JP2010269686A - Turn signal switch device - Google Patents

Abstract

A turn signal switch device that can accurately detect a change in the traveling direction of a vehicle and can automatically and reliably cancel a winker after the direction of the vehicle is changed.
An electronic compass 1 whose output voltage changes according to the traveling direction of the vehicle, and a change in the output voltage of the electronic compass 1 can be detected in real time to detect that the vehicle has turned more than a predetermined angle. A first detection means 3; a second detection means 4 capable of detecting a lapse of a predetermined time or a movement of the vehicle by a predetermined distance from a point in time when the vehicle has turned a predetermined angle or more by the first detection means 3; 4 is a turn signal switch device provided with a control means 5 that automatically stops blinking of the blinker and cancels it on condition that the passage of a predetermined time or the movement of a predetermined distance is detected.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a turn signal switch device capable of blinking a blinker on a desired side disposed in a two-wheeled vehicle and capable of canceling by automatically stopping blinking of the blinker.

  In general, motorcycles are provided with a pair of left and right winkers. When the driver changes direction, the driver operates the operation knob of the turn signal switch to either the left or right to blink the blinkers corresponding to the same direction and give directions. Configured to get. Then, after the direction change is completed, in order to stop blinking and cancel the blinker, for example, the operation knob of the turn signal switch is pressed.

  However, in addition to the manual canceling mechanism using the operation knob as described above, conventionally, various turn signal switch devices for automatically stopping and canceling blinking of the blinker after the direction change of the motorcycle has been proposed, For example, the one disclosed in Patent Document 1 can be cited. According to such a conventional turn signal switch device, a blinker can be appropriately blinked by including a sensor for detecting lateral (lateral) acceleration relative to the body of a motorcycle and a vehicle speed detector for detecting vehicle speed. It was canceled at the timing.

  More specifically, it has a float type sensor that operates according to the lateral inclination of the vehicle body when the direction of the two-wheeled vehicle is changed, and detects the inclination of the vehicle body by the swing of the float type sensor (the standing state from the bank state of the vehicle body). And the blinking of the blinker is canceled on condition that the detection means for detecting the vehicle speed in synchronization with the rotation of the wheel detects the predetermined speed.

JP-A-57-87735

  However, in the above conventional turn signal switch device, in addition to the detection of acceleration in the left-right direction, the condition for automatic cancellation is that the vehicle speed has become a certain level or more, so reliable automatic cancellation is performed at the time of turning at low speeds. There was a possibility that it could not be done. In addition, since the float type sensor detects the mechanical tilt angle (detects the float shake), the mounting position of the sensor is limited.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and can detect a change in the traveling direction of the vehicle with high accuracy, and can automatically and reliably cancel the blinker after the direction of the vehicle is changed. An object of the present invention is to provide a turn signal switch device that can perform the above-described operation.

  The invention according to claim 1 is a turn signal switch device capable of blinking a blinker on a desired side disposed in a vehicle and capable of canceling by automatically stopping blinking of the blinker. An electronic compass whose output voltage changes in accordance with the traveling direction of the vehicle, and a first detection means capable of detecting that the vehicle has turned more than a predetermined angle by detecting a change in the output voltage of the electronic compass in real time A second detection means that can detect that a predetermined time has elapsed from the time when the vehicle has turned a predetermined angle or more by the first detection means, or that the vehicle has moved a predetermined distance, and the second detection means has passed a predetermined time. Or a control means for automatically stopping and canceling blinking of the blinker on condition that the movement of a predetermined distance is detected.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the turn signal switch device according to the first aspect, the electronic compass is disposed in a handle switch case fixed in the vicinity of a grip grip of a handle bar provided in the vehicle. And

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the turn signal switch device according to the second aspect, the electronic compass is formed on a substrate on which a predetermined electric circuit is formed, and the first detection means, (2) A microcomputer having a detecting means and a control means is formed, and a board having the electronic compass and the microcomputer is disposed in the handle switch case.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the turn signal switch device according to the third aspect, the handle switch case is interlocked with an operation knob for blinking a desired side blinker, and an operation of the operation knob. There is provided an operating means comprising a magnetism generating means for generating magnetism and a magnetism detecting means for detecting the operation of the operation knob in a non-contact manner by detecting magnetism from the magnetism generating means. A blinker on a desired side is blinked on the basis of magnetic detection by the means, and the magnetic detection means is formed on the substrate.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is detected in real time that the change in the output voltage of the electronic compass is detected, and it is detected from the point in time when the vehicle is turned more than a predetermined angle. Since blinking of the blinker is automatically stopped and canceled on the condition that time has elapsed or the vehicle has moved a predetermined distance, a change in the traveling direction of the vehicle can be accurately detected and the direction of the vehicle is changed. The subsequent blinker can be canceled automatically and reliably.

  According to the invention of claim 2, since the electronic compass is disposed in the handle switch case fixed in the vicinity of the grip of the handle bar provided in the vehicle, the output voltage of the electronic compass accompanying the change of direction of the vehicle is reduced. Changes can be detected more accurately.

  According to the invention of claim 3, since the board having the electronic compass and the microcomputer having the first detection means, the second detection means and the control means is disposed in the handle switch case, Thus, the function of the turn signal switch device can be completed and application to an existing vehicle can be facilitated.

  According to the invention of claim 4, since the magnetic detection means constituting the operation means is formed on the substrate, the components of the turn signal switch device and some components of the operation means are formed on the same substrate. And the substrate can be shared.

The block diagram which shows the whole outline | summary of the turn signal switch apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention A perspective view showing a handle switch case in the turn signal switch device The perspective view which shows the state by which the turn unit in the turn signal switch apparatus was assembled | attached in the handle switch case. Schematic diagram showing the handlebar switch case with the turn signal switch device attached to the handlebar 3-side view showing the turn unit Sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. VII-VII line sectional view in FIG. The flowchart which shows the control content in the turn signal switch apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention The flowchart which shows the control content in the turn signal switch apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
The turn signal switch device according to the present embodiment is capable of blinking one of the left and right blinkers respectively disposed on the sides of the two-wheeled vehicle, and can automatically cancel blinking of the blinkers. As shown in FIG. 4, it is formed in a handle switch case C that is fixed in the vicinity of the grip G of the handle bar H of the two-wheeled vehicle.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the handle switch case C includes a dimmer switch knob 11 that can perform a switching operation between a high beam and a low beam of a headlight mounted on the two-wheeled vehicle, in addition to the operation knob 12 in the turn signal switch device. A horn switch knob 13 or the like that can operate a horn mounted on the two-wheeled vehicle is formed, and a driver who grips the gripping grip G extends a finger to operate a desired knob to operate various electrical components in the two-wheeled vehicle. It is possible.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the turn signal switch device according to the present embodiment includes a substrate 9 on which a predetermined electric circuit is formed, an electronic compass 1 (geomagnetic sensor), a first detection unit 3, a second detection unit 4, and The main unit includes a CPU 2 constituting a microcomputer in which the control means 5 is formed, a power supply unit 6 connected to a battery, a Hall element 7 (magnetic detection means), and a load control unit 8 including an FET (field effect transistor). It is configured. The load control unit 8 is electrically connected to the winker relay 10 connected to the battery, and is electrically connected to the winker W provided in the vehicle, so that the on / off of the winker W can be controlled. For example, an IPD (intelligent power device) can be used.

  The electronic compass 1 is composed of a chip-shaped so-called geomagnetic sensor whose output voltage changes according to the traveling direction of the vehicle, and is attached to a predetermined portion of the substrate 9 (see FIG. 7). That is, when the traveling direction of the vehicle changes, for example, the impedance of the internal MI element changes due to a change in geomagnetism, and the output voltage of the electronic compass 1 also changes accordingly, so if the output voltage is detected, the direction in which the vehicle is facing If the change and the amount of change of the output voltage are detected in real time, the presence / absence of the direction change of the vehicle and the angle of the direction change can be detected.

  The CPU 2 is attached to the substrate 9 and operates with the power supplied from the power supply unit 6, and the output voltage from the electronic compass 1, the detection signal from the hall element 7, etc. are transmitted, and load control is performed based on the signal It is for controlling the part 8, and can control the operation of the blinker (flashing and stop of flashing). In the CPU 2, a first detection means 3, a second detection means 4, and a control means 5 are formed.

  The first detection means 3 detects a change in the output voltage of the electronic compass 1 (azimuth information in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction) in real time (over time), so that the vehicle is at a predetermined angle (for example, about 70 °). It is possible to detect the change of direction. More specifically, the first detection means 3 can take in the output voltage value detected by the electronic compass 1 at regular intervals, AD convert the output voltage value, and accumulate the AD conversion value. It is said that. Then, the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value in the accumulated AD conversion values (X axis and Y axis) is calculated, and if the difference is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, it is determined that the vehicle has turned more than a predetermined angle. It is possible.

  That is, the change amount of the output voltage (AD conversion value) of the electronic compass 1 is first detected because the change amount of the output voltage (AD conversion value is the same) of the electronic compass 1 and the vehicle turning angle correspond beforehand. By detecting the means 3, the direction change of the vehicle can be detected. Further, the first detection means 3 can be configured to obtain the amount of change in the output voltage of the electronic compass as a differential amount and detect that the vehicle has changed its direction by a predetermined angle when the output voltage changes more than a certain amount.

  The second detection means 4 can detect that a predetermined time has elapsed or the vehicle has moved a predetermined distance from the time when the vehicle has changed its direction by a predetermined angle or more by the first detection means 3. That is, the second detection means 4 is provided with a timer for detecting that a predetermined time has elapsed since the time when the direction has changed by a predetermined angle or more, or the fact that the vehicle has moved a predetermined distance from the time when the direction has been changed by a predetermined angle or more. Any of those provided with a distance detecting means for detection may be used, and further, a combination of these may be used.

  However, when the second detection means 4 is used to detect that the vehicle has moved a predetermined distance from the time when the direction is changed by a predetermined angle or more, the following configuration can be adopted to detect the movement of the predetermined distance. For example, to acquire current position data in a satellite positioning system such as one that detects movement of a predetermined distance based on a signal from a vehicle speed sensor mounted on the vehicle or a GPS (Global Position System: Global Positioning System) And receiving means (not shown) for detecting movement of a predetermined distance from the acquired current position data.

  The control means 5 automatically stops blinking of the blinker W and cancels it by controlling the load control unit 8 on condition that the second detection means 4 detects the passage of a predetermined time or the movement of a predetermined distance. Is for. Thus, since it is possible to automatically cancel the winker W after the direction of the two-wheeled vehicle is changed, the canceling operation is unnecessary and the operability can be improved, and the driver forgets to cancel the winker W. It is possible to reliably avoid traveling while blinking the blinker W.

  In the present embodiment, as will be described later, in addition to a mechanism for automatically stopping and canceling blinking of the blinker W by the control means 5, the driver manually operates the operation knob 12 manually. It is configured to cancel the blinker W by stopping blinking. Thereby, the driver can cancel blinking of the blinker W at an arbitrary timing regardless of the control by the control means 5.

  On the other hand, in the handle switch case C, an operation knob 12 for blinking the desired side blinker and interlocked with the operation of the operation knob 12 and attached to the left and right of the proximal end side of the operation knob 12 generate magnetism. Magnets 12a, 12b (magnetism generating means) to be detected, and a pair of left and right holes for detecting the operation of the operation knob 12 in the left-right direction by detecting the magnetism from the magnets 12a, 12b (magnetism generating means), respectively. An operation means including an element 7 (magnetic detection means) is provided, and is configured to blink the desired side blinker W based on the detection of magnetism by the pair of Hall elements 7 (magnetic detection means). The pair of Hall elements 7 (magnetic detection means) are formed on the substrate 9.

  Here, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the turn unit 14 is disposed in the handle switch case C. The turn unit 14 includes a resin case 14a as a housing. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the operation knob 12 is swingably mounted about the swing axis L, and the case 14a A substrate 9 on which an electronic compass 1 and a CPU 2 are formed is disposed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the case 14 a has springs 16 and 18 and balls 15 and 17 disposed therein, and is configured to apply a biasing force to the swing operation of the operation knob 12. Has been. That is, the ball 15 urged by the spring 16 abuts on the base end 12c of the operation knob 12, and is configured to always urge the operation knob 12 to the neutral position (initial position). The ball 17 urged by is in contact with the inner peripheral edge of the long hole 12d of the operation knob 12 and is configured so as to impart moderation to the operation knob 12.

  The operation knob 12 is formed so as to protrude from the case 14a, and as described above, the operation knob 12 is swung from the neutral position to the left and right (in the direction a in FIG. 5) about the rocking shaft L provided on the case 14a. The push-in operation is possible from the neutral position in the direction b in FIG. The operation knob 12 is formed with a long hole 12d extending in the longitudinal direction, and a swinging shaft L is formed in the long hole 12d. When the operation knob 12 is pushed in, the long hole 12d allows the entire operation knob 12 to move in the b direction, and the operation knob 12 moves in the same direction against the biasing force of the spring 16. It becomes. When the finger is released from the operation knob 12 after the pushing operation, the operation knob 12 is moved by the urging force of the spring 16 to return to the neutral position (state shown in FIG. 5).

  The operation knob 12 is provided with a pair of magnets 12a and 12b (magnetism generating means), and the pair of magnets 12a and 12b can be moved in accordance with the operation of the operation knob 12. It is sufficient that the pair of magnets 12a and 12b be formed on the left and right sides of the operation knob 12 to generate magnetism, for example, a magnetized magnetic powder mixed with plastic, or a general-purpose one. It may consist of a permanent magnet.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the substrate 9 is formed with a pair of Hall elements 7 (Hall ICs) as magnetic detection means, and the output voltage according to the change in magnetism accompanying the movement of the magnets 12a and 12b. Can be made different. Here, the Hall element is a device in which the resistance value changes according to the strength of the magnetic force applied from the magnet and the output voltage is made different. In this embodiment, when the proximity to the magnet 12a or the magnet 12b, the output voltage is changed. It becomes a low value (L) and becomes a high value (H) when separated. The pair of Hall elements 7 (magnetic detection means) is electrically connected to the CPU 2 (see FIG. 1), and the change in the output voltage detected by each Hall element 7 can be transmitted to the CPU 2 as an electrical signal. It is configured as follows.

  However, when the operation knob 12 is in the neutral position, the magnet 12a and the magnet 12b are in a state of facing and close to the left and right Hall elements 7, respectively, and when the operation knob 12 is swung rightward, the magnet 12a. When the magnet 12b is separated from the Hall element 7 while maintaining the proximity to the Hall element 7 and the operation knob 12 is swung to the left, the magnet 12b is maintained in the proximity to the Hall element 7 12 a is set to be separated from the Hall element 7. Further, when the operation knob 12 is pushed in to cancel blinking of the blinker, both the magnet 12 a and the magnet 12 b are separated from the hall element 7. Thereby, operation of the blinker W according to the output voltage of each Hall element 7 can be performed.

Next, the control contents in the turn signal switch device according to the present embodiment will be described based on the flowcharts of FIGS.
First, as shown in FIG. 8, the electronic compass 1 is operated by setting the ignition switch to the ON position, and initialization in the CPU 2 is performed (S1). Then, the output voltage value detected by the electronic compass 1 is acquired at regular time intervals, the output voltage value is AD converted (S2), and the AD conversion value (X axis and Y axis) is averaged and the CPU 2 Is stored and accumulated (S3).

  After that, the maximum value (MAX) and the minimum value (MIN) in all accumulated AD conversion values are searched (S4), the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value is calculated (S5), and the first detection means 3 determines whether the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value is greater than or equal to a predetermined value (that is, whether or not the vehicle has turned more than a predetermined angle) (S6). If the difference is equal to or greater than the predetermined value in S6, the process proceeds to S7, whether the second detection means 4 has changed the predetermined angle by the first detection means 3 or the vehicle has moved a predetermined distance. Determine whether or not. When it is determined that a predetermined time has elapsed or the vehicle has moved a predetermined distance from the time when the vehicle has changed its direction by a predetermined angle or more, the winker W is stopped (S8) under the control of the control means 5, and the process returns to S2.

  However, when an operation is performed on the operation knob 12 and the operation is detected by the hall element 7, the process proceeds to an interrupt process shown in FIG. In such interrupt processing, first, chattering is removed after a predetermined waiting time (S9), and then whether or not the operation knob 12 has been operated in the left-right direction (whether any of the left and right blinkers W has been blinked). Is determined (S10).

  If there is an operation in the left-right direction, the load control unit 8 blinks the blinker W (S11), and sets a flag for restart (S12). On the other hand, if there is no operation, the interrupt process ends and FIG. Return to the main loop shown in the flowchart. Accordingly, the maximum value and the minimum value of S4 are searched for the AD conversion values accumulated from the time when the flag is set in S12, and the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value is calculated.

  According to the above embodiment, the change in the output voltage of the electronic compass 1 is detected in real time to detect that the vehicle has turned more than a predetermined angle, and for a predetermined time from the time when the vehicle has turned more than a predetermined angle. Since the blinking of the blinker W is automatically stopped and canceled on the condition that the vehicle has moved or moved by a predetermined distance, a change in the traveling direction of the vehicle can be accurately detected and the direction of the vehicle is changed. The subsequent winker W can be canceled automatically and reliably.

  Further, since the electronic compass 1 is disposed in the handle switch case C that is fixed in the vicinity of the grip G of the handle bar H provided in the vehicle, the change in the output voltage of the electronic compass 1 accompanying the change of direction of the vehicle. It can be detected more accurately. In the handle switch case C, receiving means such as an antenna for acquiring current position data in a satellite positioning system such as GPS (Global Position System: Global Positioning System) is arranged and received by the receiving means. You may make it detect the moving distance of the vehicle by the 2nd detection means 4 in consideration of position data.

  Further, since the substrate 9 having the electronic compass 1 and the microcomputer (CPU 2) having the first detection means 3, the second detection means 4, and the control means 5 is disposed in the handle switch case C, the handle switch The function of the turn signal switch device can be completed in the case C, and application to an existing vehicle can be facilitated. All or any of the first detection means 3, the second detection means 4, and the control means 5 may be formed in another microcomputer or the like.

  Furthermore, since the Hall element 7 (magnetic detection means) constituting the operation means is formed on the substrate 9, the components of the turn signal switch device and a part of the operation means (that is, the Hall element 7) are combined. The same substrate 9 can be formed, and the substrate 9 can be shared. The Hall element 7 constituting the operation means may be formed on a separate substrate different from the substrate 9.

  According to the present embodiment, the magnets 12a and 12b that can be moved based on the operation of the operation knob 12 and the magnetic detection unit that varies the output voltage according to the change in magnetism accompanying the movement of the magnets (12a and 12b). (Hall element 7), and on the basis of the output voltage from the Hall element 7, it is determined which of the left and right blinkers W of the two-wheeled vehicle should be blinked or extinguished (winker display function). Since the predetermined blinker W is blinked or extinguished based on the above, it is possible to operate the blinker in a non-contact manner without using a contact as in the prior art. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a decrease in life due to contact wear. Instead of the Hall element, another form of magnetic detection unit (for example, an angle sensor) that changes the resistance value according to the change in the magnetic force applied from the magnet and varies the output voltage may be used.

  While the present embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the electronic compass 1 may be disposed at a location different from the handle switch case C. Further, in the present embodiment, the switching operation is detected using the Hall element 7, but a conventional contact structure (movable contact on the operation knob side and fixed contact on the case side are formed, respectively) In accordance with the operation of the operation knob, the movable contact may contact or be separated from the fixed contact to form a predetermined electric circuit). In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to a turn signal switch attached to a handlebar of a two-wheeled vehicle, but it can also be applied to other vehicles having a handlebar such as a snowmobile, a three-wheel or a four-wheel buggy. .

  An electronic compass whose output voltage changes according to the traveling direction of the vehicle, and a first detection means capable of detecting that the vehicle has turned more than a predetermined angle by detecting a change in the output voltage of the electronic compass in real time; A second detection means capable of detecting a lapse of a predetermined time or a movement of the vehicle by a predetermined distance from a time when the vehicle has turned a predetermined angle or more by the first detection means; and a lapse of a predetermined time by the second detection means or If the turn signal switch device is provided with a control means for automatically stopping and canceling blinking of the blinker on the condition that the movement of a predetermined distance is detected, one having a different external shape or another function is added. The present invention can also be applied.

1 Electronic compass (geomagnetic sensor)
2 CPU (microcomputer)
3 First detection means 4 Second detection means 5 Control means 6 Power source 7 Hall element (magnetic detection means)
8 Load control unit 9 Substrate 10 Winker relay 11 Dimmer switch knob 12 Operation knob 12a, 12b Magnet (magnetic generation means)
13 Horn switch knob 14 Turn unit 15 Ball 16 Spring 17 Ball 18 Spring C Handle switch case H Handlebar G Grip grip

Claims (4)

A turn signal switch device capable of blinking a blinker on a desired side disposed in a vehicle and capable of canceling by automatically stopping blinking of the blinker,
An electronic compass whose output voltage changes according to the traveling direction of the vehicle,
First detection means capable of detecting that the vehicle has turned more than a predetermined angle by detecting a change in the output voltage of the electronic compass in real time;
Second detection means capable of detecting a lapse of a predetermined time or a movement of the vehicle by a predetermined distance from the time when the vehicle has turned a predetermined angle or more by the first detection means;
Control means for automatically stopping and canceling blinking of the blinker on the condition that the second detection means detects the passage of a predetermined time or the movement of a predetermined distance;
A turn signal switch device comprising:   2. The turn signal switch device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic compass is disposed in a handle switch case fixed in the vicinity of a grip of a handle bar provided in the vehicle.   The electronic compass is formed on a substrate on which a predetermined electric circuit is formed, and a microcomputer having the first detection means, the second detection means, and the control means is formed on the same substrate, and the electronic compass 3. A turn signal switch device according to claim 2, wherein a substrate having a microcomputer is disposed in the handle switch case.   The handle switch case has an operation knob for blinking a blinker on a desired side, a magnetism generating means that is interlocked with the operation of the operation knob and generates magnetism, and detects magnetism from the magnetism generation means. Accordingly, an operation means having a magnetic detection means for detecting the operation of the operation knob in a non-contact manner is provided, and a blinker on a desired side is blinked based on the detection of magnetism by the magnetic detection means. The turn signal switch device according to claim 3, wherein the magnetic detection means is formed on the substrate.

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