Vehicle driving mode switching device and display device thereof

Abstract

To enable a driver to properly set a traveling mode according to a traction state of a vehicle, in the vehicle configured to switch a plurality of traveling modes including a sport traveling mode and a towing traveling mode.SOLUTION: A vehicle traveling mode switching device 50 configured to switch a plurality of traveling modes including a sport traveling mode and a towing traveling mode, is equipped with traveling mode switching means 30 that switches a vehicle traveling mode to a traveling mode selected / operated by traveling mode selecting / operating means 22, and traveling mode regulating means 30 that regulates the selection / operation to the sport traveling mode when the towing state detecting means 3c detects a traction state of the vehicle, and regulates the selection / operation to the towing traveling mode when the traction state of the vehicle is not detected.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle driving mode switching device and a display device thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] There are known vehicles such as four-wheel drive vehicles that are configured to be able to switch between a normal driving mode and a sports driving mode by the driver's choice. In the sports mode, for example, when the accelerator pedal is depressed, the target acceleration is set to be larger than in the normal driving mode, so that the vehicle accelerates more. Some vehicles such as four-wheel drive vehicles are also configured to be able to tow a towed vehicle such as a trailer behind the vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-95265 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a vehicle such as a four-wheel drive vehicle that has a normal driving mode and a sports driving mode as driving modes and is configured to be able to tow a towed vehicle behind the vehicle (towing vehicle), the vehicle may have a towing driving mode suitable for the towing state of the vehicle. In the towing driving mode, for example, when lateral swaying of the towed vehicle is detected, the brake device is activated to suppress the lateral swaying.

[0005] In a configuration in which a plurality of driving modes, including a sports driving mode and a towing driving mode, can be switched by the driver's selection, there is a risk that the driver may mistakenly select the sports driving mode that is not suitable for a towing state when the vehicle is towing a towed vehicle, or mistakenly select the towing driving mode that is not suitable for a non-towing state when the vehicle is not towing a towed vehicle.

[0006] In a vehicle configured to be able to switch between multiple driving modes including a sports driving mode and a towing driving mode, even when the selectable driving modes are displayed on a display device and the driver operates a driving mode operation switch to select and switch between the multiple driving modes including the sports driving mode and the towing driving mode displayed on the display device, there is a risk that the driver will select a driving mode that is not suitable for the towing conditions of the vehicle.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to enable a driver to appropriately set a driving mode according to the towing condition of the vehicle in a vehicle configured to be switchable between multiple driving modes including a sports driving mode and a towing driving mode. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention provides a driving mode switching device for a vehicle configured to be switchable between a plurality of driving modes including a sports driving mode and a towing driving mode, the driving mode switching device comprising: driving mode selection operation means by which a driving mode is selected and operated by a driver; driving mode switching means for switching the driving mode of the vehicle to the driving mode selected and operated by the driving mode selection operation means; towing state detection means for detecting the towing state of the vehicle; and driving mode restriction means for restricting the selection operation of the driving mode selection operation means to the sports driving mode if the towing state of the vehicle is detected by the towing state detection means, and for restricting the selection operation of the driving mode selection operation means to the towing driving mode if the towing state of the vehicle is not detected by the towing state detection means.

[0009] According to the present invention, when a towing state of the vehicle is detected, the selection operation to the sports driving mode by the driving mode selection operation means is restricted, and when a towing state of the vehicle is not detected, the selection operation to the towing driving mode by the driving mode selection operation means is restricted. This prevents the driver from selecting the sports driving mode when a towing state of the vehicle is detected, and prevents the driver from selecting the towing driving mode when a towing state of the vehicle is not detected, and allows the driver to select a driving mode according to the towing state of the vehicle.

[0010] To prevent a driver from erroneously selecting a sports driving mode when the vehicle is in a towing state, or from erroneously selecting a towing driving mode when the vehicle is not in a towing state, thereby enabling a driver to appropriately set a driving mode according to the towing state of the vehicle.

[0011] It is preferable that the vehicle driving mode switching device includes a display device that displays an operation screen for selectable driving modes on a display screen, the driving mode selection operation means is configured to allow the driver to select a driving mode from the driving modes displayed on the operation screen, and the driving mode restriction means restricts the display of the sports driving mode on the operation screen when the towing state detection means detects that the vehicle is in a towing state, and restricts the display of the towing driving mode on the operation screen when the towing state detection means does not detect that the vehicle is in a towing state.

[0012] With this configuration, selectable driving modes are displayed on the operation screen, and if the towing state of the vehicle is detected, the operation screen is restricted so that the sports driving mode is not displayed, and if the towing state of the vehicle is not detected, the operation screen is restricted so that the towing driving mode is not displayed. This reliably prevents the driver from erroneously selecting the sports driving mode when the vehicle is in a towing state, or the driver from erroneously selecting the towing driving mode when the vehicle is not in a towing state, thereby preventing erroneous operation of the driving mode selection operation.

[0013] In addition, when a towing state of the vehicle is detected, the operation screen is restricted so that the sports driving mode is not displayed, and when a towing state of the vehicle is not detected, the operation screen is restricted so that the towing driving mode is not displayed. Therefore, the operation screen can switch between the sports driving mode and the towing driving mode, and the selectable driving modes can be displayed more clearly on the operation screen than when the sports driving mode and the towing driving mode are displayed on the operation screen.

[0014] The driving modes include driving modes other than the sports driving mode and the towing driving mode.

[0015] With this configuration, when a driving mode other than the sports driving mode and the towing driving mode is set as the driving mode, the driver is prevented from selecting and operating the sports driving mode when the vehicle is in a towing state, or from selecting and operating the towing driving mode when the vehicle is not in a towing state, and the driver can set the driving mode according to the towing state of the vehicle.

[0016] The other driving mode may be a normal driving mode.

[0017] With this configuration, when the normal driving mode, the sports driving mode, and the towing driving mode are set as the driving mode, it is possible to prevent the driver from selecting and operating the sports driving mode when the vehicle is in a towing state, or from selecting and operating the towing driving mode when the vehicle is not in a towing state.

[0018] The other driving modes may be a normal driving mode and an off-road driving mode.

[0019] With this configuration, when the driving modes are set to normal driving mode, off-road driving mode, sports driving mode, and towing driving mode, it is possible to prevent the driver from selecting and operating the sports driving mode when the vehicle is in a towing state, or the driver from selecting and operating the towing driving mode when the vehicle is not in a towing state.

[0020] The present invention also provides a display device for a vehicle driving mode switching device configured to be switchable between a plurality of driving modes including a sports driving mode and a towing driving mode, the display device comprising: driving mode selection operation means by which a driving mode is selected and operated by a driver; a display device that displays on a display screen an operation screen of the driving modes selectable by the driving mode selection operation means; towing state detection means that detects the towing state of the vehicle; and driving mode restriction means that, if the towing state of the vehicle is detected by the towing state detection means, restricts the display of the sports driving mode on the operation screen, and, if the towing state of the vehicle is not detected by the towing state detection means, restricts the display of the towing driving mode on the operation screen.

[0021] According to the present invention, when a towing state of the vehicle is detected, the operation screen is restricted so as not to display the sports driving mode, and when a towing state of the vehicle is not detected, the operation screen is restricted so as not to display the towing driving mode. This prevents the driver from selecting the sports driving mode when a towing state of the vehicle is detected, and prevents the driver from selecting the towing driving mode when a towing state of the vehicle is not detected, and allows the driver to select a driving mode according to the towing state of the vehicle.

[0022] To prevent a driver from erroneously selecting a sports driving mode when the vehicle is in a towing state, or from erroneously selecting a towing driving mode when the vehicle is not in a towing state, thereby enabling a driver to appropriately set a driving mode according to the towing state of the vehicle.

[0023] In addition, when a towing state of the vehicle is detected, the operation screen is restricted so that the sports driving mode is not displayed, and when a towing state of the vehicle is not detected, the operation screen is restricted so that the towing driving mode is not displayed. Therefore, the operation screen can switch between the sports driving mode and the towing driving mode, and the selectable driving modes can be displayed more clearly on the operation screen than when the sports driving mode and the towing driving mode are displayed on the operation screen. Effect of the Invention

[0024] According to the present invention, in a vehicle configured to be switchable between a plurality of driving modes including a sports driving mode and a towing driving mode, the driver can appropriately set the driving mode according to the towing state of the vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a towing state of a vehicle equipped with a driving mode switching device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vehicle. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a passenger compartment of a vehicle. [Figure 4] 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a driving mode switching device; [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a display screen when the vehicle is not in a towing state. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a display screen when a sports driving mode is selected. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a display screen when the vehicle is in a towing state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0027] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a towing state of a vehicle equipped with a driving mode switching device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, a vehicle (towing vehicle) 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured to be able to tow a trailer 2 as a towed vehicle behind the vehicle 1.

[0028] The trailer 2 is coupled to the rear of the vehicle 1 via a coupler 3. The trailer 2 is formed so that the center of gravity is located forward of the axle of the trailer 2. When the vehicle 1 is in a towing state in which it is towing the trailer 2, a downward vertical load acts on the rear of the vehicle 1 via the coupler 3.

[0029] The coupler 3 is composed of a hitch member 3a provided at the rear of the vehicle 1 and a coupler 3b provided at the front of the trailer 2. The coupler 3b is formed so as to be connectable to the hitch member 3a. The hitch member 3a is provided with a towing detection sensor 3c as a towing state detection means for detecting the towing state of the vehicle 1.

[0030] The towing detection sensor 3c is configured by an electrical sensor. The towing detection sensor 3c outputs an ON signal when the vehicle 1 is in a towing state, and outputs an OFF signal when the vehicle 1 is in a non-towing state where the trailer 2 is not being towed, thereby detecting the towing state of the vehicle 1.

[0031] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle. As shown in Fig. 2, the vehicle 1 is a four-wheel drive vehicle with a transverse engine based on a front-engine, front-drive vehicle in which an engine 4 as a drive source is disposed at the front of the vehicle body and the output of the engine 4 is transmitted to front wheels 5.

[0032] The vehicle 1 has an engine 4, an automatic transmission 7 for transmitting the driving torque of the engine 4 to front wheels 5 and rear wheels 6, a front wheel differential 9 for transmitting the driving force from the automatic transmission 7 to the left and right front wheels 5 via axles 8, a transfer 10 arranged on the axles 8 of the front wheels 5 and extracting the driving force to be transmitted to the rear wheels 6, a propeller shaft 11 connected to the transfer 10 and extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body, a coupling device 12 connected to the propeller shaft 11 at the rear of the vehicle body and adjusting the driving force distributed to the front wheels 5 and rear wheels 6, and a rear wheel differential 13 connected to the coupling device 12 for transmitting the driving force from the transfer 10 to the left and right rear wheels 6 via axles 14.

[0033] The automatic transmission 7 is configured to achieve a predetermined gear stage according to the driving state of the vehicle 1, specifically, the vehicle speed and the accelerator opening. The transfer 10 includes a pair of bevel gears that mesh with each other to transmit power from a front wheel differential 9, whose axis extends in the vehicle width direction, to a propeller shaft 11 that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0034] An electromagnetic coupling device or the like is used as the coupling device 12. The coupling device 12 is configured to adjust the driving force distributed to the front wheels 5 and the rear wheels 6 with respect to the output of the engine 4. The coupling device 12 is configured so that the torque distribution between the front wheels 5 and the rear wheels 6 can be varied within a range of front wheels:rear wheels=100:0 to 50:50.

[0035] The vehicle 1 also has a braking device 15 (see FIG. 4) that generates a braking force for the vehicle 1 in response to depression of the brake pedal. The braking device 15 generates a braking force for each wheel by supplying a brake pressure generated in a master cylinder to a wheel cylinder in response to depression of the brake pedal. The braking device 15 also drives an electric motor for a hydraulic pump separately from depression of the brake pedal, so that the hydraulic pump supplies brake pressure to the wheel cylinder to generate a braking force for each wheel.

[0036] The vehicle 1 is provided with a control unit 30 that controls components related to the vehicle 1, such as the engine 4, the automatic transmission 7, the coupling device 12, and the brake device 15. The control unit 30 performs various controls based on various control information input thereto. The control unit 30 is mainly configured with a microcomputer.

[0037] The control unit 30 receives signals from a range sensor that detects the range of the shift lever, an engine speed sensor that detects the speed of the engine 4, a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the vehicle, an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the vehicle, a steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle of the vehicle, a fuel sensor that detects the remaining amount of fuel, a water temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the engine coolant, an accelerator opening sensor that detects the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal, and a brake pressure sensor that detects the brake pressure generated in the master cylinder in accordance with the amount of depression of the brake pedal, etc.

[0038] In the vehicle 1, the control unit 30 changes the drive torque of the engine 4 in response to the steering wheel operation by the driver to control the vehicle attitude. In the vehicle 1, the drive torque of the engine 4 is reduced at the beginning of a turn to decelerate the vehicle 1, thereby quickly transferring the load to the front wheels 5, increasing the grip of the front wheels 5, and improving the stability of the vehicle against steering wheel operation, thereby controlling the vehicle attitude.

[0039] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the interior of a vehicle. As shown in Fig. 3, vehicle 1 is a right-hand drive vehicle in which a steering wheel 16 and a driver's seat 17 are disposed on the right side of the vehicle body. Vehicle 1 is provided with a display device 40 that displays meter images and the like on the right side of the vehicle body of a dashboard 19 disposed in the front part of the passenger compartment 18. Display device 40 has a display screen 41 that displays meter images and the like. Display screen 41 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display.

[0040] Three meter display sections 42, 43, 44 are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction on the display screen 41. The meter display section 42 arranged at the center of the display screen 41 in the vehicle width direction displays the vehicle speed, the meter display section 43 arranged on the left side of the display screen 41 displays the engine RPM, and the meter display section 44 arranged on the right side of the display screen 41 displays the temperature of the engine coolant and the remaining amount of fuel. In this embodiment, the display screen 41 displays an operation screen 45 for the driving mode.

[0041] The vehicle 1 is provided with a center console unit 20 extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body. The center console unit 20 is connected to the center side of the dashboard 19 in the vehicle width direction, and is disposed on the center side of the driver's seat 17 in the vehicle width direction. The center console unit 20 is provided with a shift lever 21 for shifting the automatic transmission 7, and a driving mode operation switch 22 as a driving mode selection operation means for the driver to select a driving mode.

[0042] The shift lever 21 is configured so that the driver can select a P (parking) range, an R (reverse) range, an N (neutral) range, or a D (forward) range. The automatic transmission 7 is controlled according to the range of the shift lever 21 selected by the driver's operation.

[0043] The driving mode operation switch 22 is configured to be tiltable in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body from a neutral position extending upward, and configured to be operable to select a driving mode of the vehicle 1. A normal driving mode, a sports driving mode, a towing driving mode, and an off-road driving mode are set in the vehicle 1. The driving mode operation switch 22 is configured to be operable by the driver to select the normal driving mode, the sports driving mode, the towing driving mode, or the off-road driving mode.

[0044] In the vehicle 1, the driving mode of the vehicle 1 is switched to a driving mode selected by the driving mode operation switch 22, and the driving control of the vehicle 1 is performed in accordance with the driving mode.

[0045] For each of the normal driving mode, the sports driving mode, the off-road driving mode and the towing driving mode, a target acceleration characteristic is preset based on the accelerator opening and the vehicle speed, and a gear ratio characteristic of the automatic transmission 7 is preset based on the accelerator opening and the vehicle speed.

[0046] In the normal driving mode, the target acceleration characteristic is set so that the lower the vehicle speed, the higher the target acceleration. In the normal driving mode, when the output torque of the engine 4 is controlled according to the target acceleration characteristic, the vehicle is controlled to provide a feeling of acceleration at low vehicle speeds and achieve high fuel efficiency at high vehicle speeds, and the engine 4, the automatic transmission 7, and the like are controlled so as to achieve both driving performance and fuel efficiency.

[0047] In the sports driving mode, the target acceleration is set to be larger when the accelerator pedal is depressed than in the normal driving mode. In the sports driving mode, the vehicle is controlled to follow the driver's aggressive intention to accelerate more, and the engine 4 and the automatic transmission 7 are controlled to improve the driving performance.

[0048] In the off-road driving mode, compared to the normal driving mode, the target acceleration is set to be smaller when the accelerator pedal is depressed, the braking force is set to be larger when the brake pedal is depressed, the drive torque of the engine 4 is significantly reduced at the beginning of a turn, the idle speed is increased, and the torque distribution to the rear wheels 6 is increased. In the off-road driving mode, vehicle driving control suitable for off-road driving, which is driving on rough roads, is performed, and the engine 4, automatic transmission 7, braking device 15, coupling device 12, etc. are controlled to improve rough road driving performance, etc.

[0049] In the towing travel mode, compared to the normal travel mode, the braking force is set to be larger when the brake pedal is depressed, the drive torque of the engine 4 is significantly reduced at the beginning of a turn, the torque distribution to the rear wheels 6 is increased, and a braking force that suppresses lateral swaying of the towed vehicle 2 is generated at the front wheels 5. In the towing travel mode, vehicle travel control suitable for towing travel when the vehicle 1 is in a towing state is performed, and the engine 4, automatic transmission 7, braking device 15, coupling device 12, etc. are controlled to improve driving stability during towing travel.

[0050] Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the driving mode switching device. The driving mode switching device 50 of the vehicle according to this embodiment is configured so that the driving mode can be switched by the driver's selection, and as shown in Fig. 4, includes a driving mode operation switch 22, a towing detection sensor 3c, a display device 40, an engine 4, an automatic transmission 7, a brake device 15, a coupling device 12, a control unit 30, etc. As described above, the driving mode switching device 50 also includes a range sensor, an engine speed sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a steering angle sensor, a fuel sensor, a water temperature sensor, an accelerator opening sensor, a brake pressure sensor, etc.

[0051] The control unit 30 controls configurations related to the vehicle 1, and performs display control of the operation screen 45 and the like on the display screen 41 of the display device 40, driving mode switching control for switching the vehicle's driving mode to the driving mode selected by the driving mode operation switch 22 to control the driving of the vehicle, and driving mode restriction control for restricting the selection operation to the sports driving mode when the towing state of the vehicle 1 is detected by the towing detection sensor 3c, and for restricting the selection operation to the towing driving mode when the towing detection sensor 3c does not detect the towing state of the vehicle 1.

[0052] The driving mode restriction control restricts the display of the sports driving mode on the operation screen 45 selected and operated by the driving mode operation switch 22 when the towing state of the vehicle is detected, and restricts the display of the towing driving mode on the operation screen 45 selected and operated by the driving mode operation switch 22 when the towing state of the vehicle is not detected.

[0053] Specifically, when the control unit 30 detects that the vehicle is being towed, it displays an operation screen 45 that shows the towing driving mode, the normal driving mode, and the off-road driving mode, but does not display the sports driving mode, and when the control unit 30 does not detect that the vehicle is being towed, it displays an operation screen 45 that shows the sports driving mode, the normal driving mode, and the off-road driving mode, but does not display the towing driving mode.

[0054] In addition, the display device of the vehicle driving mode switching device in this embodiment is configured to include a driving mode operation switch 22, a display device 40, a towing detection sensor 3c, and a driving mode regulating means 30, and when a towing state of the vehicle is detected, regulates the operation screen 45 so that the sports driving mode is not displayed, and when a towing state of the vehicle is not detected, regulates the operation screen 45 so that the towing driving mode is not displayed.

[0055] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the display screen when the vehicle is not being towed. As shown in Fig. 5, a meter display section 42 that displays the vehicle speed is displayed on a display screen 41 of the display device 40. The meter display section 42 displays an arc-shaped scale image 42a having radially equally spaced scale marks indicating the vehicle speed, and also displays a needle-shaped pointer image 42b that extends in the radial direction of the scale image 42a and indicates the vehicle speed.

[0056] In the vehicle 1, an operation screen 45 for the driving mode selected by the driving mode operation switch 22 is displayed on the display screen 41. The operation screen 45 is provided at the center of the meter display unit 42 where it is easily visible to the driver.

[0057] When the towing state of the vehicle is not detected, an operation screen 45a for when the vehicle is not towed is displayed as the operation screen 45, as shown in Fig. 5. The operation screen 45a displays "SPORT", which indicates the sports driving mode, "NORMAL", which indicates the normal driving mode, and "OFF-ROAD", which indicates the off-road driving mode, as driving mode selection items that can be selected by the driving mode operation switch 22. "TOWING", which indicates the towing driving mode, is not displayed on the operation screen 45a.

[0058] The driving mode selection items "SPORT", "NORMAL" and "OFF-ROAD" are displayed in a vertical line. When the operation screen 45a is displayed, the normal driving mode is first displayed in a selected state, and lines are displayed above and below the word "NORMAL". The vehicle 1 is controlled to drive in the normal driving mode.

[0059] The operation screen 45 is displayed so that the driving mode selection items selected and operated in response to the tilt operation of the driving mode operation switch 22 move. The driving mode selection items selected and operated by the forward tilt operation of the driving mode operation switch 22 move upward, and the driving mode selection items selected and operated by the backward tilt operation of the driving mode operation switch 22 move downward.

[0060] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a display screen when the sports driving mode is selected. When the driver tilts the driving mode operation switch 22 forward on the operation screen 45a shown in Fig. 5 to select the sports driving mode, lines are displayed above and below the word "SPORT" as shown in Fig. 6, the sports driving mode is selected, and the vehicle driving mode is switched. The vehicle 1 is controlled to drive in the sports driving mode.

[0061] 5, when the driver tilts the driving mode operation switch 22 backward to select the off-road driving mode, lines are displayed above and below the characters "OFF-ROAD", the off-road driving mode is selected, and the driving mode of the vehicle is switched. The vehicle 1 is controlled to drive in the off-road driving mode.

[0062] When the driver tilts the driving mode operation switch 22 backward or forward from the state in which the sports driving mode or the off-road driving mode is selected on the operation screen 45a, the normal driving mode is selected and the driving mode of the vehicle is switched. The vehicle 1 is controlled to drive in the normal driving mode.

[0063] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the display screen when the vehicle is in a towing state. When the towing state of the vehicle 1 is detected, as shown in Fig. 7, an operation screen 45b for when the vehicle is in a towing state is displayed as the operation screen 45. On the operation screen 45b, "TOWING" indicating the towing driving mode, "NORMAL" indicating the normal driving mode, and "OFF-ROAD" indicating the off-road driving mode are displayed as driving mode selection items that can be selected by the driving mode operation switch 22. "SPORT" indicating the sports driving mode is not displayed on the operation screen 45b.

[0064] The driving mode selection items "TOWING", "NORMAL" and "OFF-ROAD" are displayed in a vertical line. When the operation screen 45b is displayed, the normal driving mode is first displayed in the selected state, and lines are displayed above and below the word "NORMAL". The vehicle 1 is controlled to drive in the normal driving mode.

[0065] When the driver tilts the driving mode operation switch 22 forward to select the towing driving mode from the normal driving mode selected state on the operation screen 45b, lines are displayed above and below the word "TOWING" as shown in Fig. 7, the towing driving mode is selected, and the vehicle driving mode is switched. The vehicle 1 is controlled to drive in the towing driving mode.

[0066] On the operation screen 45b, when the driver tilts the driving mode operation switch 22 backward from the state in which the normal driving mode is selected to select the off-road driving mode, lines are displayed above and below the characters "OFF-ROAD", the off-road driving mode is selected, and the driving mode of the vehicle is switched. The vehicle 1 is controlled to drive in the off-road driving mode.

[0067] Regarding the operation screen 45b, when the driver tilts the driving mode operation switch 22 backward or forward from a state in which the towed driving mode or the off-road driving mode is selected, the normal driving mode is selected and the driving mode of the vehicle is switched. The vehicle 1 is controlled to drive in the normal driving mode.

[0068] In the vehicle 1, a driving mode switching control for switching the driving mode of the vehicle 1 to a driving mode selected by the driving mode operation switch 22 is executed by the control unit 30. The control unit 30 reads various signals from the driving mode operation switch 22, the towing detection sensor 3c, etc.

[0069] Then, it is determined whether or not the vehicle's towing state has been detected, and if the vehicle's towing state is detected, the operation screen 45b is displayed and the selection operation of the driving mode operation switch 22 to switch to the sports driving mode is restricted, and if the vehicle's towing state is not detected, the operation screen 45a is displayed and the selection operation of the driving mode operation switch 22 to switch to the towing driving mode is restricted.

[0070] When the control unit 30 detects the towing state of the vehicle, it restricts the display of the sports driving mode on the operation screen 45, and when the towing state of the vehicle is not detected, it restricts the display of the towing driving mode on the operation screen 45.

[0071] Furthermore, when the control unit 30 detects a driving mode selected by the driving mode operation switch 22 from a state in which the normal driving mode was selected or when the control unit 30 does not detect a driving mode in which the vehicle is towed, the control unit 30 switches the driving mode of the vehicle to the selected driving mode and controls the driving of the vehicle 1. When the control unit 30 does not detect a driving mode selected by the driving mode operation switch 22 from a state in which the normal driving mode was selected, the control unit 30 controls the driving of the vehicle 1 in the normal driving mode.

[0072] The control unit 30 constitutes a driving mode switching means for switching the driving mode of the vehicle 1 to the driving mode selected by the driving mode operation switch 22. The control unit 30 also constitutes a driving mode restriction means for restricting the selection operation to the sports driving mode when the towing state of the vehicle is detected, and restricting the selection operation to the towing driving mode when the towing state of the vehicle is not detected, and restricts the display of the sports driving mode on the operation screen 45 when the towing state of the vehicle 1 is detected, and restricts the display of the towing driving mode on the operation screen 45 when the towing state of the vehicle 1 is not detected.

[0073] In this way, when a towing state is detected in the vehicle 1, the selection operation to the sports driving mode is restricted, and the driving mode is restricted from being switched to the sports driving mode. Also, when a towing state is not detected in the vehicle 1, the selection operation to the towing driving mode is restricted, and the driving mode is restricted from being switched to the towing driving mode.

[0074] 5 to 7, the display screen 41 has a range display section 46 below the operation screen 45 that displays the range of the shift lever 21. When the shift lever 21 is selected to the D range, "D" indicating the D range is displayed on the range display section 46. When the P range, R range or N range is selected, "P", "R" or "N" is displayed, respectively.

[0075] The display screen 41 is provided with a driving mode display section 47 that displays the vehicle's driving mode on the left side of the range display section 46. As shown in FIG. 6, when the sports driving mode is selected, "SPORT" is displayed on the driving mode display section 47. As shown in FIG. 7, when the towing driving mode is selected, "TOWING" is displayed on the driving mode display section 47. When the off-road driving mode is selected, "OFF-ROAD" is displayed on the driving mode display section 47. As shown in FIG. 5, when the normal driving mode is selected, the driving mode is not displayed on the driving mode display section 47. By displaying the driving mode on the driving mode display section 47, the driver can recognize the driving mode.

[0076] 7, when the towing driving mode is selected, an image 48 that resembles a trailer 2, which is a towed vehicle, is displayed on the display screen 41 above the operation screen 45. By displaying the driving mode on the driving mode display section 47, the driver can recognize the driving mode, and by displaying the image 48, the driver can intuitively recognize that the vehicle is being towed.

[0077] In this embodiment, the driving modes are set to be a normal driving mode, a sports driving mode, a towing mode, and an off-road mode, but it is also possible to provide no off-road mode. Also, other driving modes such as a snow mode suitable for driving on snowy roads may be provided.

[0078] In addition, the vehicle driving control in the sports driving mode, off-road driving mode, and towing driving mode is not limited to the driving control described above, and driving control suitable for sports driving, off-road driving, and towing driving, respectively, can be set as appropriate.

[0079] In this way, the vehicle driving mode switching device 50 of this embodiment includes driving mode switching means 30 that switches the vehicle's driving mode to the driving mode selected by the driving mode selection operation means 22, and driving mode restriction means 30 that restricts the selection operation to the sports driving mode when the towing state of the vehicle 1 is detected by the towing state detection means 3c, and restricts the selection operation to the towing driving mode when the towing state of the vehicle is not detected by the towing state detection means 3c.

[0080] As a result, when the towing state of the vehicle is detected, the selection operation to switch to the sports driving mode is restricted, and when the towing state of the vehicle is not detected, the selection operation to switch to the towing driving mode is restricted, thereby preventing the driver from selecting the sports driving mode when the towing state of the vehicle is detected, and preventing the driver from selecting the towing driving mode when the towing state of the vehicle is not detected, and allowing the driver to select a driving mode according to the towing state of the vehicle.

[0081] To prevent a driver from erroneously selecting a sports driving mode when the vehicle is in a towing state, or from erroneously selecting a towing driving mode when the vehicle is not in a towing state, thereby enabling a driver to appropriately set a driving mode according to the towing state of the vehicle.

[0082] Also provided is a display device 40 which displays an operation screen 45 of selectable driving modes on a display screen 41, and the driving mode selection operation means 22 is configured so that the driver can select a driving mode from the driving modes displayed on the operation screen 45, and the driving mode restriction means 30 restricts the operation screen 45 from displaying the sports driving mode when a towing state of the vehicle is detected, and restricts the operation screen 45 from displaying the towing driving mode when a towing state of the vehicle is not detected.

[0083] As a result, selectable driving modes are displayed on the operation screen 45, and if a towing state of the vehicle 1 is detected, the operation screen 45 is restricted so as not to display the sports driving mode, and if a towing state of the vehicle is not detected, the operation screen 45 is restricted so as not to display the towing driving mode. This reliably prevents the driver from erroneously selecting the sports driving mode when the vehicle 1 is in a towing state, or the driver from erroneously selecting the towing driving mode when the vehicle is not in a towing state, thereby preventing erroneous operation of the driving mode selection operation.

[0084] In addition, if a towing state of the vehicle is detected, the operation screen 45 is restricted so as not to display the sports driving mode, and if a towing state of the vehicle is not detected, the operation screen 45 is restricted so as not to display the towing driving mode. Therefore, the operation screen 45 can switch between displaying the sports driving mode and the towing driving mode, and the selectable driving modes can be displayed in an easier-to-understand manner on the operation screen 45 compared to when the operation screen displays the sports driving mode and the towing driving mode.

[0085] In addition, the display device of the vehicle driving mode switching device in this embodiment includes a driving mode selection operation means 22 by which a driving mode is selected and operated, a display device 40 that displays an operation screen 45 of driving modes selectable by the driving mode selection operation means 22 on a display screen 41, a towing state detection means 3c that detects the towing state of the vehicle, and a driving mode restriction means 30 that restricts the operation screen 45 from displaying the sports driving mode when the towing state of the vehicle is detected, and restricts the operation screen 45 from displaying the towing driving mode when the towing state of the vehicle is not detected.

[0086] As a result, when a towing state of the vehicle is detected, the operation screen 45 is restricted so as not to display the sports driving mode, and when a towing state of the vehicle is not detected, the operation screen 45 is restricted so as not to display the towing driving mode. This prevents the driver from selecting the sports driving mode when a towing state of the vehicle is detected, and prevents the driver from selecting the towing driving mode when a towing state of the vehicle is not detected, and allows the driver to select a driving mode according to the towing state of the vehicle.

[0087] To prevent a driver from erroneously selecting a sports driving mode when the vehicle is in a towing state, or from erroneously selecting a towing driving mode when the vehicle is not in a towing state, thereby enabling a driver to appropriately set a driving mode according to the towing state of the vehicle.

[0088] In addition, if a towing state of the vehicle is detected, the operation screen 45 is restricted so as not to display the sports driving mode, and if a towing state of the vehicle is not detected, the operation screen 45 is restricted so as not to display the towing driving mode. Therefore, the operation screen 45 can switch between displaying the sports driving mode and the towing driving mode, and the selectable driving modes can be displayed in an easier-to-understand manner than when the operation screen 45 displays the sports driving mode and the towing driving mode.

[0089] In this embodiment, the vehicle 1 is a four-wheel drive vehicle with a transverse engine based on a front engine and front drive vehicle, but may be another vehicle such as a four-wheel drive vehicle with a longitudinal engine based on a front engine and rear drive vehicle. The vehicle 1 is a right-hand drive vehicle, but may be a left-hand drive vehicle.

[0090] The present invention is not limited to the exemplified embodiments, and various improvements and design modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0091] As described above, according to the present invention, in a vehicle configured to be switchable between a plurality of driving modes including a sports driving mode and a towing driving mode, the driver can appropriately set the driving mode according to the towing condition of the vehicle, and therefore the present invention may be suitably used in the manufacturing industry of this type of vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 1 vehicle 2 Trailer 3c Towing detection sensor 21 Shift lever 22 Driving mode operation switch 30 Control Unit 40 Display device 41 Display screen 45, 45a, 45b operation screen 50 Vehicle driving mode switching device

Claims

1. A vehicle driving mode switching device configured to be able to switch between a plurality of driving modes including a sports driving mode and a towing driving mode, a driving mode selection operation means for selecting a driving mode by a driver; a driving mode switching means for switching a driving mode of the vehicle to a driving mode selected by the driving mode selection operation means; a towing state detection means for detecting a towing state of a vehicle; and a driving mode restriction means for restricting a selection operation to the sports driving mode by the driving mode selection operation means when the towing state detection means detects a towing state of the vehicle, and for restricting a selection operation to the towing driving mode by the driving mode selection operation means when the towing state detection means does not detect a towing state of the vehicle. A vehicle driving mode switching device comprising:

2. A display device is provided that displays an operation screen of a selectable driving mode on a display screen, The driving mode selection operation means is configured to allow a driver to select a driving mode from the driving modes displayed on the operation screen, The driving mode restriction means restricts the display of the sports driving mode on the operation screen when the towing state detection means detects that the vehicle is being towed, and restricts the display of the towing driving mode on the operation screen when the towing state detection means does not detect that the vehicle is being towed.

2. The vehicle driving mode switching device according to claim 1, wherein:

3. The driving modes include other driving modes except for the sports driving mode and the towing driving mode.

3. The vehicle driving mode switching device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The other driving mode is a normal driving mode.

4. The vehicle driving mode switching device according to claim 3.

5. The other driving modes are a normal driving mode and an off-road driving mode.

4. The vehicle driving mode switching device according to claim 3.

6. A display device of a vehicle driving mode switching device configured to be able to switch between a plurality of driving modes including a sports driving mode and a towing driving mode, a driving mode selection operation means for selecting a driving mode by a driver; a display device that displays an operation screen of a driving mode selectable by the driving mode selection operation means on a display screen; a towing state detection means for detecting a towing state of a vehicle; and a driving mode restriction means for restricting the display of a sports driving mode on the operation screen when the towing state detection means detects a towing state of the vehicle, and for restricting the display of a towing driving mode on the operation screen when the towing state detection means does not detect a towing state of the vehicle.

13. A display device for a vehicle driving mode switching device comprising:

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