Steering wheel

Abstract

To provide a steering wheel which is excellent in operability and can stably maintain an operation state.SOLUTION: A steering wheel 1 comprises: a boss part 5; a grip part 10; and an operation lever part 50R disposed in a region between the boss part and the grip part. The operation lever part is pivotally supported by a rotation shaft part 43R provided on the boss part side, and when the grip part is gripped, the operation lever part enables a pull-up operation such that the operation lever part is raised upward. The operation lever part comprises a pull-up operation part 75R which is formed so as to extend substantially along a rotation steering center axis, and which has a lower end located below a lower end surface 13b of the grip part, and has a region from a boss part-side surface disposed on the lower end side substantially along the rotation steering center axis to a lower end surface, the region serving as a pull-up operation surface 78R. In addition, the operation lever part is pivotally supported by the rotation shaft part so as to enable the pull-up operation such that the pull-up operation part is caused to approach the grip part side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a steering handle having a configuration including a boss portion located on the center side of rotary steering, a grip portion located around the boss portion and gripped during rotary steering, and an operating lever portion located in the area between the boss portion and the grip portion. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been a steering handle configured such that an operating lever section, which can input accelerator or brake operation, is disposed between a boss section and a grip section (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this conventional steering handle, the operating lever section is pivotally supported by a rotating shaft section provided on the boss section side, and can be operated by pulling up a lever body provided on the grip section side at the tip side with fingers other than the thumb (index finger, middle finger, etc.) of the hand gripping the grip section. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6229221 (Figures 11 and 12) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in conventional steering wheels, the lever body is flat and fits roughly along the top surface of the grip, making it difficult to place your fingers on it stably when operating it. Furthermore, when operating the accelerator or brake, you usually don't release your hand immediately after operating it, but rather you need to maintain the operated state (pulled up with your fingers) for a certain period of time. Therefore, with conventional lever bodies that are simply flat, it is difficult to maintain the pulled-up state stably. In other words, conventional steering wheels have room for improvement in terms of improving operability and maintaining a stable operating state.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a steering handle that is easy to operate and can maintain a stable operating state. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A steering handle according to the present invention is a steering handle comprising: a boss portion disposed on the rotary steering center side; a grip portion disposed around the boss portion and gripped during rotary steering; and an operating lever portion disposed in a region between the boss portion and the grip portion, The operating lever portion is pivotally supported by a rotating shaft portion provided on the boss portion side, and when the grip portion is gripped, it can be pulled up to input an accelerator operation or a brake operation, The operating lever is The pull-up operation part is formed to extend substantially along the rotary steering central axis, and is configured so that its lower end is positioned below the lower end surface of the grip part, and is configured as a pull-up operation surface from the surface of the boss part side arranged so as to be substantially along the rotary steering central axis at the lower end side to the lower end surface; The lifting operation part is characterized in that it is pivotally supported on the rotating shaft part so that it can be lifted up to approach the gripping part side.

[0007] In the steering wheel of the present invention, the lift-up operation portion of the operating lever portion, which is formed so as to extend substantially along the rotary steering central axis, is configured to have a lift-up operation surface disposed at a lower end portion located below the lower end surface of the grip portion, and the lift-up operation surface is configured from the portion from the boss side surface arranged so as to be substantially along the rotary steering central axis to the lower end surface. Therefore, by pressing the index finger, middle finger, etc. of the driver's hand holding the grip portion against the lift-up operation surface and pulling the lift-up operation portion toward the driver (toward the grip portion) so as to bring it closer to the grip portion, the operating lever portion can be lifted upward. In other words, in the steering wheel of the present invention, the operating lever portion can be operated by hooking the fingertip on the lift-up operation portion and pulling it toward the driver while maintaining the hooked state, which provides good operability. Furthermore, the pulled-up state of the lift-up operation portion can be stably maintained for a predetermined period of time, allowing stable braking or accelerating operation.

[0008] Therefore, the steering wheel of the present invention has good operability and can maintain a stable operating state.

[0009] Furthermore, in the steering handle of the present invention, if the lifting operation part is configured to be a generally plate-shaped part that is generally aligned with the central axis of the steering wheel, and a curved part is disposed at the lower end side that protrudes toward the grip part, when the fingers holding the grip part contact the lifting operation surface, the lower end side of the lifting operation part does not dig into the fingers, thereby providing a good tactile feel during operation. Furthermore, by disposing the curved part, a space is created between the edge of the curved part and the grip part-side surface of the lifting operation part, and a larger lifting stroke can be ensured during the lifting operation to approach the grip part compared to when no curved part is provided.

[0010] Furthermore, in the steering handle having the above configuration, the grip portion is configured to have a substantially square annular shape and to include a main grip area that is arranged so as to be substantially along the front-rear direction during straight-ahead steering, It is preferable to arrange the lifting operation portion so that it extends forward and backward along the main gripping area, over almost the entire area in front and behind the main gripping area, and to arrange an extension portion at the front end side that extends toward the boss portion side.

[0011] With the steering handle configured as described above, the lifting operation part, i.e., the operation lever part, is widely arranged in the front and rear so as to cover substantially the entire area in front and behind the grip part when steering straight ahead, so that the lifting operation part can be stably operated regardless of the grip position of the main grip area. Furthermore, since an extension part is formed on the front end side of the lifting operation part so as to extend toward the boss part, this extension part comes into contact with the fingertips of the hand gripping the grip part, and acts as a stopper that restricts further forward movement of the hand that would cause the hand to leave the lifting operation part, so that the lifting operation part can also be stably operated. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view of a steering handle according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a steering handle of the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the steering wheel of the embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a steering wheel according to an embodiment, with a pad and a lower cover removed, as viewed from below and in front; [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic plan view of a steering wheel according to an embodiment, with a pad and a lower cover removed; [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a steering wheel according to an embodiment, taken along the left-right direction. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged vertical cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of a right-hand operating lever portion of the steering handle of the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a link mechanism used in the steering handle of the embodiment. [Figure 9]1 is a schematic perspective view of an operating lever portion used in a steering handle of an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a right side view of the right operating lever portion. [Figure 11] 3 is a partially enlarged vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which an operating lever portion is pressed down in the steering handle of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 12] 3 is a partially enlarged vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which an operating lever portion is pulled up in the steering handle of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 13] 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which an operating lever portion is pushed down in the steering handle of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 14] 3 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which an operating lever portion is pulled up in the steering handle of the embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the steering wheel 1 of this embodiment includes a boss portion 5 arranged on the side of the rotary steering central axis C1, a grip portion 10 arranged around the boss portion 5 and gripped during rotary steering, and operation lever portions 50L, 50R arranged in the area between the boss portion 5 and the grip portion 10. In the steering wheel 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, the grip portion 10 has a generally rectangular ring shape that is wide on the left and right sides in a straight-ahead steering state, and the operation lever portions 50L, 50R are arranged as a pair on the right and left sides of the boss portion 5. In addition, in the steering wheel 1 of this embodiment, the pair of left and right operation lever portions 50L, 50R are configured so that the rotational operation of the pair of left and right operation lever portions 50L, 50R is synchronized by a link mechanism 25 arranged within the boss portion 5. 1 and 2, in the steering wheel 1 of the embodiment, when viewed from the top-bottom direction, the operating lever sections 50L, 50R are widely arranged in the front-to-rear direction so as to fill the gap between a pad 6 (described later) arranged on the upper surface of the boss section 5 and the grip section 10 (main gripping areas 13L, 13R (described later)). That is, the steering wheel 1 of the embodiment is not configured so that the driver's fingers can enter between the main gripping areas 13L, 13R of the grip section 10 and the operating lever sections 50L, 50R, but is configured so that the driver's hands (fingers) can enter only the gap between a rear section 10c (hand rest section 16) (described later) of the grip section 10 and the pad 6 (see FIG. 1).

[0014] The steering wheel 1 of the embodiment also has a core member 3 arranged to interconnect the boss portion 5 and the grip portion 10. The core member 3 is made of sheet metal such as an aluminum alloy, and as shown in Figures 1 and 3, includes a grip portion-side core member 3a arranged in the area of ​​the grip portion 10, a boss portion-side core member 3b arranged in the area of ​​the boss portion 5, and a connecting member 3c connecting the grip portion-side core member 3a and the boss portion-side core member 3b. In the case of the embodiment, the connecting member 3c is arranged in two locations on the left and right sides so as to connect the rear edge side of the boss portion-side core member 3b to the area behind the grip portion-side core member 3a (see Figures 1 and 4).

[0015] In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the front-to-rear, up-down, and left-to-right directions are defined based on the straight-ahead steering state of the steering wheel 1 when mounted on a vehicle, with the up-down direction being the direction along the rotational steering center axis C1 of the grip portion 10 (see Figure 6), the front-to-rear direction being the direction perpendicular to the rotational steering center axis C1 and roughly along the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, and the left-to-right direction being the direction perpendicular to the rotational steering center axis C1 and roughly along the left-to-right direction of the vehicle.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the boss portion 5 includes a boss-side core member 3b of the core member 3, a synthetic resin pad 6 covering the upper side of the boss-side core member 3b, and a synthetic resin lower cover 7 covering the sides and lower side of the boss-side core member 3b. Although not illustrated, the lower cover 7 is configured to substantially entirely cover the periphery of two connecting members 3c, 3c connecting the boss-side core member 3b and the grip-side core member 3a (see FIG. 1). The boss-side core member 3b is substantially flat and is disposed near the lower end of the boss portion 5 (see FIGS. 4 to 6). A boss 3ba is disposed near the center of the boss-side core member 3b, serving as a connection point with a steering shaft (not shown). An airbag device (not shown) is housed in the area between the boss-side core member 3b and the pad 6 and between pedestal portions 40L and 40R (described later). In the steering wheel 1 of the embodiment, the pad 6 is disposed over substantially the entire area at a position higher than the gripping surface of the grip portion 10 (specifically, the upper surface 13a of the main gripping areas 13L, 13R that is substantially perpendicular to the rotational steering central axis C1) (see FIG. 6). In other words, the upper surface 6a of the pad 6 is positioned higher than the gripping surface 13a.

[0017] The grip portion 10 has a generally rectangular ring shape that is wide in both the left and right directions when steering straight ahead. Specifically, the outside of the front center portion in a plan view is covered from the upper side to the front side and the lower side by the pad 6 and the lower cover 7 (see FIGS. 1 to 3). The grip portion 10 is configured by disposing a cushioning soft synthetic resin covering layer 11 around a generally rectangular ring-shaped grip portion core material 3a. The grip portion core material 3a is a long plate, and in this embodiment, is disposed so that its width direction is generally perpendicular to the rotary steering central axis C1 (i.e., so that its width direction is generally aligned with the grip surface 13a) (see FIGS. 6 and 7). The covering layer 11 is made of a soft foam material such as foamed polyurethane. The grip portion 10 has a generally left-right symmetrical shape when steering straight ahead.

[0018] The grip portion 10 has a left side portion 10a and a right side portion 10b arranged substantially along the longitudinal direction in a straight-ahead steering state, and configured as main gripping regions 13L, 13R that are primarily gripped during steering. The main gripping regions 13L, 13R are substantially bilaterally symmetrical and have a substantially elliptical cross section (see FIGS. 1, 5, and 6). As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, recesses 14L, 14R are formed on the lower end surfaces 13b of the main gripping regions 13L, 13R, respectively, such that they are slightly recessed upward. Although not shown in detail, the recesses 14L, 14R are formed continuously over substantially the entire main gripping areas 13L, 13R and are portions for the fingertips Fa of the four fingers MF other than the thumb of the driver's hand MH gripping the main gripping areas 13L, 13R when the operating levers 50L, 50R are not being operated or are being pressed down (not being pulled up) (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 7). Specifically, the recesses 14L, 14R are formed so as to slope upward toward the inside of the main gripping areas 13L, 13R (so that the amount of recession in the inner areas of the main gripping areas 13L, 13R is greater). The provision of such recesses 14L, 14R stabilizes the position of the fingertips Fa of the hand MH gripping the main gripping areas 13L, 13R, thereby stabilizing the gripping state. Each main gripping area 13L, 13R is curved so that when viewed from the top-bottom side, the center of the front-to-back direction (more specifically, a position slightly rearward of the center of the front-to-back direction) is positioned outward on the left and right.

[0019] Rear portion 10c of grip portion 10, which is disposed substantially along the left-right direction at the rear end side during straight-ahead steering, constitutes hand rest portion 16 on which to place and rest the hands that have been removed from grip portion 10 (main gripping areas 13L, 13R, etc.) when the vehicle is stopped, etc., and is wider in both the vertical direction than main gripping areas 13L, 13R (formed to protrude upward more than main gripping areas 13L, 13R, see Fig. 3), with front surface 16a being flat to make it easy to rest the hands, as shown in Fig. 2. A recess 17 is formed in substantially the center of the left and right sides of hand rest portion 16, partially recessed from the upper end side. 1 and 2, the left front region 10d and the right front region 10e of the grip portion 10 are disposed on the left and right sides of the pad 6 (between the front ends of the main gripping regions 13L, 13R and the pad 6) at the front end side of the grip portion 10 during straight-ahead steering. Recesses 19L, 19R are formed in the upper surfaces of the grip portion 10, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Specifically, the recesses 19L, 19R are formed in regions adjacent to the main gripping regions 13L, 13R. The recesses 19L, 19R are formed continuously from the rear surface to the upper surface and over the entire surface of the left front region 10d and the right front region 10e. Although not shown in detail, the recesses 19L, 19R can accommodate the thumbs when gripping the front regions of the main gripping regions 13L, 13R.

[0020] The operation levers 50L, 50R are pivotally supported on rotating shafts 43L, 43R provided on the boss 5 side, and are configured to allow two operations to be performed when the grip portion 10 (main gripping areas 13L, 13R) is gripped: a push-down operation in which the levers are pushed downward, and a pull-up operation in which the levers are lifted upward, thereby inputting an accelerator operation and a brake operation. In the steering wheel 1 of the embodiment, a push-down operation inputs an accelerator operation, and a pull-up operation inputs a brake operation. As will be described in detail later, the operation levers 50L, 50R are configured to be pushed down by the region on the thumb MT side of the driver's hand MH gripping the main gripping areas 13L, 13R, and to be pulled up by the regions on the fingers MF other than the thumb MT. When the operating lever sections 50L, 50R are not operated or are pulled up (i.e., not pressed down), the thumb MT is pressed against the upper surface 13a of the main gripping area 13L, 13R, as shown by the dotted line in Figure 1, and when the operating lever sections 50L, 50R are not operated or are pushed up (i.e., not pressed up), the fingertips Fa of the fingers MF other than the thumb MT are pressed against the lower end surface 13b of the main gripping area 13L, 13R (inside the recesses 14L, 14R), as shown by the dotted line in Figure 7.

[0021] In addition, in the steering wheel 1 of this embodiment, the left and right operating levers 50L, 50R are configured to have their rotational movements synchronized by a link mechanism 25. For example, if one operating lever 50R is pulled up while gripping the main gripping area 13R, the other operating lever 50L will rotate and be lifted upward even when the gripping area 13R is released. The link mechanism 25, which can synchronize the rotational movements of the left and right operating levers 50L, 50R, is disposed within a region on the front end side of the boss portion 5, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, and is attached to a mounting bracket 34 that is attached to base portions 40L, 40R (described later) to which the operating levers 50L, 50R are attached. The mounting bracket 34 is disposed substantially vertically on the front side of the base portions 40L, 40R to connect the base portions 40L, 40R together (see FIGS. 4 and 6).

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, the link mechanism 25 includes a cam unit 26, a pair of links 36L, 36R extending from the cam unit 26 and connected to the operating levers 50L, 50R, and connecting rods 37L, 37R connecting the links 36L, 36R to the operating levers 50L, 50R. In this embodiment, the link mechanism 25 is disposed below the grip surface 13a. The cam unit 26 is journaled on a rotary shaft 32 arranged substantially perpendicular to the rotary steering center axis C1 and extending substantially along the fore-and-aft direction, and is connected to a mounting bracket 34. The mounting bracket 34 is formed with an insertion tube 34a protruding forward, into which the rotary shaft 32 can be inserted (see FIGS. 4 and 8). The cam unit 26 includes a cam member 27, a pusher 28, and a cam holder 29. Pusher 28 is attached so as to be unable to rotate relative to rotary shaft portion 32, and has a compression coil spring (not shown) disposed inside. Cam member 27 and cam holder 29 are rotatable relative to rotary shaft portion 32. Cam holder 29 connects cam member 27 to links 36L, 36R, and is rotatable integrally with cam member 27 relative to rotary shaft portion 32. In this embodiment, cam holder 29 is journaled near its center on rotary shaft portion 32.

[0023] The pair of links 36L, 36R are disposed corresponding to the respective operating lever sections 50L, 50R, and are connected at one end (end section 36a) to longitudinal ends 29a, 29b of the cam holder 29, which is journaled near its center by the rotary shaft section 32, and are disposed so as to extend leftward or rightward symmetrically about the rotary shaft section 32 (see FIGS. 6 and 8). The connecting rods 37L, 37R that connect the links 36L, 36R and the operating lever sections 50L, 50R are disposed so as to extend rearward from the other end (end section 36b) of the links 36L, 36R, and are configured so as to have the end section 37a connected to lower ends 57a of connecting pieces 57L, 57R formed on mounting base members 51L, 51R, which will be described later, of the operating lever sections 50L, 50R (see FIGS. 4 and 6). When the operating lever portions 50L, 50R are in a non-operated state (neutral state), the cam holder 29 is positioned so that its longitudinal direction is roughly aligned in the vertical direction, and at this time, the links 36L, 36R are configured to extend from the vertical ends 29a, 29b (above and below the rotating shaft portion 32) of the cam holder 29 (see Figure 6).

[0024] 11, when the operating lever 50R is pressed down, the link 36R moves as the operating lever 50R rotates, and the cam holder 29 rotates leftward around the rotation shaft 32 together with the cam member 27. At this time, even if only the right operating lever 50R is pressed down, the link 36L connecting the left operating lever 50L also moves rightward as the cam holder 29 rotates, and the left operating lever 50L is also pushed down in synchronization. During this pressing operation, the rotation of the cam member 27 compresses a compression coil spring (not shown) located inside the pusher 28. Conversely, when the operating lever 50R is pulled up as shown in FIG. 12, the movement of the link 36R accompanying the rotation of the operating lever 50R causes the cam holder 29 to rotate rightward around the rotation shaft 32 together with the cam member 27. At this time, even if only the right operating lever 50R is pulled up, the link 36L connecting the left operating lever 50L also moves leftward as the cam holder 29 rotates, and the left operating lever 50L is also pulled up in synchronization. During this pulling-up operation, a compression coil spring (not shown) disposed inside the pusher 28 is compressed as the cam member 27 rotates. The operating states (push-down operation and pull-up operation) of the operating levers 50L and 50R are restored to their non-operated states when the hands are released. At this time, the compression coil spring housed inside the pusher 28 is restored to its original position, causing the cam member 27 and the cam holder 29 to rotate and move so as to return to the neutral state.

[0025] The operating levers 50L, 50R are attached to the bases 40L, 40R arranged inside the boss 5, and include mounting bases 51L, 51R and lever bodies 60L, 60R. In the embodiment, the operating lever 50R and base 40R arranged on the right side will be used as an example for detailed explanation. The operating lever 50L and base 40L on the left side are substantially symmetrical to the operating lever 50R and base 40R on the right side, and therefore the same reference numerals are denoted with an "L" at the end, and detailed explanations will be omitted.

[0026] The base 40R to which the operating lever 50R is attached is made of metal and extends upward from the boss-side core member 3b. Specifically, it is disposed to the right of the boss 3ba so as to extend substantially along the front-rear direction, and has an attachment portion 41R at its upper end that protrudes toward the main gripping area 13R (to the right, outward in both directions) (see FIGS. 5 to 7). In this embodiment, the attachment portion 41R is configured so that its upper surface 41a is positioned substantially coincident with the gripping surface 13a (see FIG. 7). A rotating shaft 43R that pivotally supports the operating lever 50R is disposed on the attachment portion 41R. The rotating shaft 43R is inserted into a bearing portion 54R formed in the mounting base 51R of the operating lever 50R to pivotally support the operating lever 50R. In this embodiment, the rotating shaft 43R is disposed so as to extend substantially along the front-rear direction and substantially along the gripping surface 13a (see FIGS. 5 and 7). That is, the rotating shaft 43R is disposed within the area of ​​the boss 5. Specifically, the rotating shaft 43R is disposed slightly below the grip surface 13a. In other words, the rotating shaft 43R is disposed above approximately the vertical center of the grip 10 (specifically, the main grip region 13R) so as to be covered by the pad 6. Specifically, the axis C2 of the rotating shaft 43R is disposed at a position that is approximately ⅙ of the vertical width of the main grip region 13R from the top (see FIG. 7). A stopper 45R that restricts the rotation angle of the operating lever 50R during operation is disposed on the mounting portion 41R closer to the base (on the left side, toward the center in the horizontal direction) than the rotating shaft 43R. The stopper 45R is disposed so as to cover the upper and lower portions of a tapered tip portion 55R on the tip 53a side of a horizontal rod portion 53R (described later) of a mounting base member 51R journaled on the rotating shaft portion 43R, and includes an upper contact surface 45a and a lower contact surface 45b that can contact the upper surface 55a or the lower surface 55b, respectively, of the tip portion 55R (see FIGS. 7, 11, and 12). The upper contact surface 45a and the lower contact surface 45b are formed inclined so as to be able to contact the upper surface 55a or the lower surface 55b of the tapered tip portion 55R with a wide surface.

[0027] The mounting base 51R of the operating lever 50R is made of metal and has a generally inverted L-shape when viewed from the top-bottom direction. The mounting base 51R includes a vertical rod 52R extending generally along the front-to-rear direction and a horizontal rod 53R extending generally along the left-to-right direction and protruding leftward (toward the center between the left and right sides) from the rear end of the vertical rod 52R (see FIG. 9). The vertical rod 52R is located within a front region of the lever body 60R, specifically, in a region forward of a protruding end 60a (described later) of the pressing operation portion 61R of the lever body 60R. The horizontal rod 53R extending from the rear end of the vertical rod 52R protrudes leftward (toward the center between the left and right sides) from near the center between the front and rear of the lever body 60R, specifically, protruding leftward from a portion of the lever body 60R near the protruding end 60a. A bearing portion 54R is formed on the tip 53a side of the horizontal rod portion 53R, penetrating the rotary shaft portion 43R so that the rotary shaft portion 43R can be inserted therethrough. A tip portion 55R of the horizontal rod portion 53R, which is closer to the tip 53a than the bearing portion 54R, is tapered in the vertical direction as described above, so that an upper surface 55a and a lower surface 55b of the tip portion 55R can each abut against a stopper 45R provided on the base portion 40R. A connecting piece 57R is formed on the tip 53a side of the horizontal rod portion 53R in a region substantially directly below the bearing portion 54R, extending downward. As described above, the end portion 37a of the connecting rod 37R is connected to the lower end 57a of the connecting piece 57R at a position substantially directly below the bearing portion 54R (see FIGS. 4 and 7).

[0028] Lever body 60R is made of synthetic resin and, in this embodiment, is disposed so as to substantially fill the gap between pad 6 and main gripping region 13R of grip portion 10 when viewed from the vertical direction of steering wheel 1. More specifically, lever body 60R is disposed so as to extend substantially along main gripping region 13R in the front-to-rear direction across substantially the entire front-to-rear area of ​​main gripping region 13R when viewed from the vertical direction (see FIGS. 1 and 2). More specifically, lever body 60R is formed so that a front-to-rear intermediate portion (more specifically, a portion slightly rearward of the center) protrudes outward (to the right) to the left and right when viewed from the vertical direction, so as to substantially follow the curved shape of main gripping region 13R. The lever body 60R has a push-down operation portion 61R that is arranged so as to roughly follow the gripping surface 13a, and a pull-up operation portion 75R that is arranged so as to extend downward from the end portion 61b of the push-down operation portion 61R on the gripping portion 10 (main gripping area 13R) side, and has a cross section that is roughly inverted L-shaped (see Figures 6 and 7).

[0029] The pressing operation unit 61R is disposed at a position close to the gripping unit 10 (main gripping region 13R) so as to extend substantially along the gripping surface 13a and the gripping unit 10 (main gripping region 13R) in the front-to-rear direction. In the embodiment, as described above, the pressing operation unit 61R is disposed over substantially the entire front-to-rear area of ​​the main gripping region 13R. The pressing operation unit 61R is adjacent to the main gripping region 13R on the left side (inside the gripping unit 10) with a small gap therebetween. A pressing operation surface 62R is formed on the top surface 61a of the pressing operation unit 61R. As shown in FIGS. 5, 9, and 10, the pressing operation surface 62R includes an operation panel main body 63R and an inclined surface 70R formed on the edge 63a (outer edge) of the operation panel main body 63R on the gripping unit 10 side. The operation surface main body 63R includes a ceiling surface 64R disposed in a front-to-rear intermediate position, a front inclined portion 65R formed on a front edge 64a side of the ceiling surface 64R, and a rear inclined portion 66R formed on a rear edge 64b side of the ceiling surface 64R. The inclined surface 70R is disposed so as to be inclined with respect to the operation surface main body 63R so as to descend from the operation surface main body 63R and approach the grip portion 10 side (main grip area 13R side). Specifically, in this embodiment, the inclined surface 70R is formed in a region of the operation surface main body 63R excluding the outer (right) side of the front inclined portion 65R (the region outer (right) side of the ceiling surface 64R and the rear inclined portion 66R).

[0030] The top surface 64R of the operation surface main body 63R is disposed between the upper surface 6a of the pad 6 and the grip surface (the upper surface 13a of the main gripping region 13R) so as to substantially follow the grip surface 13a (see FIGS. 6 and 7). Specifically, in this embodiment, the top surface 64R is slightly inclined with respect to the grip surface 13a so as to slope slightly downward toward the inclined surface 70R (the main gripping region 13R). The front inclined portion 65R of the operation surface main body 63R is disposed at an incline with respect to the top surface 64R on the front edge 64a side of the top surface 64R so as to slope downward from the top surface 64R and approach the grip portion 10 (specifically, the right front portion 10e) (see FIG. 10). In this embodiment, the front inclined portion 65R is formed in an area that is approximately ⅕ of the total length of the depression operation surface 62R in the front-to-rear direction in a plan view (see FIG. 1). In this embodiment, the front inclined portion 65R is formed to gently slope from an inclined surface 70R (specifically, a front portion 71R of the inclined surface 70R) formed on the outer edge (right edge) 64c side of the ceiling surface 64R. The front portion 71R of the inclined surface 70R and the front inclined portion 65R are configured so that the edge (outer edge 71a, front edge 65a) on the grip portion 10 side is positioned approximately flush with the grip surface 13a (see FIG. 10). The rear inclined portion 66R is positioned on the rear edge 64b side of the ceiling surface 64R, inclined relative to the ceiling surface 64R (i.e., the grip surface 13a) so as to descend from the ceiling surface 64R and approach the grip portion 10 (specifically, the hand rest 16). The rear inclined portion 66R is wide in the front-to-rear direction in a plan view and is formed in an area that is approximately two-fifths of the total front-to-rear length of the pressing operation surface 62R. Specifically, it is formed in an area rearward from the protruding end 60a that protrudes most to the right of the lever body 60R (see FIGS. 1 and 9). The rear portion 72R of the inclined surface 70R, which is located outside (to the right) of the rear inclined portion 66R, is formed to converge toward the rear end 72a, as shown in FIG. 10. The rear inclined portion 66R is configured so that its rear edge 66a, which faces the grip portion 10, is positioned below the grip surface 13a (see FIG. 10). Specifically, in this embodiment, the rear edge 66a of the rear inclined portion 66R is positioned at a position that is approximately one-third of the width of the main gripping area 13R from the top (see FIG. 10).In addition, in the embodiment, the inclination angle α of the front portion 71R of the inclined surface 70R relative to the gripping surface 13a is set to approximately 45° (see Figure 7), the inclination angle β of the front inclined portion 65R relative to the gripping surface 13a is set to approximately 20°, and the inclination angle γ of the rear inclined portion 66R relative to the gripping surface 13a is set to approximately 30° (see Figure 10).

[0031] The lifting operation unit 75R is disposed at the lower end of the pressing operation unit 61R, extending downward (i.e., substantially along the rotary steering central axis C1) from the end 61b (outer end, right end) of the pressing operation unit 61R that is on the grip portion 10 (main gripping region 13R) side. The lower end 75a is configured to be positioned below the lower end surface 13b (specifically, the outer lower end surface 13c) of the grip portion 10 (main gripping region 13R) (see FIGS. 6 and 7). Specifically, the lifting operation unit 75R is configured such that a thin, substantially plate-shaped region extending substantially along the vertical direction (rotation steering central axis C1) on the lower end 75a side extending from the pressing operation unit 61R is formed as an operation main body 76R. As shown in FIG. 7, the entire operation main body 76R is configured to be positioned below the leading end surface (i.e., the inner lower end surface 13d) of the recess 14R in the main gripping region 13R. The operation body 76R is formed on the outer edge 60b side of the lever body 60R, at a position substantially directly below the inclined surface 70R of the depression operation surface 62R. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the operation body 76R is configured so that its outer surface 76c is located more inward than the outer edge 60b (outer peripheral surface) of the cover body 60R. A curved portion 77R is formed on the lower end 76a side of the operation body 76R, protruding toward the right (outward) side, which corresponds to the main gripping area 13R. In this embodiment, the curved portion 77R is configured so that its edge 77b protrudes outward from the outer edge 60b (outer peripheral surface) of the cover body 60R (see FIG. 7). The operation body 76R is configured such that a portion from the surface (inner surface 76b) on the boss portion 5 side, which is disposed substantially along the rotary steering central axis C1, to the lower end surface 77a of the curved portion 77R constitutes a pull-up operation surface 78R. Specifically, the pull-up operation surface 78R is formed at a position substantially directly below the boundary between the ceiling surface 64R and the inclined surface 70R (i.e., at a position outward on the left and right of the ceiling surface 64R) (see FIG. 7). In the embodiment, the vertical separation distance between the pull-up operation surface 78R and the axis C2 of the rotation shaft portion 43R (specifically, the separation distance H1 between the approximate vertical center of the pull-up operation surface 78R and the axis C2, see FIG. 7) is larger than the vertical separation distance H2 between the ceiling surface 64R of the press-down operation surface 62R and the axis C2 of the rotation shaft portion 43R, and specifically, is set to about 8 / 3 of this separation distance H2.Furthermore, the lifting operation portion 75R (operation main body 76R) is formed continuously over substantially the entire front-to-rear area of ​​the lever main body 60R (see FIG. 4). That is, the lifting operation portion 75R is disposed over substantially the entire front-to-rear area of ​​the main gripping region 13R so as to extend substantially along the main gripping region 13R. An extension portion 80R is disposed on the front end 75b of the lifting operation portion 75R, extending toward the boss portion 5 (left, center side in the lateral direction), as shown in FIGS. 4, 7, and 9. In this embodiment, the extension portion 80R is formed so as to extend over approximately the lower half of the operation main body 76R, and is formed so as to extend over substantially the entire width of the lever main body 60R (see FIGS. 4 and 7).

[0032] In the steering wheel 1 of this embodiment, the maximum depression angle θ1 of the depression operation unit 61R and the maximum lifting angle θ2 of the lifting operation unit 75R are both set to about 15° (see FIGS. 11 and 12). When the depression operation unit 61R is fully depressed, as shown in FIG. 11, the ceiling surface 64R is positioned below the grip surface 13a, and when the lifting operation unit 75R is fully lifted, as shown in FIG. 12, a slight gap is provided between the operation body 76R and the main gripping area 13R.

[0033] In the steering handle 1 of the embodiment, the lifting operation sections 75L, 75R (operating bodies 76L, 76R) formed on the operating lever sections 50L, 50R so as to extend approximately along the rotational steering center axis C1 are configured to have lifting operation surfaces 78L, 78R arranged in the area on the lower end 75a side, which is located below the lower end surface 13b of the grip section 10, and the lifting operation surfaces 78L, 78R are configured from the surface (inner surface 76b) on the boss section 5 side, which is arranged so as to approximately follow the rotational steering center axis C1, to the lower end surface 77a. Therefore, by pressing the index finger, middle finger, etc. MF of the driver's hand MH holding the gripping portion 10 (main gripping area 13L, 13R) against the lifting operation surface 78L, 78R and pulling the lifting operation portion 75L, 75R (operating body 76L, 76R) toward the driver (toward the main gripping area 13L, 13R) so as to bring it closer to the gripping portion 10 (main gripping area 13L, 13R), the operating lever portion 50L, 50R can be operated to lift upward (see Figure 14). That is, in the steering handle 1 of the embodiment, the operating lever section 50L, 50R can be operated by hooking the fingertip Fa on the lifting operating section 75L, 75R (operating body 76L, 76R) and pulling it toward you while maintaining the fingertip Fa in the hooked state, which provides good operability, and the pulled-up state of the lifting operating section 75L, 75R can also be maintained stably for a predetermined period of time, allowing stable braking or accelerating operation (brake operation in the embodiment).

[0034] Therefore, the steering wheel 1 of the embodiment has good operability and can maintain a stable operating state.

[0035] Furthermore, in the steering wheel 1 of the embodiment, the operation bodies 76L, 76R of the pull-up operation parts 75L, 75R are generally plate-shaped and extend generally along the rotational steering central axis C1, and curved parts 77L, 77R are disposed on the lower end 76a side so as to protrude toward the grip part 10 (main gripping areas 13L, 13R). Therefore, when the fingers F gripping the main gripping areas 13L, 13R are brought into contact with the pull-up operation surfaces 78L, 78R, the lower end 76a side of the operation bodies 76L, 76R of the pull-up operation parts 75L, 75R does not dig into the fingers, resulting in a good tactile feel during operation. Furthermore, by providing the curved portions 77L, 77R that protrude outward, a space is created between the edge 77b of the curved portions 77L, 77R and the surface (outer surface 76c) of the lifting operation portion 75L, 75R (operation main body 76L, 76R) on the grip portion 10 side (see FIGS. 7 and 12), and a larger lifting stroke during a lifting operation to bring the grip portion 10 closer to the main gripping region 13L, 13R can be ensured compared to when the curved portions 77L, 77R are not provided. Note that if this point is not taken into consideration, the lifting operation portion may be configured without a curved portion.

[0036] Furthermore, in the steering handle 1 of the embodiment, the lifting operation parts 75L, 75R are arranged over substantially the entire fore-and-aft area of ​​the main gripping areas 13L, 13R so as to extend in the fore-and-aft direction substantially along the main gripping areas 13L, 13R, and are arranged at the front end 75b side to have extension parts 80L, 80R that extend toward the boss portion 5. Therefore, because the lifting operation parts 75L, 75R are arranged widely in the fore-and-aft direction so as to cover substantially the entire fore-and-aft area of ​​the gripping portion 10 during straight-ahead steering, the lifting operation parts 75L, 75R can be stably operated regardless of the gripping position of the main gripping areas 13L, 13R. Furthermore, since extensions 80L, 80R are formed on the front ends 75b of the lifting operation units 75L, 75R so as to extend toward the boss portion 5, these extensions 80L, 80R come into contact with the fingertips Fa of the hand MH gripping the grip portion 10 (main gripping regions 13L, 13R), thereby acting as stoppers that restrict further forward movement of the hand that would cause the hand to move away from the lifting operation units 75L, 75R, thereby enabling stable operation of the lifting operation units 75L, 75R. If this point is not taken into consideration, the lifting operation units may be configured without extensions, and further, the lifting operation units themselves may be configured to be disposed only in, for example, an area near the center between the front and rear of the main gripping region (operation lever unit) rather than over substantially the entire area between the front and rear of the main gripping region (operation lever unit).

[0037] The steering wheel 1 of the embodiment is configured to adjust the vehicle speed by pressing or pulling up the operating levers 50L, 50R. This steering wheel 1 is designed for installation in vehicles for people with disabilities, such as those in their lower limbs. Specifically, the steering wheel 1 of the embodiment is configured such that pressing down the operating levers 50L, 50R inputs an accelerator operation, and pulling up the operating levers inputs a brake operation. To change the desired speed (accelerate or decelerate), both the accelerator and brake operations must be maintained for a predetermined time. Furthermore, the greater the amount of depression or pulling, the greater the load on the driver's hands. In other words, the depressed or pulled state of the operating levers 50L, 50R must be maintained for a predetermined time with a large force. Furthermore, the accelerator is typically operated more frequently and for a longer period of time than the brake during driving.

[0038] The steering wheel 1 of the embodiment is configured to input an accelerator operation when the operation lever portions 50L, 50R are pressed down, and the pressing operation is performed by pressing down the pressing operation surfaces 62L, 62R (ceiling surfaces 64L, 64R) with a part of the driver's hand MH near the base of the thumb MT (the part of the ball of the foot TB of the palm) holding the grip portion 10 (main gripping areas 13L, 13R). Specifically, in the steering wheel 1 of the embodiment, the turning radius r1 of the pressing operation surfaces 62L, 62R (ceiling surfaces 64L, 64R) when pressed down (rotated) is relatively large (see FIG. 11), and the pressing operation surfaces 62L, 62R (ceiling surfaces 64L, 64R) are disposed approximately to the side of the rotation shaft portions 43L, 43R. The direction of the input pressing force F1 when pressing down the ceiling surfaces 64L, 64R is a direction substantially along the tangential direction D1 of the locus R1 during rotation around the rotation shafts 43L, 43R, but in the steering handle 1 of the embodiment, the input direction of this pressing force F1 can be made to approximate a direction substantially perpendicular to the grip surface 13a, as shown in Fig. 11, so that by pressing down the ceiling surfaces 64L, 64R substantially directly downward, the operating levers 50L, 50R can be operated to be pressed downward. Furthermore, the pressing operation surfaces 62L, 62R have inclined surfaces 70L, 70R arranged on the edge of the ceiling surfaces 64L, 64R that are actually pressed down on the grip portion 10 (main gripping areas 13L, 13R) side. Therefore, by using the inclined surfaces 70L, 70R as a guide and shifting the vicinity of the ball of the foot TB of the hand MH gripping the main gripping areas 13L, 13R inward (toward the operating levers 50L, 50R), the top surfaces 64L, 64R can be pressed down (see FIG. 13), providing good operability. Furthermore, because the top surfaces 64L, 64R can be pressed down stably over a wide area by the area near the ball of the foot TB, where a large force can be easily applied, the pressed state can be maintained stably for a predetermined period of time.Furthermore, since recesses 14L, 14R that are slightly recessed upward are formed on the undersides of main gripping areas 13L, 13R, if the four fingers MF other than the thumb MT hold the main gripping areas 13L, 13R with their fingertips Fa in contact with the inner peripheral surfaces of these recesses 14L, 14R, the gripping state of main gripping areas 13L, 13R can be stably maintained even if the vicinity of the base of the thumb MT shifts inward during a pressing operation. In other words, by providing such recesses 14L, 14R, the gripping state of main gripping areas 13L, 13R can be stabilized, and pressing operations using the area near the base of the thumb MT (the area of ​​the thenar eminence TB on the palm) can also be stably performed.

[0039] More specifically, in the steering handle 1 of the embodiment, the operation surface main body 63L, 63R of the push operation surface 62L, 62R formed on the upper surface 61a side of the push operation portion 61L, 61R has a ceiling surface 64L, 64R arranged in the middle position between the front and rear, which is aligned approximately along the grip surface 13a, and front inclined portions 65L, 65R and rear inclined portions 66L, 66R are arranged on the front edge 64a side and rear edge 64b side of the ceiling surface 64L, 64R, which descend from the ceiling surface 64L, 64R and approach the grip portion 10 side. Therefore, even when the front or rear end region of the main gripping region 13L, 13R is gripped away from the front-to-rear center (the region to the side of the ceiling surface 64L, 64R) of the main gripping region 13L, 13R, the thumb MT can smoothly press down the front inclined portion 65L, 65R or the rear inclined portion 66L, 66R when the hand MH gripping the main gripping region 13L, 13R is shifted inward (toward the operation lever 50L, 50R). Furthermore, by providing the front inclined portions 65L, 65R, for example, when the driver grips the front portion of the main gripping region 13L, 13R with the tip of the thumb touching the recessed portions 19L, 19R formed in the left front region 10d and the right front region 10e of the grip portion 10, the base of the thumb comes into contact with the gently sloping front inclined portion 65L, 65R. Furthermore, the rear inclined portions 66L, 66R are configured so that the rear edge 66a, which faces the grip portion 10, is positioned lower than the grip surface 13a. Therefore, when gripping the rear region of the main gripping regions 13L, 13R, the region near the ball of the foot, which is near the base of the thumb, can be smoothly shifted onto the rear inclined portions 66L, 66R, and the rear inclined portions 66L, 66R can be stably pressed down from the region near the ball of the foot.

[0040] Furthermore, the steering wheel 1 of the embodiment is configured to input a brake operation when the operating levers 50L, 50R are pulled up, and as described above, the driver presses the fingertips Fa of the fingers MF (index finger, middle finger, etc.) other than the thumb MT of the driver's hand MH gripping the grip portion 10 (main gripping area 13L, 13R) against the pull-up operation surfaces 78L, 78R and pulls the operating levers 50L, 50R toward the driver (toward the grip portion 10 (main gripping area 13L, 13R)) to pull up the operating levers 50L, 50R (see FIG. 14). Such a pull-up operation can be achieved by gripping the operating bodies 76L, 76R of the pull-up operating units 75L, 75R with the fingertips Fa of the hand MH gripping the main gripping area 13L, 13R, and therefore provides good operability. In particular, in the steering handle 1 of the embodiment, the pull-up operation surfaces 78L, 78R are disposed at positions vertically distant from the rotation shaft portions 43L, 43R compared to the ceiling surfaces 64L, 64R of the push-down operation surfaces 62L, 62R, and are disposed outward in the left and right directions from the ceiling surfaces 64L, 64R. That is, the rotation radius r2 of the pull-up operation units 75L, 75R during operation is larger than the rotation radius r1 of the push-down operation units 61L, 61R during operation (see FIGS. 11 and 12). This makes it possible to reduce the torque during the pull-up operation compared to the torque during the push-down operation of the push-down operation units 61L, 61R, and therefore allows the operation to be performed with a smaller pulling force (lighter force) compared to the push-down operation. Furthermore, because the operating bodies 76L, 76R of the lifting operating parts 75L, 75R are formed on the outer edge 60b side of the lever bodies 60L, 60R, they are close to the fingertips Fa of the hand MH gripping the main gripping regions 13L, 13R, making them easy to grip with the fingertips Fa. As a result, even though the lifting operation is performed with the fingertips of four fingers excluding the thumb, the operability is good and the lifted state can be stably maintained for a predetermined time.

[0041] Furthermore, in the steering wheel 1 of the embodiment, the operating lever portions 50L, 50R have push-down operation surfaces 62L, 62R formed on the upper surface 61a of the push-down operation portions 61L, 61R, as shown in Figures 2, 9 and 10, which are configured such that three sides excluding the pad 6 side (inside) are inclined downward around the periphery of the ceiling surface 64L, 64R that is mainly pushed down. In other words, the three sides excluding the inner edge side are chamfered, so that when the push-down operation portions 61L, 61R are operated in a way that causes the area around the ball of the foot TB to move, the operating lever portions 50L, 50R are prevented from partially digging into or partially hitting the driver's hand too hard, allowing for comfortable operation.

[0042] In the steering handle 1 of the embodiment, the accelerator operation is input when the operating levers 50L, 50R are pressed down, and the brake operation is input when the levers are pulled up, but it is also possible to input the brake operation when the levers are pressed down, and the accelerator operation when the levers are pulled up. However, considering that the accelerator operation is more frequently performed than the brake operation and takes longer to perform, and that it is easier to apply a larger force to the depression operation than to the lifting operation, it is preferable to input the accelerator operation when the levers are pressed down, and the brake operation when the levers are pulled up, as in the embodiment.

[0043] Furthermore, in the embodiment, a steering wheel having an operating lever portion that has a push-down operating portion in addition to a lift-up operating portion is used as an example. However, the present invention is also applicable to a steering wheel having an operating lever portion that has only a lift-up operating portion that can input a brake operation or an accelerator operation, and does not have a push-down operating portion. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1...steering handle, 5...boss portion, 10...gripping portion, 13L, 13R...main gripping area, 43L, 43R...rotating shaft portion, 50L, 50R...operating lever portion, 75L, 75R...lifting operation portion, 75a...lower end, 76L, 76R...operating body, 76a...inner surface, 77L, 77R...curved portion, 77a...lower end surface, 78L, 78R...lifting operation surface, 80L, 80R...extension portion, C1...rotating steering center axis

Claims

1. A steering handle comprising: a boss portion disposed on the center side of rotary steering; a grip portion disposed around the boss portion and gripped during rotary steering; and an operating lever portion disposed in a region between the boss portion and the grip portion, The operating lever portion is pivotally supported by a rotation shaft portion provided on the boss portion side, and when the grip portion is gripped, it can be pulled up to input an accelerator operation or a brake operation, The operating lever portion is a pressing operation portion disposed so as to substantially follow a grip surface formed by an upper end surface of the grip portion; a lifting operation portion formed to extend downward from the pushing operation portion so as to be substantially aligned with the rotary steering central axis; Equipped with The lifting operation portion is configured so that a lower end thereof is positioned below a lower end surface of the grip portion, and a lifting operation surface is configured from a surface of the boss portion side, which is arranged so as to be substantially along the rotation steering central axis, to the lower end surface, The steering handle is characterized in that the operating lever portion is pivotally supported on the rotating shaft portion so as to be capable of being operated to lift up the lifting operating portion so as to move it closer to the grip portion.

2. The lifting operation portion is formed in a substantially plate shape that is substantially along the rotation steering central axis, 2. The steering handle according to claim 1, wherein a curved portion that protrudes outward toward the grip portion is disposed on the lower end side of the lifting operation portion.

3. The grip portion is configured to have a main grip area that is substantially rectangular and annular and is arranged so as to be substantially along the front-rear direction during straight-ahead steering, the pressing operation portion and the lifting operation portion are formed as elongated members extending in the front-to-rear direction so that their longitudinal directions are substantially aligned with the main gripping area, and are disposed over substantially the entire front-to-rear area of ​​the main gripping area, 3. The steering handle according to claim 2, wherein an extension portion is disposed on the front end side of the lifting operation portion so as to extend toward the boss portion.

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