Steering wheel

Abstract

To provide a steering wheel including an operation part which can input accelerator operation and brake operation.SOLUTION: A steering wheel 10 includes: a steering part 1 which is held and steered by an operator; a boss part 2 disposed at the inner side of the steering part 1 and connected to a steering center shaft of the steering part 1; and operation levers 3, 4 which are disposed adjacent to the steering part 1, configured to be swingable relative to the steering part 1, and swung in a first direction relative to the steering part 1 to input accelerator operation and in a second direction opposite to the first direction to input brake operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a steering wheel having an operation unit for inputting an accelerator operation and a brake operation. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, a configuration in which an operating section for inputting an accelerator operation and an operating section for inputting a brake operation are separately provided on a steering wheel, as in the configuration described in Patent Document 1. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-14204 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When an operating unit for inputting accelerator operation and an operating unit for inputting brake operation are provided separately, as in the configuration of Patent Document 1, the driver needs to change his / her grip on the operating unit when switching between accelerator operation and brake operation, which complicates the driver's operation.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a steering wheel equipped with an operation section that can input both accelerator operation and brake operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A typical configuration of a steering wheel according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is characterized by comprising a steering section that is gripped and steered by a driver, a boss section that is arranged inside the steering section and connected to a steering center axis of the steering section, and an operation section that is arranged adjacent to the steering section and configured to be swingable relative to the steering section, and that inputs an accelerator operation when swung in a first direction relative to the steering section, and inputs a brake operation when swung in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[0007] According to the present invention, an accelerator operation is input by swinging the operating unit in a first direction, and a brake operation is input by swinging the operating unit in a second direction. Therefore, the driver can perform both the accelerator operation and the brake operation using one operating unit without changing the way he or she holds the operating unit, which prevents the driver's operations from becoming complicated.

[0008] It is also preferable that the operating portion be pushed down by the driver to swing in the first direction, and be pulled up by the driver to swing in the second direction.

[0009] When driving, the accelerator is generally operated more frequently than the brake. Furthermore, because the driver is driving in a forward-leaning position, it is easier to use the driver's weight to press down on the operating unit with the palm or thumb than to pull up the operating unit with the remaining four fingers. Therefore, this configuration allows the driver to easily operate the accelerator, which is operated relatively frequently, thereby reducing the driver's operational burden.

[0010] Furthermore, the operating unit is preferably a right operating unit arranged to the right of the boss portion, and a left operating unit arranged to the left of the boss portion, configured to be swingable relative to the steering unit, and configured to input an accelerator operation by being swung in a third direction relative to the steering unit, and to input a brake operation by being swung in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, and it is preferable that the swinging of the right operating unit in the first direction and the swinging of the left operating unit in the third direction, and the swinging of the right operating unit in the second direction and the swinging of the left operating unit in the fourth direction are each synchronized by a power transmission mechanism that mechanically transmits power from one of the right operating unit or the left operating unit to the other when the right operating unit or the left operating unit is swung.

[0011] This configuration allows the driver to operate the accelerator and brake with both hands, improving operability of the steering wheel. Also, because the swinging motions of the right and left operating parts are synchronized, it is possible to prevent erroneous operation, such as operating the accelerator with the right operating part and the brake with the left operating part.

[0012] Further, a right swing shaft that is a swing shaft of the right operating unit is disposed to the right of the boss portion along a direction intersecting the left-right direction, and a left swing shaft that is a swing shaft of the left operating unit is disposed substantially parallel to the left swing shaft at a position symmetrical to the right swing shaft with the boss portion as a reference, and the power transmission mechanism includes a rotating member having a rotation shaft disposed so as to be substantially parallel to the left swing shaft at a position that is substantially equally spaced from the left swing shaft and the right swing shaft in the left-right direction, and a power transmission mechanism that is connected to the rotating member and moves in conjunction with the swing operation of the right operating unit in the first direction to rotate the rotating member in a first rotation. and a second link that is connected to the rotating member at a position symmetrical to the connecting position of the first link and the rotating member with respect to the rotation axis, and that moves in conjunction with a swing operation of the left operating unit in the third direction to rotate the rotating member in the first rotation direction, and that moves in conjunction with a swing operation of the left operating unit in the fourth direction to rotate the rotating member in the second rotation direction.

[0013] By using a link mechanism as a mechanism for synchronizing the swinging motion of the right operating unit and the swinging motion of the left operating unit in this way, it is possible to save space for multiple gears and support shafts that support the gears, compared to a configuration in which synchronization is performed using a gear train, thereby making it possible to make the steering wheel smaller.

[0014] In addition, it is preferable that the link mechanism be disposed below the steering unit.

[0015] With this configuration, when an airbag is provided on the steering wheel, it is possible to prevent the activated airbag from interfering with the link mechanism and hindering inflation.

[0016] It is also preferable that the steering unit is annular, and the right operating unit and the left operating unit are disposed inside the steering unit.

[0017] With this configuration, the right and left operating parts do not protrude outward from the steering part, making it possible to reduce the size of the steering wheel. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a steering wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the steering wheel with the pad and lower cover removed. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the steering wheel from which the pad and lower cover have been removed, as viewed from below. [Figure 4] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the steering wheel taken along the line A1-A1 shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an operating lever provided on the steering wheel. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cam unit included in the link mechanism. [Figure 8] 3A and 3B are an exploded perspective view and a cross-sectional view of a cam member of a link mechanism; [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a side view of a cam member and a pusher of the cam unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] A steering wheel 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The steering wheel 10 is mounted on a vehicle (not shown). In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the up-down direction refers to the up-down direction along the axial direction of a steering shaft (not shown), the front-rear direction refers to the front-rear direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the steering shaft when the vehicle is steered straight ahead, and the left-right direction refers to the left-right direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the steering shaft when the vehicle is steered straight ahead.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a steering wheel 10. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the steering wheel 10 with the pad 5 and lower cover 6 removed. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the steering wheel 10 from below with the pad 5 and lower cover 6 removed. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the steering wheel 10 taken along the A1-A1 cross section shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the operating levers 3 and 4 provided on the steering wheel 10.

[0021] 1 to 5, the steering wheel 10 includes a steering section 1 that is gripped by a vehicle driver to rotate and steer, a boss section 2 that is disposed inside the steering section 1 and connected to a steering shaft (not shown) that serves as a steering axis, a pad 5 that covers the upper part of the boss section 2, and a lower cover 6 that is disposed on the underside of the steering wheel 10. The steering wheel 10 also includes operation levers 3 and 4 that are disposed on the right and left sides of the boss section 2 and are used to input accelerator and brake operations.

[0022] The steering unit 1 is a generally elliptical ring-shaped member that is long in the left-right direction and is formed from a metal core 1a and a resin cover 1b that covers the core 1a. The left and right portions of the resin cover 1b of the steering unit 1 on both sides of the boss portion 2 are grip portions 1b1 and 1b2 that the driver holds with both hands during normal driving. The driver grips the grip portions 1b1 and 1b2 and rotates the steering unit 1 around a steering shaft (not shown) connected to the boss portion 2 to change the direction of travel of the vehicle.

[0023] The boss portion 2 is disposed at the center of the steering unit 1, and has an axial hole 2a into which a steering shaft (not shown) is inserted and fitted. With the tip of the steering shaft inserted and fitted into the axial hole 2a of the boss portion 2, the tip of the steering shaft is fastened with a nut, thereby connecting the boss portion 2 and the steering shaft. Note that an airbag (not shown) is mounted between the boss portion 2 and the pad 5. The airbag is folded and stored, and in the event of a vehicle collision, inflation gas flows in from an inflator (not shown), causing it to inflate and protrude toward the driver, thereby catching and protecting the driver as they move toward the front of the vehicle.

[0024] The boss portion 2 is connected to the steering unit 1 via a support metal plate 20 and two connecting members 21. Specifically, the boss portion 2 is supported by the support metal plate 20, which is a flat plate-shaped plate, by fitting into a boss support hole 20a of the support metal plate 20, and is fixed to the support metal plate 20 with a screw 71. The connecting member 21, which is a plate bent into an L shape, has one end 21a fixed to the support metal plate 20 with a screw 72 and the other end 21b fixed to the underside of the core metal 1a of the steering unit 1 with a screw (not shown). In this way, the boss portion 2 and the steering unit 1 are connected.

[0025] The operating lever 3 as the right operating part is disposed to the right of the boss portion 2 and adjacent to the steering portion 1 on the inside of the steering portion 1, and is a member configured to be able to swing relative to the steering portion 1, and is composed of a metal core 3a and a resin operating cover 3b. The core 3a has a pivotal support portion 3a1 that extends in the left-right direction and is pivotally supported on the swing shaft 31 of the operating lever 3, a cover mounting portion 3a2 that extends from one end side of the pivotal support portion 3a1 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the pivotal support portion 3a1 and to which the operating cover 3b is attached, and a connection portion 3a3 that extends downward from the other end side from the pivotal support portion 3a1 and is connected to a link mechanism 50, which will be described later.

[0026] A shaft hole 3a1a is formed in the shaft support portion 3a1 of the core metal 3a, and a swing shaft 31 swingably supported by the lever support member 30 is inserted into this shaft hole 3a1a. The swing shaft 31 is arranged parallel to the front-rear direction which is perpendicular to (intersects with) the left-right direction. The shaft support portion 3a1 and the swing shaft 31 are fixed by a screw 73 and a pin 74 so as not to move relative to each other. In this way, the operating lever 3 is configured to be swingable around the swing shaft 31 in the direction of arrow R1 and the opposite direction of arrow R2 shown in FIG. 4. The swing of the operating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R1 is restricted to a predetermined swing angle by abutment of a restricting surface 3a1b formed on the pivotal support portion 3a1 of the core bar 3a against a swing restricting portion 30a of the lever support member 30, and the swing of the operating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R2 is restricted to a predetermined swing angle by abutment of a restricting surface 3a1c formed on the pivotal support portion 3a1 of the core bar 3a against a swing restricting portion 30b of the lever support member 30. A magnetic rotation angle sensor 32, which is capable of detecting the swing angle of the swing shaft 31 and is electrically connected to a CPU (not shown), is provided near the swing shaft 31 of the lever support member 30. A metal support base 23 is erected on the right end side of the support sheet metal 20, and the lever support member 30 is fixed to the support base 23 with a screw 75.

[0027] The operation cover 3b is formed of resin to provide a good tactile feel, as it is the part that the driver touches when swinging the operation lever 3. The operation cover 3b has an accelerator operation surface 3b1 on its upper surface that is pressed with the palm and thumb of the driver's right hand when operating the accelerator, a brake operation surface 3b2 on its lower surface that is pressed with the driver's four fingers other than the thumb when operating the brake, and a fitting hole 3b3 into which the cover mounting portion 3a2 of the core metal 3a is fitted and fixed with a screw (not shown). To improve operability for the driver, at least a portion of the accelerator operation surface 3b1 of the operation cover 3b is located on the driver's side with respect to the steering unit 1, and at least a portion of the brake operation surface 3b2 is located on the side away from the driver with respect to the steering unit 1.

[0028] The driver's right palm or thumb presses down on the accelerator operation surface 3b1 of the operation cover 3b and swings the operation lever 3 in the direction of arrow R1 (a first direction), thereby inputting an accelerator operation. The driver's other four fingers lift up on the brake operation surface 3b2 of the operation cover 3b and swing the operation lever 3 in the direction of arrow R2 (a second direction), thereby inputting a brake operation. Specifically, when the operation lever 3 is swung, the rotation angle sensor 32 detects the swing angle of the swing shaft 31, and a CPU (not shown) controls the vehicle's acceleration / deceleration device based on the detection signal received from the rotation angle sensor 32 to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle. That is, when the rotation angle sensor 32 detects that the swing shaft 31 has swung in the direction of arrow R1, the CPU controls the vehicle's acceleration / deceleration device in accordance with the swing angle of the swing shaft 31 to accelerate the vehicle. When the rotation angle sensor 32 detects that the swing shaft 31 has swung in the direction of arrow R2, the CPU controls the vehicle's acceleration / deceleration device in accordance with the rotation angle of the swing shaft 31 to decelerate the vehicle.

[0029] The operating lever 4 as the left operating part is disposed in a position symmetrical to the operating lever 3 with respect to the boss part 2, is a member symmetrical in shape to the operating lever 3, and performs symmetrical operations to the operating lever 3. That is, the operating lever 4 is disposed to the left of the boss part 2 and adjacent to the steering part 1 on the inside of the steering part 1, is a member configured to be swingable relative to the steering part 1, and is composed of a metal core 4a and a resin operation cover 4b. The core 4a has a pivotal support part 4a1 that extends in the left-right direction and is pivotally supported on the pivot shaft 41 of the operating lever 4, a cover attachment part 4a2 that extends from one end side of the pivotal support part 4a1 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the pivotal support part 4a1 and to which the operation cover 4b is attached, and a connection part 4a3 that extends downward from the other end side from the pivotal support part 4a1 and is connected to a link mechanism 50, which will be described later.

[0030] A shaft hole 4a1a is formed in the shaft support portion 4a1 of the core metal 4a, and a pivot shaft 41, which is pivotally supported by the lever support member 40, is inserted into this shaft hole 4a1a. The pivot shaft 41 is arranged so as to be approximately parallel to the pivot shaft 31 of the operating lever 3. This approximately parallel arrangement includes a configuration in which the pivot shafts 31 and 41 are completely parallel, as well as a configuration in which they are misaligned within a tolerance range. The shaft support portion 4a1 and the pivot shaft 41 are fixed by a screw 76 and a pin 77 so as not to move relative to each other. In this way, the operating lever 4 is configured to be pivotable about the pivot shaft 41 in the direction of arrow R3 and the opposite direction of arrow R4 shown in FIG. 4. The swing of the operating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R3 is restricted at a predetermined swing angle by a restricting surface 4a1b formed on the pivotal support portion 4a1 of the core bar 4a abutting against the swing restricting portion 40a of the lever support member 40, and the swing of the operating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R4 is restricted at a predetermined swing angle by a restricting surface 4a1c formed on the pivotal support portion 4a1 of the core bar 4a abutting against the swing restricting portion 40b of the lever support member 40. In addition, a metal support base 24 is erected on the left end side of the support sheet metal 20, and the lever support member 40 is fixed to the support base 24 with a screw 78.

[0031] The operation cover 4b is the part that the driver touches when swinging the operation lever 4, and is therefore made of resin to provide a good tactile feel. The operation cover 4b has an accelerator operation surface 4b1 on its upper surface that is pressed with the palm and thumb of the driver's left hand when operating the accelerator, a brake operation surface 4b2 on its lower surface that is pressed with the driver's four fingers other than the thumb when operating the brake, and a fitting hole 4b3 into which the cover mounting portion 4a2 of the core metal 4a is fitted and fixed with a screw (not shown). To improve operability for the driver, at least a portion of the accelerator operation surface 4b1 of the operation cover 4b is located on the driver's side with respect to the steering unit 1, and at least a portion of the brake operation surface 4b2 is located on the side away from the driver with respect to the steering unit 1.

[0032] The driver's palm or thumb presses down on the accelerator operation surface 4b1 of the operation cover 4b and swings the operation lever 4 in the direction of arrow R3, which is a third direction, to input an accelerator, and the driver's fingers lift up on the brake operation surface 4b2 of the operation cover 4b and swing the operation lever 4 in the direction of arrow R4, which is a fourth direction, to input a brake. In this embodiment, as will be described later, the swinging operation of the operation lever 3 in the direction of arrow R1 and the swinging operation of the operation lever 4 in the direction of arrow R3 are synchronized, and the swinging operation of the operation lever 4 in the direction of arrow R2 and the swinging operation of the operation lever 4 in the direction of arrow R4 are synchronized. Therefore, when the operation lever 4 is swung in the R3 direction, the operation lever 3 swings in the R1 direction in conjunction with the swinging operation, the swing angle of the swing shaft 31 of the operation lever 3 is detected by the rotation angle sensor 32, and the CPU performs the above-mentioned control according to the swing angle, thereby accelerating the vehicle. Furthermore, when the operating lever 4 is swung in the R4 direction, the operating lever 3 is swung in the R2 direction in conjunction with the swing operation, the swing angle of the swing shaft 31 of the operating lever 3 is detected by the rotation angle sensor 32, and the CPU performs the above-mentioned control in accordance with the swing angle, thereby decelerating the vehicle. Note that if the swing operations of the operating levers 3 and 4 are not synchronized, a similar operation can be performed by providing a separate rotation angle sensor that detects the swing angle of the swing shaft 41 of the operating lever 4, and having the CPU perform the above-mentioned control in accordance with the detection result of the rotation angle sensor.

[0033] As described above, according to the configuration of this embodiment, an accelerator operation is input by swinging the control lever 3 in the direction of arrow R1, and a brake operation is input by swinging it in the direction of arrow R2. Similarly, an accelerator operation is input by swinging the control lever 4 in the direction of arrow R3, and a brake operation is input by swinging it in the direction of arrow R4. Therefore, the driver can perform both an accelerator operation and a brake operation using a single control lever 3 or 4, which prevents the driver's operations from becoming complicated.

[0034] In the present embodiment, the control levers 3 and 4 are configured such that an accelerator operation is input by being pressed down in the directions of arrows R1 and R3 with the driver's palm or thumb, and a brake operation is input by being pulled up in the directions of arrows R2 and R4 with the driver's four fingers other than the thumb. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the swing directions of the control levers 3 and 4 during accelerator operation and brake operation may be reversed from those in the configuration of this embodiment. However, during driving, accelerator operation is generally more frequent than brake operation. Furthermore, because the driver drives in a forward-leaning position, it is easier to swing the control levers 3 and 4 by using the driver's palm or thumb with their own weight than by pulling up the control levers 3 and 4 with the four fingers other than the thumb. Therefore, by using the swing directions of this embodiment, the driver can easily operate the accelerator, which is operated relatively frequently, thereby reducing the driver's operational burden.

[0035] Next, the configuration of the link mechanism 50 as a power transmission mechanism that synchronizes the swinging action of the operating lever 3 and the swinging action of the operating lever 4 will be described. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the link mechanism 50. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a cam unit 60 provided in the link mechanism 50. Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the cam unit 60 provided in the link mechanism 50 and a cross-sectional view of a cam member 62 provided in the cam unit 60. Fig. 9 is a side view of the cam member 62 and pusher 63 of the cam unit 60.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 , the link mechanism 50 is composed of links 52 to 55 and a cam unit 60, and is disposed below the steering section 1. The cam unit 60 is composed of a cam holder 61, a cam member 62, a pusher 63, a compression spring 64, and a spring holding plate 65, and is attached to a mounting plate 66 fixed to the supports 23 and 24 with screws 81. A rotation shaft 67 that pivotally supports the cam holder 61 and the cam member 62 is fixed to the mounting plate 66 with a nut 83 and stands upright. The rotation shaft 67 is disposed at a position that is approximately equidistant from the pivot shaft 31 of the operating lever 3 and the pivot shaft 41 of the operating lever 4 in the left-right direction, and is disposed approximately parallel to the pivot shaft 31. This approximately equidistant spacing includes a configuration in which the center of the rotation shaft 67 is located at the center of an imaginary line connecting the centers of the pivot shafts 31 and 41, as well as a configuration in which the center of the rotation shaft 67 is deviated within a tolerance range. Furthermore, the term "approximately parallel" includes not only a configuration in which the oscillation shaft 31 and the rotation shaft 67 are completely parallel, but also a configuration in which they are misaligned within the tolerance range.

[0037] One end 52a of link 52 is connected to connection portion 3c of operating lever 3 by nut 86, and the other end 52b is fastened and connected to link 53. Because link 52 is connected to operating lever 3, it swings integrally with operating lever 3 as operating lever 3 swings. One end 53a of link 53 is fastened and connected to link 52, and the other end 53b is fastened and connected to link connecting portion 61a of cam holder 61 of cam unit 60. Link 53 moves linearly to the left as link 52 swings in the direction of arrow R1, and moves linearly to the right as link 52 swings in the direction of arrow R2.

[0038] One end 54a of link 54 is connected to connecting portion 4c of operating lever 4 by nut 87, and the other end 54b is fastened and connected to link 55. Because link 54 is connected to operating lever 4, it swings integrally with operating lever 4 as operating lever 4 swings. One end 55a of link 55 is fastened and connected to link 54, and the other end 55b is fastened and connected to link connecting portion 61b of cam holder 61 of cam unit 60. Link 55 moves linearly to the right as link 54 swings in the direction of arrow R3, and moves linearly to the left as link 54 swings in the direction of arrow R4.

[0039] Cam holder 61, which serves as a rotating member, is mounted via bearing 85 and washer 82 to be rotatable relative to rotary shaft 67 in the direction of arrow W1 shown in FIG. 8 and the opposite direction, arrow W2. A link connection portion 61a to which link 53 is connected and a link connection portion 61b to which link 55 is connected are provided on the back side (rear side) of cam holder 61. Link connection portion 61a and link connection portion 61b are disposed symmetrically with respect to rotary shaft 67. A cam mounting portion 61c into which cam member 62 is fitted is provided on the front side (front face side) of cam holder 61. Two recesses 61c1 are formed in cam mounting portion 61c to position cam member 62. A shaft hole 61d through which rotary shaft 67 is inserted is provided in the center of cam holder 61.

[0040] The cam member 62 is fitted into and held in the cam mounting portion 61c of the cam holder 61, and rotates integrally with the cam holder 61. The cam member 62 has two protrusions 62b that fit into two recesses 61c1 of the cam holder 61, respectively, to determine positioning between the cam member 62 and the cam holder 61. A shaft hole 62c through which the rotation shaft 67 is inserted is provided in the center of the cam member 62. In addition, a cam surface 62a for controlling the position of the pusher 63 is provided on the surface (front surface) of the cam member 62.

[0041] The cam surface 62a has two neutral surfaces 62a3 as neutral points that are surfaces approximately parallel to a plane H perpendicular to the rotation axis L of the cam member 62, two inclined surfaces 62a1 as first inclined surfaces and third inclined surfaces that are arranged downstream of the neutral surfaces 62a3 in the direction of arrow W1 as a first rotation direction (on the rotation side in the direction of arrow W1) and are surfaces that are inclined forward with respect to the plane H, and two inclined surfaces 62a2 as second inclined surfaces and fourth inclined surfaces that are surfaces that are inclined forward with respect to the plane H. With respect to the rotation axis L of the cam member 62 as a reference, the two inclined surfaces 62a1 are arranged at positions symmetrical to each other, the two inclined surfaces 62a2 are arranged at positions symmetrical to each other, and the two neutral surfaces 62a3 are arranged at positions symmetrical to each other. In this embodiment, the inclination angle θ1 of the inclined surface 62a1 is smaller than the inclination angle θ2 of the inclined surface 62a2, and the inclined surface 62a2 is a curved surface.

[0042] The pusher 63 is a cylindrical member that moves linearly along the cam surface 62a of the cam member 62 in a direction toward and away from the spring holding plate 65 as the cam member 62 rotates. Two protrusions 63a, serving as a first protrusion and a second protrusion, are provided on the back surface of the pusher 63, protruding toward the cam member 62 and contacting the cam surface 62a of the cam member 62. The two protrusions 63a are positioned symmetrically with respect to the rotation axis L of the cam member 62, and the pusher 63 is positioned such that the protrusions 63a are positioned on a neutral plane 62a3 when the operating levers 3 and 4 are not pivotally operated and the pusher 63 is in a free state. A spring seat 63b that holds one end 64a of a compression spring 64 is provided inside the cylindrical interior of the pusher 63.

[0043] The spring retaining plate 65 is a circular metal plate, and its back surface is provided with a spring seat (not shown) that holds the other end 64b of the compression spring 64. A shaft hole 65a, through which the rotary shaft 67 is inserted, is formed in the center of the spring retaining plate 65. The tip end 67a of the rotary shaft 67 is inserted into the shaft hole 65a of the spring retaining plate 65 and then fastened with a nut 84. In this way, the cam member 62, pusher 63, compression spring 64, and spring retaining plate 65 are prevented from coming off the rotary shaft 67. The bearing 85, washer 82, and cam holder 61 are sandwiched between the mounting plate 66 and the flange portion 67b of the rotary shaft 67, thereby preventing them from coming off the rotary shaft 67.

[0044] When the operating lever 3 is swung in the direction of arrow R1, the link 52 connected to the operating lever 3 swung in the direction of arrow R1, and the link 53 connected to the other end 52b of the link 52 moved linearly to the left, causing the cam holder 61 connected to the other end 53b of the link 53 to rotate in the direction of arrow W1 around the rotation shaft 67. When the cam holder 61 rotates in the direction of arrow W1, the link 55 connected to the cam holder 61 moves linearly to the right, and the link 54 connected to one end 55a of the link 55 and the operating lever 4 connected to one end 54a of the link 54 swung integrally in the direction of arrow R3 around the swing shaft 41.

[0045] When the operating lever 3 is swung in the direction of arrow R2, the link 52 connected to the operating lever 3 swung in the direction of arrow R2, and the link 53 connected to the other end 52b of the link 52 moved linearly to the right, causing the cam holder 61 connected to the other end 53b of the link 53 to rotate in the direction of arrow W2 around the rotation shaft 67. When the cam holder 61 rotates in the direction of arrow W2, the link 55 connected to the cam holder 61 moves linearly to the left, and the link 54 connected to one end 55a of the link 55 and the operating lever 4 connected to one end 54a of the link 54 swung integrally in the direction of arrow R4 around the oscillation shaft 41.

[0046] When the operating lever 4 is swung in the direction of arrow R3, the link 54 connected to the operating lever 4 swung in the direction of arrow R3, and the link 55 connected to the other end 54b of the link 54 moved linearly to the right, causing the cam holder 61 connected to the other end 55b of the link 55 to rotate in the direction of arrow W1 around the rotation axis 67. When the cam holder 61 rotates in the direction of arrow W1, the link 53 connected to the cam holder 61 moves linearly to the left, and the link 52 connected to one end 53a of the link 53 and the operating lever 3 connected to one end 52a of the link 52 swung integrally in the direction of arrow R1 around the oscillation axis 31.

[0047] When the operating lever 4 is swung in the direction of arrow R4, the link 54 connected to the operating lever 4 sways in the direction of arrow R4, and the link 55 connected to the other end 54b of the link 54 moves linearly to the left, causing the cam holder 61 connected to the other end 55b of the link 55 to rotate in the direction of arrow W2 around the rotation axis 67. When the cam holder 61 rotates in the direction of arrow W2, the link 53 connected to the cam holder 61 moves linearly to the right, and the link 52 connected to one end 53a of the link 53 and the operating lever 3 connected to one end 52a of the link 52 sway integrally in the direction of arrow R2 around the oscillation axis 31.

[0048] In this way, the link mechanism 50 synchronizes the swinging movement of the operating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R1 with the swinging movement of the operating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R3, and synchronizes the swinging movement of the operating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R2 with the swinging movement of the operating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R4. This configuration makes it possible to prevent erroneous operations such as operating the accelerator with the operating lever 3 and operating the brake with the operating lever 4.

[0049] Furthermore, when cam holder 61 rotates in the direction of arrow W1 in response to pivoting operation of operating levers 3 and 4 in the directions of arrows R1 and R3, cam member 62 held by cam holder 61 also rotates integrally with cam holder 61 in the direction of arrow W1. When cam member 62 rotates in the direction of arrow W1, pusher 63, which was located on neutral surface 62a3, moves forward along inclined surface 62a1 of cam surface 62a of cam member 62 against the biasing force of compression spring 64, compressing compression spring 64 (FIGS. 9A and 9B). Thereafter, when the pivoting operation of operating levers 3 and 4 is released, pusher 63 is biased rearward by the restoring force of compression spring 64, and cam member 62, which receives the biasing force via pusher 63, rotates in the direction of arrow W2 and returns to the phase before rotation, and pusher 63 also returns to neutral surface 62a3. Furthermore, when the cam member 62 rotates in the direction of arrow W2 to return to the phase before rotation, the links 52 to 55 move as described above, and as a result, the operating levers 3 and 4 swing in the directions of arrows R2 and R4, respectively, returning to their initial positions before the swing operation.

[0050] Similarly, when the cam holder 61 rotates in the direction of arrow W2 in response to the swinging operation of the operating levers 3 and 4 in the directions of arrows R2 and R4, the cam member 62 held by the cam holder 61 also rotates integrally with the cam holder 61 in the direction of arrow W2. When the cam member 62 rotates in the direction of arrow W2, the pusher 63, which was located on the neutral surface 62a3, moves forward along the inclined surface 62a2 of the cam surface 62a of the cam member 62 against the biasing force of the compression spring 64, compressing the compression spring 64 (FIGS. 9A and 9C). Thereafter, when the swinging operation of the operating levers 3 and 4 is released, the pusher 63 is biased rearward by the restoring force of the compression spring 64, and the cam member 62, which receives the biasing force via the pusher 63, rotates in the direction of arrow W1 and returns to the phase before the rotation, and the pusher 63 also returns to the neutral surface 62a3. Furthermore, when the cam member 62 rotates in the direction of arrow W1 to return to the phase before rotation, the links 52 to 55 move as described above, and as a result, the operating levers 3 and 4 swing in the directions of arrows R1 and R3, respectively, returning to their initial positions before the swing operation.

[0051] In other words, the cam surface 62a of the cam member 62 has a shape that moves the pusher 63 in a direction that elastically deforms the compression spring 64 against the biasing force of the compression spring 64, regardless of whether the cam member 62 rotates in the direction of arrow W1 or the direction of arrow W2. When the pivoting operation of the operating levers 3, 4 is released, the cam member 62, which receives the biasing force of the compression spring 64 via the pusher 63, rotates and returns to the phase before the rotation, and the operating levers 3, 4 return to their initial positions. As described above, according to the configuration of this embodiment, when the pivoting operation of the operating levers 3, 4 for inputting the accelerator operation or the brake operation is released, the operating levers 3, 4 can be returned to their initial positions by the shared cam member 62, pusher 63, and compression spring 64, and the number of parts can be reduced and the operating levers 3, 4 can be returned to their initial positions with a simple configuration.

[0052] Furthermore, the force required to swing the operating levers 3, 4 for accelerator operation is influenced to some extent by factors such as frictional resistance between the members that make up the link mechanism 50, but is primarily determined by the spring pressure of the compression spring 64 and the inclination angle of the inclined surface 62a1 of the cam surface 62a of the cam member 62. Similarly, the force required to swing the operating levers 3, 4 for brake operation is primarily determined by the spring pressure of the compression spring 64 and the inclination angle of the inclined surface 62a2 of the cam surface 62a of the cam member 62. Therefore, by adjusting the inclination angles of the inclined surfaces 62a1, 62a2, the relationship between the operation stroke and operation load of the operating levers 3, 4 can be adjusted, and the force required to swing the operating levers 3, 4 for accelerator operation or brake operation can be set, respectively. As described above, according to the configuration of this embodiment, the force required for the rocking operation to input the accelerator operation and the brake operation can be set by the shared cam member 62, pusher 63, and compression spring 64, and the force required for the rocking operation to input the accelerator operation and the force required for the rocking operation to input the brake operation can be set with a simple configuration.

[0053] In this embodiment, the inclination angle θ1 of the inclined surface 62a1 and the inclination angle θ2 of the inclined surface 62a2 are different angles. This configuration allows the relationship between the operation stroke and operation load of the accelerator operation of the control levers 3 and 4 to be different from the relationship between the operation stroke and operation load of the brake operation, thereby making the force required for the swing operation for the accelerator operation different from the force required for the swing operation for the brake operation. For example, during normal driving, the frequency of brake operation is generally greater than the frequency of accelerator operation. Therefore, by making the inclination angle θ1 of the inclined surface 62a1 smaller than the inclination angle θ2 of the inclined surface 62a2 as in this embodiment, the force required for the swing operation for the accelerator operation can be made smaller than the force required for the swing operation for the brake operation, thereby improving the driver's driving comfort.

[0054] In this embodiment, the inclined surface 62a2 is curved. This allows the force required for the rocking operation for braking to increase nonlinearly as the rocking angle increases. Alternatively, the inclined surface 62a1 may be curved, and the force required for the rocking operation for accelerator operation may increase nonlinearly as the rocking angle increases. For example, by reducing the force required for the rocking operation for accelerator operation when the accelerator operation begins and increasing the force required for the rocking operation nonlinearly when the rocking angle exceeds a predetermined angle, the driver can be prevented from driving at excessive speed. To achieve nonlinearity between the rocking angle and the force required for the rocking operation of the control levers 3 and 4 for accelerator and brake operation, a plurality of inclined surfaces with different inclination angles may be arranged consecutively in the rotational direction of the cam member 62 at positions corresponding to the inclined surfaces 62a1 and 62a2 on the cam surface 62a, or a curved surface or a surface parallel to the neutral surface 62a3 may be arranged between the plurality of inclined surfaces.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pusher 63 contacts the cam surface 62a of the cam member 62 at two protrusions 63a. With this configuration, the pusher 63 contacts the cam surface 62a at at least two points, which allows the pusher 63 to follow the cam surface 62a more stably than in a configuration in which the pusher 63 contacts the cam surface 62a at one point.

[0056] In addition, in this embodiment, the link mechanism 50 is disposed below the steering wheel 10 relative to the steering section 1. With this configuration, when an airbag (not shown) is activated, it is possible to prevent the activated airbag from interfering with the components constituting the link mechanism 50 and hindering inflation.

[0057] Although the present embodiment has been described with reference to a configuration in which the link mechanism 50 is used to synchronize the pivotal movements of the control levers 3 and 4, the present invention is not limited thereto. The pivotal movements of the control levers 3 and 4 may be synchronized by another power transmission mechanism that mechanically transmits power from one of the control levers 3 and 4 to the other when the control levers 3 and 4 are pivoted. As another power transmission mechanism, for example, a gear train that rotates in response to the pivotal movements of the control levers 3 and 4 to transmit driving power may be used to synchronize the pivotal movements of the control levers 3 and 4. However, when a gear train is used, multiple support shafts are required to support each gear. Therefore, from the perspective of reducing the size of the steering wheel 10, it is preferable to use the link mechanism 50 as in the present embodiment. Similarly, although the present embodiment is configured to rotate the cam holder 61 and operate the cam unit 60 using the links 52 to 55, the present invention is not limited thereto. The cam holder 61 may be rotated by another power transmission mechanism that mechanically transmits power from one of the control levers 3 and 4 to the other when the control levers 3 and 4 are pivoted.

[0058] Furthermore, although the present embodiment has been described with respect to a configuration in which the operating levers 3, 4 are disposed inside the steering unit 1, the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the operating levers 3, 4 may be disposed outside the steering unit 1, adjacent to the steering unit 1. However, by disposing the operating levers 3, 4 inside the steering unit 1 as in the configuration of the present embodiment, the operating levers 3, 4 do not protrude outside the steering unit 1, and the steering wheel 10 can be made smaller.

[0059] Furthermore, although the present embodiment has been described with reference to a configuration in which the compression spring 64 is used as a member that applies a biasing force to the cam member 62 to return the cam member 62 to the phase before rotation, the present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration in which another spring is used may be used. For example, the same effect as described above can be obtained by providing a tension spring instead of the compression spring 64 and configuring the cam surface 62a to have a shape that moves the pusher 63 in a direction that elastically deforms the tension spring against the biasing force of the tension spring regardless of whether the cam member 62 rotates in the direction of arrow W1 or the direction of arrow W2. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1...Steering section, 2...Boss section, 3, 4...Operating lever, 10...Steering wheel, 50...Link mechanism, 52-55...Link, 61...Cam holder, 62...Cam member, 62a...Cam surface, 63...Pusher, 64...Compression spring

Claims

[Claim 1] a steering unit that is gripped and steered by a driver; a boss portion disposed inside the steering portion and connected to a steering central shaft of the steering portion; a right operating unit that is disposed to the right of the boss portion, is configured to be swingable relative to the steering unit, and is configured to input an accelerator operation when swinging in a first direction relative to the steering unit, and to input a brake operation when swinging in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a left operating unit that is disposed to the left of the boss portion, is configured to be swingable relative to the steering unit, and is configured to input an accelerator operation when pivoted in a third direction relative to the steering unit, and to input a brake operation when pivoted in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction; Equipped with the swinging of the right operation unit in the first direction and the swinging of the left operation unit in the third direction, and the swinging of the right operation unit in the second direction and the swinging of the left operation unit in the fourth direction are synchronized by a power transmission mechanism that mechanically transmits power of one of the right operation unit and the left operation unit to the other when the right operation unit or the left operation unit is swung; a right pivot shaft that is a pivot shaft of the right operation unit is disposed to the right of the boss portion along a direction that intersects with the left-right direction, a left pivot shaft that is a pivot shaft of the left operation unit is disposed substantially parallel to the right pivot shaft at a position symmetrical to the right pivot shaft with respect to the boss portion; The power transmission mechanism includes: a rotating member having a rotation axis disposed at a position substantially equidistant from the left and right pivot shafts in the left-right direction and substantially parallel to the left pivot shaft; a first link connected to the rotational member, the first link moving in conjunction with a swing operation of the right operating unit in the first direction to rotate the rotational member in a first rotational direction, and the first link moving in conjunction with a swing operation of the right operating unit in the second direction to rotate the rotational member in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction; a second link that is connected to the rotational member at a position symmetrical to the connection position of the first link and the rotational member with respect to the rotation axis, and that moves in conjunction with a swing operation of the left operating unit in the third direction to rotate the rotational member in the first rotational direction, and that moves in conjunction with a swing operation of the left operating unit in the fourth direction to rotate the rotational member in the second rotational direction; A steering wheel characterized by a link mechanism including:

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