Electronic gear shifter for flying car

Abstract

An electronic gear shifter for a flying car, the shifter being a steering column-mounted electronic gear shifter. Ground control, flight control and ground-and-flight mode switching are performed by an operating component of the steering column-mounted electronic gear shifter, the operating component comprising an operating lever (1), and an end button (2), a ring button (3) and a middle toggle (4), which are sequentially arranged from the tip of the operating lever (1) towards a base (5).

Description

Electronic gear shift controller for flying cars Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of gear shift controllers, and relates to an electronic gear shift controller, in particular to an electronic gear shift controller for a flying car. Background Art

[0002] Flying cars are gradually entering the public eye as a new form of transportation. Flying cars integrate aircraft and automotive technologies, utilizing distinct control systems and components for both ground and air travel. Currently, the control handles for both ground and air travel are typically located on the center console, and the controls are similar to those used on airplanes, making them relatively complex. While conventional car controls rely on a steering wheel, brake pedal, and accelerator, piloting an airplane relies on a steering wheel and pedals. These significant differences in operating procedures present certain challenges for pilots.

[0003] Therefore, in order to provide a more universal and simpler flying car control processing method, there is a method for obtaining a selected flying car control mode through a mode control device, and in response to the selected control mode, configuring the flying car's control controls to a functional state corresponding to the selected control mode to control the driving of the flying car; wherein the control controls include a car mode brake pedal, a mode common joystick, a mode common steering wheel and a mode common pedal, or a steering wheel rotatably arranged in the flying car body, at least two flight mode joysticks, or a car steering wheel, a flight mode joystick, a mode common joystick and a mode common pedal.

[0004] There is also a flying car control system disclosed in invention patent No. CN202210107542.3, which can control the steering of a flying car on land and the pitch attitude of a flying car in the air. The control system includes a bracket suitable for installation on the body of the flying car, a main shaft movably connected to the bracket, a pull-out clutch mechanism, a steering wheel, and a displacement sensor provided on the steering wheel. The main shaft has an axis and can move along the axis and rotate around the axis relative to the bracket; the main shaft is also connected to the land drive system of the flying car to drive the steering of the flying car when it is on land through its own rotational movement. The pull-out clutch mechanism includes a locking member connected between the bracket and the main shaft, which is used to limit or release the freedom of movement of the main shaft relative to the bracket.

[0005] These technologies essentially rely on two operating systems, requiring dedicated flight controllers and cumbersome operation. Therefore, finding a single controller that can both achieve directional flight and shift control while on land presents a technical challenge.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] In order to solve the problem that the existing flying car cannot use a set of controllers to achieve gear shifting in the ground state and all-directional flight control in the flight state, the present invention proposes an electronic gear shift controller for a flying car that can be used for both land control and flight control and has a control method that is more in line with the driver's driving habits.

[0008] The present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0009] The above-mentioned electronic shift controller for the flying car is a hand-shift type electronic shift controller, and the operating components of the hand-shift type electronic shift controller are used for land control, flight control and land flight mode switching. The operating components include a joystick and an end button, a circle button, and a middle dial button arranged in sequence from the top of the joystick toward the base.

[0010] The electronic gear shift controller for the flying car, wherein: the specific operation settings of the controller are as follows:

[0011] 1) Land status:

[0012] Press the end button to switch to P gear;

[0013] Press the circle button to the left along the axis of the joystick to shift to N gear;

[0014] The middle dial button rotates forward / backward to achieve D / R gear shifting;

[0015] 2) Land / flying mode switch:

[0016] Press the end button and circle button together with three fingers to switch between landing and flying modes.

[0017] 3) Flight status:

[0018] Press the circle button to the left along the axis of the joystick to hover in the air.

[0019] Rotate the middle dial forward / backward to fly forward / backward;

[0020] Push the joystick forward to turn left;

[0021] Pull the joystick back to turn right;

[0022] Lift the joystick up and fly horizontally to the left;

[0023] Press the joystick down to fly horizontally to the right;

[0024] Combine the end button + joystick operation, press + lift, fly upward / ascend;

[0025] Combine the end button + joystick operation, press + press down, fly down / descend;

[0026] Combine the circle button + joystick, press + lift, and flip to the left;

[0027] Combine the circle button + joystick, press + press down, and flip to the right side;

[0028] Combined operation circle button + joystick, press + push forward, forward flip;

[0029] Combine the circle button + joystick, press + pull back, and flip back.

[0030] The electronic gear shift controller for the flying car is configured such that: when the controller is in a land-based state, lifting the joystick is for manual upshifting; pressing the joystick is for manual downshifting.

[0031] The electronic gear shift controller for a flying car, wherein: in the flight state of the controller, the end button + joystick are operated in combination, pressing + pushing forward, cruise acceleration; the end button + joystick are operated in combination, pressing + pulling back, cruise deceleration. Beneficial effects

[0032] The electronic shift controller for a flying car of this invention enables both land-based driving and flight control using the joystick under the steering wheel. It provides omnidirectional control of the aircraft's flight state and allows the driver (pilot) to focus on the vehicle ahead, naturally resting their right hand on the steering wheel for convenient, single-handed flight control. This control method better aligns with the driver's driving habits and ergonomics, making long-term driving more comfortable. The invention also realizes the function of a flight controller by combining the land-based shift controller with the flight controller, simplifying the driver's operation and eliminating the need for a dedicated flight controller, saving costs for the user. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an electronic shift controller for a flying car according to the present invention;

[0034] FIG2 is a diagram showing the operating principle of the electronic shift controller for a flying car according to the present invention;

[0035] FIG3 is an exploded view of the control components of the electronic shift controller for a flying car according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] FIG4 and FIG5 are schematic diagrams showing the base structure of the electronic shift controller for a flying car according to the first embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] As shown in FIG1 , the electronic shift controller for a flying car of the present invention is a hand-shift type electronic shift controller. The hand-shift type electronic shift controller uses a control component to perform land control, flight control, and land and flight mode switching. The control component includes a joystick and an end button, a circle button, and a center dial button arranged in sequence from the top of the joystick toward the base.

[0038] The specific operation settings of the electronic gear shift controller for the flying car are as follows:

[0039] 1. Land status:

[0040] Press the end button to switch to P gear;

[0041] Press the circle button to the left along the axis of the joystick to shift to N gear;

[0042] The middle dial button rotates forward / backward to achieve D / R gear shifting;

[0043] 2. Land / flight status switch

[0044] Press the end button and circle button together with three fingers to switch between landing and flying modes.

[0045] 3. Flight status

[0046] Press the circle button to the left along the axis of the joystick to hover in the air.

[0047] Rotate the middle dial forward / backward to fly forward / backward;

[0048] Push the joystick forward to turn left;

[0049] Pull the joystick back to turn right;

[0050] Lift the joystick up and fly horizontally to the left;

[0051] Press the joystick down to fly horizontally to the right;

[0052] Combine the end button + joystick operation, press + lift, fly upward / ascend;

[0053] Combine the end button + joystick operation, press + press down, fly down / descend;

[0054] Combine the circle button + joystick, press + lift, and flip to the left;

[0055] Combine the circle button + joystick, press + press down, and flip to the right side;

[0056] Combined operation circle button + joystick, press + push forward, forward flip;

[0057] Combine the circle button + joystick, press + pull back, and flip back.

[0058] In addition, you can define that when driving on land, lifting the joystick will manually increase the gear, and pressing the joystick down will manually decrease the gear.

[0059] In flight mode, press and push the end button and joystick together to accelerate the cruise; press and pull the end button and joystick together to decelerate the cruise. Other functions can also be defined.

[0060] The present invention is further described below with reference to specific examples.

[0061] Example

[0062] As shown in FIG1 to FIG5 , the electronic gear shift controller for the flying car of this embodiment includes a joystick 1 , end buttons 2 , a circle button 3 , a middle dial button 4 and a base 5 .

[0063] One end of the joystick 1 is assembled on the base 5, and the other end is provided with a handle 11; a joystick sensing magnet 12 is fixed to the end of the joystick located in the base 5; the end button 2, the circle button 3, and the middle dial button 4 are arranged in sequence on the handle 11 of the joystick 1, providing shifting, sensing structural support and signal transmission for the buttons and dial buttons on the joystick.

[0064] The handle 11 includes a handle cover 111, a handle shell 112, a silicone button 113 accommodated in the handle shell 112, and a handle PCBA 114; the handle shell 112 has an end frame; the silicone button 113 and the handle PCBA 114 are assembled and fixed on the inner side of the end frame of the handle shell 112 through a circuit board frame 115; a Hall sensor is arranged on the handle PCBA 114.

[0065] The end button 2 is assembled and limited at the end frame of the handle shell 112, located at the outer end of the end frame, and pressed on the silicone button 113 along the axial direction of the handle 11. The handle PCBA114 receives the pressing signal of the end button 2 and transmits it.

[0066] The circle button 3 is assembled at the end frame of the handle shell 112, and is sleeved on the outer periphery of the end frame of the handle shell 112 through the decorative ring 21, and is pressed on the silicone button 113 along the axial direction of the handle 11. The handle PCBA114 receives the pressing signal of the circle button 3 and transmits it.

[0067] The middle dial button 4 is fixed to the middle of the handle shell 112 through the knob skeleton 41, and is located on the inner side of the circle button 3; the two sides of the dial button 4 are snap-fitted to the knob skeleton 41, and the internal teeth are abutted against the end of the bullet head 42 assembled on the knob skeleton 41. A magnet 43 is fixed to the right side of the dial button near the handle PCBA114 side; the dial button 4 rotates back and forth around the axis of the handle 11, and the bullet head 42 component provides a force feel. The magnet 43 rotates with the dial button 4 and realizes the gear information recognition and transmission with the Hall sensor on the handle PCBA114. The above function keys realize the operation intention through force feedback and signal sensing.

[0068] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the base 5 provides the shift trajectory, shift operating force value and magnetic field change of the joystick 1, and provides magnetic field change following the shift trajectory, and includes an upper shell 51, a lower shell 52, a main PCBA 54, a rocker arm 55, a first roller assembly 56, and a second roller assembly 57;

[0069] The lower side of the inner cavity of the upper shell 51 is provided with front and rear tooth grooves 511;

[0070] The upper housing 51 and the lower housing 52 are combined to form a housing space for accommodating the main PCBA 54, the rocker arm 55, the first roller assembly 56, and the second roller assembly 57. One end of the joystick 1 extends into the housing space and is limited by the pin 53.

[0071] The main PCBA 54 is fixed to the lower housing 52 and is provided with a magnetic sensor 541 that matches the position of the joystick induction magnet 12 to identify the current gear magnetic field information and output it to the main PCBA 54;

[0072] The rocker arm 55 is assembled and limited in the upper shell 51 and the lower shell 52 through the rocker arm shaft 552, and the inner side is provided with upper and lower stop teeth 551; the joystick 1 is inserted into the rocker arm 55 and is fixed by the pin shaft 53;

[0073] The first roller assembly 56 is assembled in the Z direction of the rear end of the rocker arm 55, and the roller of the first roller assembly 56 abuts against the front and rear stop tooth grooves 511 on the lower side of the inner cavity of the upper shell 51; the handle 11 is pulled forward and backward to drive the joystick 1 and the rocker arm 55 to rotate forward and backward around the rocker arm shaft. The first roller assembly 56 cooperates with the front and rear stop tooth grooves 511 on the upper shell 51 to provide force displacement, and the joystick induction magnet 12 swings back and forth with the joystick 1. The magnetic sensor 541 on the main PCBA54 identifies the current gear magnetic field information and outputs it to the main PCBA54;

[0074] A second roller assembly 57 is mounted on one side of the joystick 1 and rests against upper and lower retaining teeth 551 on the inner side of the rocker arm 55. Moving the handle 11 up and down rotates the joystick 1 about the pin 53. The second roller assembly 57 cooperates with the upper and lower retaining teeth 551 on the rocker arm 55 to provide force and displacement. The joystick sensing magnet 12 moves up and down with the joystick 1. The magnetic sensor 541 on the main PCBA 54 identifies the magnetic field of the current gear position and outputs it to the main PCBA 54.

[0075] The joystick sensing magnet 12 is fixed on the joystick 1 and can only move up and down around the pin shaft 53 and forward and backward around the rocker arm shaft 552 with the joystick 1. When the joystick 1 swings between various gear positions, the joystick sensing magnet 12 moves synchronously with the joystick 1. It can be accurately repeated in each gear position each time, and the magnetic sensor recognizes a more accurate unique value.

[0076] The specific operation settings of this embodiment are shown in Table 1

[0077] Table 1 Flying car shift controller operation settings

[0078] The above-described hand-shift control setup for a flying car is merely an example. With this setup, the same hand-shift controller is used for both land and air travel, meeting both the vehicle's shifting needs while on land and its flight control needs. This saves space in the vehicle's center console and reduces the number of shift levers required. The shifting and flight controls are logically clear, simple, and efficient, simplifying the driver's (pilot's) control experience and making it more intuitive and comfortable. This setup is highly versatile and can be standardly implemented on all flying cars, standardizing their controls. It also reduces the overall vehicle component cost and weight.

[0079] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electronic gear shift controller for a flying car, characterized in that: The controller is a hand-gear type electronic shift controller, and the control components of the hand-gear type electronic shift controller are used to perform land control, flight control and land flight mode switching. The control components include a joystick and an end button, a circle button, and a middle dial button arranged in sequence from the top of the joystick toward the base.

2. The electronic gear shift controller for a flying car according to claim 1, characterized in that: The specific operation settings of the manipulator are as follows: 1) Land status: Press the end button to P gear; Press the circle button to the left along the axis of the joystick to shift to N gear; The middle dial can be rotated forward / backward to achieve D / R gear shifting; 2) Land / flight status switch: Press the end button + circle button in combination, and press three fingers at the same time to switch between land and flight mode; 3) Flight status: Press the circle button to the left along the axis of the joystick to hover in the air. Rotate the middle dial forward / backward to fly forward / backward; Push the joystick forward to turn left; Pull the joystick back to turn right; Lift the joystick up and fly horizontally to the left; Press the joystick down to fly horizontally to the right; Combine the end button + joystick, press + lift, fly upward / ascend; Combine the end button + joystick, press + press down, fly downward / descend; Combine the circle button + joystick, press + lift up, flip to the left; Combined operation of circle button + joystick, press + press down, flip right side; Combination operation circle button + joystick, press + push forward, forward flip; Combined operation of circle button + joystick, press + pull back, back flip.

3. The electronic gear shift controller for a flying car as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: When the manipulator is in a land-running state, the joystick is lifted up for manual upshifting, and the joystick is pressed down for manual downshifting.

4. The electronic gear shift controller for a flying car according to claim 4, characterized in that: In the flight state of the manipulator, the end button + joystick are operated in combination, pressing + pushing forward, and cruising acceleration; the end button + joystick are operated in combination, pressing + pulling back, and cruising deceleration.

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