Steering device

Abstract

To provide a steering device capable of holding a device such as a tablet with good operability even when the steering rim is rotated during driving operation or automatic driving operation.SOLUTION: A steering device 10 includes a device fixing part 15 that is disposed on a radially inner side of a rim 11 of a vehicle steering wheel and is not linked to steering input of the rim 11. The steering device further comprises a designed surface member 16 which is arranged on a vehicle rear side of the device fixing part 15 and attached to the device fixing part 15, and the designed surface member 16 is configured to be able to hold a device 51 such as a tablet.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a steering device that holds a device such as a liquid crystal panel inside a steering rim. [Background technology]

[0002] As a conventional steering device, there is a configuration in which a pad is provided in the center of the steering wheel rim, a tablet stand is attached to the rim, and the tablet is placed on the pad across the rim from the rear side of the vehicle (passenger side), as described in Patent Document 1. There is also a configuration in which a steering wheel is provided in which the pad portion in the center of the rim is not linked to the rotation of the rim, as described in Patent Document 2. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-27629 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-178932 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, the bottom of the tablet (device) is placed on the passenger side, and then the top is placed on the pad across the rim, so the tablet is positioned closer to the passenger than the rim. This narrows the space between the passenger and the tablet, making it difficult to operate. Also, when the rim rotates automatically, as in autonomous driving, the tablet rotates in sync with this rotation, making it difficult to maintain the tablet in a position that is easy to operate.

[0005] The configuration of Patent Document 2 includes a steering wheel in which the pad portion in the center of the rim is not linked to the rotation of the rim. However, there is no description of a configuration for holding a device such as a tablet on the steering wheel, so the device cannot be held on the steering wheel.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a steering device that can hold a device such as a tablet with good operability even when the steering rim is rotated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the steering device of the present invention is a steering device that is arranged radially inside the rim of a vehicle steering wheel and has a device fixing part that is not linked to the steering input of the rim, and is characterized in that it is arranged on the rear side of the vehicle of the device fixing part and has a decorative surface member that is attached to the device fixing part, and the decorative surface member is capable of holding a rectangular device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The present invention provides a steering device that can hold a device such as a tablet with good operability even when the steering rim is rotated by driving operations or automatic driving operations. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a steering device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which a horizontal device is held by a device holding claw between the design surface member and the device fixing portion. FIG. [Figure 3] 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the device holding claws between the design surface member and the device fixing portion are fully retracted. FIG. [Figure 4] 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which a vertical device is held by a device holding claw between the design surface member and the device fixing portion. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a device fixing portion. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the decorative surface member. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the configuration of another device fixing portion. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a device holding claw. [Figure 9] 10 is a perspective view showing the arc-shaped through hole of the design surface member and the protrusion of the device fixing portion. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a perspective view showing another arc-shaped through hole of the design surface member and another protrusion of the device fixing portion. FIG. [Figure 11] 10 is a plan view showing a temporary fixing claw provided in a circular arc through hole of the decorative surface member. FIG. [Figure 12] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the protrusion of the decorative surface member and the through hole of the device fixing portion. FIG. [Figure 13] 10 is a perspective view showing a protrusion of the design surface member and a through hole of the device fixing portion. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the divided members of the decorative surface member in a closed state. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the divided members of the decorative surface member in a half-open state. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the four divided parts of the decorative surface member in an open state. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the device holding claws of the divided members of the decorative surface member. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another device holding claw of the divided member of the decorative surface member. [Figure 19] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing two divided parts of the decorative surface member. [Figure 20] 10 is a perspective view showing a covering member that covers the central portion of the divided member of the decorative surface member in the closed state. FIG. [Figure 21] 10 is a perspective view showing a covering member provided on one of the divided members of the decorative surface member in an open state. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] <Configuration of the embodiment> An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 21. In the description, the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated description will be omitted.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the steering device of this embodiment. The steering device 10 shown in Fig. 1 is configured to include an annular (see Fig. 14) steering rim (or steering rim) 11, multiple spokes 12, a column cover 13, a column shaft 14, a device fixing portion (also called a fixing portion) 15 that is a fixing portion main body 15H provided on the rear side of the vehicle (passenger side), and a design surface member 16 that holds a device 51 (described later). The device 51 is a rectangular tablet (see Fig. 2 or Fig. 4) that displays characters, images, etc.

[0012] The rim 11 is rotated by the driver (passenger) to input steering to the vehicle. In the autonomous driving mode, the rim 11 rotates automatically. The rim 11 is connected to a column shaft 14 via multiple spokes 12. The column shaft 14 transmits the rotation of the rim 11 due to the steering input to a steering gear box (not shown). The column cover 13 covers the column shaft 14.

[0013] The device fixing portion 15 is disk-shaped and disposed radially inward of the rim 11 so as not to rotate with the rim 11. It has a circular flat surface 15a (Fig. 2) perpendicular to the horizontal line facing the rear side of the vehicle (also referred to as the rear side). A disk-shaped decorative surface member 16 is attached to the flat surface 15a, and a device 51 is held on the flat surface 16a (Fig. 2) facing the rear side of the decorative surface member 16.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 2, device holding claws 17a, 17b, 17c, and 17d are provided between the device fixing part 15 and the decorative surface member 16, and are arranged at 90-degree intervals in the vertical and horizontal directions. The decorative surface member 16 and the fixing part 15, both of which have the same circular shape, are attached to the device fixing part main body (not shown) so as to be rotatable about a central axis (rotation axis) not shown. The central axis is inserted into a through-hole 15c (Fig. 5) in the fixing part 15, which will be described later, and further inserted into a hole 16c (Fig. 6) in the decorative surface member 16.

[0015] The device holding claws 17a to 17d can be extended to a predetermined length in each of the up, down, left, and right directions. Figure 2 shows the device holding claws 17a to 17d in the state where they are extended to the maximum, in which the left and right device holding claws 17c and 17d are longer horizontally than the upper and lower device holding claws 17a and 17b. In this horizontal state, the device holding claws 17a to 17d can hold and fix a horizontally elongated device 51.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 3, when the decorative surface member 16 is rotated 45 degrees to the right, the device holding claws 17a to 17d can be retracted to the edge of the decorative surface member 16. When the decorative surface member 16 is further rotated 45 degrees to the right from this state, as shown in Fig. 4, the device holding claws 17c and 17d extend to their maximum vertical extent, and the device holding claws 17a and 17b extend to their maximum horizontal extent, making it possible to hold the device 51 in a vertical position.

[0017] 5, the device fixing portion 15 has a circular through-hole 15c at the center of its circular flat surface 15a, and linear first grooves 15d formed at 90-degree intervals above, below, left, and right of the through-hole 15c. The four first grooves 15d are formed linearly and of the same length penetrating the flat surface 15a from near the through-hole 15c to near the circular edge of the fixing portion 15. The center of the through-hole 15c coincides with the center of the circular fixing portion 15. However, the first grooves 15d may be grooves that do not penetrate the flat surface 15a as long as they are recessed toward the decorative surface member 16.

[0018] As shown in Figure 6, the design surface member 16 has a circular, non-through hole 16c at the center of a circular flat surface 16b that abuts against the flat surface 15a of the device fixing portion 15, and second grooves 16d are formed at 90-degree intervals above, below, left, and right of the hole 16c. The second grooves 16d are composed of a pair of arc-shaped grooves 16d1 formed symmetrically above and below a dashed imaginary horizontal line (first straight line) that passes horizontally through the center of the hole 16c, and a pair of arc-shaped grooves 16d2 formed symmetrically on the left and right of a dashed imaginary vertical line (second straight line) that passes perpendicularly (perpendicular to) the dashed imaginary horizontal line through the same center. The center of the hole 16c coincides with the center of the circular design surface member 16.

[0019] The pair of arc grooves 16d1 extend laterally from near the hole 16c to near the edge of the circular flat surface 16b, and the pair of arc grooves 16d2 extend vertically from near the hole 16c to a position about half the radius of the circular flat surface 16b. The left and right arc grooves 16d1 are longer than the upper and lower arc grooves 16d2.

[0020] Of the left and right arc grooves 16d1, the upper arc groove d1a on the left side forms an arc shape that starts near the upper left of the hole 16c, heads upward to the left, and then heads downward. The lower arc groove d1b on the left side forms an arc shape that starts near the lower left of the hole 16c, heads downward to the left, and then heads upward. The tips of the upper arc groove d1a and the lower arc groove d1b overlap at the same position near the edge of the circular flat surface 16b. The upper arc groove and lower arc groove on the right side are formed symmetrically to the upper arc groove d1a and lower arc groove d1b on the left side across the dashed virtual vertical line.

[0021] Of the upper and lower arc-shaped grooves 16d2, the upper left arc-shaped groove d2a forms an arc that starts diagonally above and near the upper left of the hole 16c, turns upward to the left, and then turns right. The upper right arc-shaped groove d2b forms an arc that starts diagonally above and near the upper right of the hole 16c, turns upward to the right, and then turns left. The tips of the left arc-shaped groove d2a and the right arc-shaped groove d2b overlap at a position approximately half the upper radius of the circular plane 16b. The lower left arc-shaped groove and the lower right arc-shaped groove are formed symmetrically to the upper left arc-shaped groove d1a and the upper right arc-shaped groove d1b across the dashed imaginary horizontal line.

[0022] The second groove 16d will now be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 6, the second groove 16d includes a pair of first points 1a and 1b, a pair of second points 2a and 2b, and four third points 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d. The pair of first points 1a and 1b are each a first distance from the rotation axis (the central axis of the hole 16c) relative to the device fixing portion 15 of the design surface member 16, and are located at opposite ends of a first line (a dashed imaginary horizontal line) passing through the rotation axis. The pair of second points 2a and 2b are each a second distance shorter than the first distance from the rotation axis, and are located at opposite ends of a second line (a dashed imaginary vertical line) passing through the rotation axis and perpendicular to the first line. The four third points 3a to 3d are each a third distance shorter than the second distance from the rotation axis, and are arranged at 90-degree intervals between the first line and the second line.

[0023] Of the pair of first points 1a, 1b, the first point 1a on the left side is connected in an arc to the two third points 3a, 3d on the side closer to the first point 1a, and the first point 1b on the right side is connected in an arc to the two third points 3b, 3c on the side closer to the first point 1b.

[0024] Of the pair of second points 2a, 2b, the upper second point 2a is connected in an arc to the two third points 3a, 3b on the side closer to the second point 2a, and the lower second point 2b is connected in an arc to the two third points 3c, 3d on the side closer to the second point 2b.

[0025] 5 is made up of four grooves 15d extending vertically and horizontally from the rotation axis (the central axis of the through-hole 15a) of the device fixing portion 15. The protrusions 7a3 (FIG. 8) of the four device holding claws 17a to 17d are slidably inserted into these four grooves 15d.

[0026] Each of the device holding claws 17a to 17d has the same shape, and Fig. 8 shows device holding claw 17a as a representative example, which will be described below. Device holding claw 17a comprises an elongated, plate-like extending portion 7a1 with one end shaped like an arc, a pair of protrusions 7a2 and 7a3 protruding perpendicularly from both the front and back surfaces of extending portion 7a1 near the arc, and a claw portion 7a4 provided at the other end opposite the arc side of extending portion 7a1, protruding perpendicularly from the surface. Note that, although the pair of protrusions 7a2 and 7a3 are cylindrical in this example, they may have other shapes.

[0027] One protrusion 7a2 of the device holding claws 17a-17d protrudes toward the rear of the vehicle (toward the occupant) and is slidably inserted into the second groove 16d of the design surface member 16, and the other protrusion 7a3 protrudes toward the front of the vehicle and is slidably inserted into the first groove 15d of the device fixing portion 15. Furthermore, with the centers of the design surface member 16 and the fixing portion 15 aligned, the central axis (or rotation axis) parallel to the rotation axis of the rim 11 or extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle is inserted into the through-hole 15c (FIG. 5) of the fixing portion 15 and further inserted into the hole 16c (FIG. 6) of the design surface member 16. Therefore, the design surface member 16 is held rotatably relative to the fixing portion 15 around the central axis.

[0028] The slidable insertion of the protrusions 7a2 of the device holding claws 17a to 17d into the second groove 16d and the slidable insertion of the protrusions 7a3 into the first groove 15d enables the following operation. When the decorative surface member 16 is gradually rotated to the right while the device holding claws 17a to 17d are fully extended as shown in FIG. 2, the protrusions 7a2 and 7a3 of the device holding claws 17a to 17d gradually move toward the hole 16c in the second groove 16d (FIG. 6). As a result of this movement, the device holding claws 17a to 17d are gradually housed between the decorative surface member 16 and the fixing portion 15.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 3, when the decorative surface member 16 is rotated clockwise until the groove 16d1 (Fig. 6) of the second groove 16d is tilted 45 degrees from the horizontal state shown in Fig. 2 as shown in Fig. 3, the claw portions 7a4 (Fig. 8) of the device holding claws 17a to 17d reach the edge of the decorative surface member 16. When this occurs, the portions of the device holding claws 17a to 17d other than the claw portions 7a4 are housed between the decorative surface member 16 and the fixing portion 15. When the decorative surface member 16 is rotated another 45 degrees from this state, the device holding claws 17a to 17d protrude in a state in which they can hold the device 51 shown in Fig. 4 in an upright position.

[0030] Alternatively, the second groove 16d of the decorative surface member 16 may be formed by forming linear grooves 16d3, 16d4 at 90-degree intervals above, below, left, and right of the hole 16c, as shown in Fig. 7. The left and right linear grooves 16d3 are formed along a dashed imaginary horizontal line that passes horizontally through the center of the hole 16c. The upper and lower linear grooves 16d4 are formed along a dashed imaginary vertical line that passes vertically through the center.

[0031] The left and right linear grooves 16d3 extend from near the hole 16c to near the edge of the circular flat surface 16b, while the upper and lower linear grooves 16d4 extend from near the hole 16c to approximately half the radius of the circular flat surface 16b. The left and right linear grooves 16d3 are longer than the upper and lower linear grooves 16d4. The claw portions 7a4 of the device holding claws 17a to 17d are slidably inserted into these upper, lower, left, and right linear grooves 16d3 and 16d4. In the structure shown in FIG. 7, the design surface member 16 does not rotate, and the device cannot be held in portrait or landscape orientation. The device holding claws 17a to 17d are manually operated by the operator.

[0032] Furthermore, although not shown, the second groove 16d may be configured such that there are two recessed grooves, one in the upper direction and one in the lower direction, in the design surface member 16. In this case, two device holding claws are sufficient.

[0033] Furthermore, a biasing member (not shown) such as a spring may be provided to pull the device holding claws 17a to 17d toward the hole 16c of the design surface member 16. In this case, for example, as shown in Fig. 2, when the left and right device holding claws 17c, 17d are pulled outward to hold the device 51 and then the device holding claws 17c, 17d are released, the device holding claws 17c, 17d are pulled by the springs, and the claw portions 7a4, 7a4 (Fig. 8) press and hold the device 51 from the left and right. This holding makes it difficult for the device 51 to come off.

[0034] Next, the device fixing portion 15 (FIG. 5) and the decorative surface member 16 (FIG. 6) described above may be replaced with a device fixing portion 15A and a decorative surface member 16A shown in FIG.

[0035] The device fixing portion 15A has the same disk shape as the device fixing portion 15, and has two protrusions 5A1 provided near the periphery of the surface 15aA facing the design surface member 16A. The two protrusions 5A1 are provided on an imaginary diameter line (not shown) of the circle of the fixing portion 15, and at positions symmetrical with respect to the center of the circle. In this example, the two protrusions 5A1 are cylindrical, but may have other shapes.

[0036] The design surface member 16A has the same disk shape as the design surface member 16, and is provided with two arc-shaped through holes 6A1 near the periphery, into which the two protrusions 5A1 of the device fixing portion 15A are slidably inserted. The two arc-shaped through holes 6A1 are provided point-symmetrically with respect to the center point (or rotation axis) of the design surface member 16A. The two arc-shaped through holes 6A1 are formed in an arc shape such that when the design surface member 16A is rotated with the protrusions 5A1 inserted, the protrusions 5A1 can move in an arc around the rotation axis at an angle θ1 = 90 degrees relative to the arc-shaped through holes 6A1.

[0037] By attaching device 51 (FIG. 2) to surface 16bA of decorative surface member 16A configured in this manner, device 51 can be rotated and held in both the vertical and horizontal directions. The means for fixing device 51 to decorative surface member 16A is not particularly limited. Although not shown, for example, a holding claw (see reference numeral 6C1 in FIG. 12) for fixing the device to decorative surface member 16A may be provided, or the device may be attached by magnet or the like.

[0038] Instead of the arc-shaped through-hole 6A1, the decorative surface member 16A may have an arc-shaped groove recessed toward the device fixing portion 15A. This arc-shaped groove is sized to allow the protrusion 5A1 to be slidably inserted therein. The arc-shaped groove constitutes the groove described in the claims.

[0039] Alternatively, the two protrusions 5A1 may be provided on the surface of the design surface member 16A facing the device fixing portion 15, and the two arc-shaped through holes 6A1 or the two arc-shaped grooves may be provided on the surface of the fixing portion 15 facing the design surface member 16. In other words, the arc-shaped groove or arc-shaped through hole 6A1 has an arc shape that allows the protrusion 5A1 to move 90 degrees in an arc shape around a center point (rotation axis) relative to the arc-shaped groove or arc-shaped through hole 6A1.

[0040] Next, the device fixing portion 15 (FIG. 5) and the decorative surface member 16 (FIG. 6) described above may be replaced with a device fixing portion 15B and a decorative surface member 16B shown in FIG.

[0041] The device fixing portion 15B has the same disk shape as the device fixing portion 15, and has two protrusions 5B1 and 5B2 attached at different diametric positions near the periphery of the surface 15aB facing the design surface member 16B. In this example, the two protrusions 5B1 and 5B2 are cylindrical, but may have other shapes. The two protrusions 5B1 and 5B2 are divided into a first protrusion 5B1 closer to the periphery and a second protrusion 5B2 spaced a predetermined distance from the first protrusion 5B1 toward the rotation axis.

[0042] The decorative surface member 16B has the same disk shape as the decorative surface member 16 (FIG. 6), and is provided with two arc-shaped through-holes 6B1, 6B2 into which the two protrusions 5B1, 5B2 of the fixing part 15B are slidably inserted. The two arc-shaped through-holes 6B1, 6B2 are provided at positions where they do not overlap each other.

[0043] Of the two arc-shaped through holes 6B1, 6B2, the first arc-shaped through hole 6B1 into which the first protrusion 5B1 is inserted is formed in an arc shape such that, when the decorative surface member 16B is rotated, the first protrusion 5B1 can move in an arc-shaped manner around the rotation axis at an angle θ2 = 180 degrees relative to the first arc-shaped through hole 6B1. The second arc-shaped through hole 6B2 into which the second protrusion 5B2 is inserted is formed in an arc-shaped manner such that, when the decorative surface member 16B is rotated, the second protrusion 5B2 can move in an arc-shaped manner around the rotation axis at an angle θ2 = 180 degrees relative to the second arc-shaped through hole 6B2.

[0044] The second arc-shaped through-hole 6B2 has a temporary fixing claw 6B3 in the center surrounded by the dashed-line frame F1 at both ends, as shown in Fig. 11, for temporarily fixing the second protrusion 5B2. The temporary fixing claw 6B3 has a hollowed-out portion 6B4 formed on the inner periphery of the second arc-shaped through-hole 6B2 of the decorative surface member 16B, and is formed as a long, thin plate that can move toward the hollowed-out portion 6B4 like a spring. The temporary fixing claw 6B3 has an arc-shaped portion B3a on the second arc-shaped through-hole 6B2 side into which the outer periphery of the second protrusion 5B2 fits. When the second protrusion 5B2 fits into the arc-shaped portion B3a, the temporary fixing claw 6B3 is pressed toward the hollowed-out portion 6B4, and the reaction force from the pressing force fixes the second protrusion 5B2.

[0045] When device 51 (FIG. 2) is attached to surface 16bB of decorative surface member 16B configured as described above, because arc groove or arc through-hole 6B1 or 6B2 has a 180-degree arc shape, it is possible to turn device 51 upside down with the device 51 attached. Furthermore, because temporary fixing claws 6B3 are provided at the 90-degree portion, device 51 can be stably held by temporary fixing claws 6B3 when rotated 90 degrees, and device 51 can be held both vertically and horizontally.

[0046] Instead of the arc-shaped through-hole 6B1, the decorative surface member 16B may have an arc-shaped groove recessed toward the fixed portion 15B. This arc-shaped groove is sized to allow the protrusion 5B1 to be slidably inserted therein. The arc-shaped groove constitutes the groove described in the claims.

[0047] Alternatively, the two protrusions 5B1 may be provided on the surface of the decorative surface member 16B facing the fixed part 15, and the two arc-shaped through holes 6B1 or the two arc-shaped grooves may be provided on the surface of the fixed part 15 facing the decorative surface member 16. In other words, the arc-shaped groove or the arc-shaped through hole 6B1 has an arc shape that allows the protrusion 5B1 to move 90 degrees in an arc shape around a center point (rotation axis) relative to the arc-shaped groove or the arc-shaped through hole 6B1.

[0048] Instead of the two arc-shaped through holes 6B1, 6B2, the decorative surface member 16B may have two arc-shaped grooves recessed toward the fixed portion 15B. These two arc-shaped grooves are sized to allow the two protrusions 5B1, 5B2 to be slidably inserted therein. The two arc-shaped grooves constitute the grooves described in the claims.

[0049] Alternatively, the two protrusions 5B1, 5B2 may be provided on the surface of the decorative surface member 16B facing the fixed part 15, and the two arc-shaped through holes 6B1, 6B2 or the two arc-shaped grooves may be provided on the surface of the fixed part 15 facing the decorative surface member 16. In other words, the two arc-shaped grooves or the two arc-shaped through holes 6B1, 6B2 have an arc shape that allows the two protrusions 5B1, 5B2 to move 180 degrees in an arc shape around a central point (rotation axis) relative to the two arc-shaped grooves or the two arc-shaped through holes 6B1, 6B2.

[0050] Next, the device fixing portion 15 (FIG. 5) and the decorative surface member 16 (FIG. 6) described above may be replaced with a device fixing portion 15C and a decorative surface member 16C shown in FIG. 12. The decorative surface member 16C has the same disk shape as the decorative surface member 16 described above, and includes a plurality of claws 6C1 that hold and fix the device 51 abutted against the surface on the rear side of the vehicle, and a protrusion 6C2 that protrudes on the side opposite the holding surface of the device 51. The fixing portion 15C includes a through hole 5C2 into which the protrusion 6C2 is slidably inserted.

[0051] 13, the protrusion 6C2 of the decorative surface member 16C includes a cylindrical portion C2a having a predetermined thickness and a first radius R1 that is a predetermined length from the center point of the decorative surface member 16C, and a pair of convex portions C2b that are diametrically opposed on the circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion C2a. The end faces of the pair of convex portions C2b are located on a second radius R2 that is a predetermined length longer than the first radius R1.

[0052] The through hole 5C2 of the device fixing portion 15C consists of a cylindrical hole 2a1 that penetrates in a cylindrical shape from the central axis of the circular fixing portion 15C with a size slightly larger than the first radius R1, and two (or a pair of) arc holes 2b1 that are formed in an arc shape on the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion C2a with a size slightly larger than the second radius R2.

[0053] The two arc holes 2b1 are formed symmetrically with respect to the central axis of the fixed portion 15C. The pair of arc holes 2b1 are formed in an arc shape such that, when the decorative surface member 16C is rotated with the protrusion 6C2 inserted into the through hole 5C2, the pair of convex portions C2b of the protrusion 6C2 can move in an arc shape around the rotation axis at an angle θ3 = 90 degrees relative to the pair of arc holes 2b1.

[0054] If the device 51 (FIG. 2) is attached to the surface of the decorative surface member 16C on the vehicle rear side having such a configuration, the device 51 can be rotated and held in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0055] Instead of the through-hole 5C2 of the device fixing part 15C, a concave arc groove having the same planar shape as the through-hole 5C2 may be provided on the surface of the fixing part 15C. This arc groove is sized so that the protrusion C2b of the design surface member 16C can be slidably inserted therein.

[0056] Alternatively, the through-hole 5C2 may be provided on the surface of the decorative surface member 16C, and the protrusion 6C2 may be provided on the surface of the fixing portion 15 facing the decorative surface member 16C.

[0057] Next, as shown in Fig. 14, the disc-shaped decorative surface member 16D has a surface facing the front of the vehicle that is divided into a plurality (4) of equally spaced divided members 16a1, 16a2, 16a3, and 16a4. All of the divided members 16a1 to 16a4 shown in Fig. 14 are in a closed state.

[0058] As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the divided members 16a1 to 16a4 have a structure that allows them to be configured as double doors. This structure will be described. As shown in Figure 16, each divided member 16a1 to 16a4 is attached to the peripheral edge of the surface of the device fixing portion 15D that faces the driver's side (rear side of the vehicle) by a rotation shaft as follows: The upper and lower divided members 16a1 and 16a3 are rotatably attached to the fixing portion 15D by a rotation shaft that is perpendicular to the rotation shaft of the rim 11 and the vehicle width direction. The left and right divided members 16a2 and 16a4 are rotatably attached to the fixing portion 15D by a rotation shaft that is perpendicular to the rotation shaft of the rim 11 and the vehicle up-down direction.

[0059] The divided members 16a1 to 16a4 having this structure can be opened from the closed state shown in Fig. 14 to a state about halfway open like a double door shown in Fig. 15, and can be opened to their fullest extent until the triangular back sides of all divided members 16a1 to 16a4 face flatly toward the rear of the vehicle as shown in Fig. 16. They can also be closed in the reverse order to reach the closed state.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 17, each of the divided members 16a1 to 16a4 has a device holding claw 17a1 attached to the apex of the triangle. The device holding claw 17a1 can be moved between the apex of the triangle and the side toward the center of the device fixing portion 15D to fix it at any position. A pair of upper and lower device holding claws 17a1 is attached to the upper and lower divided members 16a1 and 16a3, and a pair of left and right device holding claws 17a1 is attached to the left and right divided members 16a2 and 16a4. As shown in FIG. 16, by moving the pair of upper and lower device holding claws 17a1 toward the upper and lower apexes as far as possible and moving the pair of left and right device holding claws 17a1 toward the center, the device 51 can be held and fixed vertically. Conversely, by moving the upper, lower, left, and right device holding claws 17a1, the device 51 can be held horizontally. Note that it is sufficient to have at least one pair of device holding claws 17a to 17d, one pair at the top and bottom or one pair at the left and right.

[0061] In this way, by opening the divided members 16a1 to 16a4, the device 51 can be held by the device holding claws 17a1. At this time, the decorative surface member 16D is held by the device fixing portion 15D that is not linked to steering input, so even if the rim 11 rotates, such as in automatic driving, the device 51 can be held without rotating.

[0062] Alternatively, divided member 16a1 of divided members 16a1 to 16a4 is shown in Figure 18. As shown in Figure 18, device holding claws 17a2, 17a3, and 17a4 may be provided in two rows and three stages between the apex (outside) of divided member 16a1 on the triangular plane and the center of device fixing section 15D (referred to as the apex-center section). That is, device holding claws 17a2 to 17a4 are provided in two parallel rows in the direction from the apex (outside) to the center, and in each of these two rows, three stages are provided at a predetermined interval from the apex toward the center: upper, middle, and lower stages. Device holding claw 17a2 is provided in the upper stage, device holding claw 17a3 is provided in the middle, and device holding claw 17a4 is provided in two rows at the lower stage.

[0063] Each of the device holding claws 17a2 to 17a4 is normally stored in a triangular plane as shown by the device holding claws 17a3 and 17a4 in the middle and lower rows, and when in use, is pulled out so as to protrude from the plane, as shown by the device holding claw 17a2 in the upper row. At this time, the storage hole a1a in which the device holding claw 17a2 was stored opens below the protruding device holding claw 17a2.

[0064] That is, the device holding claws 17a2 to 17a4 from the upper row to the lower row can be pulled out and protruded as desired depending on the size of the device 51 and whether it is held horizontally or vertically.

[0065] Alternatively, the four divided members 16a1-16a4 may be divided into two divided members 16a1 and 16a2, as shown in Fig. 19. In this case, the divided members 16a1 and 16a2 are opened vertically from a closed state as shown by arrow Y1. The device holding claws 17a5 stored in upper and lower positions on the backside of the opened divided members 16a1 and 16a2 can be pulled out to hold the device 51. Of the divided members 16a1-16a4, only the divided members 16a1 and 16a3 (rotating members) that open vertically may rotate, and the remaining divided members 16a2 and 16a4 may not rotate.

[0066] 14, the central portion where the tops of the divided members 16a1 to 16a4 meet may be fixed to the device fixing portion 15D independently, and the divided members 16a1 to 16a4 other than the fixed central portion may be in the open state. In this case, the central portion may be used as a switch to open and close the divided members 16a1 to 16a4.

[0067] Next, as shown in Fig. 20, the central portions of the divided members 16a1 to 16a4 in the closed state, facing the rear of the vehicle, may be covered with a covering member 21. The covering member 21 may be an emblem as shown in the figure. As shown in Fig. 21, the covering member 21 is attached to the front side of the top of one of the divided members 16a1 to 16a4 (for example, divided member 16a3).

[0068] When segments 16a1-16a4 are closed (see FIG. 14), the tops of segments 16a1-16a4 gather in the center, making the boundary line conspicuous. However, by covering the center with covering member 21 as described above, the boundary line in the center can be prevented from becoming conspicuous.

[0069] <Effects of the embodiment> Next, the characteristic configuration and effects of the steering device of the present embodiment will be described. The steering device 10 is disposed radially inside the rim 11 of the vehicle steering wheel and has a device fixing portion 15 that is not linked to the steering input of the rim 11.

[0070] (1) The steering device 10 is arranged on the rear side of the vehicle of the device fixing portion 15 and is provided with a decorative surface member 16 attached to the device fixing portion 15, and the decorative surface member 16 is configured to be capable of holding a device 51 such as a tablet.

[0071] With this configuration, the device 51 can be held on the decorative surface member 16 attached to the device fixing portion 15 that is not linked to the steering input of the rim 11. The decorative surface member 16 is disposed radially inward of the rim 11. Therefore, the device 51 can be held at approximately the same distance as when the occupant grips the rim 11, making it easy to operate and view the device 51. Therefore, even if the rim 11 is rotated by driving operation or automatic driving operation, the device 51 can be held with good operability.

[0072] (2) The device holding claws 17a to 17d are arranged between the device fixing portion 15 and the decorative surface member 16. The device fixing portion 15 has a first groove 15d on the surface facing the decorative surface member 16, and the decorative surface member 16 has a second groove 16d on the surface facing the device fixing portion 15. The device holding claws 17a to 17d have an extending portion 7a1 extending between the device fixing portion 15 and the decorative surface member 16, a pair of protruding portions 7a2 and 7a3 protruding from one end of the extending portion 7a1 toward the first groove 15d and the second groove 16d, respectively, and a claw portion 7a4 extending from the other end of the extending portion 7a1 toward the rear of the vehicle. The pair of protruding portions 7a2 and 7a3 are configured to be slidably inserted into the first groove 15d and the second groove 16d, respectively.

[0073] According to this configuration, the device holding claws 17a to 17d can slide along the first groove 15d and the second groove 16d. Therefore, the device holding claws 17a to 17d can move between a device holding position where they protrude outward from the decorative surface member 16 to hold the device 51, and a storage position where they are stored between the decorative surface member 16 and the device fixing portion 15. Therefore, when not holding the device 51, the device holding claws 17a to 17d can be made less noticeable and do not interfere with the operation of the rim 11 or the driver's field of vision. Since the decorative surface member 16 is located on the front, the design is also excellent.

[0074] (3) The decorative surface member 16 is held rotatably relative to the device fixing portion 15 around a rotation axis extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0075] The second groove 16d has a pair of first points d1a, d1b that are located on a first line passing through the rotation axis of the decorative surface member 16 and that is a first distance from the rotation axis; a pair of second points d2a, d2b that are located on a second line passing through the rotation axis and perpendicular to the first line and that is a second distance from the rotation axis that is shorter than the first distance; and four third points d3a to d3d that are located on four regions separated by the first line and the second line and that are a third distance from the rotation axis that is shorter than the second distance.

[0076] Furthermore, the second groove 16d includes four grooves: two grooves 16d1 in which one of a pair of first points d1a, d1b is curvedly connected to two third points d3a to d3d on the side closer to one of the first points d1a, d1b, and the other first point d1a, d1b is curvedly connected to two third points d3a to d3d on the side closer to the other first point d1a, d1b; and two grooves 16d2 in which one of a pair of second points d2a, d2b is curvedly connected to two third points d3a to d3d on the side closer to one of the second points d2a, d2b, and the other second point d2a, d2b is curvedly connected to two third points d3a to d3d on the side closer to the other second point d2a, d2b.

[0077] The first groove 15d consists of four grooves extending up, down, left, and right from the rotation axis of the device fixing part 15. There are four device holding claws 17a to 17d, each configured to be slidably inserted into the first groove 15d and the second groove 16d.

[0078] According to this configuration, when the device holding claws 17a to 17d are in the fully extended state (Figure 2), and the decorative surface member 16 is rotated to the right, the protrusions 7a2 and 7a3 of the device holding claws 17a to 17d move toward the hole 16c in the second groove 16d (Figure 6), and the device holding claws 17a to 17d are gradually stored between the decorative surface member 16 and the device fixing portion 15.

[0079] When the decorative surface member 16 is rotated clockwise until the groove 16d1 (Figure 6) of the second groove 16d is tilted 45 degrees (Figure 3) from a horizontal state (Figure 2), the claw portion 7a4 (Figure 8) of the device holding claws 17a to 17d reaches the edge of the decorative surface member 16, and the parts other than the claw portion 7a4 are stored between the decorative surface member 16 and the device fixing portion 15.

[0080] From this state, when the decorative surface member 16 is turned to the left, the device holding claws 17a to 17d are finally extended to the maximum extent possible to hold the device 51. In other words, by rotating the decorative surface member 16, the device holding claws 17a to 17d can be brought into a state where they can hold the device 51, and the device holding claws 17a to 17d can be stored in the decorative surface member 16.

[0081] (4) The decorative surface member 16A is held rotatably relative to the device fixing portion 15A around a rotation axis extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0082] Either the device fixing portion 15A or the front design surface member 16A has a protrusion 5A1 that protrudes toward the other, and the other has an arc-shaped groove or through hole (arc-shaped through hole 6A1), and the protrusion 5A1 is configured to be slidably inserted into the groove or through hole.

[0083] According to this configuration, by inserting the protrusion 5A1 into the arc-shaped groove or through-hole, the protrusion 5A1 can move along the groove or through-hole, and therefore the decorative surface member 16A can be rotated relative to the device fixing part 15. Therefore, since the device 51 can be rotated in a mounted state, the device 51 can be rotated and held in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0084] (5) The arc groove or arc through-hole 6A1 has an arc shape such that the protrusion can move 90 degrees in an arc shape around the rotation axis relative to the arc groove or arc through-hole 6A1.

[0085] According to this configuration, the arc groove or arc through-hole 6A1 has an arc shape that allows the protrusion 5A1 to move in a 90-degree arc, so that the device 51 can be reliably fixed in the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0086] (6) The arc groove or arc through-hole 6B1 or 6B2 has an arc shape that allows the protrusion 5B1 or 5B2 to move 180 degrees in an arc shape around the rotation axis relative to the arc groove or arc through-hole 6B1 or 6B2. The arc groove or arc through-hole 6B1 or 6B2 has a temporary fixing claw 6B3 at the central 90-degree portion of the 180-degree arc that temporarily fixes the protrusion 5B1 or 5B2.

[0087] According to this configuration, the arc groove or arc through-hole 6B1 or 6B2 has a 180-degree arc shape, so that the device 51 can be held upside down when attached. Furthermore, the temporary fixing claws 6B3 are provided at the 90-degree portion, so that the device 51 can be stably held by the temporary fixing claws 6B3 when rotated 90 degrees, and the device 51 can be held both vertically and horizontally.

[0088] (7) The design surface member 16C is rotatably held relative to the device fixing portion 15C around a rotation axis extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction. One of the device fixing portion 15C and the design surface member 16C has a protruding portion 6C2 protruding toward the other. The protruding portion 6C2 includes a cylindrical portion C2a having a first radius R1 and a pair of convex portions C2b positioned opposite each other on the circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion C2a, with their end faces positioned on a second radius R2 that is a predetermined length longer than the first radius R1. The other has a through hole 5C2 into which the protruding portion 6C2 is fitted. The through hole 5C2 includes a cylindrical hole 2a1 that penetrates the cylindrical portion C2a in a cylindrical shape with a size slightly larger than the first radius R1, and a pair of arc-shaped holes 2b1 that are formed in an arc shape on the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion C2a with a size slightly larger than the second radius R2 and positioned opposite each other. The pair of arc holes 2b1 are configured to have an arc shape such that the pair of convex portions C2b of the protrusion 6C2 can move in an arc shape by 90 degrees around the rotation axis relative to the pair of arc holes 2b1.

[0089] According to this configuration, by attaching device 51 (FIG. 2) to the surface of decorative surface member 16C on the vehicle rear side, device 51 can be rotated and held in both the vertical and horizontal directions. Because the pair of arc holes 2b1 have an arc shape that allows the pair of convex portions C2b of protrusion 6C2 to move 90 degrees in an arc relative to the pair of arc holes 2b1, device 51 can be reliably fixed in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0090] (8) The design surface member 16D is composed of multiple divided members 16a1-16a4. At least some of the divided members 16a1-16a4 are rotating members (divided members 16a1-16a4) that are rotatably attached to the peripheral edge of the device fixing portion 15D by a rotation axis perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rim 11 and the vehicle width direction or the vehicle vertical direction. The rotating members can be arranged in a closed state in which adjacent members are in contact with each other when viewed from the front of the vehicle (as seen from the occupant side), and in an open state in which adjacent members are separated and open flat. The rotating members are equipped with device holding claws 17a1 that hold the device 51 on the surface facing the device fixing portion 15D in the closed state. The device holding claws 17a1 are arranged in at least a pair facing each other when the rotating members are in the open state, so as to hold the device 51.

[0091] According to this configuration, by opening the rotating member, the device 51 can be held by the device holding claws 17a1. At this time, the design surface member 16D is held by the device fixing portion 15D that is not linked to steering input, so even if the rim 11 rotates, such as in autonomous driving, the device 51 can be held without rotating. When not holding the device 51, the rotating member can be closed to make it flat, which provides excellent design and prevents it from interfering with steering operations.

[0092] (9) When the rotating member is in the open state, the device holding claw 17a1 is configured to be slidable in the vertical or horizontal direction relative to the rotating member and to be fixed at any position.

[0093] With this configuration, the device holding tabs 17a1 are slidable and can be fixed at any position, making it possible to adjust the distance in the vertical or horizontal direction, thereby enabling devices 51 of different sizes to be held, and devices 51 can be held whether they are placed vertically or horizontally.

[0094] (10) At least one of the rotating members has a plurality of device holding claws 17a1 arranged at predetermined intervals. The device holding claws 17a1 can be positioned in a protruding position where they protrude toward the rear of the vehicle and in a stored position where they do not protrude.

[0095] With this configuration, the decorative surface member 16D has multiple device holding claws 17a1 that can be positioned in the protruding position or the retracted position, making it possible to adjust the distance in the vertical and horizontal directions. Furthermore, it can accommodate devices of various sizes and can hold devices in both vertical and horizontal orientations.

[0096] (11) The cover member 21 is provided to cover the central portion of the design surface member 16D when the rotating member is in the closed state. The cover member 21 is configured to be attached to one of the divided members of the rotating member (for example, divided member 16a3).

[0097] With this configuration, the central portion of the decorative surface member 16D can be covered with the covering member 21. This prevents the boundary line in the central portion of the decorative surface member 16D from standing out, improving the design. If the covering member 21 is an emblem, the design can be further improved.

[0098] Although the vehicle body structure according to this embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 10. Steering device 11. Vehicle steering wheel rim 15, 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D Device fixing part 15d First groove 5A1,5B1,5B2 Protrusion 5C2 Through hole 16,16A,16B,16C,16D Design surface parts 16a1~16a4 Divided parts 16d Second groove 6A1, 6B1, 6B2 Arc through hole C2a Cylindrical part R1 first radius R2 second radius C2b Convex part 2b1 Pair of circular arc holes d1a,d1b First point of a pair d2a,d2b The second point of the pair d3a~d3d Four third points 17a~17d, 17a1, 17a2~17a4 Device holding claws 7a1 Extension 7a2,7a3 Projection 7a4 Claw part 21 Covering material 51 devices

Claims

1. A steering device having a device fixing part disposed radially inside a rim of a vehicle steering wheel and not linked to a steering input of the rim, a decorative surface member disposed on a vehicle rear side of the device fixing portion and attached to the device fixing portion; The decorative surface member is capable of holding a device, a device holding claw disposed between the device fixing portion and the decorative surface member; the device fixing portion has a first groove on a surface facing the design surface member, the decorative surface member has a second groove on a surface facing the device fixing portion, The device holding claw has an extending portion extending between the device fixing portion and the decorative surface member, a pair of protruding portions protruding from one end of the extending portion toward the first groove and the second groove, respectively, and a claw portion extending from the other end of the extending portion toward the rear side of the vehicle, The pair of protrusions are slidably inserted into the first groove and the second groove, respectively. A steering device characterized by:

2. the decorative surface member is held rotatably relative to the device fixing portion around a rotation axis extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, The second groove is A pair of first points are arranged on a first line passing through the rotation axis, the length of which is a first distance from the rotation axis of the design surface member; a pair of second points that are arranged on a second line that passes through the rotation axis and is perpendicular to the first line, the second line being a second distance from the rotation axis that is shorter than the first distance; four third points located at a third distance from the rotation axis that is shorter than the second distance, and in four regions that are partitioned by the first line and the second line; two grooves in which one of the pair of first points is connected to two third points on a side closer to the one first point and the other first point is connected to two third points on a side closer to the other first point; and two grooves in which one of the pair of second points is connected to two third points on a side closer to the one second point and the other second point is curvedly connected to two third points on a side closer to the other second point, the first groove is made up of four grooves extending up, down, left, and right from the rotation axis of the device fixation part, There are four device holding claws, each of which is slidably inserted into the first groove and the second groove.

2. The steering device according to claim 1.

3. A steering device having a device fixing part disposed radially inside the rim of a vehicle steering wheel and not linked to the steering input of the rim, a decorative surface member disposed on a vehicle rear side of the device fixing portion and attached to the device fixing portion; The decorative surface member is capable of holding a device, the decorative surface member is held rotatably relative to the device fixing portion around a rotation axis extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, One of the device fixing portion and the decorative surface member has a protruding portion protruding toward the other, the other has an arc-shaped groove or through hole, The protrusion is slidably inserted into the groove or through hole. A steering device characterized by:

4. The groove or through hole has an arc shape such that the protrusion can move 90 degrees in an arc shape around the rotation axis relative to the groove or through hole.

4. The steering device according to claim 3.

5. The groove or through hole is configured such that the protrusion is positioned relative to the groove or through hole about the rotation axis. and has an arc shape that can move 180 degrees in an arc shape. A temporary fixing claw for temporarily fixing the protrusion is provided at the central 90-degree portion of the 180-degree groove or through-hole.

4. The steering device according to claim 3.

6. A steering device having a device fixing part disposed radially inside the rim of a vehicle steering wheel and not linked to the steering input of the rim, a decorative surface member disposed on a vehicle rear side of the device fixing portion and attached to the device fixing portion; The decorative surface member is capable of holding a device, the decorative surface member is held rotatably relative to the device fixing portion around a rotation axis extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, One of the device fixing portion and the decorative surface member has a protruding portion protruding toward the other, the protruding portion comprises a cylindrical portion having a first radius, and a pair of convex portions provided at positions facing each other on a circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion such that end faces are located on a second radius that is longer than the first radius by a predetermined length, the other has a through hole into which the protrusion is fitted, the through hole comprises a cylindrical hole that penetrates in a cylindrical shape with a size slightly larger than the first radius, and a pair of arc holes that are formed in an arc shape on the outer circumferential side of the cylindrical portion with a size slightly larger than the second radius and are arranged at positions facing each other, The pair of arc holes have an arc shape that allows the pair of convex portions of the protrusion to move in an arc shape by 90 degrees around the rotation axis relative to the pair of arc holes. A steering device characterized by:

7. A steering device having a device fixing part disposed radially inside the rim of a vehicle steering wheel and not linked to the steering input of the rim, a decorative surface member disposed on a vehicle rear side of the device fixing portion and attached to the device fixing portion; The decorative surface member is capable of holding a device, The decorative surface member is composed of a plurality of divided members, At least some of the plurality of divided members are rotating members that are rotatably attached to the device fixing portion by a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rim, and the rotating members can be arranged in a closed state in which adjacent divided members are in contact with each other and in an open state in which adjacent divided members are spaced apart and open in a flat state when viewed from the front side of the vehicle, the rotating member includes a device holding claw that holds the device on a surface facing the device fixing portion in the closed state, The device holding claws are arranged in at least a pair facing each other when the rotating member is in an open state, and hold the device. A steering device characterized by:

8. When the rotating member is in an open state, the device holding claw is slidable in the vertical or horizontal direction relative to the rotating member and can be fixed at any position.

8. The steering device according to claim 7.

9. At least one of the rotating members has a plurality of the device holding claws arranged at predetermined intervals, The device holding claw can be positioned at a protruding position where it protrudes toward the rear of the vehicle and at a stored position where it does not protrude.

8. The steering device according to claim 7.

10. a covering member that covers a central portion of the decorative surface member when the rotating member is in the closed state; The covering member is attached to one of the rotating members.

8. The steering device according to claim 7.

Images