Steering wheel and vehicle control system

Abstract

To provide a steering wheel equipped with an operating part for accelerating or decelerating a vehicle, which can suppress the vehicle from moving against an intention of a driver when the driver unexpectedly touches the operating part.SOLUTION: A steering wheel 10 comprises: holding parts 1a and 1b; operation levers 3 and 4 that are operated to accelerate or decelerate a vehicle 50; and a CPU 61 that executes acceleration control or deceleration control of the vehicle 50. The CPU 61 does not execute the acceleration control and the deceleration control of the vehicle 50 on the basis of operation of the operation lever 3, when the operation lever 3 is operated in a state where a touch sensor 1a1 is not detecting contact of a driver M with the holding part 1a, nor does not execute the acceleration control and the deceleration control of the vehicle 50 on the basis of operation of the operation lever 4, when the operation lever 4 is operated in a state where a touch sensor 1b1 is not detecting contact of the driver M with the holding part 1b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present invention relates to a steering wheel including an operation unit for accelerating or decelerating a vehicle, and a vehicle control device including the steering wheel. 【Background Art】 【0002】 Conventionally, in a steering wheel mounted on a vehicle, a configuration including an operation unit for accelerating or decelerating the vehicle is known, as in the configuration described in Patent Document 1. 【Prior Art Documents】 【Patent Documents】 【0003】 【Patent Document 1】 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-14204 【Summary of the Invention】 【Problems to be Solved by the Invention】 【0004】 However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, when the operation unit is operated, the control unit uniformly executes acceleration control or deceleration control of the vehicle. Therefore, when the driver accidentally touches the operation unit, the vehicle may perform an operation unintended by the driver. 【0005】 Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a steering wheel that can suppress a situation where the vehicle performs an operation unintended by the driver when the driver accidentally touches an operation unit in a steering wheel including an operation unit for accelerating or decelerating the vehicle. 【Means for Solving the Problems】 【0006】 A typical configuration of the steering wheel according to the present invention to solve the above problems is a steering wheel mounted on a vehicle, comprising: a first gripping portion to be held by the driver; a first contact detection unit to detect contact between the driver and the first gripping portion; a first operating portion located near the first gripping portion and operated by the driver to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle; a first operation detection unit to detect that the first operating portion has been operated; a second gripping portion located at a different position from the first gripping portion and to be held by the driver; a second contact detection unit to detect contact between the driver and the second gripping portion; and a second operating portion located near the second gripping portion and operated by the driver to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle. The device comprises a second operation detection unit that detects when the second operation unit is operated, and a control unit that performs acceleration control or deceleration control of the vehicle based on the detection results of the first contact detection unit, the second contact detection unit, the first operation detection unit, and the second operation detection unit, wherein the control unit does not perform acceleration control or deceleration control of the vehicle based on the operation of the first operation unit if the first operation unit is operated while the first contact detection unit has not detected contact of the driver with the first gripping unit, and does not perform acceleration control or deceleration control of the vehicle based on the operation of the second operation unit if the second operation unit is operated while the second contact detection unit has not detected contact of the driver with the second gripping unit. 【0007】 According to the present invention, in a steering wheel equipped with an operating section for accelerating or decelerating a vehicle, it is possible to suppress the vehicle from performing unintended actions by the driver when the driver accidentally touches the operating section. [Brief explanation of the drawing] 【0008】 [Figure 1] This is a view from the left side of the area around the driver's seat of a vehicle equipped with a steering wheel according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a front view of the steering wheel. [Figure 3] This is a front view of the steering wheel with the pads and lower cover removed. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the steering wheel with the pads and lower cover removed. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view of the steering wheel taken along the A1-A1 section shown in Figure 2. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the control levers on the steering wheel. [Figure 7] This is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the steering wheel. [Figure 8] This is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the steering wheel. [Modes for carrying out the invention] 【0009】 The steering wheel 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Note that the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described below are not intended to limit the scope of this invention to those components unless otherwise specified. 【0010】 Figure 1 is a view from the left side of the area around the driver's seat 59 of a vehicle 50 equipped with the steering wheel 10 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a front view of the steering wheel 10. Figure 3 is a front view of the steering wheel 10 with the pad 5 and lower cover 6 removed. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the steering wheel 10 with the pad 5 and lower cover 6 removed. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the steering wheel 10 taken along the A1-A1 section shown in Figure 2. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the operating levers 3 and 4 provided on the steering wheel 10. 【0011】 In the following description, each direction mentioned with respect to the steering wheel 10 refers to the direction in which the steering wheel 10 is mounted on the vehicle 50 shown in Figure 1. That is, the left-right direction refers to the left and right directions of the vehicle 50 on which the steering wheel 10 is mounted, specifically the left and right directions as seen from the driver M. The front-rear direction refers to the front and rear directions of the vehicle 50, specifically the front and rear directions as seen from the driver M. The up-down direction refers to the upward and downward directions in the vertical direction. 【0012】 As shown in Figure 1, the steering wheel 10 is mounted on the vehicle 50 by being connected to the steering shaft 55, which serves as the steering axis. The vehicle 50 includes a steering column 56, which consists of a column tube 56a that partially covers the outer circumference of the steering shaft 55 and supports the steering shaft 55, and a column cover 56b that covers the portion of the steering shaft 55 that protrudes rearward from the instrument panel 57. The steering wheel 10 is attached to the end of the steering shaft 55 that protrudes rearward from the instrument panel 57. 【0013】 As shown in Figures 2 to 6, the steering wheel 10 comprises a boss portion 2 connected to the steering shaft 55, and a steering portion 1 arranged around the boss portion 2, which is gripped by the driver M and rotated for steering. The steering wheel 10 also comprises a pad 5 covering the rear of the boss portion 2 and a lower cover 6 positioned on the front side of the steering wheel 10. The steering wheel 10 also comprises operating levers 3 and 4, positioned to the right and left of the boss portion 2, respectively, which the driver M operates to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle 50. 【0014】 The steering section 1 is a substantially elliptical ring-shaped member with its major axis in the left-right direction, and is formed from a metal core 1x and a resin cover 1y covering the core 1x, except for the portion covered by the pad 5 of the upper connecting section 1c, which will be described later. The right side of the boss section 2 in the steering section 1 is a gripping section 1a (first gripping section) that the driver M grips with their right hand during normal driving. The left side of the boss section 2 in the steering section 1 is a gripping section 1b (second gripping section) that the driver M grips with their left hand during normal driving. The gripping sections 1a and 1b are connected by an upper connecting section 1c that extends in the left-right direction at the top of the steering section 1, and by a lower connecting section 1d that extends in the left-right direction at the bottom of the steering section 1. Note that the portion of the upper connecting section 1c covered by the pad 5 is formed only from the core 1x and does not have a resin cover 1y. 【0015】 The grip portion 1a is provided with a touch sensor 1a1 (first contact detection unit) that detects contact between the driver M and the grip portion 1a. The touch sensor 1a1 is attached by adhesive to the outer circumference of a recess 1y1 formed in the grip portion 1a of the resin cover 1y. A resin cover member 1a2 is attached by adhesive to the outer circumference of the touch sensor 1a1 to prevent it from being exposed to the outside. In this embodiment, a capacitive type touch sensor 1a1 is used, and it consists of electrodes, a detection circuit for detecting capacitance, and a sheet-like substrate for holding them. Note that other types of sensors, such as pressure sensors or infrared sensors, may also be used as the touch sensor 1a1. 【0016】 The grip portion 1b is provided with a touch sensor 1b1 (second contact detection unit) that detects contact between the driver M and the grip portion 1b. The touch sensor 1b1 is attached by adhesive to the outer circumference of a recess 1y2 formed in the grip portion 1b of the resin cover 1y. A resin cover member 1b2 is attached by adhesive to the outer circumference of the touch sensor 1b1 to prevent it from being exposed to the outside. In this embodiment, a capacitive type touch sensor 1b1 is used, and it consists of electrodes, a detection circuit for detecting capacitance, and a sheet-like substrate for holding them. Note that other types of sensors, such as pressure sensors or infrared sensors, may also be used as the touch sensor 1b1. 【0017】 The boss portion 2 is a metal member positioned approximately at the center of the steering wheel 10. It is supported by the support plate 20, which is a flat sheet metal, by fitting into a boss support hole (not shown) of the support plate 20, and is fixed to the support plate 20 by screws 71. The boss portion 2 has a shaft hole 2a through which the steering shaft 55 is inserted and fitted. With the tip of the steering shaft 55 inserted and fitted into the shaft hole 2a of the boss portion 2, the tip of the steering shaft 55 is secured with a nut, thereby connecting the boss portion 2 and the steering shaft 55. 【0018】 Further, the boss portion 2 is connected to the steering portion 1 via the support sheet metal 20, two connecting members 21, and support bases 23 and 24. The connecting member 21 is a sheet metal bent into an L shape. One end portion 21a thereof is fixed to the support sheet metal 20 with screws 72, and the other end portion 21b is fixed to the lower surface of the core metal 1x of the steering portion 1 with screws (not shown). The support bases 23 and 24 are metal members extending in the front-rear direction. The front end portions thereof are fixed to the support sheet metal 20 with screws 85 and 86 respectively, and the rear end portions are fixed to the lower surface of the upper connecting portion 1c of the steering portion 1 with screws (not shown). In this way, the boss portion 2 and the steering portion 1 are connected. Note that the support base 23 is connected to the upper connecting portion 1c of the steering portion 1 at the upper side portion of the rear end portion thereof, and is connected to a lever support member 30 described later at the lower side portion thereof. Similarly, the support base 24 is connected to the upper connecting portion 1c of the steering portion 1 at the upper side portion of the rear end portion thereof, and is connected to a lever support member 40 described later at the lower side portion thereof. 【0019】 Also, a circuit board 65 is provided on the support sheet metal 20. A CPU 61 (not shown in FIG. 3), a memory 62 (not shown in FIG. 3), and a plurality of connectors (not shown) are mounted on the circuit board 65. The detection circuits of the touch sensors 1a1 and 1b1 are electrically connected to the CPU 61 via a cable (not shown) connected to the connector. Further, lever sensors 32 and 42 described later for detecting the swing angles of the operation levers 3 and 4 are electrically connected to the CPU 61 via a cable (not shown) connected to the connector. 【0020】 Driver M holds the grip portion 1a with the right hand and the grip portion 1b with the left hand, and changes the traveling direction of the vehicle 50 by rotating the steering section 1 around the steering shaft 55 connected to the boss section 2. In the present embodiment, the vehicle 50 is equipped with a steer-by-wire system. A sensor (not shown) detects the rotation angle of the steering shaft 55 that rotates in response to the rotational steering of the steering section 1, and the vehicle 50 steers the tires according to this detection result to change the traveling direction. Note that the vehicle 50 may be configured to mechanically steer the tires via the steering shaft 55 when the steering wheel 10 is rotationally steered. 【0021】 The operation lever 3 (first operation section) is disposed near the grip portion 1a and is configured to be swingable with respect to the grip portion 1a. Specifically, the operation lever 3 is disposed at a position adjacent to the grip portion 1a on the right side of the boss section 2 and inside the steering section 1. Further, the distance L1 between the switching point V1 between the upper surface and the inclined surface of the operation lever 3 and the apex V2 on the rear side of the grip portion 1a is set to be within 40 mm so that the driver M can operate the operation lever 3 with the right hand while holding the grip portion 1a with the right hand. Note that the operation lever 3 may be disposed outside the steering section 1 as long as it is disposed near the steering section 1. However, by disposing the operation lever 3 inside the steering section 1, the operation lever 3 does not protrude outside the steering section 1, and the degree of freedom in arranging the members around the steering wheel 10 can be increased. Therefore, it is preferable that the operation lever 3 is disposed inside the steering section 1. 【0022】 The operating lever 3 is composed of a metal core 3a and a resin operating cover 3b, and is supported by a lever support member 30. The lever support member 30 is fixed to the rear end 23a of the support base 23 with screws 75, and supports the pivot shaft 31 in a rotatable manner inside, supporting the operating lever 3 via the pivot shaft 31. The core 3a has a pivot portion 3a1 that extends in the left-right direction and is pivotally supported on the pivot shaft 31, and a cover mounting portion 3a2 that extends vertically from the right end of the pivot portion 3a1 and to which the operating cover 3b is attached. A shaft hole 3a1a is formed in the pivot portion 3a1 of the core 3a, and the pivot shaft 31 is inserted through this shaft hole 3a1a. The pivot portion 3a1 and the pivot shaft 31 are fixed together by screws 73 and pins 74 so as not to move relative to each other. In this way, the operating lever 3 is configured to swing around the pivot shaft 31 in the direction of arrow R1 and the opposite direction of arrow R2 shown in Figure 5. 【0023】 Furthermore, the swing of the operating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R1 is restricted to a predetermined swing angle by the regulating surface 3a1b formed on the pivot portion 3a1 of the core metal 3a contacting the swing regulating portion 30a of the lever support member 30. Similarly, the swing of the operating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R2 is restricted to a predetermined swing angle by the regulating surface 3a1c formed on the pivot portion 3a1 of the core metal 3a contacting the swing regulating portion 30b of the lever support member 30. In addition, a magnetic lever sensor 32 (first operation detection unit) that detects the rotation angle of the swing axis 31 is attached near the swing axis 31 of the lever support member 30. The lever sensor 32 detects that the operating lever 3 has been operated by the driver M and detects the swing angle, which is the amount of operation of the operating lever 3, by detecting the rotation angle of the swing axis 31. In this embodiment, a magnetic rotation angle sensor is used as the lever sensor 32, but a configuration using another sensor capable of detecting the amount of operation of the operating lever 3 may also be used. 【0024】 The operating cover 3b has an accelerator operating surface 3b1 on its rear side, which is pressed by the driver M with the palm and thumb of the right hand when accelerating the vehicle 50; a brake operating surface 3b2 on its front side, which is pressed by the driver M with the four fingers other than the thumb when decelerating the vehicle 50; and a fitting hole 3b3 into which the cover mounting portion 3a2 of the core metal 3a is fitted and secured with screws (not shown). To improve the operability for the driver M, at least a portion of the accelerator operating surface 3b1 of the operating cover 3b is located behind the rear end surface of the grip portion 1a, and at least a portion of the brake operating surface 3b2 is located in front of the front end surface of the grip portion 1a. 【0025】 Driver M accelerates the vehicle 50 by pressing the accelerator operating surface 3b1 of the operating lever 3 forward with the palm and thumb of his right hand and swinging the operating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R1 (first direction). Driver M also decelerates the vehicle 50 by pressing the brake operating surface 3b2 of the operating lever 3 backward with the four fingers other than his thumb and swinging the operating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R2 (second direction). The method of controlling the speed of the vehicle 50 when accelerator and brake operations are performed will be described later. 【0026】 The operating lever 4 (second operating part) is a component with a shape symmetrical to the operating lever 3, positioned symmetrically to the operating lever 3 with respect to the boss portion 2, and performs symmetrical operations with respect to the operating lever 3. That is, the operating lever 4 is positioned near the grip portion 1b and is configured to swing relative to the grip portion 1b. Specifically, the operating lever 4 is positioned to the left of the boss portion 2 and adjacent to the grip portion 1b inside the steering portion 1. Furthermore, the distance L2 between the switching point V3 between the upper surface and the inclined surface of the operating lever 4 and the rearmost vertex V4 of the grip portion 1b is set to within 40 mm so that the driver M can operate the operating lever 4 with their left hand while gripping the grip portion 1b with their left hand. Note that the operating lever 4 may be positioned outside the steering portion 1 as long as it is positioned near the steering portion 1. However, by positioning the operating lever 4 inside the steering unit 1, the operating lever 4 does not protrude outside the steering unit 1, and the degree of freedom in arranging the components around the steering wheel 10 can be increased. Therefore, it is preferable for the operating lever 4 to be positioned inside the steering unit 1. 【0027】 The operating lever 4 is composed of a metal core 4a and a resin operating cover 4b, and is supported by a lever support member 40. The lever support member 40 is fixed to the rear end 24a of the support base 24 with screws 78, and supports the pivot shaft 41 in a rotatable state inside, supporting the operating lever 4 via the pivot shaft 41. The core 4a has a pivot portion 4a1 that extends in the left-right direction and is pivotally supported on the pivot shaft 41, and a cover mounting portion 4a2 that extends vertically from the right end of the pivot portion 4a1 and to which the operating cover 4b is attached. A shaft hole 4a1a is formed in the pivot portion 4a1 of the core 4a, and the pivot shaft 41 is inserted through this shaft hole 4a1a. The pivot portion 4a1 and the pivot shaft 41 are fixed together by screws 76 and pins 77 so as not to move relative to each other. In this way, the operating lever 4 is configured to pivot around the pivot shaft 41 in the direction of arrow R3 and the opposite direction of arrow R4 shown in Figure 5. 【0028】 Furthermore, the swing of the operating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R3 is restricted to a predetermined swing angle by the regulating surface 4a1b formed on the pivot portion 4a1 of the core metal 4a contacting the swing regulating portion 40a of the lever support member 40. Similarly, the swing of the operating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R4 is restricted to a predetermined swing angle by the regulating surface 4a1c formed on the pivot portion 4a1 of the core metal 4a contacting the swing regulating portion 40b of the lever support member 40. In addition, a magnetic lever sensor 42 (second operation detection unit) that detects the rotation angle of the swing axis 41 is attached near the swing axis 41 of the lever support member 40. The lever sensor 42 detects that the operating lever 4 has been operated by the driver M and detects the swing angle, which is the amount of operation of the operating lever 4, by detecting the rotation angle of the swing axis 41. In this embodiment, a magnetic rotation angle sensor is used as the lever sensor 42, but a configuration using another sensor capable of detecting the amount of operation of the operating lever 4 may also be used. 【0029】 The operating cover 4b has an accelerator operating surface 4b1 on its rear side, which is pressed by the driver M with the palm and thumb of his left hand when accelerating the vehicle 50; a brake operating surface 4b2 on its front side, which is pressed by the driver M with the four fingers other than his thumb when decelerating the vehicle 50; and a fitting hole 4b3 into which the cover mounting portion 4a2 of the core metal 4a is fitted and secured with screws (not shown). To improve the operability for the driver M, at least a portion of the accelerator operating surface 4b1 of the operating cover 4b is located behind the rear end surface of the grip portion 1b, and at least a portion of the brake operating surface 4b2 is located in front of the front end surface of the grip portion 1b. 【0030】 Driver M accelerates the vehicle 50 by pressing the accelerator operating surface 4b1 of the operating lever 4 forward with the palm and thumb of his left hand and swinging the operating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R3 (third direction). Driver M also decelerates the vehicle 50 by pressing the brake operating surface 4b2 of the operating lever 4 backward with the four fingers other than his thumb and swinging the operating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R4 (fourth direction). The method of controlling the speed of the vehicle 50 when accelerator and brake operations are performed will be described later. 【0031】 As described above, in this embodiment, the steering wheel 10 allows for acceleration of the vehicle 50 by swinging the operating lever 3 in the direction of arrow R1, and braking to decelerate the vehicle 50 by swinging it in the direction of arrow R2. Similarly, acceleration of the vehicle 50 is performed by swinging the operating lever 4 in the direction of arrow R3, and braking to decelerate the vehicle 50 by swinging it in the direction of arrow R4. Therefore, the driver M can perform both acceleration and braking without switching between the operating levers 3 and 4, thus preventing the driver M's driving operations from becoming overly complex. 【0032】 In this embodiment, the operating levers 3 and 4 are described in a configuration in which acceleration is performed by swinging them in the direction of arrows R1 and R3, and braking is performed by swinging them in the opposite direction of arrows R2 and R4. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the direction of swing of the operating levers 3 and 4 during acceleration and braking may be reversed. This is determined by considering, for example, the following points. That is, during driving, acceleration is generally performed more frequently than braking. Also, since the driver M drives in a forward-leaning posture, it is easier to swing the operating levers 3 and 4 by using their own body weight to press them with their palms and thumbs than by using the other four fingers besides the thumbs. Therefore, by using the swing direction of this embodiment, the driver M can easily perform acceleration, which is performed relatively more frequently, thus reducing the burden on the driver M. On the other hand, for example, if the vehicle 50 has a constant speed control function that drives at a speed set by the driver M, the frequency of braking will be higher than the frequency of acceleration during this control. In this case, by reversing the direction of oscillation during accelerator and brake operation compared to the direction in this embodiment, the driver M can operate the brake, which is operated relatively frequently, more easily, thereby reducing the burden on the driver M. Considering these points and other factors, the relationship between the oscillation direction of the operating levers 3 and 4 and the accelerator and brake operations is determined. 【0033】 Next, the system configuration of the steering wheel 10 will be explained using the block diagram shown in Figure 7. As shown in Figure 7, the steering wheel 10 includes a memory 62 that stores various control programs and data, and a CPU 61 (control unit) that is electrically connected to the memory 62 and controls each component according to the control programs stored in the memory 62. Touch sensors 1a1 and 1b1 and lever sensors 32 and 42 are electrically connected to the CPU 61. 【0034】 The touch sensor 1a1 detects the increase in capacitance when the driver M makes contact with the gripping part 1a using a detection circuit, and when the capacitance exceeds a threshold, it detects the driver M's contact with the gripping part 1a and sends a detection signal to the CPU 61. Similarly, the touch sensor 1b1 detects the increase in capacitance when the driver M makes contact with the gripping part 1b using a detection circuit, and when the capacitance exceeds a threshold, it detects the driver M's contact with the gripping part 1b and sends a detection signal to the CPU 61. 【0035】 The lever sensor 32 transmits a detection signal to the CPU 61 regarding the rotation angle of the pivot axis 31 when the operating lever 3 is swung in the direction of arrow R1 or arrow R2 shown in Figure 5. Similarly, the lever sensor 42 transmits a detection signal to the CPU 61 regarding the rotation angle when the operating lever 4 is swung in the direction of arrow R3 or arrow R4 shown in Figure 5. 【0036】 Furthermore, the CPU 61 is electrically connected to an acceleration / deceleration device 51 mounted on the vehicle 50, which performs acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 50. The acceleration / deceleration device 51 includes a drive force control device and a braking force control device. The braking force control device is, for example, a brake pad (not shown) of the vehicle 50. The drive force control device is a motor, etc., if the vehicle 50 is an electric vehicle; an engine, etc., if the vehicle 50 is a gasoline vehicle; and a hydrogen engine, etc., if the vehicle 50 is a hydrogen vehicle. The CPU 61 performs acceleration control to accelerate the vehicle 50 and deceleration control to decelerate the vehicle 50 via the control of the acceleration / deceleration device 51. 【0037】 Next, we will explain the control of the CPU 61 when the operating levers 3 and 4 are operated. First, we will explain the control of the CPU 61 when the driver M operates the operating levers 3 and 4 while gripping the gripping parts 1a and 1b with both hands. When the touch sensor 1a1 detects contact between the driver M and the gripping part 1a, and the operating lever 3 is swung in the direction of arrow R1 shown in Figure 5, the CPU 61 controls the acceleration / deceleration device 51 according to the rotation angle of the swing axis 31 detected by the lever sensor 32 to accelerate the vehicle 50. Specifically, the CPU 61 accelerates the vehicle 50 via the acceleration / deceleration device 51 so that the larger the rotation angle of the swing axis 31 detected by the lever sensor 32, the greater the acceleration of the vehicle 50. Also, when the touch sensor 1a1 detects contact between the driver M and the gripping part 1a, and the operating lever 3 is swung in the direction of arrow R2 shown in Figure 5, the CPU 61 controls the acceleration / deceleration device 51 according to the rotation angle of the swing axis 31 detected by the lever sensor 32 to decelerate the vehicle 50. Specifically, the CPU 61 controls the deceleration of the vehicle 50 via the acceleration / deceleration device 51 so that the greater the rotation angle of the pivot shaft 31 detected by the lever sensor 32, the greater the deceleration of the vehicle 50. 【0038】 Similarly, when the operating lever 4 is swung in the direction of arrow R3 shown in Figure 5 while the touch sensor 1b1 has detected contact between the driver M and the gripping part 1b, the CPU 61 controls the acceleration / deceleration device 51 according to the rotation angle of the swing axis 41 detected by the lever sensor 42 to accelerate the vehicle 50. Specifically, the CPU 61 accelerates the vehicle 50 via the acceleration / deceleration device 51 so that the greater the rotation angle of the swing axis 41 detected by the lever sensor 42, the greater the acceleration of the vehicle 50. Furthermore, when the operating lever 4 is swung in the direction of arrow R4 shown in Figure 5 while the touch sensor 1b1 has detected contact between the driver M and the gripping part 1b, the CPU 61 controls the acceleration / deceleration device 51 according to the rotation angle of the swing axis 41 detected by the lever sensor 42 to decelerate the vehicle 50. Specifically, the CPU 61 decelerates the vehicle 50 via the acceleration / deceleration device 51 so that the greater the rotation angle of the swing axis 41 detected by the lever sensor 42, the greater the deceleration of the vehicle 50. 【0039】 On the other hand, if the driver M operates the operating levers 3 and 4 while not gripping the gripping parts 1a and 1b, the CPU 61 performs the following control. Specifically, if the operating lever 3 is swung in the direction of arrow R1 or arrow R2 shown in Figure 5 while the touch sensor 1a1 has not detected contact between the driver M and the gripping part 1a, the CPU 61 does not perform acceleration control and deceleration control of the vehicle 50 based on this operation. Also, if the operating lever 4 is swung in the direction of arrow R3 or arrow R4 shown in Figure 5 while the touch sensor 1b1 has not detected contact between the driver M and the gripping part 1b, the CPU 61 does not perform acceleration control and deceleration control of the vehicle 50 based on this operation. 【0040】 With this configuration, for example, if driver M is gripping the steering wheel 10 with only their right hand and not gripping the left gripping part 1b, and the left operating lever 4 is accidentally operated by contact with driver M's left hand or left arm, acceleration and deceleration control of the vehicle 50 will not be performed. Similarly, if driver M is gripping the steering wheel 10 with only their left hand and not gripping the right gripping part 1a, and the right operating lever 3 is accidentally operated by contact with driver M's right hand or right arm, acceleration and deceleration control of the vehicle 50 will not be performed. Furthermore, for example, if vehicle 50 has an automatic driving function, and driver M is not gripping the gripping parts 1a and 1b, and the operating levers 3 and 4 are accidentally operated, acceleration or deceleration control of vehicle 50 will not be performed. Therefore, with the steering wheel 10 of this embodiment, it is possible to suppress the vehicle 50 from performing actions unintended by driver M when driver M unexpectedly touches the operating levers 3 and 4. 【0041】 Although this embodiment describes a configuration in which the operating levers 3 and 4 can perform both accelerator and brake operations, the present invention is not limited to this. That is, even if the operating levers 3 and 4 are configured to perform only one of either accelerator or brake operations, the same effect as described above can be obtained by the CPU 61 performing the above control. However, it is preferable to configure the operating levers 3 and 4 to perform both accelerator and brake operations as in this embodiment, because it suppresses the complexity of the driver M's driving operations. 【0042】 Furthermore, although this embodiment describes a configuration in which the CPU 61 is provided on the steering wheel 10, the present invention is not limited to this. That is, as shown in Figure 8, the same effects can be obtained even if the CPU 61 and memory 62 are provided on the vehicle 50, and the CPU 61 provided on the vehicle 50 performs the same control as described above. In this case, the steering wheel 10 and the CPU 61 provided on the vehicle 50 constitute a vehicle control device that is mounted on the vehicle 50 and controls the vehicle 50. 【0043】 Furthermore, although this embodiment describes the steering wheel 10 having operating levers 3 and 4 as operating parts for accelerating or decelerating the vehicle 50, the present invention is not limited to this, and the steering wheel 10 may be configured to have buttons or switches as operating parts. That is, for example, the steering wheel 10 may be provided with buttons as operating parts and sensors for detecting the amount of button operation, and the CPU 61 may perform the same control as described above when the operating levers 3 and 4 are operated according to the detection results of the touch sensors 1a1 and 1b1 and the amount of button operation, and the same effect as described above can be obtained. Similarly, the steering wheel 10 may be provided with switches as operating parts and sensors for detecting the amount of switch operation, and the CPU 61 may perform the same control as described above when the operating levers 3 and 4 are operated according to the detection results of the touch sensors 1a1 and 1b1 and the amount of switch operation, and the same effect as described above can be obtained. [Explanation of symbols] 【0044】 1...Steering unit, 1a...Grip unit (first grip unit), 1a1...Touch sensor (first contact detection unit), 1b...Grip unit (second grip unit), 1b1...Touch sensor (second contact detection unit), 2...Boss unit, 3...Operating lever (first operation unit), 4...Operating lever (second operation unit), 10...Steering wheel, 32...Lever sensor (first operation detection unit), 42...Lever sensor (second operation detection unit), 50...Vehicle, 61...CPU

Claims

[Claim 1] In a steering wheel mounted on a vehicle, A first gripping part that is held by the driver, A first contact detection unit that detects contact of the driver with the first gripping portion, A first operating unit is located near the first gripping unit and is operated by the driver to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle, A first operation detection unit that detects when the first operation unit has been operated, A second gripping portion is positioned differently from the first gripping portion and is gripped by the driver. A second contact detection unit that detects contact between the driver and the second gripping portion, A second operating unit is located near the second gripping unit and is operated by the driver to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle, A second operation detection unit that detects when the second operation unit has been operated, A control unit that performs acceleration control or deceleration control of the vehicle based on the detection results of the first contact detection unit, the second contact detection unit, the first operation detection unit, and the second operation detection unit, Equipped with, The first operating unit consists of a single operating lever, is configured to be movable relative to the first gripping unit, is moved in a first direction to accelerate the vehicle, and is moved in a second direction opposite to the first direction to decelerate the vehicle. The second operating section consists of a single operating lever, is configured to be movable relative to the second gripping section, is moved in a third direction to accelerate the vehicle, and is moved in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction to decelerate the vehicle. The control unit, If the first operating unit is operated while the first contact detection unit has not detected contact between the driver and the first gripping unit, the acceleration control and deceleration control of the vehicle based on the operation of the first operating unit will not be performed. A steering wheel characterized in that, when the second operating unit is operated while the second contact detection unit has not detected contact of the driver with the second gripping unit, the steering wheel does not perform acceleration control and deceleration control of the vehicle based on the operation of the second operating unit. [Claim 2] The steering wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit performs acceleration control or deceleration control of the vehicle based on the operation of the first operation unit when the first operation unit is operated while the first contact detection unit has detected contact of the driver with the first gripping unit, and performs acceleration control or deceleration control of the vehicle based on the operation of the second operation unit when the second operation unit is operated while the second contact detection unit has detected contact of the driver with the second gripping unit. [Claim 3] The steering wheel according to claim 2, characterized in that the control unit performs acceleration control or deceleration control of the vehicle according to the amount of operation of the first operation unit when the first operation unit is operated while the first contact detection unit has detected contact of the driver with the first gripping unit, and performs acceleration control or deceleration control of the vehicle according to the amount of operation of the second operation unit when the second operation unit is operated while the second contact detection unit has detected contact of the driver with the second gripping unit. [Claim 4] The first operating unit is positioned so as to be operable by the driver's hand that is gripping the first gripping unit. The steering wheel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the second operating part is positioned so as to be operable by the driver's hand gripping the second gripping part. [Claim 5] The steering wheel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first operating section is positioned adjacent to the first gripping section in the left-right direction, and the second operating section is positioned adjacent to the second gripping section in the left-right direction. [Claim 6] It comprises a boss portion connected to the steering shaft of the aforementioned vehicle, The steering wheel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first gripping portion and the first operating portion are located to the right of the boss portion, and the second gripping portion and the second operating portion are located to the left of the boss portion. [Claim 7] In a vehicle control system installed in a vehicle, It is a steering wheel, A first gripping part that is held by the driver, A first contact detection unit that detects contact of the driver with the first gripping portion, A first operating unit is located near the first gripping unit and is operated by the driver to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle, A first operation detection unit that detects when the first operation unit has been operated, A second gripping portion is positioned differently from the first gripping portion and is gripped by the driver. A second contact detection unit that detects contact between the driver and the second gripping portion, A second operating unit is located near the second gripping unit and is operated by the driver to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle, A second operation detection unit that detects when the second operation unit has been operated, A steering wheel equipped with, A control unit that performs acceleration control or deceleration control of the vehicle based on the detection results of the first contact detection unit, the second contact detection unit, the first operation detection unit, and the second operation detection unit, Equipped with, The first operating unit consists of a single operating lever, is configured to be movable relative to the first gripping unit, is moved in a first direction to accelerate the vehicle, and is moved in a second direction opposite to the first direction to decelerate the vehicle. The second operating section consists of a single operating lever, is configured to be movable relative to the second gripping section, is moved in a third direction to accelerate the vehicle, and is moved in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction to decelerate the vehicle. The control unit, If the first operating unit is operated while the first contact detection unit has not detected contact between the driver and the first gripping unit, the acceleration control and deceleration control of the vehicle based on the operation of the first operating unit will not be performed. A vehicle control device characterized in that, if the second operation unit is operated while the second contact detection unit has not detected contact of the driver with the second gripping unit, the vehicle does not perform acceleration control and deceleration control of the vehicle based on the operation of the second operation unit. [Claim 8] The vehicle control device according to claim 7, characterized in that the control unit performs acceleration control or deceleration control of the vehicle based on the operation of the first operation unit when the first operation unit is operated while the first contact detection unit has detected contact of the driver with the first gripping unit, and performs acceleration control or deceleration control of the vehicle based on the operation of the second operation unit when the second operation unit is operated while the second contact detection unit has detected contact of the driver with the second gripping unit. [Claim 9] The vehicle control device according to claim 8, characterized in that the control unit performs acceleration control or deceleration control of the vehicle according to the amount of operation of the first operation unit when the first operation unit is operated while the first contact detection unit has detected contact of the driver with the first gripping unit, and performs acceleration control or deceleration control of the vehicle according to the amount of operation of the second operation unit when the second operation unit is operated while the second contact detection unit has detected contact of the driver with the second gripping unit. [Claim 10] The first operating unit is positioned so as to be operable by the driver's hand that is gripping the first gripping unit. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the second operating part is positioned so as to be operable by the driver's hand that is gripping the second gripping part. [Claim 11] The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the first operating section is positioned adjacent to the first gripping section in the left-right direction, and the second operating section is positioned adjacent to the second gripping section in the left-right direction. [Claim 12] It comprises a boss portion connected to the steering shaft of the aforementioned vehicle, The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the first gripping portion and the first operating portion are located to the right of the boss portion, and the second gripping portion and the second operating portion are located to the left of the boss portion.

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