Driving aids

Abstract

To enable even a physically handicapped driver to freely perform driving operations and to easily perform delicate brake operations with his or her hand.SOLUTION: A brake operation unit 13 allowing for manual brake operations is provided in the interior of a vehicle, and the brake operation unit 13 comprises a grip 16, and an elbow rest 40 is provided in a position which a driver can bring his or her elbow into contact with when holding the grip 16 so as to be able to operate it, behind the grip 16 in the vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving assistance device for physically disabled persons, and more particularly to a driving assistance device that enables a person with a lower limb disability seated in the driver's seat to manually operate the brakes using a brake operating unit provided inside the vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Vehicles equipped with an operating lever that allows manual brake operation are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the vehicle of Patent Document 1, the driver can manually operate the brakes even if he or she has a disability in the lower limbs, so various brake operation mechanisms have been developed, including the technology of Patent Document 1.

[0003] In the case of a brake operation mechanism for manually operating the brakes as described above, the driver operates the brakes using both the upper arm and forearm, with the shoulder as the fulcrum. Therefore, in situations where a slight braking operation is required, it is difficult to maintain a constant amount of arm pressure, and there is a concern that delicate braking cannot be performed. Furthermore, for example, in a configuration in which steering, acceleration, shift changes, etc. are also performed manually, if it is difficult to perform delicate manual braking as described above, this may have an adverse effect on these steering and other operations, raising concerns that the manual freedom of driving operations of physically disabled drivers may be restricted.

[0004] On the other hand, when a driver, such as a able-bodied person, uses the foot brake to brake with his or her foot, the driver places the heel of the foot on the floor and uses the heel as a fulcrum to depress the brake pedal, thereby performing delicate braking.

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the inventors of the present invention focused on the difference between manual braking operation and braking operation using the above-mentioned foot brake, and thoroughly studied a structure that would enable the driver to easily perform delicate braking operation manually. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-120590 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] To provide a driving assistance device that enables even a physically handicapped driver to freely drive and easily perform delicate brake operations manually. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The driving assistance device of the present invention is provided with a brake operation unit in a vehicle cabin, which allows a driver to manually displace the brake pedal in an axial direction along a downward and forward direction to operate the brakes, and the brake operation unit includes a base portion extending in the axial direction immediately in front of a seat cushion of the driver's seat, a grip portion at an upper end of the brake operation unit to be gripped by the driver, and an inclined portion that bends from the upper end of the base, extends at an angle toward the center portion in the vehicle width direction as it extends upward, and supports the grip portion. The grip portion is disposed directly above an edge of the center console on the seat cushion side in the vehicle width direction so that the driver can push the grip portion in the downward and forward direction with the palm of his / her hand. Center An elbow rest member is provided directly above the console, rearward of the grip portion and to the side of the seat cushion, toward the center of the vehicle width direction relative to the grip portion and toward the driver's side relative to the center of the vehicle width direction, and the elbow rest surface of the elbow rest member is arranged facing the driver's side in the vehicle width direction so as to prevent the armrest from opening when the driver contacts the elbow surface with the palm of his / her hand and pushes in the grip portion with his / her palm, and the elbow rest surface is arranged so that it slopes toward the driver from an upper portion located closer to the center than the grip portion in the vehicle width direction downward, and the lower portion overlaps with the grip portion in the vehicle width direction.

[0009] According to the above configuration, the driver can rest the weight of his upper arm on the elbow rest member and adjust the angle of his forearm with the elbow supported by the elbow rest member as a fulcrum to perform braking, thereby eliminating the need to move the entire arm and enabling delicate control of the braking force with the forearm.

[0010] Therefore, even physically disabled drivers can freely drive and operate the vehicle, and delicate braking operations using the foot, such as those performed using a foot brake, can be easily performed manually.

[0011] Furthermore, as described above, the elbow rest surface of the elbow rest member is arranged toward the driver in the vehicle width direction and is inclined so that the lower part of the elbow rest surface is closer to the driver, so that the driver can firmly abut the elbow surface while maintaining a driving posture appropriate for braking, regardless of the driver's physique. This makes it easy to perform strong braking.

[0012] In addition, the position of the point on the elbow rest surface where the driver's elbow appropriately rests (height or position in the vehicle width direction) can be made to firmly rest against the elbow rest surface without having to adjust it according to the driver's physique, eliminating the hassle of making adjustments.

[0013] As an aspect of the present invention, the elbow rest surface may be provided such that an upper portion of the elbow rest surface is positioned toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0014] As an aspect of the present invention, the elbow rest member may be configured so that at least a part of an elbow rest surface is provided above an armrest provided on a center console of the vehicle.

[0015] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the driver can perform the brake operation while maintaining an appropriate driving posture without leaning against the side of the center console, as in the case where the driver places his / her forearm on the armrest.

[0016] As an aspect of the present invention, the elbow rest member may be configured to be attachable to a cup holder provided in a center console.

[0017] According to the above configuration, the elbow rest member can be removed from the vehicle body when the driver does not need to manually operate the brakes. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the above configuration, even a physically disabled driver can freely drive the vehicle and can easily perform delicate manual brake operations. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is an external view of the interior of a vehicle in which an operation bar and an elbow rest member provided in the manual brake operation device of the present embodiment are installed, as viewed from the driver's seat side. [Diagram 2] 2 is a plan view of a vehicle interior in which an operation bar and an elbow rest member provided in the manual brake operation device of the present embodiment are installed. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion taken along line AA in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an external view of an operation bar provided in the manual brake operation device of the embodiment, as viewed from the driver's seat side. [Diagram 5] 1 is an external view showing, from the driver's seat side, how an elbow rest member provided in the manual brake operation device of this embodiment is attached to a vehicle body; [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a plan view of an elbow rest member provided in the manual brake operation device of the present embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a front view of an elbow rest member provided in the manual brake operation device of the present embodiment. [Figure 8] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating the operation of the elbow rest member, showing how the driver operates the brakes using the operating bar with his / her elbow against the elbow rest member, depending on the driver's physique. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the figure, arrow F indicates the front of the vehicle, arrow U indicates the upper side of the vehicle, arrow R indicates the right side of the vehicle, arrow L indicates the left side of the vehicle, arrow X indicates the axial direction of the steering wheel, arrow Xu indicates the upper side of the steering wheel in the axial direction (driver's side), and arrow Xd indicates the lower side of the steering wheel in the axial direction (opposite the driver's side).

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the vehicle of this embodiment is a right-hand drive vehicle, and is equipped with a manual brake operation device 10 that allows a driver with a lower limb disability who has difficulty operating the brake pedal or accelerator pedal with his or her feet to manually operate the brakes while seated in the driver's seat 8, and a manual accelerator operation device 30 (see Figures 2 and 4) that allows the driver to manually operate the accelerator. The manual brake operation device 10 of this embodiment corresponds to the driving assistance device of the present invention.

[0022] The brake manual operation device 10 and the accelerator manual operation device 30 are incorporated into a base vehicle by modifying the base vehicle. In the following, the brake manual operation device 10 and the accelerator manual operation device 30 will be described, but prior to that, a schematic structure of the base vehicle will be described.

[0023] A driver's seat 8 and a passenger seat 3 are mounted on each of the left and right sides of the front part of the floor panel 2 (see Figure 3) of the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and in front of the driver's seat 8, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, a steering wheel 6 is provided which is held and operated by the driver seated in the driver's seat 8.

[0024] Although not shown, the steering wheel 6 is also provided with paddle shift switches each consisting of a pair of an upshift switch for upshifting and a downshift switch for downshifting.

[0025] In this example, the up-shift switch is provided on the rear back surface of the right spoke portion 6a, and the down-shift switch is provided on the rear back surface of the left spoke portion 6b (not shown).

[0026] 1 to 4, an instrument panel 80 is provided at the front end of the passenger compartment across the entire width of the passenger compartment. A center console 85 extending in the front-rear direction is provided between the driver's seat 8 and the passenger seat 3 at the front of the floor panel 2 of the passenger compartment. Both the instrument panel 80 and the center console 85 form part of the interior members of the passenger compartment, and a front portion of the center console 85 is integrally connected to a central portion of the instrument panel 80 in the width direction of the vehicle.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, on the upper surface extending in the front-to-rear direction of center console 85, various operating parts such as a shift knob 86 for shifting gears and a start switch 87, cup holders 88a, 88b (see Figure 2), and an armrest 90 are provided in this order from the front to the rear.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 2, cup holders 88a, 88b are formed in a concave shape so that a beverage container can be placed thereon, and are provided with a lid 89 for opening and closing the opening. In this example, cup holder 88b for a passenger seated in passenger seat 3 and cup holder 88a for the driver are provided side by side on each of the left and right sides in an intermediate area between various operating parts and armrest 90 in the front-rear direction on the top surface of center console 85. Note that Fig. 2 only illustrates the lid 89 provided on cup holder 88b for the passenger.

[0029] In addition, the intermediate region on the upper surface of the center console 85 is not limited to being formed in a concave shape as cup holders 88a, 88b as in this embodiment, but may also be formed in a concave shape as a box portion for storing small items, for example.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, in front of the driver's seat 8 on the instrument panel 80, a display section 81 of various instruments such as a tachometer and speedometer is disposed so as to be visible through the steering wheel 6, and above the connection section with the front of the center console 85 on the left side, an air conditioning outlet 82 is disposed, and further below, a display 84 of a navigation device is provided.

[0031] An accelerator pedal (not shown) is provided on the floor panel 2 in front of the driver's seat 8 inside the vehicle cabin at a position where the right foot of the driver seated in the driver's seat 8 is placed, and a brake pedal (not shown) is provided to the left of the accelerator pedal (towards the center in the vehicle width direction).

[0032] The accelerator pedal is an organ-type pedal that operates the throttle valve of the engine, and the brake pedal is a suspended pedal that operates the brakes, and both are typical pedals provided on the base vehicle.

[0033] The manual brake operation device 10 will now be described. As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the brake manual operation device 10 is installed near the front side of the driver's seat 8, on the left side of the steering wheel 6, i.e., near the right wall 85a (see Figure 3) of the connection portion of the center console 85 with the instrument panel 80.

[0034] 1, 3 and 4, the manual brake operation device 10 includes a brake operation unit 11 at an upper portion and an operation amount transmission unit 12 at a lower portion. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the brake operation unit 11 includes an operation bar 13 and a pivot support portion 14.

[0035] The operation bar 13 is made of a metal pipe material (so-called round pipe) whose cross section perpendicular to the axial direction is circular, and is arranged in a tilted posture from front-lower to rear-upper. More specifically, the upper part of the operation bar 13 is located near the left side of the steering wheel 6 (see FIG. 2) at a height that allows the driver seated in the driver's seat 8 to operate it with his / her left hand. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the operation bar 13 extends in a front-lower direction toward the floor panel 2 near the front side of the driver's seat 8.

[0036] The operating bar 13 is pivotally supported at its lower portion by the pivot support portion 14 so that it can be slid forward and downward relative to the pivot support portion 14 when pushed forward and downward along the axial direction of the operating bar 13 (i.e., braked).

[0037] The operation bar 13 slides in the axial direction between a neutral position and a maximum pushed-in position where the operation bar 13 is pushed forward and downward by a predetermined distance from the neutral position. Note that the operation bar 13 shown in Figures 1 to 4 is shown in a state where it is disposed at the neutral position.

[0038] The operation amount transmission unit 12 is interposed between the brake operation unit 11 and a brake pedal (not shown), and is configured to transmit the operation force (operation amount) caused by the sliding displacement of the operation bar 13 in the forward and downward direction to the brake pedal. In other words, the brake pedal provided on the base vehicle is configured to be linked to the axial sliding movement of the operation bar 13 caused by manual brake operation.

[0039] As a result, when the brakes are manually operated using the operation bar 13, the manual brake operation device 10 can rotate the brake pedal with an amount of depression that corresponds to the amount of sliding (pushing) of the operation bar 13 in the forward and downward direction, thereby activating the brakes.

[0040] In addition, the operation bar 13 is biased to a neutral position like the brake pedal, and the respective neutral positions of the operation bar 13 and the brake pedal correspond to each other. Therefore, when the driver releases the forward and downward pushing of the operation bar 13 from the neutral position, the operation bar 13 and the brake pedal are simultaneously restored to their respective neutral positions.

[0041] The above-mentioned operation bar 13 provided in the manual brake operation device 10 of this embodiment is integrally formed of an operation bar main body 15 and a grip portion 16 provided at the upper end of the operation bar main body 15.

[0042] The operating bar main body 15 is integrally formed with a base 15a and an inclined portion 15c that extends linearly from the upper end of the base 15a via a bent portion 15b and is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction as it goes upward.

[0043] The base 15a extends in a direction that coincides with the front-rear direction in a plan view of the vehicle, extends linearly with an inclined front-lower-rear-upper attitude so as to be coaxial with the pivot support 14, and is formed with the same diameter along the axial direction. The lower part of the base 15a is pivotally supported in a state where it is fitted into the cylindrical pivot support 14 through an opening of the pivot support 14 that opens toward the rear and upper side.

[0044] The inclined portion 15c is inclined front-to-lower-rear-upper like the base portion 15a, but is inclined front-to-lower-rear-upper in a steeper attitude (rising attitude) than the base portion 15a, and as described above, the inclined portion 15c extends with an inclination toward the center of the vehicle width direction as it extends upward.

[0045] As a result, the inclined portion 15c supports the grip portion 16 from below in a manual operation area (a position corresponding to the boundary between the center console 85 and the floor panel 2 in a plan view) (see FIG. 2). The inclined portion 15c has a lower end formed to have substantially the same diameter as the base portion 15a, and is formed to have a tapered shape toward the top.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the grip portion 16 is provided with a plurality of operation buttons that allow the driver to perform various operations while gripping the grip portion 16.

[0047] Specifically, a brake lock switch 17 and a hazard switch 18 are disposed on a right side surface 16a of the grip portion 16.

[0048] The brake lock switch 17 can lock and hold the brake state when the brake is in an actuated state. That is, the brake lock switch 17 can hold the operation bar 13 for braking in a pressed-down state by pressing the brake lock switch 17 when the operation bar 13 for braking is in a pressed-down state. The brake lock switch 17 can be released from the brake state by pressing it again.

[0049] In this embodiment, the hazard switch 18, like a hazard switch (not shown) provided in front of the driver's seat 8 on the instrument panel 80, can be pressed by the driver to flash hazard lights (emergency flashers) to alert people around the vehicle and warn of danger. The hazard switch 18 is configured so that the flashing of the hazard lamps is stopped by pressing it again.

[0050] 3, a paddle shift switch 23 is provided on the front lower surface 16d (the back surface opposite the driver's side) of the grip portion 16. Although not shown, the paddle shift switch 23 is a seesaw-type switch in which a downshift switch for downshifting and an upshift switch for upshifting are arranged side by side in a pair.

[0051] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the accelerator manual operation device 30 of this embodiment includes an accelerator lever 31 as an accelerator operation member disposed in the vicinity of the radially inner side of the rim portion 61 of the steering wheel 6. As shown in FIG.

[0052] The accelerator lever 31 is configured so that the driver can push it downward (toward the opposite side to the driver) from the neutral position in the steering axis direction with the thumb or the like of the hand gripping the steering wheel 6. Furthermore, the accelerator lever 31 is biased toward the neutral position (upward) so that it can be restored to the neutral position from a position pushed further in than the neutral position.

[0053] This allows the driver to press the accelerator lever 31 between the neutral position and a maximum depression position where it is pressed in a predetermined distance, and the driver can control the opening of the engine throttle valve, i.e., accelerate or decelerate the vehicle, depending on the amount of pressing.

[0054] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the vehicle of this embodiment is provided with an elbow rest member 40 that can be abutted against the driver's left arm at a position behind the grip portion 16 in the passenger compartment, at a position corresponding to the elbow of the driver when the driver is gripping the grip portion 16 so as to be able to operate the operating bar 13.

[0055] The elbow rest member 40 is provided upright at a position corresponding to the driver's cup holder 88a of the center console 85 (that is, a position closer to the driver's side in the vehicle width direction of the center console 85).

[0056] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the elbow rest member 40 comprises an elbow rest member main body 41, a support frame 42 and a vehicle body mounting portion 43.

[0057] As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the vehicle body mounting portion 43 includes a core material (not shown) formed integrally with the support frame 42, an exterior member 44 attached to the core material, and a trim panel 45 installed on the upper surface of the exterior member 44.

[0058] Although not shown, the core material is formed of a metal frame or the like that forms the framework of the vehicle body mounting part 43. In this embodiment, the support frame 42, which will be described later, extends downward to a portion that corresponds to the vehicle body mounting part 43, and this downward extension portion serves as the core material for the vehicle body mounting part 43 (not shown).

[0059] The exterior member 44 is formed of an elastic material such as urethane, and is attached mainly to the outer periphery of the core material. As a result, the vehicle body mounting portion 43 is formed to have a diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the concave cup holder 88a. However, the vehicle body mounting portion 43 is formed so that its vertical length is shorter than the depth of the cup holder 88a. The trim panel 45 (lid for the dummy) is formed in a plate shape having a size corresponding to the lid (not shown) provided on the driver's cup holder 88a.

[0060] When attaching elbow rest member 40 to the vehicle body, the lid of driver's cup holder 88a is removed to open the cup holder 88a, and the vehicle body attachment portion 43 is fitted into the concave cup holder 88a through the opening as shown by the white arrow in Figure 5, so that the vehicle body attachment portion 43 is fitted and held in the cup holder 88a. Note that with the vehicle body attachment portion 43 fitted and held in the cup holder 88a, the trim panel 45 is installed in a position corresponding to the lid of the driver's cup holder 88a before the elbow rest member 40 is attached to the vehicle body. Additionally, elbow rest member 40 can be removed from the vehicle body by pulling vehicle body mounting portion 43 out of cup holder 88a, and cup holder 88a is restored to its original concave shape capable of receiving a beverage container.

[0061] With vehicle body mounting portion 43 attached to driver's cup holder 88a, support frame 42 stands upright at a position corresponding to driver's cup holder 88a, as shown in Figs.

[0062] As shown in Figure 7, the entire support frame 42 except for the upper part extends in the up-down direction (vertical direction) and is tilted so that the upper part is positioned further rearward as it goes up, as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 5. The upper end of support frame 42 is attached to the lower part of elbow rest main body 41, and is configured to support elbow rest main body 41 from directly below (see Figure 7).

[0063] The elbow rest member main body 41 is formed in a plate shape comprising a frame (not shown), a cushion pad, and a trim cover 47 that covers the frame and the cushion pad (not shown), and is positioned so that one side (the right side) faces approximately the driver (driver's seat 8) in the vehicle width direction.

[0064] The frame is made of a metal material or a relatively hard resin material, and forms the skeleton of the elbow rest body 41. The cushion pad is made of a foam material such as soft urethane foam, and is attached to the frame, covering at least the right side of the frame (the side generally facing the driver).

[0065] The trim cover 47 is made of a skin material such as leather (natural leather, synthetic leather) or cloth (knitted, woven, nonwoven), and has a right side skin that is placed on the right side of the elbow rest member main body 41, a left side skin that is placed on the left side, and a gusset skin that connects the right side skin and the left side skin, and is formed by sewing these skins together.

[0066] The right surface of the elbow rest member body 41 in the vehicle width direction is formed as an elbow rest surface 48. The elbow rest surface 48 has a cushion pad covering the right surface of the frame, ensuring flexibility so that the driver does not feel pain when his or her elbow rests against it.

[0067] As shown in Figures 2, 6 and 7, the elbow rest member main body 41 is supported by the support frame 42 in an inclined position so that the elbow rest surface 48 is positioned toward the driver (driver's seat 8) in the vehicle width direction as it approaches the driver's seat.

[0068] In this example, elbow rest surface 48 is inclined at an angle of approximately 35 degrees with respect to the vertical direction when viewed from the front of the vehicle, so that the upper part is located on the passenger seat 3 side and the lower part is located on the driver's seat 8 side. However, the inclination angle of elbow rest surface 48 can be set to any angle that makes it easy for the driver to contact the elbow of his / her left arm when he / she is gripping grip portion 16.

[0069] As shown in Figure 2, the elbow rest member body 41 is positioned near the left side of the seat of the driver's seat 8 in a plan view, and is positioned so that the lower part of the elbow rest member body 41 overlaps with at least a part of the grip part 16 in the vehicle width direction. In this example, the elbow rest member body 41 is positioned slightly to the left of the grip part 16. An armrest 90 is installed on the rear side of the elbow rest member body 41, and as shown in Figure 3, the elbow rest member body 41 is formed high so that the entire body except for the lower part in the vertical direction protrudes above the upper surface of the armrest 90. The elbow rest member body 41 is positioned so that only the upper part is at approximately the same height as the grip part 16 (overlapping in the vertical direction) (see Figure 3).

[0070] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the elbow rest member main body 41 is inclined so that it is positioned further rearward of the vehicle as it ascends, and is formed into an approximately parallelogram with each corner chamfered when viewed from the side of the vehicle.

[0071] Specifically, as shown in Figures 5 and 7, the lower edge 41d of the elbow rest member main body 41 is formed in a straight line that is approximately horizontal in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the rear edge 41r and the front edge 41f are both inclined so that they are positioned further rearward as they ascend, and extend in straight lines parallel to each other.

[0072] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the manual brake operation device 10 (driving assistance device) of the above-mentioned embodiment is provided with an operation bar 13 (brake operation section) inside the vehicle cabin that allows manual brake operation, and the operation bar 13 has a grip section 16, and as shown in Figures 1 to 3, an elbow rest member 40 is provided at the rear of the vehicle of the grip section 16 at a position against which the driver's elbow can come into contact when the driver is holding the grip section 16 so as to be able to operate the operation bar 13.

[0073] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the weight of the driver's upper arm is placed on the elbow rest member main body 41 of the elbow rest member 40, and the angle of the forearm is adjusted around the elbow supported by the elbow rest member main body 41 as a fulcrum to perform braking, thereby making it possible to delicately control the braking force with the forearm since there is no need to move the entire left arm. Therefore, even a physically handicapped driver can easily manually perform delicate braking operations using his / her feet, such as those performed using a foot brake.

[0074] In addition, according to the above configuration, when operating the brakes using the operating bar 13, even a physically disabled driver can maintain a comfortable driving posture without having to lose his / her posture. This makes it easier for the driver to manually perform steering, accelerator, shift change operations, etc., and as a result, the driver can freely perform driving operations.

[0075] Specifically, the procedure and method for a large driver Dm in Fig. 8 to operate the brakes using the operating bar 13 with his elbow resting against the elbow rest member main body 41 will be described. First, when operating the brakes, the driver Dm pushes the operating bar 13 forward and downward, starting from the elbow of his left arm resting against the elbow rest surface 48 of the elbow rest member main body 41. This prevents the driver Dm from opening his arms wide in both front and side views, and allows the driver Dm to push his forearm in while maintaining a comfortable driving posture without losing his driving posture.

[0076] Furthermore, when the driver Dm uses his / her left hand to push the operation bar 13 in a forward and downward direction, it is preferable to push the forearm in a forward and downward direction while guiding the left elbow along the elbow rest surface 48 while keeping the elbow of the left arm in contact with the elbow rest member main body 41. In this way, the elbow rest member main body 41 can assist the forward and downward operation trajectory of the left hand when operating the brakes, and as a result, unnecessary movements such as shaking of the left hand of the driver Dm are suppressed, and the operation and control of the operation bar 13 can be performed with less loss.

[0077] One aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, 6 and 7, elbow rest surface 48 of elbow rest member main body 41 is arranged facing the driver in the vehicle width direction, and elbow rest surface 48 is inclined so that the lower part is positioned closer to the driver.

[0078] According to the above-mentioned configuration, regardless of the driver's physique, the driver can maintain an appropriate driving posture when braking and have the driver's elbow firmly abut against the elbow support surface 48. This allows the driver to easily perform strong braking.

[0079] In addition, the driver's elbow can be brought into firm contact with the elbow rest surface 48 without the need to adjust the height of the point on the elbow rest surface 48 where the driver's elbow properly rests, depending on the driver's build.

[0080] Specifically, as described above, the elbow rest surface 48 of the elbow rest member main body 41 is inclined so that it is positioned closer to the driver as it approaches the bottom, so that, as shown by the solid line in Figure 8, if the driver Dm is relatively large, the elbow of the driver Dm will abut at a relatively upper (upper and rear) position on the elbow rest surface 48, which inclines towards the driver Dm as it approaches the bottom (see elbow rest point Pm in Figure 8).

[0081] On the other hand, as shown by the phantom line in Figure 8, when the driver Dw has a relatively small build, the elbow of the driver Dw comes into contact with a relatively lower (lower front) position on the elbow support surface 48, which slopes toward the driver Dw as it goes downward (see elbow support point Pw in Figure 8).

[0082] As described above, the elbow rest surface 48 of the elbow rest member main body 41 is inclined so that the lower part is positioned closer to the driver, so that the driver's elbow can be firmly abutted (supported) at elbow rest points Pm, Pw on the elbow rest surface 48 that are appropriate for operating the brakes, regardless of the driver's physique.

[0083] Therefore, regardless of the driver's physique, the driver can easily perform strong braking while maintaining a driving posture, i.e., while maintaining a posture for performing normal braking with the left arm stretched forward and gripping the grip portion 16.

[0084] In addition, the driver can place his / her elbow against an appropriate elbow rest point without having to adjust the position of the elbow rest point on the elbow rest surface 48 (the height of the point where the elbow rests and its position in the vehicle width direction) according to the driver's physique, and can utilize the elbow rest member main body 41 without the hassle of adjusting the elbow rest point.

[0085] In addition, the elbow rest surface 48 of the elbow rest member main body 41 is not a horizontal surface like the upper surface of the armrest 90 on which the driver's arm is placed, but is provided to face the driver in the vehicle width direction, so that when the driver pushes the operation bar 13 forward and downward while gripping the grip portion 16 with his / her left hand to operate the brakes, the elbow of the driver's left arm can be firmly restrained against the elbow rest surface 48. This can firmly prevent the elbow of the driver's left arm from escaping toward the passenger seat 3 from the position of the elbow rest surface 48 in the vehicle width direction. In other words, the armpit corner of the driver's left arm is prevented from opening when viewed from the front of the vehicle, allowing delicate control of the brakes with the forearm.

[0086] In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 3, the elbow rest member main body 41 is characterized in that at least a part of the elbow rest surface 48 (the actual elbow rest portion of the elbow rest surface 48) is located above an armrest 90 provided on the center console 85 of the vehicle.

[0087] Specifically, the portion of elbow rest member body 41 above at least the vertical middle position of elbow rest surface 48 is located above the upper surface of armrest 90. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, elbow rest member body 41 is located further forward of the vehicle than armrest 90 and closer to the driver in the vehicle width direction.

[0088] According to the above configuration, when the driver rests his / her elbow on the elbow rest member main body 41, the driver can perform braking while maintaining an appropriate driving posture without leaning against the center console 85, as would be the case when the driver places his / her forearm on the armrest 90.

[0089] As an aspect of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, elbow rest member 40 is formed so as to be attachable to driver's cup holder 88a provided on center console 85.

[0090] According to the above configuration, the elbow rest member 40 can be easily attached and detached by simply inserting and removing it from the concave cup holder 88a. Therefore, for example, in cases where the driver is an able-bodied person who does not need to manually operate the brakes, the elbow rest member 40 can be removed from the vehicle body, making it easier to use the armrest 90. Furthermore, no major modifications are required to the base vehicle when attaching the elbow rest member 40 to the vehicle body.

[0091] In addition, as an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, 5 and 6, elbow rest body 41 of elbow rest 40 is provided so that the upper part is positioned further rearward of the vehicle.

[0092] In this way, the elbow rest member main body 41 is positioned so that the upper part is located further rearward of the vehicle, so that the driver can reliably place his / her elbow on the elbow rest surface 48 regardless of differences in the elbow rest point in the front-to-rear and up-to-down directions due to differences in the driver's physique.

[0093] Furthermore, since the elbow rest member main body 41 is positioned so that the upper part is located further rearward of the vehicle, the driver can continue to guide his / her elbow along the forward / downward trajectory of the elbow when pushing the operating bar 13 forward / downward with his / her elbow resting against the elbow rest point.

[0094] For example, as shown by the solid line in Fig. 8, if the driver Dm is relatively large, the elbow of the driver Dm will abut on a relatively rear (upper rear) position on the elbow rest surface 48 (see elbow rest point Pm in Fig. 8). Also, as shown by the phantom line in Fig. 8, if the driver Dw is relatively small, the elbow of the driver Dw will abut on a relatively front (lower front) position on the elbow rest surface 48 (see elbow rest point Pw in Fig. 8).

[0095] Furthermore, the elbow rest member main body 41 is not made unnecessarily large, but is provided with the minimum necessary size so that the upper part is located further rearward in the vehicle, so that the elbow rest member 40 provided on the center console 85 does not interfere with the driver's access to the various switches provided on the center console 85, the shift knob 86 for shifting gears, and the start switch 87. Furthermore, the elbow rest member 40 provided upright between the passenger seat 3 and the driver's seat 8 can alleviate the feeling of claustrophobia caused by the partition between the passenger seat 3 and the driver's seat 8.

[0096] 2 to 4, in one embodiment of the present invention, grip portion 16 is provided at the upper end of operation bar 13, and elbow rest member main body 41 is provided at a position, in the vehicle width direction, rearward and to the left of the vehicle (opposite the driver in the vehicle width direction) from grip portion 16 provided at the upper end of operation bar 13. Furthermore, an inclined portion 15c is provided at the top of operation bar main body 15 (brake operation main body), which inclines more to the left as it moves upwards of the vehicle (toward the elbow rest member main body 41 in the vehicle width direction).

[0097] According to the above configuration, the inclined portion 15c provided on the upper part of the operating bar main body 15 can be made to match the direction of the left forearm in a plan view, extending from the elbow of the left arm abutting against the elbow rest member main body 41 to the left hand forward and inward in the vehicle width direction.

[0098] By providing such an inclined portion 15c on the upper part of the operating bar 13, when the driver places the elbow of his / her left arm firmly against the elbow rest surface 48 and pushes the grip portion 16 (operating bar 13) forward and downward with his / her left hand, the force pushing on the grip portion 16 (particularly the force exerted inward in the vehicle width direction) can be firmly received by the inclined portion 15c.

[0099] Therefore, the force with which the driver pushes the grip portion 16 with the elbow rest surface 48 as a fulcrum can be efficiently transmitted to the operation bar main body 15, and as a result, the operation bar 13 can be pushed in smoothly.

[0100] The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above-mentioned examples, but can be formed in various embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] 10...Brake manual operation device (driving assistance device) 13...Operation bar (brake operation section) 16...Gripping part 40...Elbow rest member 48... Elbow rest surface of elbow rest member 85…Center console 88a…Driver's cup holder (Cup holder) 90…Armrest

Claims

1. The vehicle is equipped with a brake operation unit inside the vehicle that allows the driver to manually operate the brakes by displacing the brake pedal in the axial direction along the front-down direction, the brake operation portion includes a base portion extending in the axial direction immediately in front of a seat cushion of the driver's seat, a grip portion provided at an upper end of the brake operation portion and gripped by a driver, and an inclined portion bending from an upper end of the base portion and extending inclined toward a center portion in a vehicle width direction as it extends upward, and supporting the grip portion; the gripping portion is disposed directly above an edge of the center console on the seat cushion side in a vehicle width direction so that the gripping portion can be pushed downwardly forward by the palm of a driver holding the gripping portion, an elbow rest member is provided at a position immediately above the center console, rearward of the grip portion and to the side of the seat cushion, the elbow rest member being closer to a center portion in a vehicle width direction than the grip portion and closer to a driver's side than the center portion in the vehicle width direction; The elbow rest surface of the elbow rest member is provided toward the driver in the vehicle width direction so as to prevent the arm from opening when the driver abuts the elbow on the elbow rest surface and pushes in the grip portion with the palm of the hand, The elbow rest surface is inclined downward from an upper portion located closer to the center than the grip portion in the vehicle width direction toward the driver, and the lower portion is provided so as to overlap the grip portion in the vehicle width direction. Driving aids.

2. The elbow rest surface is provided so as to be located toward the rear of the vehicle as it goes up. The driving assistance device according to claim 1 .

3. At least a part of the elbow rest surface of the elbow rest member is provided above an armrest provided in a center console of the vehicle. A driving assistance device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The armrest member is formed so as to be attachable to a cup holder provided in a center console. A driving assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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