Launch control device

Abstract

To be able to reduce impact when a vehicle collides with a blocking bar.SOLUTION: A bar holder 3 holds a blocking bar 2. The bar holder 3 has a bar release function that moves the blocking bar 2 to the retracted position when a vehicle 20 passes through the traffic lane when the blocking bar 2 is in a closed state at the closed position C, which does not allow the vehicle 20 to go through. A holding force adjustment device 4 adjusts the holding force that holds the blocking bar 2 in the closed position C against the force in the retracting direction from the closed position C to the retracted position according to the state of the in-coming vehicle which is the vehicle 20 that enters from the traffic lane.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a starting control device for controlling the starting of a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art A start control device for controlling the start of a vehicle is provided in an ETC (registered trademark) lane or the like installed at a place such as a toll booth on an expressway. The departure control device informs the driver of the vehicle whether the vehicle is permitted or not to pass by opening and closing a bar called a blocking bar.

[0003] When a vehicle passes through a closed position where the blocking bar is in a closed position that does not allow the vehicle to pass, the vehicle will collide with the blocking bar. If the vehicle collides with the blocking bar, the starting control device and the vehicle may be damaged. To reduce this damage, there is a starting control device that is provided with a bar release function that moves the blocking bar in the traveling direction of the vehicle when the vehicle collides with the blocking bar (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-45756 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the conventional bar release function, the bar moves in the direction of travel due to the impact of the vehicle colliding with the bar. This means that the bar may be damaged by the collision. In addition, repeated collisions may exceed the durability limit of the bar holder that holds the bar, causing the bar holder to be damaged. In addition, measures to mitigate the impact on the vehicle are insufficient, and there is a risk of damage to the vehicle body. The present disclosure aims to mitigate the impact when a vehicle collides with a blocking bar. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The starting control device according to the present disclosure includes: a bar holder for holding the blocking bar, the bar holder having a bar release function for moving the blocking bar to a retracted position when a vehicle passes through a traffic lane in a closed state where the blocking bar is in a closed position that does not allow the vehicle to pass; a holding force adjustment unit that adjusts a holding force for holding the blocking bar at the closed position against a force in a retraction direction from the closed position to the retraction position in accordance with a state of an approaching vehicle that has entered the traffic lane; Equipped with. Effect of the Invention

[0007] In the present disclosure, the holding force for holding the blocking bar in the closed position is adjusted according to the state of the approaching vehicle, thereby making it possible to perform control that can mitigate the impact when the vehicle collides with the blocking bar. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of a starting control device 10 according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 3 is an explanatory diagram of the opening and closing operation of the starting control device 10 according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 5 is an explanatory diagram of the retreat operation of the starting control device 10 according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart showing a holding force adjusting operation of the starting control device 10 according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a holding force in a normal state according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a state determination process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a holding force adjustment process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a starting control device 10 according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9]10 is a flowchart showing the holding force adjusting operation of the starting control device 10 according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a second holding force adjustment process according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Embodiment 1 ***Configuration Description*** The configuration of a starting control device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The starting control device 10 includes a housing 1, a blocking bar 2, a bar holder 3, and a holding force adjustment device 4.

[0010] The housing 1 is installed in a location such as on a road at the end of a traffic lane through which the vehicle 20 travels. The housing 1 is a rectangular parallelepiped box.

[0011] The blocking bar 2 is a rod body attached to the housing 1 via a bar holder 3. The blocking bar 2 is for indicating to the driver of the vehicle 20 whether or not passage through the traffic lane is permitted.

[0012] The bar holder 3 is attached to the housing 1. The bar holder 3 is attached so as to rotate in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle 20 from a closed position C to an open position O (see FIG. 2). The rotation between the closed position C and the open position O is performed by the power of a drive unit. The closed position C indicates that the vehicle 20 is not permitted to pass. The open position O indicates that the vehicle 20 is permitted to pass. Moreover, the bar holder 3 is configured to bend approximately 90 degrees in the traveling direction of the vehicle 20 from the closed position C to the retracted position V (see FIG. 3). The retracted position V is a position where the blocking bar 2 is retracted so as not to come into contact with the vehicle 20. In other words, the bar holder 3 has a bar release function that moves the blocking bar 2 to the retracted position when the vehicle 20 passes through the traffic lane in a closed state where the blocking bar 2 is in the closed position. It should be noted that even while the bar holder 3 is rotating between the closed position C and the open position O, it is possible for the bar holder 3 to bend in the traveling direction of the vehicle 20.

[0013] The holding force adjustment device 4 is a device that adjusts the holding force that holds the blocking bar 2 at the closed position C against a force in the retraction direction from the closed position C to the retracted position V. The holding force adjustment device 4 is realized by a computer or the like. In the first embodiment, the holding force is generated by a magnetic force.

[0014] ***Explanation of Operation*** The operation of the starting control device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figs.

[0015] The opening and closing operations of the starting control device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the opening and closing operation, the starting control device 10 rotates the bar holder 3 by the power of the drive unit. As a result, the blocking bar 2 rotates between a closed position C where the blocking bar 2 extends substantially horizontally to not allow the vehicle 20 to pass, and an open position O where the blocking bar 2 extends substantially vertically to allow the vehicle 20 to pass. In principle, the vehicle 20 travels through the traffic lane when the blocking bar 2 is in the open position O. The vehicle 20 does not travel through the traffic lane when the blocking bar 2 is in any other position. However, there are cases where the vehicle 20 travels through the traffic lane when the blocking bar 2 is in a position other than the open position O. In this case, the vehicle 20 comes into contact with the blocking bar 2.

[0016] The retreat operation of the starting control device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. When the blocking bar 2 is in a position other than the open position O, if the vehicle 20 passes through the traffic lane and comes into contact with the blocking bar 2, a retraction operation is performed. In the retraction operation, the bar holder 3 breaks, and the blocking bar 2 rotates to the retracted position V in a substantially horizontal direction in the traveling direction of the vehicle 20. When the blocking bar 2 moves to the retracted position V, it is temporarily fixed at the retracted position V. By performing the evacuation operation, in the event of contact between the vehicle 20 and the blocking bar 2, damage to the blocking bar 2 and the like can be reduced.

[0017] The holding force adjusting operation of the starting control device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. As a premise, the holding force adjusting device 4 sets the holding force to a reference value in a normal state. The normal state is a state other than the specific state described later. As shown in FIG. 5, an elastic force from the elastic body acts on the bar holder 3 in the retraction direction. In addition, an environmental external force such as wind may act in the retraction direction. The reference value is a force greater than the elastic force from the elastic body plus an assumed external force. In other words, the holding force from the magnetic force is greater than the sum of the elastic force and the assumed external force. As a result, unless a collision of the vehicle 20 occurs, the bar holder 3 will not bend in the retraction direction.

[0018] (Step S11: Entry determination process) The holding force adjusting device 4 judges whether the vehicle 20 has entered the traffic lane. If the vehicle 20 has entered the traffic lane, the holding force adjusting device 4 advances the process to step S12. On the other hand, if the vehicle 20 has not entered the traffic lane, the holding force adjusting device 4 executes the process of step S11 again.

[0019] (Step S12: State determination process) The holding force adjustment device 4 judges whether the state of the entering vehicle, which is the vehicle 20 that has entered the traffic lane, is a specific state. If it is a specific state, the holding force adjustment device 4 advances the process to step S13. On the other hand, if it is not a specific state, the holding force adjustment device 4 returns the process to step S11. The specific state is a state in which it is recognized that there is a high possibility that the entering vehicle will come into contact with the starting control device 10.

[0020] Specific examples of the specific state include at least one of the following states (1) to (3): (1) A state in which the speed of the entering vehicle is faster than a threshold value, (2) A state in which a communication device installed in the traffic lane cannot communicate with the entering vehicle, and (3) A state in which the entering vehicle does not transmit information to permit passage through the traffic lane. (2) is a case where, when the starting control device 10 is installed in an ETC (registered trademark) lane, the approaching vehicle is a vehicle 20 that is not ETC (registered trademark). Specifically, this is a case where the approaching vehicle is not equipped with an ETC (registered trademark) on-board unit or where the on-board unit is broken. (3) is a case where, when the starting control device 10 is installed in an ETC (registered trademark) lane, the ETC (registered trademark) on-board unit of the approaching vehicle does not transmit appropriate information. Specifically, this is a case where an appropriate card is not inserted in the on-board unit.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 6, multiple vehicle detectors 21 are installed in front of the departure control device 10 in the traffic lane. The holding force adjustment device 4 calculates the speed of the entering vehicle from the detection time of the entering vehicle by each vehicle detector 21. Then, the holding force adjustment device 4 judges whether the calculated speed is faster than a threshold value. This judges whether the specific state defined in (1) is present. At this time, the holding force adjustment device 4 may calculate the deceleration ratio of the entering vehicle. The holding force adjustment device 4 may determine whether or not the vehicle is in a specific state by taking into account the deceleration ratio in addition to the speed. As a specific example, the holding force adjustment device 4 may determine that the vehicle is in a specific state when the deceleration ratio is less than a certain value even if the speed is slower than the threshold value. The holding force adjustment device 4 may also change the threshold value depending on the deceleration ratio. The holding force adjustment device 4 calculates the difference between the speed calculated from the detection time of the entering vehicle at the vehicle detector 21A and the vehicle detector 21B and the speed calculated from the detection time of the entering vehicle at the vehicle detector 21B and the vehicle detector 21C. This allows the deceleration ratio of the entering vehicle to be calculated.

[0022] (Step S13: Holding force adjustment process) The holding force adjustment device 4 reduces the holding force due to the magnetic force compared to the normal state. As shown in Fig. 7, the holding force adjustment device 4 reduces the holding force compared to the case shown in Fig. 5 so that the holding force is somewhat larger than the elastic force of the elastic body. This prepares the approaching vehicle for colliding with the blocking bar 2.

[0023] Thereafter, the holding force adjustment device 4 returns the holding force to the reference value in the following cases (A) and (B): (A) When the approaching vehicle does not collide with the blocking bar 2 and the bar holder 3 moves to the open position O; (B) When the bar holder 3 moves to the retracted position V and then returns to the closed position C.

[0024] ***Advantages of the First Embodiment*** As described above, the starting control device 10 according to the first embodiment reduces the holding force when the approaching vehicle is in a specific state. This makes it possible to reduce the impact on the approaching vehicle and the blocking bar 2 and the bar holder 3 when the approaching vehicle collides with the blocking bar 2. As a result, it is possible to prevent damage to the blocking bar 2 and the bar holder 3 and damage to the body of the vehicle 20.

[0025] ***Other configurations*** <Variation 1> In the first embodiment, the process of step S11 and the process of step S12 in Fig. 4 are performed by the holding force adjustment device 4 provided in the starting control device 10. However, these processes may be performed by a server external to the starting control device 10. In this case, the holding force adjustment device 4 receives a signal from the external server when a specific state is reached. Then, when the holding force adjustment device 4 receives the signal, it performs the process of step S13 and reduces the holding force.

[0026] Embodiment 2 The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the holding force is further reduced before the approaching vehicle collides with the blocking bar 2. In the second embodiment, this difference will be described, and a description of the same points will be omitted.

[0027] ***Configuration Description*** The configuration of a starting control device 10 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The starting control device 10 differs from the starting control device 10 shown in Fig. 1 in that it includes a proximity sensor 5. The proximity sensor 5 is attached to the housing 1. The proximity sensor 5 is a sensor that detects when an approaching vehicle has entered within a reference distance from the blocking bar 2.

[0028] ***Explanation of Operation*** The holding force adjusting operation of the starting control device 10 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The processes from step S21 to step S23 are the same as the processes from step S11 to step S13 in FIG.

[0029] (Step S24: Approach determination process) The holding force adjusting device 4 judges whether or not the approach sensor 5 detects that the approaching vehicle has entered within the reference distance. If the approach sensor 5 detects the approaching vehicle, the holding force adjusting device 4 advances the process to step S25. On the other hand, if the approach sensor 5 does not detect the approaching vehicle, the holding force adjusting device 4 executes the process of step S24 again.

[0030] (Step S25: Second holding force adjustment process) The holding force adjustment device 4 makes the magnetic holding force even smaller than that in the specific state. In other words, when the state of the approaching vehicle is the specific state and it is detected that the approaching vehicle has entered within a reference distance, the holding force adjustment device 4 makes the holding force smaller than that in the specific state. In the second embodiment, as shown in Fig. 10, the holding force adjustment device 4 sets the holding force by the magnetic force to zero. As a result, the elastic force of the elastic body moves the bar holder 3 to the retracted position V. In other words, the bar holder 3 moves to the retracted position V before the approaching vehicle collides with the blocking bar 2.

[0031] ***Effects of the second embodiment*** As described above, the starting control device 10 according to the second embodiment further reduces the holding force when it is detected that the approaching vehicle has entered within the reference distance. This makes it possible to further reduce the impact on the blocking bar 2, the bar holder 3, and the approaching vehicle when the approaching vehicle collides with the blocking bar 2.

[0032] In particular, in the second embodiment, when it is detected that an approaching vehicle has entered within a reference distance, the holding force is set to 0. This causes the bar holder 3 to move to the retracted position V before the approaching vehicle collides with the blocking bar 2. As a result, the approaching vehicle is prevented from colliding with the blocking bar 2.

[0033] The above describes the embodiments and modifications of the present disclosure. Some of these embodiments and modifications may be combined and implemented. Also, one or some of them may be partially implemented. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments and modifications, and various modifications are possible as necessary. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 1 housing, 2 blocking bar, 3 bar holder, 4 holding force adjustment device, 5 approach sensor, 10 starting control device, 20 vehicle, 21 vehicle detector.

Claims

1. a bar holder for holding the blocking bar, the bar holder having a bar release function for moving the blocking bar to a retracted position when a vehicle passes through a traffic lane in a closed state where the blocking bar is in a closed position that does not allow the vehicle to pass; a holding force adjustment device that reduces a holding force for holding the blocking bar at the closed position against a force in a retraction direction from the closed position to the retracted position in a specific state in which a communication device provided in the traffic lane cannot communicate with an entering vehicle that has entered the traffic lane, compared to a normal state that is not the specific state; A starting control device equipped with the above.

2. The specific state is a state in which the communication device does not transmit information for permitting the entering vehicle to pass through the traffic lane. The starting control device according to claim 1 .

3. The starting control device further includes: A proximity sensor that detects when the approaching vehicle has come within a reference distance from the blocking bar. Equipped with When the state of the approaching vehicle is a specific state and the approach sensor detects that the approaching vehicle has entered within a reference distance, the holding force adjustment device reduces the holding force compared to the case of the specific state. The starting control device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. a bar holder for holding the blocking bar, the bar holder having a bar release function for moving the blocking bar to a retracted position when a vehicle passes through a traffic lane in a closed state where the blocking bar is in a closed position that does not allow the vehicle to pass; a holding force adjustment device that reduces a holding force for holding the blocking bar at the closed position against a force acting in a retraction direction from the closed position to the retraction position before the vehicle enters the traffic lane, in a specific state in which the speed of the entering vehicle that has entered the traffic lane is faster than a threshold value, compared to a normal state that is not the specific state; A starting control device equipped with the above.

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