accelerate, and decelerate the vehicle as well as operate the turn switch and wiper switch by gripping the leg portion of the steering wheel, making driving easier and reducing the burden on the driver. Effect of the Invention

[0017] The present disclosure can provide a vehicle steering wheel that is easy for a driver to operate and places less strain on the driver. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the vehicle steering wheel of the embodiment in a neutral position as viewed from the driver's side. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the accelerator lever shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from above. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the brake lever shown in FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is an elevational view showing a state in which a driver has turned the steering wheel for the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 by 90 degrees to the right. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is an elevational view showing a turn switch and a wiper switch attached to a left leg of a vehicle steering handle of another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Hereinafter, a vehicle steering wheel 100 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The vehicle steering wheel 100 is a device that is connected to a steering column 25 of a vehicle and is rotated by a driver to steer the vehicle.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle steering handle 100 includes a steering wheel 10, a base 20, an accelerator lever 30, and brake levers 40L and 40R. The arrows RR, UP, and RH shown in each figure indicate the rear, upper, and right sides of the vehicle when the vehicle steering handle 100 is attached to the vehicle. When the vehicle steering handle 100 is attached to the vehicle, the rear direction of the vehicle steering handle 100 is the driver's side. In the following description, when the directions of front / rear, left / right, and up / down are used, they refer to the front / rear direction, the left / right direction, and the up / down direction when the vehicle steering handle 100 is attached to the vehicle, unless otherwise specified.

[0021] 1, the steering wheel 10 is an isosceles trapezoidal ring-shaped body composed of an upper base 11, a lower base 12 that is longer than the upper base 11, a left leg 13L, and a right leg 13R. The base 20 is a frame structure disposed in the center of the steering wheel 10 and connected to a steering column 25.

[0022] The upper bottom portion 11 of the steering wheel 10 is a longitudinal member extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle above the base 20 when the vehicle steering handle 100 is in the neutral position shown in FIG. 1. The upper bottom portion 11 is connected to the upper portion of the base 20 by upper spokes 15. The lower bottom portion 12 is a longitudinal member extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle below the base 14 when the vehicle steering handle 100 is in the neutral position shown in FIG. 1. The lower bottom portion 12 is connected to the lower portion of the base 20 by lower spokes 16. A grip trim is attached to the outer surface of the lower bottom portion 12 so that the driver can hold the lower bottom portion 12.

[0023] The left leg 13L is a cylindrical member that connects the left end of the upper base 11 and the left end of the lower base 12 in an obliquely upward and downward direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the left leg 13L is inclined at an angle θ with respect to the upward and downward direction when the vehicle steering wheel 100 is in the neutral position shown in FIG. 1. The right leg 13R is a cylindrical member that is symmetrical to the left leg 13L and connects the right end of the upper base 11 and the right end of the lower base 12 in an obliquely upward and downward direction. Like the left leg 13L, the right leg 13R is also inclined at an angle θ with respect to the upward and downward direction when the vehicle steering wheel 100 is in the neutral position shown in FIG. 1. In the vehicle steering wheel 100 of the embodiment, the angle θ is about 20 degrees, but is not limited to this and may be set appropriately between 10 degrees and 30 degrees. Grip trims are attached to the outer surfaces of the left leg 13L and the right leg 13R so that the driver can hold the left leg 13L and the right leg 13R. The left-right length of the lower base 12 is longer than the left-right length of the upper base 11, and the lengths of the left leg 13L and the right leg 13R are the same, so that the upper base 11, the lower base 12, the left leg 13L, and the right leg 13R form an isosceles trapezoidal ring.

[0024] The lower end of the left leg 13L is connected to the left end of the lower bottom 12 on the vehicle front side. Therefore, the left end of the lower bottom 12 protrudes toward the driver side from the driver side surface of the left leg 13L. This protruding portion constitutes a rotation operation part 17L that allows the driver to rotate the steering wheel 10 with the palm of the hand. Similarly, the lower end of the right leg 13R is connected to the right end of the lower bottom 12 on the vehicle front side, and the right end of the lower bottom 12 is formed with a rotation operation part 17R that protrudes toward the driver side from the driver side surface of the right leg 13R and allows the driver to rotate the steering wheel 10 with the palm of the hand.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, an accelerator lever 30 and an accelerator angle sensor 35 are attached to the right leg 13R. As shown in FIG. 2, the accelerator lever 30 includes a circular ring portion 31 rotatably attached to the right leg 13R, and an operating end 32 protruding from the circular ring portion 31 toward the inner periphery of the steering wheel 10. The accelerator angle sensor 35 detects the angular position of the circular ring portion 31 and outputs it to a control unit (not shown). The control unit adjusts the accelerator opening according to the input rotation angle position of the circular ring portion 31. As shown by an arrow 91 in FIG. 2, when the driver pushes the operating end 32 with the right thumb 81R to rotate the circular ring portion 31 clockwise, the control unit increases the accelerator opening. Conversely, when the driver reduces the pressing force of the operating end 32, the circular ring portion 31 rotates counterclockwise due to a spring provided inside, and the control unit decreases the accelerator opening.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 3, a brake lever 40L is attached to the left leg 13L. The brake lever 40L is composed of a base 41L, a lever 42L, and a brake lever rotation angle sensor 48. The base 41L is a base fixed to the front side of the vehicle opposite the driver's side of the left leg 13L. The lever 42L is attached to the base 41L by a pin 45L so that the upper end 43L is rotatable relative to the base 41L. As a result, the lower end 44L moves toward and away from the left leg 13L and toward and away from the driver's side. In addition, a wire 46 connected to a brake device is connected to the upper end 43L. The brake lever rotation angle sensor 48 detects the rotation angle of the upper end 43L and inputs it to the control unit.

[0027] When the driver grips the lower end 44L and pulls the lower end 44L toward the driver, as shown by an arrow 92 in FIG. 3, the upper end 43L of the lever 42L moves in a direction in which the tip is separated from the base part 41L, as shown by an arrow 93 in FIG. 3. As a result, the upper end 43L pulls the wire 46 downward, and the brake device operates. Also, when the driver grips the lower end 44L and pulls the lower end 44L toward the driver, the upper end 43L rotates around the pin 45L. The brake lever rotation angle sensor 48 detects the rotation angle of the upper end 43L and inputs it to the control unit. The control unit operates the brake device according to the input rotation angle to increase the braking force. Conversely, when the driver loosens his grip on the lower end 44L and moves the lower end 44L in a direction away from the driver, the wire 46 loosens and the brake device stops. Also, the control unit stops the brake device due to the rotation of the upper end 43L in the opposite direction.

[0028] In this way, the brake lever 40L has its upper end 43L freely rotatably attached to the left leg 13L so that the lower end 44L moves toward and away from the left leg 13L and toward and away from the driver, and the braking force is adjusted according to the stroke of the lower end 44L relative to the left leg 13L.

[0029] A brake lever 40R is attached to the right leg 13R, which is symmetrical to the brake lever 40L attached to the left leg 13L. The configuration of the brake lever 40R is the same as that of the brake lever 40L, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0030] An upper end 43L of the brake lever 40L attached to the left leg 13L and an upper end (not shown) of the brake lever 40R attached to the right leg 13R are connected by a connecting mechanism 47. The connecting mechanism 47 is a rod-shaped member rotatably supported at the front of the vehicle on the base 20, and rotates the left and right brake levers 40L, 40R together. The connecting mechanism 47 can operate the brake device with either or both of the left and right brake levers 40L, 40R.

[0031] Next, the operation of the vehicle steering wheel 100 by the driver will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The vehicle steering wheel 100 is rotated within a range of 90 degrees to the left and right from the neutral state shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows a state in which the driver has rotated the steering wheel 10 to the right by 90 degrees, which is the maximum angle.

[0032] The steering wheel 10 is an isosceles trapezoidal ring with the lower base 12 longer than the upper base 11, and as shown in FIG. 4, when rotated 90 degrees to the right, the right leg 13R is in a position extending diagonally upward to the right by an angle θ (about 20 degrees in this embodiment). Therefore, the driver can hold the steering wheel 10 at a position of 90 degrees to the right by bending the wrist of the right hand 80R by (90 degrees - θ). In addition, since the bending angle of the wrist is smaller than 90 degrees, the right thumb 81R can easily push in the operating end 32 of the accelerator lever 30. At this time, the driver can also grip the left leg 13L with the left hand 80L and operate the brake lever 40L with the left index finger 82L, middle finger 83L, ring finger 84L, and little finger 85L.

[0033] In addition, the vehicle steering handle 100 is provided with rotation operation parts 17L, 17R that protrude toward the driver side from the driver-side surfaces of the left leg part 13L and the right leg part 13R at both ends of the lower base part 12. This allows the driver to steer the vehicle by rotating the steering wheel 10 by pressing the rotation operation parts 17L, 17R with the palm 86R without gripping the steering wheel 10. This reduces the burden on the driver when driving.

[0034] As described above, the vehicle steering wheel 100 of the embodiment is easy for the driver to operate and reduces the burden on the driver.

[0035] Next, a vehicle steering wheel 200 according to another embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The same components as those in the vehicle steering wheel 100 previously described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described.

[0036] The vehicle steering handle 200 is provided with a turn switch 60 and a wiper switch 50 on the left leg 13L. The rest of the configuration is the same as the vehicle steering handle 100 described above.

[0037] 5, the turn switch 60 is composed of a casing 61 attached to the left leg 13L, and a push-type L switch 62 and R switch 63 attached to the casing 61. When the driver presses the L switch 62, the left turn signal blinks, and when the driver presses the R switch 63, the right turn signal blinks.

[0038] Similarly, the wiper switch 50 is composed of a casing 51 attached to the left leg 13L, a push-type AUTO button 52 attached to the casing 51, an OFF button 53, and a MIST button 54. When the driver presses the AUTO button 52, the wipers operate or stop depending on the rainfall. When the driver presses the MIST button 54, the wipers start operating, and when the driver presses the OFF button 53, the wipers stop operating.

[0039] In this way, the vehicle steering handle 200 is provided with the push-type turn switch 60 and the push-type wiper switch 50 on the left leg portion 13L, so that the driver can steer, accelerate, and decelerate the vehicle, as well as operate the turn switch 60 and the wiper switch 50, by gripping the left leg portion 13L of the steering wheel 10. This makes driving easier and reduces the burden on the driver when driving.

[0040] In the above-described vehicle steering handles 100, 200, the accelerator lever 30 is disposed on the right leg 13R, and the brake levers 40L, 40R are disposed on the left leg 13L and the right leg 13R, respectively. However, this is not limited to the above.

[0041] For example, the accelerator lever 30 may be disposed on the left leg 13L, or on both the left leg 13L and the right leg 13R. Also, the brake levers 40L, 40R may be disposed on either the left leg 13L or the right leg 13R.

[0042] In the above description, the brake lever 40L is described as being equipped with a wire 46 connected to the brake device and a brake lever rotation angle sensor 48 that detects the rotation angle of the upper end 43L and inputs it to the control unit, but this is not limited to the above and the brake lever 40L may be configured to be equipped with either the wire 46 or the brake lever rotation angle sensor 48.

[0043] In the above description, the steering wheel 10 is connected to the base 20 by the upper spokes 15 and the lower spokes 16, but this is not limiting. For example, the left leg 13L and the right leg 13R may be connected to the base 20 by left and right spokes, and the upper spokes 15 and the lower spokes 16 may not be provided.

[0044] In the above description, the vehicle steering handle 100 is described as being rotated within a range of 90 degrees to the left and right from the neutral state shown in FIG. 1, but this is not limited thereto, and the vehicle steering handle 100 may be configured to be rotated within a range of, for example, 70 degrees to 110 degrees to the left and right.

[0045] In the above description, the steering wheel 10 is described as an isosceles trapezoid ring-shaped body composed of the upper base 11, the lower base 12 that is longer than the upper base 11, the left leg 13L, and the right leg 13R, but is not limited to this. For example, the lower base 12 may be an isosceles trapezoid ring-shaped body that is longer than the upper base 11, or the left leg 13L and the right leg 13R may be trapezoidal ring-shaped bodies that are different in length.

[0046] In the above description, the left brake lever 40L and the right brake lever 40R are described as being symmetrical, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the length of the right lever (not shown) may be shorter than the length of the left lever 42L.

[0047] In the above description, the turn switch 60 and the wiper switch 50 are described as push-type switches, but they may be configured as other types of switches, such as touch switches. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 10 steering wheel, 11 upper bottom, 12 lower bottom, 13L left leg, 13R right leg, 14 base, 15 upper spoke, 16 lower spoke, 17L, 17R rotation operation part, 20 base, 25 steering column, 30 accelerator lever, 31 ring part, 32 operation end, 35 accelerator angle sensor, 40L, 40R brake lever, 41L base part, 42L lever, 43L upper end, 44L lower end, 45L pin, 46 wire, 47 connecting mechanism, 48 brake lever rotation angle sensor, 50 wiper switch, 51, 61 casing, 52 AUTO button, 53 OFF button, 54 MIST button, 60 turn switch, 62 L switch, 63 R switch, 80L left hand, 80R right hand, 81R thumb, 82L Index finger, 83L Middle finger, 84L Ring finger, 85L Little finger, 100, 200 Vehicle steering wheel.

Claims

1. A steering wheel for a vehicle, A trapezoidal steering wheel, an accelerator lever attached to one or both of the legs; and a brake lever attached to either one or both of the legs.

2. 2. A vehicle steering wheel according to claim 1, The steering wheel is an isosceles trapezoidal ring-shaped body including an upper base, a lower base that is longer than the upper base, and the left and right legs; A steering wheel for a vehicle.

3. 3. A vehicle steering wheel according to claim 2, The left and right legs are inclined with respect to the up-down direction, The angle of inclination is in the range of 10 degrees to 30 degrees. A steering wheel for a vehicle.

4. A vehicle steering wheel according to claim 2 or 3, the accelerator lever is rotatably attached around the leg so that an operation end is on the inner circumferential side of the steering wheel, and adjusts an accelerator opening according to a rotation angle; the brake lever has an upper end rotatably attached to the leg so that a lower end thereof moves toward and away from the leg and the lower end thereof moves toward and away from the rider, and the braking force is adjusted according to a stroke of the lower end relative to the leg; A steering wheel for a vehicle.

5. 5. A vehicle steering wheel according to claim 4, Providing a turn switch and a wiper switch on one or both of the legs; A steering wheel for a vehicle.

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