Display device for straddle type vehicle

Abstract

To restrict the power consumption of a lamp body portion to a low level when the amount of remaining power of a battery is small, and to prevent the amount of remaining power from rapidly decreasing and from becoming zero.SOLUTION: A display device for straddle type vehicle includes: a lamp body portion 4 disposed on a front side of a handle pipe 5; an instrument portion 3 disposed on an upper side or a rear side of the handle pipe 5; a control unit 200 that controls the lamp body portion 4; and a power detection unit 250 that detects an amount of remaining power of a battery 300. The lamp body portion 4 includes a plurality of illumination units including: a left illumination unit 4L and a right illumination unit 4R that are respectively provided at both end parts in a vehicle-width direction and that, of a side-marker lamp and a direction indicator, can function as at least the direction indicator; and a central illumination unit 4M that is provided between the left illumination unit 4L and the right illumination unit 4R and that performs a decorative illumination function other than the side-marker lamp and the direction indicator. The control unit 200 controls light emission of the lamp body portion 4 according to the amount of remaining power of the battery 300 detected by the power detection unit 250.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a display device for a straddle-type vehicle, such as a motorcycle or a scooter. [Background technology]

[0002] A headlight control device for an electric vehicle is known from the prior art, for example, as described in Patent Document 1. This headlight control device controls the brightness of the headlights in real time according to the driving conditions such as road conditions and driving speed while the vehicle is traveling, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption of the battery and realizing energy-saving driving. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-76726 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the control of the conventional headlight control device does not take into consideration the remaining battery power level, which means that dimming when the battery power level is low can cause the remaining power level to drop rapidly or even to reach zero.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a display device for a saddle-type vehicle that can keep the power consumption of the lighting unit low when the battery power level is low, and prevent a sudden decrease in the power level and the power level from reaching zero. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention is a display device 100 for a saddle-ride type vehicle that is provided on a saddle-ride type vehicle that includes a handlebar steering shaft 5 that extends in a substantially horizontal direction along the vehicle width direction at the front end of a body frame, a pair of left and right handlebars 6L, 6R that are provided at both left and right end portions of the handlebar steering shaft 5, and a battery 300, and the display device 100 includes a lamp unit 4 that is disposed on the front side of the handlebar steering shaft 5, an instrument unit 3 that is disposed above or behind the handlebar steering shaft 5, a control unit 200 that controls the lamp unit 4, and a display unit 200 that displays the remaining power of the battery 300. The lighting unit 4 has a power detection unit 250 that detects the remaining power of the battery 300, and the lighting unit 4 has a plurality of lighting units including a left lighting unit 4L and a right lighting unit 4R that are provided at both ends of the vehicle in the width direction and are capable of functioning as at least a side light and a turn signal, and a central lighting unit 4M that is provided between the left lighting unit 4L and the right lighting unit 4R and performs decorative lighting functions other than the side light and turn signal, and the control unit 200 controls the light emission of the lighting unit 4 according to the remaining power of the battery 300 detected by the power detection unit 250. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, a display device for a saddle-type vehicle can be provided that can keep the power consumption of the lighting unit low when the battery power level is low, preventing a sudden decrease in the power level and preventing the power level from reaching zero. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is an external perspective view showing a display device for a saddle-ride type vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, together with a part of the saddle-ride type vehicle to which the display device is applied; [Figure 2] Cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in Figure 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a front view taken from the direction of arrow D in FIG. [Figure 4] A top view taken from the direction of arrow E in Figure 3. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the display device for a saddle-ride type vehicle. [Figure 6] 6 is a flowchart showing the steps of the step-by-step dimming control executed by the control unit when the power of the saddle-ride type vehicle is turned on. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of brightness setting values ​​in an illumination unit. [Figure 8] 6 is a flowchart showing the steps of the dimming control executed by the control unit when the direction indicator starts to operate. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of brightness setting values ​​for a direction indicator. [Figure 10] 6 is a flowchart showing the steps of the dimming control executed by the control unit when the operation of the direction indicator is finished. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of brightness setting values ​​for sidelights. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In order to facilitate understanding of the configuration, the forward side in the direction of travel of the saddle riding type vehicle will be referred to as the "front (Fr.)," the opposite side as the "rear (Re.)," the left side in the direction of travel as the "left (L)," the right side as the "right (R)," and the upper side in the vertical direction as the "upper (U)" and the lower side as the "lower (D)" when appropriate (see arrows in each drawing).

[0010] The display device 100 for a saddle-ride type vehicle of this embodiment is installed on a saddle-ride type vehicle such as a motorcycle or scooter, and in this example, particularly on an electric saddle-ride type vehicle that is driven and travels using power stored in an on-board battery 300 (see FIG. 5, described later). Fig. 1 shows an external perspective view of the display device 100 for a saddle-ride type vehicle together with a portion of the saddle-ride type vehicle to which it is applied, and Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a front view taken in the direction of arrow D in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 shows a top view taken in the direction of arrow E in Fig. 3.

[0011] 1 to 4, the saddle-type vehicle includes a handle pipe 5 (steering shaft) extending substantially horizontally along the vehicle width direction at the front end of the body frame, and a pair of left and right handles 6L, 6R provided at the left and right ends of the handle pipe 5, respectively.

[0012] <Overall configuration of the display device> The display device 100 for a saddle-riding type vehicle has a front exterior cover 1 that covers the front and upper sides of a handle pipe 5 and is made up of a single seamless part, a rear exterior cover 2 that covers the rear side of the center of the handle pipe 5, a lamp unit 4 that is disposed on the front side of the handle pipe 5, more specifically, on the handle pipe 5 side of a front region 1F (described later) of the front exterior cover 1, and an instrument unit 3 that is disposed on the upper or rear side of the handle pipe 5, more specifically, on the handle pipe 5 side of a rear region 1B (described later) of the front exterior cover 1. The handle pipe 5 passes between the instrument unit 3 and the lamp unit 4.

[0013] <Front exterior cover> The front exterior cover 1 is made of a transparent or smoked material and is fixed to the handle pipe 5 via a fixing member (not shown). The front exterior cover 1 has a front region 1F, a rear region 1B, an upper region 1U between the front region 1F and the rear region 1B, a lower region 1L continuing below the front region 1F, and a lowermost region 1D continuing further below the lower region 1L.

[0014] In the front exterior cover 1, a first transmitting portion 11 having a predetermined transmittance and made of, for example, a translucent synthetic resin is provided in an area (front area 1F) corresponding to the lamp body portion 4, and a second transmitting portion 12 having a predetermined transmittance and made of, for example, a translucent synthetic resin is provided in an area (rear area 1B) corresponding to the instrument portion 3. Portions of the front exterior cover 1 other than the first transmitting portion 11 and the second transmitting portion 12 are formed by, for example, two-color molding using a light-blocking synthetic resin, and are light-blocked by black painting, film printing, etc., and the shapes and designs of the instrument portion 3 and the lamp body portion 4 are formed by this light-blocking.

[0015] <Transparent part> As shown in FIG. 2, the cross-sectional shape of the first transmitting portion 11 is curved, and the cross-sectional shape of the second transmitting portion 12 is substantially flat.

[0016] <Instrument section> 2, the instrument section 3 includes various instruments 31 such as LED instruments, LCD instruments, and needle-type instruments, a mounting plate 32 made of a hard circuit board or the like to which the various instruments 31 are attached, and a bracket 33 for fixing the mounting plate 32 to the front exterior cover 1. The various instruments 31 display the functions of a general meter, such as a speedometer, a revolution indicator (engine RPM), operation lights, warning lights, etc. The second transparent portion 12 of the front exterior cover 1 also serves as a cover lens for the instrument section 3.

[0017] <Light body> The lamp unit 4 includes a plurality of lighting units. In this example, the plurality of lighting units are left and right lighting units 4L, 4R, which are provided at both ends of the vehicle in the width direction and can function as sidelights and turn signals, and a center lighting unit 4M, which is provided between the left lighting unit 4L and the right lighting unit 4R and performs a decorative lighting function (=decorative function; details will be described later) other than the sidelights and turn signals. Note that the lamp unit 4 may also include lighting units other than these. 1 and the like, the first transmitting portion 11 includes a left transmitting portion 11L that transmits the illumination light of the left illumination portion 4L, a central transmitting portion 11M that transmits the illumination light of the central illumination portion 4M, a left transmitting portion 11L that transmits the illumination light of the left illumination portion 4L, and a right transmitting portion 11R that transmits the illumination light of the right illumination portion 4R. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the illumination portions 4L, 4R, and 4M includes a light source 41 such as an LED and a hard circuit board, an optical member 42, and a bracket 43 for fixing the light source 41 to the front exterior cover 1. The transmitting portions 11L, 11M, and 11R also serve as cover lenses for the lamp body portion 4.

[0018] The left and right lighting units 4L, 4R have a light emission range of approximately 200° in the vertical cross section in the up and down direction, and in this example, they operate in the following pattern: The left and right lighting units 4L, 4R function as both sidelights and turn signals, and emit, for example, amber or white light.

[0019] When functioning as a direction indicator, either the left or right lighting unit 4L, 4R flashes when turning right or left or when stopping on the road, to notify vehicles and people outside the vehicle that the saddle-ride type vehicle is turning left or right, stopping, etc. When functioning as a sidelight, the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R are fully lit to notify surrounding vehicles and people of the presence of the saddle-ride type vehicle.

[0020] In addition to the pattern in which both of the above functions are performed, the following two patterns may be used. For example, one pattern is when the light source functions only as a turn signal. In this case, the left and right lighting units 4L and 4R flash in amber to notify the outside of the vehicle of the direction of travel. The other pattern is when they function only as sidelights, in which case the left and right lighting units 4L and 4R light up in white to alert people outside the vehicle to the presence of a saddle-type vehicle.

[0021] In this embodiment, the turn signal switches 103L and 103R are provided on the inner sides of the handlebars 6L and 6R in the vehicle width direction, as shown in Fig. 4. When there is no need to distinguish between the switches 103L and 103R, they will hereinafter be collectively referred to simply as "turn signal switches 103".

[0022] In this example, the central lighting unit 4M is configured to provide decorative lighting in a dot pattern (or it may be in the shape of horizontal bars, etc.), and has an illumination range of approximately 180° in the vertical cross section in the up and down directions. The central lighting unit 4M performs a welcome effect or opening effect for the user by shining white and displaying an animation when the saddle-type vehicle is powered on, the ignition is turned on, a smart key is detected, etc. This allows the central lighting unit 4M to notify the driver and people outside the vehicle of the presence of the saddle-type vehicle. Alternatively, the central lighting unit 4M may light up in white while the vehicle is moving, notifying vehicles and people outside the vehicle of the design of the saddle-type vehicle.

[0023] <Wiring structure> The instrument section 3 is provided with a control section 200 (see FIG. 5 described later) which is a microcomputer that controls the display of the various instruments 3, and the control section 200 is connected to an ECU (not shown) of the saddle-ride type vehicle by a signal wiring S30 (see FIG. 2). At this time, the control section 200 arranged in the instrument section 3 is connected to the lamp section 4 by a signal wiring S34 (see FIG. 2), and the light emission of the lamp section 4 is controlled by the control section 200 via the signal wiring S34.

[0024] <Electrical configuration> 5 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the display device 100 for a saddle-riding type vehicle. As described above, in this embodiment, the lamp unit 4 (specifically, the left lamp unit 4L, right lamp unit 4R, and center lamp unit 4M) and the instrument unit 3 are connected to the control unit 200, and the light emission of the lamp unit 4 is controlled by the control unit 200, and the display of the instrument unit 3 is controlled by the control unit 200. A battery 300 mounted on the saddle-riding type vehicle supplies power to the lamp unit 4 and the instrument unit 3, and also supplies power to a driving system 350 (such as an electric motor) of the saddle-riding type vehicle. The display device 100 for a saddle-riding type vehicle of this embodiment is also provided with a power detection unit 250 that detects the remaining power in the battery 300 using a known method, and the detected remaining power is output to the control unit 200.

[0025] <Main parts of the embodiment> In a saddle-type vehicle having the above configuration, when the remaining power in the battery 300 is low, if the lighting unit 4 (left lighting unit 4L, right lighting unit 4R, center lighting unit 4M) is used and the dimming is performed regardless of the remaining power in the battery 300, the remaining power may decrease suddenly or become zero.

[0026] <Step-by-step dimming control by the control unit> Therefore, in this embodiment, the control unit 200 controls the left lighting unit 4L, the right lighting unit 4R, and the center lighting unit 4M (hereinafter, when appropriate, these will be simply referred to as "lighting units 4L, 4R, and 4M" when appropriate, without distinguishing between them, when referring collectively) of the lighting unit 4 in accordance with the remaining power of the battery 300 detected by the power detection unit 250, thereby suppressing the power consumption of the lighting unit 4 when the remaining power is low. In particular, the control unit 200 performs stepwise dimming control to gradually dim the brightness of at least one of the plurality of lighting units 4L, 4R, and 4M in accordance with the decrease in the remaining power of the battery 300 (when the remaining power is equal to or less than a predetermined value). In this embodiment, three typical situations are assumed when the control unit 200 performs the stepwise dimming control. The detailed control contents will be explained in order below.

[0027] <1: When the power of the saddle-type vehicle is turned on> The first situation is when the power is turned on immediately before the user gets on the saddle riding type vehicle, for example. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the step-by-step dimming control executed by the control unit 200 in this situation.

[0028] 6, first, in S10, it is determined whether the power of the saddle riding type vehicle has been turned on. The determination is No and the system remains in a waiting loop until the power is turned on by the user. Once the power is turned on, the determination in S10 is Yes and the system proceeds to S20.

[0029] In S20, based on the detection result of the power detection unit 250, it is determined whether the remaining power of the battery 300 is 80% or more, where 100% is a fully charged state (or an equivalent reference state). If it is 80% or more, the determination is Yes, and in S30 the brightness of the lighting units 4L, 4R, and 4M is controlled to a first setting value. This first setting value, together with a second setting value, a third setting value, and a fourth setting value, which will be described later, are set in a manner corresponding to the attributes of each lighting unit.

[0030] FIG. 7 shows an example of the first, second, third, and fourth setting values ​​for the lighting units 4L, 4R, and 4M. In this example, the setting value for the lighting units 4L, 4R, and 4M when the left and right lighting units 4L and 4R are used as direction indicators is shown as "turn indicator," and the setting value for when they are used as sidelights is shown as "sidelight." Furthermore, the setting value for the center lighting unit 4M, which performs the decorative lighting function as described above, is shown as "decorative light." As shown in the figure, in this example, the first setting value is 100% brightness, which is the maximum brightness (or an equivalent reference state) when the left and right lighting units 4L and 4R are used as direction indicators, 100% brightness when the left and right lighting units 4L and 4R are used as sidelights, and 100% brightness for the center lighting unit 4M.

[0031] Returning to FIG. 6, when the setting to the first set value in S30 is completed as described above, the process proceeds to S90, which will be described later. On the other hand, if the remaining power of the battery 300 is less than 80% in S20, a No determination is made, and the process proceeds to S40. In S40, it is determined whether the remaining power of the battery 300 is 60% or more using the same scale as above, based on the detection result of the power detection unit 250. If it is 60% or more, a Yes determination is made, and in S50 the brightness of the lighting units 4L, 4R, 4M is controlled to the second set value.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 7, in this example, the second setting value is, on the same scale as above, 90% brightness when the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R are used as direction indicators, 90% brightness when the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R are used as sidelights, and 50% brightness for the center lighting unit 4M (i.e., it is dimmed more than the above-mentioned 100% brightness; the same applies below). In this embodiment, different types of stepwise dimming control can be performed depending on the attributes of each lighting unit. Therefore, the second setting value may be set to different brightness when the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R are used as direction indicators and when they are used as sidelights.

[0033] Returning to FIG. 6, when the setting of the second set value in S50 is completed as described above, the process proceeds to S90, which will be described later. On the other hand, if the remaining power of the battery 300 is less than 60% in S40, a No determination is made, and the process proceeds to S60. In S60, it is determined whether the remaining power of the battery 300 is 40% or more using the same scale as above, based on the detection result of the power detection unit 250. If it is 40% or more, a Yes determination is made, and in S70 the brightness of the lighting units 4L, 4R, 4M is controlled to the third set value.

[0034] 7, in this example, the third set value is, on the same scale as above, 80% brightness when the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R are used as direction indicators, 80% brightness when the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R are used as sidelights, and 25% brightness for the center lighting unit 4M. As above, the third set value may be set to different brightness when the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R are used as direction indicators and when they are used as sidelights.

[0035] Returning to FIG. 6, when the setting of the third set value in S70 is completed as described above, the process proceeds to S90, which will be described later. On the other hand, if the remaining power of the battery 300 is less than 40% in S60, the determination is No and the process proceeds to S80. In S80, the brightness of the illumination units 4L, 4R, 4M is controlled to the fourth set value.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 7, in this example, the fourth set value is set to 70% brightness when the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R are used as direction indicators, 70% brightness when the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R are used as sidelights, and 0% brightness for the center lighting unit 4M (i.e., off; in this embodiment, even when the lighting is off, this is considered an example of "dimming"). As above, the fourth set value may be set to different brightness when the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R are used as direction indicators and when the sidelights are used. In addition, from the viewpoint of ensuring driving safety, etc., minimum brightness of the turn signals is stipulated by law. Therefore, the above-mentioned 70% brightness of the turn signals 4L, 4R is set to correspond to the above-mentioned minimum brightness. Conversely, since the decorative function of the central lighting unit 4M is not essential for driving, it is set to turn off when the remaining power of the battery 300 falls below a certain value, as described above.

[0037] Returning to FIG. 6, when the setting of the fourth set value in S80 is completed as described above, the process proceeds to S90. In S90, which is reached from S30, S50, S70, and S80, it is determined whether the power supply to the saddle riding type vehicle has been turned off. The determination is No and the process waits in a loop until the power supply is turned off by the user. If the power supply is turned off, the determination is Yes and this flow ends. In other words, when the power supply is turned off, all of the illumination units 4L, 4R, and 4M are turned off.

[0038] As described above, the control unit 200 performs step-by-step dimming control of the illumination units 4L, 4R, 4M according to the remaining power level of the battery 300 when the power supply of the saddle riding type vehicle is ON, thereby preventing a sudden decrease in the remaining power level of the battery 300. This also improves the cruising range of the saddle riding type vehicle.

[0039] <2: When the turn signal starts to operate> The second situation occurs when the turn signal starts to operate due to a user's operation, for example, when the saddle-type vehicle is turning right or left or changing lanes while traveling. Fig. 8 shows a flowchart illustrating the step-by-step dimming control executed by the control unit 200 in this situation.

[0040] 8, first, in S110, it is determined whether or not either the left or right lighting unit 4L, 4R has started operating as a direction indicator (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as the "direction indicator 4L, 4R") in response to operation of the direction indicator switch 103. The determination is No and the process waits in a loop until the direction indicator 4L, 4R starts operating, and once the direction indicator 4L, 4R starts operating, the determination is Yes in S110 and the process proceeds to S120.

[0041] In S120, it is determined whether the remaining power of the battery 300 is 80% or more, based on the detection result of the power detection unit 250, using the same scale as in Fig. 6. If it is 80% or more, the determination is Yes, and in S130 the brightness of the direction indicators 4L, 4R is controlled to the fifth set value.

[0042] An example of the fifth setting value in the direction indicators 4L, 4R is shown in Fig. 9 together with the sixth, seventh, and eighth setting values ​​described below. As shown in the figure, in this example, the fifth setting value is, as described above, 100% brightness, which is the maximum brightness state (or a reference state equivalent thereto).

[0043] Returning to FIG. 8, when the setting to the fifth set value is completed in S130 as described above, the process proceeds to S190, which will be described later. On the other hand, if the remaining power of the battery 300 is less than 80% in S120, a No determination is made, and the process proceeds to S140. In S140, it is determined whether the remaining power of the battery 300 is 60% or more using the same scale as above, based on the detection result of the power detection unit 250. If it is 60% or more, a Yes determination is made, and in S150 the brightness of the direction indicators 4L, 4R is controlled to the sixth set value.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 9, in this example, the sixth setting value is 90% brightness on the same scale as above. Note that the sixth set value may be set to a different luminance when the left lighting unit 4L is used as a turn signal and when the right lighting unit 4R is used as a turn signal (the same applies to the seventh and eighth set values ​​described below). For example, saddle-type vehicles usually tend to run on the left edge of the road, and when turning left, they cause little disruption to following vehicles. However, when turning right, they must change course from the left edge of the road to the right edge or move into the right lane, causing significant disruption to following vehicles. Therefore, the luminance set values ​​when the right lighting unit 4R is used as a turn signal may be set to be higher than when the left lighting unit 4L is used as a turn signal. Alternatively, the above magnitude relationships may be reversed from other perspectives, such as pedestrian protection or appealing to oncoming vehicles.

[0045] Returning to FIG. 8, when the setting of the second set value in S150 is completed as described above, the process proceeds to S190, which will be described later. On the other hand, if the remaining power of the battery 300 is less than 60% in S140, a No determination is made, and the process proceeds to S160. In S160, it is determined whether the remaining power of the battery 300 is 40% or more, using the same scale as above, based on the detection result of the power detection unit 250. If it is 40% or more, a Yes determination is made, and in S170 the brightness of the direction indicators 4L, 4R is controlled to the seventh set value.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 9, in this example, the seventh setting value is 80% brightness on the same scale as above.

[0047] Returning to FIG. 8, when the setting to the seventh set value is completed in S170 as described above, the process proceeds to S190, which will be described later. On the other hand, if the remaining power of the battery 300 is less than 40% in S160, a No determination is made and the process proceeds to S180. In S180, the brightness of the direction indicators 4L, 4R is controlled to the eighth set value.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 9, in this example, the eighth setting value is 70% brightness on the same scale as above.

[0049] Returning to FIG. 8, when the setting to the eighth set value is completed in S180 as described above, the process proceeds to S190.

[0050] In S190, which is reached from S130, S150, S170, and S180, it is determined whether the operation of the direction indicators 4L and 4R has ended due to the user's operation of the direction indicator switch 103 (or the passage of a predetermined time after the operation of the direction indicator switch 103). While the operation of the direction indicators 4L and 4R continues, the determination is No and the process enters a loop standby state, and when the operation of the direction indicators 4L and 4R has ended, the determination is Yes and this flow ends. That is, for example, the control shown in Figs. 10 and 11 described below is performed on the left and right illumination units 4L and 4R, or normal dimming control that is not directly related to the remaining power of the battery 300 is performed.

[0051] As described above, the control unit 200 performs step-by-step dimming control of the turn indicators 4L, 4R according to the remaining power level of the battery 300 at the time when the turn indicator switch 103 starts to operate, thereby preventing a sudden decrease in the remaining power level of the battery 300. This also improves the cruising range of the saddle-type vehicle.

[0052] <3: When the direction indicator stops functioning and the vehicle sidelight starts functioning> The third situation is when the operation of the left lighting unit 4L or the right lighting unit 4R as a turn signal is terminated and both the left and right lighting units 4L and 4R operate as sidelights. A flowchart showing the steps of the step-by-step dimming control executed by the control unit 200 in this situation is shown in FIG.

[0053] 10, first, in S210, it is determined whether or not the operation of the direction indicators 4L, 4R has ended and both the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R have started operating as sidelights (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as "sidelights 4L, 4R") due to the user's operation of the direction indicator switch 103 (or the passage of a predetermined time after the operation of the direction indicator switch 103). If the direction indicators 4L, 4R are still operating, the determination is No and the process enters a waiting loop. If the operation of the direction indicators 4L, 4R has ended and the operation of the sidelights 4L, 4R has started, the determination is Yes in S210 and the process proceeds to S220.

[0054] In S220, it is determined whether the remaining power of the battery 300 is 80% or more, based on the detection result of the power detection unit 250, using the same scale as in Figures 6 and 8. If it is 80% or more, the determination is Yes, and in S230 the brightness of the side lamps 4L, 4R is controlled to the ninth set value.

[0055] An example of the ninth set value for the sidelights 4L, 4R is shown in Fig. 11 together with the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth set values ​​described below. As shown in the figure, in this example, the ninth set value is, as described above, 100% brightness, which is the maximum brightness state (or a reference state equivalent thereto).

[0056] Returning to FIG. 10, when the setting to the ninth set value is completed in S230 as described above, the process proceeds to S290, which will be described later. On the other hand, if the remaining power of the battery 300 is less than 80% in S220, a No determination is made, and the process proceeds to S240. In S240, it is determined whether the remaining power of the battery 300 is 60% or more using the same scale as above, based on the detection result of the power detection unit 250. If it is 60% or more, a Yes determination is made, and in S250 the brightness of the side lamps 4L, 4R is controlled to the tenth set value.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 11, in this example, the tenth setting value is 90% brightness on the same scale as above.

[0058] Returning to FIG. 10, when the setting of the tenth set value in S250 is completed as described above, the process proceeds to S290, which will be described later. On the other hand, if the remaining power of the battery 300 is less than 60% in S240, a No determination is made, and the process proceeds to S260. In S260, it is determined whether the remaining power of the battery 300 is 40% or more, using the same scale as above, based on the detection result of the power detection unit 250. If it is 40% or more, a Yes determination is made, and in S270 the brightness of the sidelights 4L, 4R is controlled to an eleventh set value.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 11, in this example, the eleventh set value is 80% brightness on the same scale as above.

[0060] Returning to FIG. 10, when the setting of the eleventh set value in S270 is completed as described above, the process proceeds to S290, which will be described later. On the other hand, if the remaining power of the battery 300 is less than 40% in S260, the determination is No and the process proceeds to S280. In S280, the brightness of the sidelights 4L, 4R is controlled to a twelfth set value.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 11, in this example, the twelfth setting value is 70% brightness on the same scale as above.

[0062] Returning to FIG. 10, when the setting to the eighth set value is completed in S280 as described above, the process proceeds to S290.

[0063] In S290, which is reached from S230, S250, S270, and S280, it is determined whether or not the operation of the direction indicators 4L, 4R has been initiated by the user's operation of the direction indicator switch 103. While the operation of the direction indicators 4L, 4R has not been initiated, the determination is No and the process enters a loop of standby. Once the operation of the direction indicators 4L, 4R has been initiated, the determination is Yes and this flow ends. That is, for example, the control shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 above is performed on the left and right illumination units 4L, 4R, or normal dimming control that is not directly related to the remaining power of the battery 300 is performed.

[0064] As described above, the control unit 200 performs stepwise dimming control of the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R in accordance with the remaining power level of the battery 300 when the operation as a direction indicator ends and both the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R start to operate as sidelights, thereby preventing a sudden decrease in the remaining power level of the battery 300. This also improves the cruising range of the saddle-ride type vehicle.

[0065] <Other step dimming controls> Generally, human vision has the characteristic that it is difficult to perceive changes in bright light, but easy to perceive changes in dark light. Therefore, when performing the above-described stepwise dimming control, a control mode corresponding to this may be used. Specifically, in the example shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, the brightness of the turn indicators 4L and 4R is dimmed at equal intervals of 10%, such as 100% brightness → 90% brightness → 80% brightness → 70% brightness, as the remaining power of the battery 300 decreases from 80% or more to less than 80% to less than 60% to less than 40%. Alternatively, the brightness of the turn indicators 4L and 4R may be dimmed in larger increments on the bright side and smaller increments on the dark side, such as 100% brightness → 85% brightness → 75% brightness → 70% brightness, as the remaining power of the battery 300 decreases from 80% or more to less than 80% to less than 60% to less than 40%.

[0066] Although the above describes an example in which step-by-step dimming control is performed on the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R or the center lighting unit 4M, the control unit 200 may perform step-by-step dimming control similar to that described above on the headlights of a saddle-ride type vehicle. In this case, it is sufficient to set the minimum brightness in accordance with regulations, as with the above-described turn signals 4L, 4R.

[0067] <User-initiated control setting changes> The dimming mode by the step-by-step dimming control performed by the control unit 200 in the three situations described above and other cases can be set by the user to an appropriate value (or the preset value can be changed appropriately) via a setting unit 270 (see FIG. 5 described above) appropriately provided in the saddle-type vehicle. For example, the threshold values ​​for switching the remaining power of the battery 300, such as 80%, 60%, and 40%, in S20, S40, and S60 in Fig. 6, S120, S140, and S160 in Fig. 8, and S220, S240, and S260 in Fig. 10, as well as the first to twelfth set values ​​shown in Figs. 7, 9, and 11, can be set and changed as appropriate. The settings and changes are stored in the setting unit 270 and the storage unit 260 (see Fig. 5) connected to the control unit 200. The control unit 200 can perform the above-mentioned control by reading out the contents stored in the storage unit 260 in the various control situations described above.

[0068] Alternatively, the initial brightness settings for the turn indicators 4L, 4R (or sidelights 4L, 4R) and the central lighting unit 4M can be automatically set according to the remaining power of the battery 300, and the range of values ​​that are automatically set at that time can be set to the range desired by the user. Furthermore, when it is desired to turn on the central illumination unit 4M at a timing intended by the user, the above-described step-by-step dimming control may be deviated from so that the central illumination unit 4M can be turned on at the brightness intended by the user.

[0069] <Effects of the embodiment> As explained above, in this embodiment, the remaining power of the battery 300 is detected by the power detection unit 250, and the control unit 200 controls the light emission of the lamp unit 4 according to the detected remaining power. As a result, when the remaining power of the battery 300 is low, the lamp unit 4 can be dimmed to keep power consumption low, thereby preventing a sudden decrease in the remaining power in the battery 300 and preventing the remaining power from becoming zero.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment in particular, the control unit 200 executes stepwise dimming control, and the brightness of at least one of the plurality of lighting units 4L, 4R, 4M of the lamp unit 4 is gradually dimmed. This allows the lighting units to be controlled to gradually dim in succession as the remaining power of the battery 300 decreases over time, thereby reliably keeping power consumption low. In particular, since the light is dimmed in stages, a minimum level of luminous intensity in the lighting section can be ensured, and a decrease in safety can be prevented.

[0071] In particular, in this embodiment, the control unit 200 performs step-wise dimming control on at least two of the plurality of illumination units 4L, 4R, and 4M in different modes depending on the attributes of each of the illumination units 4L, 4R, and 4M. This allows efficient step-by-step dimming control to be performed according to the brightness requirements based on the attributes of each lighting unit 4L, 4R, 4M, rather than uniformly dimming all types of lighting units 4L, 4R, 4M in a stepwise manner.

[0072] Furthermore, particularly in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the power detection unit 250 detects the remaining power when the display device for a saddle-type vehicle is powered on, and the control unit 200 performs step-by-step dimming control on the left lighting unit 4L, the right lighting unit 4R, and the center lighting unit 4M based on the remaining power detected by the power detection unit 250 when the power is powered on. This allows optimal step-by-step dimming control to be performed according to the remaining power level in the battery 300 when the user turns on the power to ride the saddle-ride type vehicle.

[0073] In this embodiment, the left lighting unit 4L and the right lighting unit 4R each have a function that allows them to function as both a sidelight and a turn signal. That is, when the vehicle is traveling straight and the turn signal is not being used, both the left lighting unit 4L and the right lighting unit 4R are lit as sidelights. When turning left, the left lighting unit 4L is used as a turn signal and flashes, and the right lighting unit 4R is lit as a sidelight. When turning right, the right lighting unit 4R is used as a turn signal and flashes, and the left lighting unit 4L is lit as a sidelight. As shown in Fig. 8, the power detection unit 250 detects the remaining power when the left lighting unit 4L or the right lighting unit 4R starts to operate as a turn signal when turning left or right as described above. Based on the detection result, the control unit 200 performs step-by-step dimming control on the left lighting unit 4L or the right lighting unit 4R operating as the turn signal. This makes it possible to perform optimal step-by-step dimming control on the lighting unit that serves as the turn signal, depending on the remaining power in the battery 300 when the turn signal starts to operate.

[0074] Furthermore, particularly in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10 , after the left lighting unit 4L or the right lighting unit 4R starts operating as a direction indicator when turning left or right as described above, the power detection unit 250 detects the remaining power when the operation as a direction indicator ends (in other words, when the unit returns to functioning as a sidelight). Based on the detection result, the control unit 200 controls the left lighting unit 4L and the right lighting unit 4R functioning as sidelights. This makes it possible to perform optimal stepped dimming control for both the one lighting unit functioning as a sidelight and the other lighting unit, depending on the amount of power remaining in the battery 300 when the operation of one lighting unit as a direction indicator ends.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in particular, a setting unit 270 is provided that can variably set and input the mode of stepwise dimming control for each of the plurality of lighting units 4L, 4M, 4R, and a memory unit 260 that stores the setting input content of the stepwise dimming control via the setting unit 270. This allows the user to customize the mode of step-by-step dimming control as appropriate according to their preferences and applications.

[0076] In particular, in this embodiment, the control unit 200 is provided in the instrument unit 3 and is connected to the lamp unit 4 via signal wiring extending from the instrument unit 3, and in addition to controlling the light emission of the lamp unit 4, it also controls the display of the instruments provided in the instrument unit 3. This allows the display control of the instrument section 3 and the light emission control of the lamp section 4 to be executed collectively by a single control section 200.

[0077] In particular, in this embodiment, the display device 100 for a saddle-ride type vehicle is applied to an electric vehicle that is driven and travels using the remaining power of the battery 300 as the saddle-ride type vehicle. As a result, even when the remaining power of the battery 300 is low, the dimming control is performed to keep the power consumption of the lamp unit 4 low, thereby extending the cruising distance of the saddle-type vehicle as an electric vehicle using the remaining power in the battery 300.

[0078] <Other variations> In the above example, the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R function as both turn signal and sidelights (function as sidelights when not functioning as turn signal), but this is not limited to this. That is, the turn signal and sidelights may be configured as separate lamp bodies. In this case, the turn signal and sidelights may be configured as light-emitting bodies having an appropriate shape, such as a round, square, or U-shape. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1 Front exterior cover 1B Posterior area 1D bottom area 1F front area 1L lower area 1U upper area 2 Rear exterior cover 3 Instrument section 4 Light body part 4L left lighting section 4M central lighting section 4R Right lighting section 5. Handle pipe (steering shaft) 6L Handle 6R Handle 11 1st transparent part 11L left transparent part 11M central transparent section 11R Right transparent part 12 2nd transparent part 31 Various instruments 32 Mounting plate 33 Bracket 41 Light source 42 Optical Components 43 Bracket 100 Display device for saddle-ride type vehicle 103L Switch 103R Switch 200 control section 250 Power detection unit 260 Storage section 270 Setting Section 300 battery 350 driving system S30 signal wiring S34 signal wiring

Claims

1. A display device for a saddle-ride type vehicle is provided on a saddle-ride type vehicle, the display device including a steering shaft extending in a substantially horizontal direction along the vehicle width direction at a front end of a body frame, a pair of left and right handlebars provided at both left and right end portions of the steering shaft, respectively, and a battery, a lamp body portion disposed on a front side of the steering shaft; an instrument unit disposed above or behind the steering shaft; a control unit for controlling the light body unit; a power detection unit that detects the remaining power of the battery; and The lamp body portion is a left lighting unit and a right lighting unit provided at both ends in the vehicle width direction, respectively, and capable of functioning as at least the side light and the direction indicator, and a central lighting unit provided between the left lighting unit and the right lighting unit, and performing a decorative lighting function other than the side light and the direction indicator, The control unit The light source controls the light emission according to the remaining power of the battery detected by the power detection unit.

1. A display device for a saddle-ride type vehicle.

2. The control unit performing stepwise dimming control to dim the brightness of at least one of the plurality of illumination units in stages in response to a decrease in the remaining power; 2. The display device for a straddle-type vehicle according to claim 1.

3. The control unit The step-by-step dimming control is performed on at least two of the plurality of lighting units in different modes depending on the attributes of each lighting unit.

3. The display device for a straddle-type vehicle according to claim 2.

4. The power detection unit When the display device for a saddle-ride type vehicle is powered on, the remaining power amount is detected. The control unit The step-by-step dimming control is performed on the left lighting unit, the right lighting unit, and the center lighting unit based on the remaining power amount detected by the power detection unit when the power is turned on.

4. The display device for a straddle-type vehicle according to claim 3.

5. The left lighting unit and the right lighting unit are each of which can function as the sidelight and the direction indicator; The power detection unit detecting the remaining power when one of the left lighting unit and the right lighting unit that is to function as the direction indicator starts to operate as the direction indicator; The control unit The step-by-step dimming control is performed on the one of the lighting units functioning as the direction indicator based on the remaining power detected by the power detection unit at the start of the operation.

4. The display device for a straddle-type vehicle according to claim 3.

6. The left lighting unit and the right lighting unit are each of which can function as the sidelight and the direction indicator; The power detection unit detecting the remaining power when one of the left lighting unit and the right lighting unit that functions as the direction indicator has finished operating as the direction indicator; The control unit Based on the remaining power detected by the power detection unit at the time of the end of the operation, the step-by-step dimming control is performed on the other of the left lighting unit and the right lighting unit that functions as the side light, and on the one lighting unit that has finished operating as the direction indicator and is now functioning as the side light.

4. The display device for a straddle-type vehicle according to claim 3.

7. a setting unit that can variably set and input the manner of the step-by-step dimming control for each of the plurality of illumination units; a storage unit that stores setting input contents of the stepwise dimming control via the setting unit; Further having 4. The display device for a straddle-type vehicle according to claim 3.

8. The control unit The light source is provided in the instrument unit and is connected to the lamp body unit via a signal wiring extending from the instrument unit, In addition to the light emission control of the lamp body unit, the display control of the meters provided in the meter unit is performed.

2. The display device for a straddle-type vehicle according to claim 1.

9. The straddle-type vehicle is an electric vehicle that is driven and travels using the remaining power of the battery.

2. The display device for a straddle-type vehicle according to claim 1.

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