GB2316921A - A steering angle indicator for a motor vehicle - Google Patents
A steering angle indicator for a motor vehicle Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2316921A GB2316921A GB9618492A GB9618492A GB2316921A GB 2316921 A GB2316921 A GB 2316921A GB 9618492 A GB9618492 A GB 9618492A GB 9618492 A GB9618492 A GB 9618492A GB 2316921 A GB2316921 A GB 2316921A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- steering
- rotary switch
- aid according
- motor vehicle
- steering aid
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 2
- 229930091051 Arenine Natural products 0.000 description 1
- 230000000630 rising effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000007 visual effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
- B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
- B62D15/00—Steering not otherwise provided for
- B62D15/02—Steering position indicators ; Steering position determination; Steering aids
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Steering Controls (AREA)
Abstract
A steering angle indicator for a motor vehicle comprises a gear train 11, 12, 15, 16 which translates the rotation of the steering column 10 to the wiper 21 of a rotary switch 19. The wiper 21 makes contacts within the rotary switch 19 which illuminate a series of LEDs 20 to indicate to the driver the direction of the steered wheels with respect to the vehicle centre line and also how far the steering column 10 has been turned in either direction.
Description
A Steering Aid for a Motor Vehicle
This invention relates to steering aids for motor vehicles.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved steering system for a motor vehicle.
According to the invention there is provided a steering aid for a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle having a steered wheel and a steering system having a part the position of which changes with a steering angle of the steered wheel, the steering aid comprising a measuring means arranged to measure a position of said part and a display means to provide a display representative of said steering angle.
The display means may be arranged to indicate the steered direction of the steered wheel or to indicate the angle of rotation of the steering means.
Said part may be a steering column of said vehicle.
The measuring means may comprise a rotary switch operated by a gear wheel fixed to said part.
The rotary switch may include a series of contacts arranged to be made at predetermined angles of rotation of said part.
The display means may comprise a series of display elements connected to said contacts of the rotary switch and arranged to be activated by the making of the contacts.
The full range of rotation of the steering means may result in no more than a single rotation of the rotary switch.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows one view of part of a steering system including a steering aid in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 shows a second perspective of the view of
Figure 1; and
Figure 3 shows a circuit diagram of an angular display system forming part of a steering aid in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a steering column 10 forming part of a motor vehicle steering system includes a first gear wheel 11 which is permanently attached around the column 10 and rotates with it.
The first gear wheel 11 engages with the second gear wheel 12 which is supported on a first shaft 13 which is rotatably supported at each of its ends on a mounting plate 14.
The shaft 13 also supports a worm gear 15 which is attached to the second gear wheel 12 and rotates with it.
The worm gear 15 engages with a third gear wheel 16 which is supported on a second shaft 17. The second shaft 17 is supported by a bearing 18 and passes through the mounting plate 14.
The end of the second shaft 17 opposite the third gear wheel 16 is connected to a rotary switch 19 which is connected to a display means in the form of a series of
LEDs 20 mounted on the vehicle dashboard (not shown). The
LEDs 20 are connected to the contacts of the rotary switch 19.
Referring now also to Figure 3, a circuit diagram of the rotary switch 19 is shown. Within the rotary switch 19, a wiper 21 rotates bi-directionally with the second shaft 17.
The third gear wheel 16 and the wiper 21 are both fixed to the second shaft 17 and rotate together. The permanent connection of the wiper 21 is connected to a 12 volt supply through a fuse 22, an on/off switch 23 and a current limiting resistor 24 which is matched to the LEDs 20.
As the steering column 10 rotates, its movement is followed by the first gear wheel 11, which drives the second gear wheel 12. The second gear wheel 12 drives the worm gear 15, which in turn drives the third gear wheel 16.
The gears 11, 12, 15, 16 are arranged such that the steering aid is geared to rotate the rotary switch 19 no more than once fully for the entire lock-to-lock travel of the steering column 10.
The rotary switch 19 is a 12-way switch and its contacts are spaced 300 from each other. There are nine
LEDs 20 spaced on individual contacts of the rotary switch 19. Only nine switch contacts are used for the full lockto-lock travel and each LED represents 1800 of steering column 10 rotation. As the steering column 10 is rotated to either side the rotary switch 19 will make its next contact and illuminate the next LED 20 to that side, thereby providing a rising LED 20 count to show which direction the column 10 has been turned and by how far it has been turned in that direction.
This embodiment of the present invention provides a visual indication of the approximate direction of the steered wheels of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle's centre line and will indicate how far the steering wheel has been turned.
This is particularly useful if the vehicle is used offroad where the steering wheel may appear to be aligned for straight forward travel, but may in fact be turned 3600 to one side. Such a situation can occur, for example, when travelling with the steered wheels in a muddy rut, which could result in the vehicle suddenly veering to one side if the wheels grip.
Claims (9)
1. A steering aid for a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle
having a steered wheel and a steering system having a
part the position of which changes with a steering
angle of the steered wheel, the steering aid
comprising a measuring means arranged to measure a
position of said part and a display means to provide a
display representative of said steering angle.
2. A steering aid according to Claim 1 wherein the
display means is arranged to indicate the steered
direction of the steered wheel.
3. A steering aid according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein
the display means is arranged to indicate the angle of
rotation of the steering means.
4. A steering aid according to any preceding claim
wherein said part is a steering column of said
vehicle.
5. A steering aid according to any preceding claim
wherein the measuring means comprises a rotary switch
operated by a gear wheel fixed to said part.
6. A steering aid according to Claim 5 wherein the rotary
switch includes a series of contacts arranged to be
made at predetermined angles of rotation of said part.
7. A steering aid according to Claim 6 wherein the
display means comprises a series of display elements
connected to said contacts of the rotary switch and
arranged to be activated by the making of the
contacts.
8. A steering aid according to any one of Claims 5 to 7
wherein the full range of rotation of the steering
means results in no more than a single rotation of the
rotary switch.
9. A steering aid substantially as described herein with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9618492A GB2316921A (en) | 1996-09-05 | 1996-09-05 | A steering angle indicator for a motor vehicle |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9618492A GB2316921A (en) | 1996-09-05 | 1996-09-05 | A steering angle indicator for a motor vehicle |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9618492D0 GB9618492D0 (en) | 1996-10-16 |
| GB2316921A true GB2316921A (en) | 1998-03-11 |
Family
ID=10799427
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9618492A Withdrawn GB2316921A (en) | 1996-09-05 | 1996-09-05 | A steering angle indicator for a motor vehicle |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2316921A (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0983929A1 (en) * | 1998-09-03 | 2000-03-08 | Valeo Electronique | Absolute angle sensor driven by a crown gear fixed on a steering column |
| EP1114765A3 (en) * | 1999-12-08 | 2003-01-22 | Alps Electric Co., Ltd. | Angle sensor which makes it possible to prevent rattling caused by backlash between gears inside the angle sensor |
Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3877410A (en) * | 1973-11-30 | 1975-04-15 | Henry B Biven | Position indicator device for vehicle steering wheels |
| DE2704519A1 (en) * | 1976-12-31 | 1978-07-06 | Jon Parsot | Vehicle steering angle display - has angular scale fixed to bearer to turn with steering wheel and fixed pointer to show wheel angle |
| GB1543369A (en) * | 1975-03-10 | 1979-04-04 | Incom Int Inc | Steering control device |
| US4399766A (en) * | 1980-07-02 | 1983-08-23 | Lenberg Rustan W | Front wheel indicator |
-
1996
- 1996-09-05 GB GB9618492A patent/GB2316921A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3877410A (en) * | 1973-11-30 | 1975-04-15 | Henry B Biven | Position indicator device for vehicle steering wheels |
| GB1543369A (en) * | 1975-03-10 | 1979-04-04 | Incom Int Inc | Steering control device |
| DE2704519A1 (en) * | 1976-12-31 | 1978-07-06 | Jon Parsot | Vehicle steering angle display - has angular scale fixed to bearer to turn with steering wheel and fixed pointer to show wheel angle |
| US4399766A (en) * | 1980-07-02 | 1983-08-23 | Lenberg Rustan W | Front wheel indicator |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0983929A1 (en) * | 1998-09-03 | 2000-03-08 | Valeo Electronique | Absolute angle sensor driven by a crown gear fixed on a steering column |
| FR2783046A1 (en) * | 1998-09-03 | 2000-03-10 | Valeo Electronique | ABSOLUTE ANGLE SENSOR WHICH CAN ENGAGE ON A CROWN CONNECTED TO THE STEERING WHEEL |
| EP1114765A3 (en) * | 1999-12-08 | 2003-01-22 | Alps Electric Co., Ltd. | Angle sensor which makes it possible to prevent rattling caused by backlash between gears inside the angle sensor |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9618492D0 (en) | 1996-10-16 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |