JP2005145323A - Speed setting device for vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

A travel speed indicating device suitable for low speed travel is provided.
A casing 41 fixed to the handle pipe 11 is provided with a rotating shaft 45 to which an operation lever 46 is coupled. The operation lever 46 is rotated to obtain the speed target value. Coil springs 47 and 48 are provided on the rotation shaft 45. One ends of the first spring 47 and the second spring are locked to a plate 49 integral with the rotation shaft 45. The other end of the first spring 47 is locked to the inner wall surface of the casing 41. On the other hand, the other end of the second spring 48 comes into contact with the locking pin 50 when the operation lever 46 is rotated by a predetermined angle in the increasing direction of the target value. When the operation lever 46 is rotated in the direction of increasing the target value, first, torque by the first spring 47 is generated as a drag force, and then the second spring 48 acts between the locking pin 50 and the rotation shaft 45. Generates torque as a drag force.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle speed setting device, and more particularly to a vehicle speed setting device suitable for improving operability during low-speed traveling.

  In a throttle opening degree indicating device as a speed setting device for a motorcycle, a tricycle, etc., these grips and levers are operated by manually turning a throttle grip provided on the handlebar or a lever provided in the vicinity thereof. The throttle valve is opened and closed through a wire connected to the. For example, in the throttle grip structure described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-310182, the winding radius of the wire due to the grip turning operation is increased in the second half rotation angle region of the grip. As a result, the grip load increase due to the return spring accompanying the increase in the grip rotation angle is offset, and the grip load is made uniform.

  When driving on a congested road or in an urban area, the vehicle is often driven in a low throttle opening range. Therefore, in order to adapt to such a travel mode, it is desirable that the throttle opening can be finely adjusted in the low throttle opening range.

Therefore, it has been proposed to finely adjust the throttle opening in the low throttle opening range. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 50-6038 discloses a configuration in which the amount of increase in the throttle valve opening relative to the amount of increase in the grip rotation angle is made different between the low throttle opening region and the other regions. ing.
JP-A-11-310182. JP-A-50-6038.

  With the configuration of Patent Document 2, a delicate throttle operation is possible in the low throttle opening range. However, it is expected that it will be difficult for the driver to feel positively that the throttle operation is performed in the low throttle opening range.

  In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a vehicle speed setting device configured so that a driver can more easily experience whether the current throttle opening is in a low opening range or other range. The purpose is to do.

  In the vehicle speed setting device, comprising: an operation member that instructs a vehicle speed target value according to an operation angle; and an urging unit that constantly urges the operation member in a direction to decrease the speed target value. The biasing means resists the operation of the operating member for increasing the speed target value, and the first operating angle corresponding to the minimum speed target value and the planned second operating angle range at a first increasing rate, The first feature is that the torque for biasing the operation member is changed according to the operation angle at a second increase rate different from the first increase rate in a range larger than the second operation angle. is there.

  In addition, the present invention has a second feature in that the first increase rate is set smaller than the second increase rate. Furthermore, the present invention has a third feature in that the biasing means is a spring, and the first and second increasing rates are set by different spring constants.

  Furthermore, the present invention has a third operation angle larger than the second operation angle, and the third increase rate of the operating member biasing torque when the third operation angle is exceeded is the second increase rate. And the second increase rate is set to be larger than both the first and third increase rates, and there is a fourth feature.

  According to the present invention having the above characteristics, when the operation member for changing the speed target value is rotated in the direction of increasing the speed target value, the second operation is performed from the first operation angle corresponding to the operation angle. The torque increase rate in the angle range is different from the torque increase rate in the range greater than or equal to the second operation angle. Therefore, the driver can recognize with a sense that the operation angle exceeds the second operation angle due to a difference in the degree of increase in drag applied to the operation member. That is, the driver can recognize the boundary where the throttle opening is switched from the low opening range to the high opening range.

In particular, according to the second feature, the torque increase rate is small when the operation opening is small, that is, in the region where the target speed target value is small, but when the operation angle exceeds the second operation angle, the torque increase rate increases. Since a larger force is required to operate the operation member, the driver can recognize that the operation angle has exceeded the second operation angle.
. Therefore, the operation of the operation member in the low speed traveling, that is, the operation of instructing the speed target value is easy, and the driver can feel the low speed setting region and the other speed region by hand.

  Further, according to the third feature, the torque increase rate change by the urging means can be easily realized by the difference in the spring constant.

  Further, according to the fourth feature, the torque increase rate is reduced again after passing through the third operation angle region from the second operation angle at which the torque increase rate is the largest, so that the driver can perform the throttle operation with a normal operation feeling. The operation can be performed.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is an external side view of an electric vehicle including a speed setting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an electric vehicle 1 includes a handle 4 that is rotatably supported by a head pipe 3 positioned at a front portion of a body frame 2, and a handle 4 that extends upward. And a front fork 6 having a front wheel 5 at the lower end. A down pipe 7 extending downward and rearward is connected to the head pipe 3, and the down pipe 7 is further connected to a lower pipe 8 extending rearward and a seat post 9 rising upward from the lower pipe 8. The lower pipe 8 once branches from the down pipe 7 to both sides in the vehicle body width direction and extends rearward, and is further combined rearward and coupled to the lower end of the seat post 9. An annular seat frame 10 extending rearward is connected to the upper portion of the seat post 9. The lower pipe 8 is provided with a floor step 12, and the lower part from the floor step 12 is covered with an under cover 19. A battery 13 is accommodated between the branched lower pipes 8 and 8 below the floor step 12.

  A power unit 14 is attached to the lower portion of the seat post 9 so as to be swingable up and down. A rear wheel 15 as a drive wheel is provided at the rear of the power unit 14. A rear cushion unit 16 is provided between the upper portion of the power unit 14 and the seat post 9. A stay 17 extends rearward from the middle of the seat post 9, and a charging / voltage conversion device 18 is provided on the stay 17.

  The handle 4 includes a handle pipe 11 that extends on both sides in the vehicle width direction, and a head lamp 20 and a main switch 21 are attached to the head pipe 3. A speed target value indicating device (described later) for controlling the speed of the vehicle by adjusting the output of the vehicle driving motor 22 is attached to the right end of the handle pipe 11.

  In addition to the motor 22, the power unit 14 houses a power control unit 23 including a switching member such as a power FET, and a smoothing capacitor 24. The output of the motor 22 is transmitted to the rear wheels via a reduction gear (not shown).

  A seat 25 is disposed on the seat frame 10. The shape of the annular portion of the seat frame 10 is set so that the helmet 26 can be hooked and held.

  FIG. 1 is a plan sectional view of a speed target value indicating device (hereinafter referred to as “target indicating device”), and FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the same. In both figures, the casing 41 of the target indicating device 40 is attached to the handle pipe 11. The casing 41 includes a lower casing 411 and an upper casing 412, and a lever support portion 413 for supporting the brake lever 42 with the pivot 43 is formed in the lower casing 411. The lower casing 411 has a clamp part 414. The handle pipe 11 is sandwiched from above and below by this clamp part 414, and is fastened and fixed by bolts 44.

  A thicker portion of the lower casing 411 is provided with a bearing hole 415 penetrating vertically, and a rotating shaft 45 is fitted into the bearing hole 415. An operation lever 46 is fitted into the lower end of the rotation shaft 45 and is fixed by a bolt 51. The rotating shaft 45 is provided at a position that is biased toward the driver pipe 11 with respect to the handle pipe 11. The operation lever 46 is rotatable about the rotation shaft 45.

  In FIG. 1, the operation lever 46 is in a position that indicates the maximum target value of the vehicle speed. The operation lever 46 can be operated within the rotation range indicated by the arrow L in FIG. Since the rotation shaft 45 is disposed in front of the handle pipe 11, when the operation lever 46 is pushed forward from the front of the handle pipe 11, that is, from the initial position and rotated about the rotation shaft 45, the operation lever 46 is operated. The tip of 46 draws a circular arc so as to move away from the grip 11A along the axis of the grip 11A. That is, the tip of the operation lever 46 rotates so as to approach the center of the vehicle body. The rotation range of the operation lever 46, that is, the operation range will be described later.

  In the middle of the rotating shaft 45, springs 47 and 48 for biasing the operation lever 46 in one direction (clockwise in FIG. 1) are provided. Each of the springs 47 and 48 is a coil spring having a coil portion coaxial with the rotating shaft 45 and a hook portion or end portion extending from the coil portion, and both are wound so as to generate a repulsive force, that is, torque in the same direction.

  Each of the first spring 47 and the second spring 48 is shaped so as to generate a repulsive force according to the operating angle of the operating lever 46. Details will be described later. A plate 49 engaged with one end of the springs 47 and 48 is fitted to the upper portions of the springs 47 and 48 so as to rotate integrally with the rotation shaft 45. The plate 49 is fitted to the rotary shaft 45, and a horizontal portion that provides a portion with which one end of the springs 47 and 48 engages, and extends downward from the horizontal portion, and is near the other end of the second spring 48. Has a second spring engaging portion 491 that abuts.

  An engagement pin 50 is erected on the lower casing 411 so that the other end of the second spring 48 is engaged. The other end of the first spring 47 is in contact with the inner surface of the side wall of the lower casing 411.

  A stay 52 that protrudes horizontally from the side wall surface is provided inside the upper casing 412. The stay 52 constitutes a bearing portion that supports the upper end of the rotating shaft 45. Above the stay 52, a rotation sensor 53 for detecting the rotation angle of the rotation shaft 45 is provided. The shaft of the rotation sensor 53 is positioned so as to be engaged with the protrusion at the upper end of the rotation shaft.

  The target indicating device 40 having the above configuration operates as follows. 4A to 4C are enlarged views of the main part of the target instruction device showing the positions of the respective parts corresponding to the operation of the operation lever 46. FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a state in which the initial position of the operation lever, that is, the minimum speed target value is instructed. In FIG. 4A, the plate 49 is rotated to the maximum in the clockwise direction in the drawing by the action of the first spring 47. In this state, since the second spring 48 is separated from the engagement pin 50, the repulsive force of the second spring 48 does not act on the rotating shaft 45. Therefore, the driver's hand (especially the right thumb 55 pushing the tip of the operating lever 46) operating the operating lever 46 within the range of the arrow 54 from the initial state (the speed target value is zero) is repulsive only by the first spring 47. I feel the force load.

  FIG. 4B is a diagram showing a state where a speed target value larger than the initial state is instructed. In FIG. 4B, the rotation shaft 45 is rotated to a position where one end of the second spring 48 starts to contact the engagement pin 50. Therefore, when the rotation shaft 45 is further rotated counterclockwise from this state, a load for twisting the second spring 48 in addition to the first spring 47 must be applied to the operation lever 46. That is, when instructing a larger speed target value from the state shown in FIG. 4B, the driver feels with his / her finger 55 a load that is much larger than the load felt through the operation lever 46 before that. That is, it can be recognized by touch that the operation angle of the operation lever is larger than the predetermined angle.

  FIG. 4C is a diagram showing the position of each part when the maximum speed target value is given. In FIG. 4C, the rotation shaft 45 rotates to the maximum in the counterclockwise direction in the drawing and indicates the maximum speed target value. In this state, the first spring 47 and the second spring 48 are also largely twisted, so that the driver operating the operation lever 46 feels the largest load on the finger 55.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the rotation angle of the operation lever 46, that is, the speed target value, and the torque necessary for operating the operation lever 46. As shown in FIG. In the figure, as the rotation angle of the operation lever 46 increases from the initial value (first operation angle) α0, the required torque increases at a rate corresponding to the spring constant of the first spring 47. When the rotation angle reaches an angle (second operation angle) α1 at which the second spring 48 contacts the engaging pin 50, the torque of the second spring 48 is added to the torque of the first spring 47, and the spring constant changes. The rate of increase in torque required to rotate the operating lever 46 from that position is greatly increased.

  Thereby, the driver can feel the change of the operation torque between the region where the speed target value is small and the region where the speed target value is large via the operation lever 46 with a finger.

  When the speed target value is instructed, the power control unit 23 performs switching control of the FET so that the speed of the motor 22 corresponding to the target value is obtained.

  In the present invention, the speed target value of the electric vehicle is instructed according to the rotation angle of the operation lever 46, but the speed target value is not limited to the vehicle having the operation lever 46, and the handle grip is rotated. The vehicle whose value is adjusted can be modified to perform the operations shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C with a spring interposed between the grip rotation shaft (a member integrated with the handle pipe 11) and the grip.

  The vehicle to which the present invention can be applied is not limited to an electric vehicle, but can also be applied to a scooter using an engine as a prime mover, and other types of motorcycles and tricycles. In the case of a vehicle having an engine, it is modified and applied so that the target value of the throttle opening instruction is set by operating the operation lever or grip.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the operation torque of the operation lever changes in two stages has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the operation torque can be configured to change in three stages as shown in FIG. In FIG. 6, the required torque is increased as the rotation angle of the operation lever 46 increases from the initial value (first operation angle) α0. When the rotation angle exceeds the second operation angle α1, the increase rate of the operation torque is made larger than the increase rate in the range of the operation angles α0 to α1. Furthermore, the increase rate of the operation torque is made smaller than the increase rate in the range of the operation angles α1 to α2 in the region exceeding the third operation angle α2.

  By changing the operation torque of the operation lever 46 in this way, the driver can feel that the throttle opening range is out of the low opening range at the second operation angle α1. And in the area | region beyond 3rd operation angle (alpha) 2, since the torque burden concerning a finger | toe is reduced, throttle operation can be performed with a normal feeling.

  In short, the present invention is configured so that the driver can recognize by hand that the operating angle of the operating member such as the operating lever and the grip has reached a predetermined angle by changing the magnitude of the torque applied to the operating member. If you have. Therefore, the increase rate of the operating torque is not limited to that when the operating member exceeds the predetermined angle, and the increase rate of the operating torque is increased when the operating angle of the operating member becomes more than the predetermined angle. It may be reduced as compared with the case of less than that.

It is a top view of the target value instruction | indication apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the target value instruction | indication apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a see-through | perspective side view of the electric vehicle to which the target value instruction | indication apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is applied. It is a figure explaining operation | movement of the target value instruction | indication apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining operation | movement of the target value instruction | indication apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining operation | movement of the target value instruction | indication apparatus instruction | indication apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between a lever operation angle and a lever operation torque. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the lever operation angle which concerns on a modification, and lever operation torque.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Handle pipe, 40 ... Speed target value instruction | indication apparatus, 41 ... Casing, 45 ... Turning axis, 46 ... Operation lever, 47 ... 1st spring, 48 ... 2nd spring, 49 ... Plate, 50 ... Locking pin

Claims (4)

In a vehicle speed setting apparatus, comprising: an operation member that instructs a speed target value of a vehicle according to an operation angle; and an urging unit that constantly urges the operation member in a direction to reduce the speed target value.
In the range of the first operation angle corresponding to the minimum speed target value and the planned second operation angle against the operation of the operation member that increases the speed target value, the urging means has a first increase rate, A vehicle configured to change a torque for urging the operation member in accordance with an operation angle at a second increase rate different from the first increase rate in a range larger than the second operation angle. Speed setting device.   The vehicle speed setting device according to claim 1, wherein the first increase rate is set smaller than the second increase rate.   3. The vehicle speed setting device according to claim 1, wherein the biasing means is a spring, and the first and second increasing rates are set by different spring constants. 4.   A third increase rate of the operating member biasing torque when the third operation angle is greater than the second operation angle and the third operation angle is exceeded, and is different from the second increase rate; The vehicle speed setting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second increase rate is set to be larger than any of the first and third increase rates.

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