Vehicle console structure

Abstract

To obtain a vehicle console structure which can inhibit malfunctions of an operation part disposed around a shift lever with a simple structure.SOLUTION: An EPB switch 24 provided at a center console 18 of a vehicle 10 is pulled up from the opposite side of a shift lever 22 to rotate. Thus, even if a foreign object moves from the shift lever 22 side to the EPB switch 24 side, rotation of the EPB switch 24 is inhibited by the foreign object and the EPB switch 24 contacting with each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses an invention related to a parking brake operating device. In this parking brake operating device, a shift lever and an operating unit for operating the parking brake device are provided on a floor console. When the shift lever is shifted to the parking range, pulling up the operating unit activates the parking brake device, applying a braking force to the vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-69696 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-described prior art, when the shift lever is shifted to the drive range, the shift lever moves toward the operating unit. Meanwhile, the operating unit is pulled up from the shift lever side. Therefore, if a foreign object gets caught between the shift lever and the operating unit when the shift lever is shifted to the drive range, the operating unit may be operated against the driver's intention, causing the parking brake device to activate.

[0005] In this regard, the above-mentioned prior art uses an electrode provided on the operating unit to determine whether the operation of the operating unit is due to operation by the driver or a foreign object, and if the operation of the operating unit is due to a foreign object, the operating unit is fixed with a locking device, thereby preventing the operating unit from malfunctioning.

[0006] However, if such a configuration is adopted, it is conceivable that the configuration around the operation unit and the configuration of the electrical system will become complicated.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In consideration of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a console structure for a vehicle that can suppress erroneous operation of operating parts arranged around a shift lever with a simple configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The vehicle console structure of the first aspect includes a center console arranged on one side of the driver's seat in the vehicle width direction, a shift lever provided on the center console, and an operating unit that extends in the operating direction of the shift lever when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle on the center console, is located on a straight line passing through the shift lever, and is provided in a portion that approaches the shift lever in the operating direction when the shift lever is shifted to the drive range, and rotates when pulled up from the opposite side of the shift lever.

[0009] According to the vehicle console structure of the first aspect, a center console is disposed on one side of the driver's seat in the vehicle width direction, and a shift lever and an operating portion are provided on this center console.

[0010] In detail, the operating part is provided in a part of the center console that extends in the operating direction of the shift lever when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle, is located on a straight line passing through the shift lever, and approaches the shift lever in the operating direction when the shift lever is shifted to the drive range.

[0011] However, if a foreign object gets caught between the shift lever and the operating element when shifting the shift lever to the drive range, the operating element may be operated against the driver's intention, causing the operating object of the operating element to operate.

[0012] Here, in this embodiment, the operating part rotates by being pulled up from the opposite side of the shift lever, so even if a foreign object moves from the shift lever side to the operating part side, the operating part can be prevented from rotating due to contact between the foreign object and the operating part.

[0013] Furthermore, the configuration of the operating unit can be simplified compared to a configuration in which electrodes provided on the operating unit are used to determine whether the actuation of the operating unit is due to operation by the driver or a foreign object.

[0014] A vehicle console structure according to a second aspect is the vehicle console structure according to the first aspect, wherein the parking brake device is activated by operating the operating portion.

[0015] According to the vehicle console structure of the second aspect, the parking brake device is activated by operating the operating unit by lifting it up from the opposite side of the shift lever, which prevents a foreign object caught between the shift lever and the operating unit from moving toward the operating unit and coming into contact with the operating unit, thereby preventing the parking brake device from being activated.

[0016] The vehicle console structure of the third aspect is the vehicle console structure of the second aspect, wherein the operating unit is located on the rear side of the vehicle relative to the shift lever, and the rotation axis of the operating unit is tilted relative to a direction perpendicular to the operating direction in the range where a straight line perpendicular to the rotation axis and a straight line passing through the driver's seat in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle intersect at the rear of the driver's seat, when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0017] According to the vehicle console structure of the third aspect, the operating portion is located on the rear side of the vehicle relative to the shift lever.

[0018] However, when the operating portion and the shift lever are in this positional relationship, the driver operates the operating portion with the thumb of the hand holding the shift lever to activate the parking brake device.

[0019] In this case, due to the structure of the thumb joint, if the direction of the straight line perpendicular to the rotation axis of the operating part is set in the same direction as the operating direction of the shift lever, it may be difficult for the driver to operate the operating part.

[0020] Here, in this embodiment, the rotation axis of the operating unit is tilted relative to a direction perpendicular to the operating direction of the shift lever in the range where a straight line perpendicular to the rotation axis and a straight line passing through the driver's seat in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle intersect at the rear of the driver's seat when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0021] Therefore, in this aspect, the direction in which the operating part rotates can be set to a direction that is easy to operate with the thumb of the hand holding the shift lever. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] As described above, the vehicle console structure according to the present invention has the excellent effect of being able to suppress erroneous operation of operating parts arranged around the shift lever with a simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view schematically illustrating a configuration around a center console in a vehicle to which a vehicle console structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a configuration around a center console of a vehicle to which a vehicle console structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 3] 10 is a plan view schematically illustrating a configuration around a center console in a vehicle to which a vehicle console structure according to a modified example of the present embodiment is applied. FIG. [Figure 4] 10 is a plan view showing the configuration of the interior of a vehicle to which a vehicle console structure according to a modified example of the present embodiment is applied. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] An example of an embodiment of a console structure for a vehicle according to the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Note that the arrow FR shown in each figure indicates the front side of the vehicle, the arrow UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle, and the arrow RH indicates the right side in the vehicle width direction.

[0025] First, with reference to FIG. 4, a schematic configuration of the interior of a vehicle compartment 12 of a "vehicle 10" to which the vehicle console structure according to this embodiment is applied will be described.

[0026] A driver's seat 14 is located on the right side of the vehicle width direction at the front of the vehicle interior 12, and a passenger seat 16 is located on the left side of the vehicle width direction at the front of the vehicle interior 12. In other words, the vehicle 10 is a right-hand drive vehicle.

[0027] A "center console 18" is disposed between the driver's seat 14 and the passenger seat 16, i.e., on the left side of the driver's seat 14 in the vehicle width direction. More specifically, the center console 18 includes a housing 20 that forms its outer shell, and on an upper surface 20A of the housing 20, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a "shift lever 22," an "electric parking brake switch 24 (hereinafter referred to as the EPB switch 24)" as an operating unit, and a brake hold switch 26 are provided.

[0028] More specifically, the shift lever 22 can be tilted in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle along a lever root (not shown) provided on the top surface 20A of the housing 20, and can be placed in a neutral range N, a parking range P in which the shift lever 22 is tilted from the neutral range N toward the front of the vehicle, and a drive range D in which the shift lever 22 is tilted from the neutral range N toward the rear of the vehicle. In other words, the operation direction of the shift lever 22 is the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0029] The EPB switch 24 is located on a straight line L1 that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle on the top surface 20A of the center console 18 and passes through the shift lever 22, and is located in a portion that approaches the shift lever 22 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle when the shift lever 22 is shifted to drive range D, i.e., in the rear portion of the lever root on the top surface 20A.

[0030] The EPB switch 24 has an overall rectangular parallelepiped outer shape and is provided with a finger hook 24A on the rear side of the vehicle, i.e., the opposite side to the shift lever 22. The EPB switch 24 is rotatable about the vehicle width direction relative to the center console 18 via a shaft (not shown), and is rotated, for example, by the driver's thumb T pulling up on the finger hook 24A.

[0031] A recess 22A1 recessed toward the lower side of the vehicle is formed in the upper surface 20A of the center console 18 at a portion of the EPB switch 24 on the vehicle rear side.

[0032] In addition, the EPB switch 24 is electrically connected to the "parking brake device 28," and when the finger grip portion 24A of the EPB switch 24 is pulled up and the EPB switch 24 rotates, the parking brake device 28 is activated.

[0033] On the other hand, the brake hold switch 26 is disposed to the right of the EPB switch 24 in the vehicle width direction, i.e., on the driver's seat 14 side. This brake hold switch 26 is electrically connected to the brake device 30, and when the driver operates the brake hold switch 26, the brake device 30 can maintain a state in which it applies a braking force to the vehicle 10 even if the driver releases the brake pedal (not shown).

[0034] (Actions and Effects of This Embodiment) Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0035] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a center console 18 is disposed on the left side of the driver's seat 14 in the vehicle width direction, and a shift lever 22 and an EPB switch 24 are provided on this center console 18.

[0036] In detail, the EPB switch 24 is located on a straight line L1 that extends in the operating direction of the shift lever 22 when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle on the center console 18 and passes through the shift lever 22, and is provided in a portion that approaches the shift lever 22 in the operating direction when the shift lever 22 is shifted to drive range D.

[0037] However, if a foreign object gets caught between the shift lever 22 and the EPB switch 24 when shifting the shift lever 22 to drive range D, the EPB switch 24 may be operated against the driver's intention, and the object operated by the EPB switch 24, i.e., the parking brake device 28, may be activated.

[0038] Here, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the EPB switch 24 rotates by being pulled up from the opposite side of the shift lever 22, so even if a foreign object moves from the shift lever 22 side to the EPB switch 24 side, contact between the foreign object and the EPB switch 24 can be prevented to cause the EPB switch 24 to rotate.

[0039] As a result, it is possible to prevent a foreign object caught between the shift lever 22 and the EPB switch 24 from moving toward the EPB switch 24 and coming into contact with the EPB switch 24, thereby preventing the parking brake device 28 from operating.

[0040] Furthermore, the configuration of the EPB switch 24 can be simplified compared to a configuration in which electrodes provided on the EPB switch 24 are used to determine whether the actuation of the EPB switch 24 is due to an operation by the driver or a foreign object.

[0041] Therefore, in this embodiment, the malfunction of the EPB switch 24 arranged around the shift lever 22 can be suppressed with a simple configuration.

[0042] <Modification of this embodiment> A modification of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0043] In this modified example, as in the above-described embodiment, the EPB switch 24 is located on the vehicle rear side with respect to the shift lever 22, but the rotation axis of the EPB switch 24 is different. Specifically, in this modified example, the rotation axis S of the EPB switch 24 is inclined with respect to a direction perpendicular to the operating direction of the shift lever 22 in a range where a line L2 perpendicular to the rotation axis S and a line L3 passing through the driver's seat 14 in the vehicle front-rear direction intersect at the vehicle rear side of the driver's seat 14, as viewed from the vehicle vertical direction.

[0044] According to this configuration, the EPB switch 24 is located toward the rear of the vehicle relative to the shift lever 22. When the EPB switch 24 and the shift lever 22 are in this positional relationship, the driver operates the EPB switch 24 with the thumb T of the hand holding the shift lever 22 to activate the parking brake device 28.

[0045] At this time, due to the structure of the joint of the thumb T, if the direction of the straight line L2 perpendicular to the rotation axis S of the EPB switch 24 is set in the same direction as the operating direction of the shift lever 22, it may become difficult for the driver to operate the EPB switch 24.

[0046] Here, in this embodiment, the rotation axis S is inclined relative to a direction perpendicular to the operating direction of the shift lever 22 in the range where the straight line L2 and the straight line L3 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle passing through the driver's seat 14 intersect at the rear of the driver's seat 14 when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0047] Therefore, in this embodiment, the direction in which the EPB switch 24 rotates can be set to a direction that is easy to operate with the thumb T of the hand holding the shift lever 22.

[0048] In this embodiment, the vehicle console structure according to this embodiment is applied to the EPB switch 24 and its surrounding components, but the vehicle console structure according to this embodiment may also be applied to the brake hold switch 26 and its surrounding components, etc. Also, the vehicle console structure according to this embodiment can be applied to left-hand drive vehicles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 10 vehicles 14 Driver's seat 18 Center console 22 Shift lever 24 Electric parking brake switch (operating part) 28 Parking brake device

Claims

1. a center console disposed on one side of the driver's seat in the vehicle width direction; a shift lever provided on the center console; an operating portion that extends in the operating direction of the shift lever as viewed from the vehicle vertical direction on the center console, is located on a straight line passing through the shift lever, and is provided at a portion that approaches the shift lever in the operating direction when the shift lever is shifted to the drive range, and is rotated by being pulled up from the opposite side of the shift lever; A console structure for a vehicle.

2. The parking brake device is activated by operating the operating unit. The vehicle console structure according to claim 1 .

3. the operating portion is located on the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the shift lever, When viewed from the vehicle vertical direction, the rotation axis of the operating unit is inclined with respect to a direction perpendicular to the operation direction in a range where a line perpendicular to the rotation axis and a line passing through the driver's seat in the vehicle longitudinal direction intersect at the vehicle rear side of the driver's seat.

3. The vehicle console structure according to claim 2.

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