Steering system, steering control system for vehicle, and vehicle

Abstract

The present application relates to a steering system, a steering control system for a vehicle, and a vehicle. The steering system comprises an airbag, an adjustment mechanism and a steering wheel assembly. The airbag is fixedly mounted on a support base, and the steering wheel assembly is rotatably connected to the support base by means of the adjustment mechanism. In this way, the safety performance of the vehicle can be improved.

Description

Steering system, vehicle steering control system and vehicle

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202520267246.9, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on February 19, 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of electronic technology, and in particular to a steering system, a vehicle steering control system, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0003] The vehicle's steering wheel assembly is designed to provide the driver with more space by flipping it up. However, flipping the steering wheel assembly can affect the function of the airbags, causing them to fail to deploy properly in some scenarios and leading to safety accidents. Technical issues

[0004] This application provides a steering system, a vehicle steering control system, and a vehicle to at least partially solve the aforementioned technical problems. Technical solutions

[0005] According to a first aspect of this application, a steering system is provided, comprising:

[0006] The airbag is fixedly installed on the support base;

[0007] Adjustment mechanism; and

[0008] A steering wheel assembly, which is rotatably connected to the support base via the adjustment mechanism.

[0009] According to a second aspect of this application, a vehicle steering control system is provided, the vehicle steering control system including the steering system described above.

[0010] According to a third aspect of this application, a vehicle is also provided, including the steering system described above or the steering control system of the vehicle described above. Beneficial effects

[0011] In the steering system of this application embodiment, the steering wheel assembly is configured to be rotatably connected to the support seat via an adjustment mechanism, while the airbag is fixedly installed on the support seat. During the rotation of the steering wheel assembly, the airbag remains fixed relative to the support seat, so that when the steering wheel is in the retracted position, the airbag can still provide protection for the driver, thereby improving the safety performance of the vehicle.

[0012] Other features and advantages of this application will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0013] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0014] To gain a more complete understanding of this application and its beneficial effects, the following description will be provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals in the following description denote the same parts.

[0015] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the steering wheel assembly provided in an operable position according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure;

[0016] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the steering wheel assembly provided in an operable position according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0017] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the steering wheel assembly provided in an operable position according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0018] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the steering wheel assembly provided in the exemplary embodiment of this disclosure in the retracted position;

[0019] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the steering wheel assembly provided in the exemplary embodiment of this disclosure in the retracted position from another angle;

[0020] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the steering wheel assembly connected to the steering column assembly provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure;

[0021] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the steering wheel assembly provided in the exemplary embodiment of this disclosure when it is in the retracted position and close to the inside of the dashboard;

[0022] Figure 8 is a partial perspective view of the sub-dashboard where the knob of the vehicle is located in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure;

[0023] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Steering wheel assembly; 11. Handwheel; 12. Connecting arm; 13. Switch assembly; 14. Paddle shifter; 2. Airbag; 3. Adjustment mechanism; 31. Drive shaft; 311. Gear; 32. First drive component; 33. Transmission component; 34. Output worm gear; 4. Support base; 41. Mounting cover; 42. Mounting hole; 5. Steering column assembly; 52. Second drive component; 53. Base; 54. Mounting bracket; 55. Adjustment component; 56. Sensor; 6. Instrument panel; 7. Knob; 8. Vehicle. Embodiments of the present invention

[0025] An embodiment of this application provides a steering system for a vehicle, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The steering system includes a steering wheel assembly 1, an airbag 2, an adjustment mechanism 3, and a support 4.

[0026] The steering wheel assembly 1 includes a handwheel 11, at least one connecting arm 12, a switch assembly 13, and paddle shifters 14. The handwheel 11 can be a closed circular or annular structure, or it can be a non-closed structure with at least two arc-shaped segments. Two connecting arms 12 are connected to the inner side of the handwheel 11. The switch assembly 13 is mounted on one of the connecting arms 12. The switch assembly 13 provides the control functions required by the driver during normal use, such as controlling the central control screen and adjusting the vehicle's built-in electrical switches. Paddle shifters 14 are disposed on the connecting arm 12 and are configured to provide manual gear shifting functionality.

[0027] Airbag 2 is mounted between at least one connecting arm 12 and is fixedly mounted on support 4. The number of connecting arms 12 can be one or more. In one specific embodiment, two connecting arms 12 are provided. When a vehicle collision occurs, airbag 2 deploys after impact and protects the driver's head and chest from direct impact with the steering wheel assembly.

[0028] Adjustment mechanism 3 is connected to steering wheel assembly 1, and steering wheel assembly 1 is rotatably connected to support base 4 via adjustment mechanism 3. Specifically, adjustment mechanism 3 is configured to move steering wheel assembly 1 relative to support base 4 between an operable position and a retracted position. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, when steering wheel assembly 1 is in the operable position, handwheel 11 is located in the driver's operable area, for example, in front of the driver, facilitating vehicle steering adjustment. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, when steering wheel assembly 1 is in the retracted position, handwheel 11 is located in the driver's non-operable area, for example, below instrument panel 6, and the driver cannot operate handwheel 11 for steering adjustment when in the driver's seat. During the movement of steering wheel assembly 1 from the operable position to the retracted position, airbag 2 remains fixed relative to support base 4.

[0029] By configuring the adjustment mechanism 3 to move the steering wheel assembly 1 relative to the support seat 4 while keeping the airbag 2 fixed relative to the support seat 4, the airbag 2 is fixed relative to the support seat 4 and located in the front area of ​​the driver's seat when the steering wheel assembly 1 is in the operating position and the retracted position or any position between the operating position and the retracted position, thereby providing protection for the driver.

[0030] In some embodiments, continuing to refer to Figures 1 to 3, when the steering wheel assembly 1 is in the operable position, the projection of the airbag 2 onto the circumferential area defined by the handwheel 11 corresponds to the center area of ​​the circumferential area where the handwheel 11 is located, that is, the airbag 2 is located in the front area of ​​the driver's seat, thereby providing protection for the driver. The circumferential area defined by the handwheel 11 can be circular or elliptical.

[0031] In some embodiments, continuing to refer to Figures 4 and 5, when the steering wheel assembly 1 is in the retracted position, the projection of the airbag 2 onto the circumferential area where the handwheel 11 is located is offset from the center of that circumferential area. It is understood that because the steering wheel assembly 1 is located in the driver's non-operational area, such as below the instrument panel 6, while the airbag 2 remains in the driver's frontal area, the airbag 2 is offset from the center of the circumferential area where the handwheel 11 is located, so that the airbag 2 can still provide protection to the driver when the steering wheel assembly 1 is in the retracted position.

[0032] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the adjustment mechanism 3 is configured as a rotating mechanism, specifically the adjustment mechanism 3 includes a drive shaft 31, a first drive member 32, and a transmission member 33.

[0033] The first driving component 32 can be a motor. The first driving component 32 is configured to drive the transmission component 33 to rotate. The transmission component 33 connects the first driving component 32 and the transmission shaft 31. The transmission shaft 31 rotates under the drive of the first driving component 32, which in turn drives the two connecting arms 12 and the handwheel 11 connected to the two connecting arms 12 to rotate.

[0034] The first driving member 32 is provided with an output worm 34, and the transmission member 33 includes an actuating worm. One end of the output worm 34 and the actuating worm are meshed and driven, and the extension direction of the output worm 34 is intersected with the extension direction of the actuating worm to adjust the transmission direction.

[0035] A gear 311 is provided on the drive shaft 31, and the other end of the worm gear meshes with the gear 311 for transmission. The extension direction of the drive shaft 31 is arranged to intersect with the extension direction of the transmission component 33 to further adjust the transmission direction.

[0036] By setting the adjustment mechanism as a gear transmission mechanism, it is beneficial to save interior space in the vehicle and improve transmission efficiency.

[0037] In some embodiments, the drive shaft 31 extends along the width direction of the vehicle body, and the steering wheel assembly 1 is configured to rotate about the drive shaft 31. As shown in FIG7, when the steering wheel assembly 1 is in the retracted position, the central axis of the handwheel 11 is substantially parallel to the drive shaft 31, and the steering wheel assembly 1 is positioned close to the vehicle's dashboard 6 to maximize its retraction within the dashboard 6. The central axis of the handwheel 11 is in the y-direction as shown in FIG4. Referring again to FIG7, when the steering wheel assembly 1 is in the retracted position, the central axis of the handwheel 11 is parallel to the vehicle's dashboard. However, the central axis of the handwheel 11 is not absolutely parallel to the vehicle's dashboard, but approximately parallel. For example, if the edge contour of the vehicle's dashboard has a partial curvature, making the edge contour of the vehicle's dashboard not perfectly straight, the central axis of the handwheel 11 is generally parallel to the edge contour of the vehicle's dashboard.

[0038] In some embodiments, as the steering wheel assembly 1 rotates, the switch group 13 rotates along with the connecting arm 12.

[0039] In some embodiments, the airbag 2 is fixedly mounted on the support base 4, and the steering wheel assembly 1 is movably connected to the support base 4. Specifically, the drive shaft 31 is fixedly mounted on the support base 4 via the mounting cover 41, and the two connecting arms 12 of the steering wheel assembly 1 are connected to the support base 4 via the drive shaft 31, so that the adjustment mechanism 3 only drives the steering wheel assembly 1 to rotate, while the airbag 2 is always fixed on the support base 4.

[0040] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG6, the steering system further includes a steering column assembly 5, which is connected to the support 4 and drives the steering wheel assembly 1 to retract toward the instrument panel 6 of the vehicle. By configuring the steering column assembly 5, the steering wheel assembly 1 can be moved toward the instrument panel 6 of the vehicle as it rotates about the drive shaft 31, until the steering wheel assembly 1 is housed under and close to the instrument panel 6.

[0041] In some implementations, the steering column assembly 5 includes a sliding assembly connected to the support 4 and driving the steering wheel assembly 1 to move along a first direction, which is the X direction as shown in FIG6, wherein the first direction intersects with the extension direction of the drive shaft 31.

[0042] In specific implementation, referring to Figure 6, the sliding assembly includes a second drive component 52, a base 53, and a mounting bracket 54. The base 53 is fixedly connected to the support base 4, specifically, the support base 4 has a mounting hole 42, and a portion of the support base 4 is fixedly installed in the mounting hole 42. A telescopic slide rail is provided on the mounting bracket 54. The second drive component 52 can be a telescopic motor, one end of which is connected to a telescopic worm gear, and the other end of which is connected to the base. The telescopic motor drives the telescopic worm gear to rotate, and the telescopic worm gear causes the base to slide within the telescopic slide rail. The first direction is set as the extension direction of the telescopic worm gear, and the first direction intersects with the axial direction of the drive shaft. For example, the first direction is set as the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the drive shaft 31 is set as the width direction of the vehicle. It should be noted that the sliding assembly drives the support base 4 to extend and retract along the first direction, thereby causing the airbag 2 and the steering wheel assembly 1 to extend and retract synchronously along the first direction.

[0043] In some embodiments, the steering column assembly 5 further includes an adjusting member 55, which is connected to the base 53 and adjusts the mounting angle of the base 53 relative to the mounting bracket 54. In a specific embodiment, the adjusting member 55 may be a vertical angle adjustment motor, thereby being configured to adjust the vertical angle of the steering wheel assembly 1.

[0044] In some embodiments, the steering column assembly 5 further includes a sensor 56, which may be a hand-feed motor. The sensor 56 is mounted on the base 53 and connected to the steering wheel assembly 1. The sensor 56 is configured to provide different resistances to the steering wheel assembly based on ground information, thereby enabling the driver to receive real feedback on road conditions.

[0045] In the embodiments of this application, the movement process of the steering wheel assembly from the operable position to the retracted position includes, but is not limited to:

[0046] The first step is to adjust the steering column assembly 5 by adjusting the adjusting part 55 to move the steering wheel assembly 1 upward as a whole, thereby appropriately avoiding the driver's position and preventing interference with the rotation process of the steering wheel assembly 1.

[0047] The second step is to rotate the steering wheel assembly 1 along the axis of the drive shaft 31 by adjusting the mechanism 3.

[0048] The third step involves adjusting the sliding component of the steering column assembly 5 to retract the steering wheel assembly 1 along the first direction until it is close to the inside of the vehicle's dashboard 6.

[0049] In situations where the vehicle space is limited, the driver's seat can be moved back to its furthest point and the seat cushion lowered to its lowest point before the steering wheel assembly can be folded up.

[0050] Embodiments of this application also provide a vehicle steering control system, which includes the steering system described above and devices for steering the vehicle.

[0051] In some embodiments, the vehicle's steering control system includes a switch, which can be a physical button or a touch button, and is configured to switch between an operable position and a retracted position of the steering wheel assembly. For example, after the vehicle is powered on, operating the switch moves the steering wheel assembly from the operable position to the retracted position, and operating the switch again moves the steering wheel assembly from the retracted position back to the operable position, allowing the driver to retract and return the steering wheel assembly to its original position.

[0052] In some embodiments, when the steering wheel assembly is in the retracted position, the handwheel is attached to the instrument panel 6, which restricts its rotation. Furthermore, the steering wheel assembly is located outside the driver's operating area, preventing manual operation. To enable electric control, the vehicle's steering control system also includes a control screen. By providing a steering interface on the control screen, when the steering wheel assembly is in the retracted position, corresponding to an abnormal steering function, the driver can manipulate the vehicle's steering function through this interface. It should be noted that this control screen is linked to the vehicle's steering controller, not to the handwheel of the steering wheel assembly. The control screen controls the vehicle's steering control system to perform different steering operations by sending different steering signals to the vehicle's steering controller.

[0053] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8, when the steering wheel assembly is in the retracted position, the vehicle's steering control system further includes a knob 7, which, when adjusted, enables the steering function of the steering wheel. This knob 7 is configured as a multi-function knob; when the steering wheel assembly is in the operable position, the knob 7 is disconnected from the vehicle's steering control system, and adjusting it does not enable the vehicle's steering function. Specifically, the through-hole domain controller converts the input signal of the knob 7 into two execution signals, so that operating the knob 7 provides different execution signals when the steering assembly is in different position states. It should be noted that the knob 7 is linked to the vehicle's steering controller, not to the handwheel of the steering wheel assembly. The knob 7 controls the vehicle's steering control system to perform different steering operations by sending different steering signals to the vehicle's steering controller.

[0054] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG9, embodiments of this application also provide a vehicle 8, which includes the steering system described above or the steering control system of the vehicle described above.

[0055] Vehicle 8 has a locked state and an unlocked state. When the vehicle switches from the unlocked state to the locked state, the steering wheel assembly switches from an operable position to a retracted position, thus providing the driver with sufficient rest and stretching space. When vehicle 8 switches from the locked state to the unlocked state, the steering wheel assembly switches from the retracted position to an operable position, thus facilitating the driver's operation of the steering wheel assembly.

[0056] In some embodiments, the vehicle 8 also has an autonomous driving function. When the vehicle 8 activates the autonomous driving function, the steering wheel assembly 1 is configured to switch from an operable position to a retracted position. When the vehicle 8 deactivates the autonomous driving function, the steering wheel assembly switches from the retracted position to an operable position, thereby facilitating driver operation of the steering wheel assembly.

[0057] According to a first aspect of this application, referring to Figures 1 to 5, this disclosure provides a steering system including an airbag fixedly mounted on a support; an adjustment mechanism; and a steering wheel assembly rotatably connected to the support via the adjustment mechanism.

[0058] In the steering system of this application embodiment, the steering wheel assembly is configured to be rotatably connected to the support seat via an adjustment mechanism, while the airbag is fixedly installed on the support seat. During the rotation of the steering wheel assembly, the airbag remains fixed relative to the support seat, so that when the steering wheel is in the retracted position, the airbag can still provide protection for the driver, thereby improving the safety performance of the vehicle.

[0059] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle steering control system is provided, which includes the aforementioned steering system and has all the beneficial effects of the aforementioned steering system, which will not be elaborated further in this disclosure.

[0060] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle 8 is provided, which includes the steering system described above or the steering control system described above, and the vehicle 8 has all the beneficial effects of the steering system described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0061] The vehicle may be a gasoline-powered vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or a new energy vehicle, etc., and this disclosure does not make any specific restrictions.

Claims

1. A steering system, comprising: Airbag (2), fixedly installed on support base (4); Adjustment mechanism (3); as well as Steering wheel assembly (1), the steering wheel assembly (1) is rotatably connected to the support seat (4) via the adjustment mechanism (3).

2. The steering system according to claim 1, wherein, The steering wheel assembly (1) includes a handwheel (11), and the adjustment mechanism (3) is configured to move the steering wheel assembly (1) relative to the support seat (4) between an operable position and a retracted position. When the steering wheel assembly (1) is in the retracted position, the handwheel (11) is located in the driver's non-operational area, and when the steering wheel assembly (1) is in the operable position, the handwheel (11) is located in the driver's operable area.

3. The steering system according to claim 2, wherein, When the steering wheel assembly (1) is in the operable position, the projection of the airbag (2) onto the circumferential area defined by the handwheel (11) corresponds to the center area of ​​the circumferential area where the handwheel (11) is located.

4. The steering system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, When the steering wheel assembly (1) is in the retracted position, the projection of the airbag (2) onto the circumferential area defined by the handwheel (11) deviates from the center area of ​​the circumferential area where the handwheel (11) is located.

5. The steering system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein, The steering wheel assembly (1) includes a connecting arm (12) connected to the handwheel (11), and the adjustment mechanism (3) is connected to the connecting arm (12) to drive the steering wheel assembly (1) to rotate.

6. The steering system according to claim 5, wherein, The adjustment mechanism (3) includes a drive shaft (31) connected to the connecting arm (12) to drive the steering wheel assembly (1) to rotate.

7. The steering system according to claim 6, wherein, The drive shaft (31) is mounted on the support base (4).

8. The steering system according to claim 7, wherein, The adjustment mechanism (3) further includes a first driving member (32) and a transmission member (33). The transmission member (33) connects the first driving member (32) and the transmission shaft (31). The first driving member (32) drives the transmission shaft (31) to rotate through the transmission member (33).

9. The steering system according to claim 8, wherein, The first driving member (32) is provided with an output worm gear (34), which meshes with one end of the transmission member (33) for transmission.

10. The steering system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The extension direction of the transmission component (33) is intersected with the extension direction of the output worm (34).

11. The steering system according to claim 9 or 10, wherein, The drive shaft (31) is provided with a gear (311), and the other end of the transmission component (33) meshes with the gear (311) for transmission.

12. The steering system according to claim 11, characterized in that, The extension direction of the drive shaft (31) is intersected with the extension direction of the transmission component (33).

13. The steering system according to any one of claims 2 to 12, wherein, When the steering wheel assembly (1) is in the retracted position, the steering wheel assembly (1) is positioned close to the vehicle's dashboard.

14. The steering system according to claim 13, wherein, The axial direction of the handwheel (11) is parallel to the instrument panel of the vehicle.

15. The steering system according to any one of claims 5 to 14, wherein, The steering wheel assembly (1) also includes a switch group (13) which is mounted on the connecting arm (12) and rotates with the connecting arm (12).

16. The steering system according to any one of claims 6 to 15, wherein, The steering system also includes a steering column assembly (5), which is connected to the support (4) and drives the steering wheel assembly (1) to retract toward the dashboard of the vehicle.

17. The steering system according to claim 16, wherein, The steering column assembly (5) includes a sliding component connected to the support (4) to drive the steering wheel assembly (1) to move along a first direction, which intersects the extension direction of the drive shaft (31).

18. The steering system according to claim 17, wherein, The sliding assembly includes a mounting bracket (54) and a base (53), the base (53) being connected to the support (4), and the base (53) being configured to slide relative to the mounting bracket (54) thereby causing the steering wheel assembly (1) to slide along the first direction.

19. The steering system according to claim 18, wherein, The mounting bracket (54) is provided with a telescopic slide rail, and the sliding assembly further includes a second driving member (52), which drives the base (53) to slide within the telescopic slide rail.

20. The steering system according to claim 19, wherein, The steering column assembly (5) also includes an adjusting member (55) connected to the base (53) and adjusting the mounting angle of the base (53) relative to the mounting bracket (54).

21. The steering system according to any one of claims 16 to 20, wherein, The steering column assembly (5) also includes a sensor (56) connected to the steering wheel assembly (1), the sensor (56) being configured to provide different resistances to the steering wheel assembly (1) based on ground information.

22. A steering control system for a vehicle, the steering control system comprising the steering system according to any one of claims 1 to 21.

23. The vehicle steering control system according to claim 22, wherein, The vehicle's steering control system includes a switching switch, the steering wheel assembly (1) is configured to move between an operable position and a retracted position relative to the support (4), and the switching switch is configured to switch between the operable position and the retracted position of the steering wheel assembly (1).

24. The vehicle steering control system according to claim 22 or 23, wherein, The vehicle's steering control system also includes a control screen, which can control the vehicle's steering control system to steer when the steering wheel assembly (1) is in the retracted position.

25. The vehicle steering control system according to any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein, The vehicle's steering control system also includes a knob that, when the steering wheel assembly (1) is in the retracted position, controls the vehicle's steering control system to steer.

26. The vehicle steering control system according to claim 25, wherein, When the steering wheel assembly is in the operable position, the knob is set to be disconnected from the vehicle's steering control system.

27. A vehicle (8) comprising a steering system according to any one of claims 1 to 21 or a steering control system comprising a vehicle according to any one of claims 22 to 26.

28. The vehicle (8) according to claim 27, wherein, The vehicle (8) has a locked state and an unlocked state. When the vehicle (8) switches from the unlocked state to the locked state, the steering wheel assembly (1) is configured to switch from an operable position to a retracted position.

29. The vehicle (8) according to claim 28, wherein, When the vehicle (8) switches from the locked state to the unlocked state, the steering wheel assembly (1) is configured to switch from the retracted position to the operable position.

30. The vehicle according to claim 29, wherein, The vehicle (8) has an autonomous driving function, and when the autonomous driving function is activated, the steering wheel assembly (1) is configured to switch from an operable position to a retracted position.

31. The vehicle (8) according to claim 30, wherein, When the vehicle (8) disables the autonomous driving function, the steering wheel assembly (1) is configured to switch from the retracted position to the operable position.

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