JPS5926498B2 - Turn signal automatic return device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a circuit used in a direction indicator automatic return device.

In general, turn signal switches for automobiles are constructed such that the contacts of the switch are always in a neutral position, and when the switch is turned on, a circuit to a necessary lamp is closed.

In the case of a four-wheeled vehicle, after a course change or other operation is completed, a release mechanism linked to steering wheel operation automatically returns the vehicle to its original position, opening the energizing circuit to the lamp.

In addition, to prevent malfunctions, a release mechanism is used that will not automatically return unless the operating range of the handle exceeds a certain value.

For this reason, when there is relatively little steering wheel operation, such as when changing lanes, the system does not return automatically and must be returned by the driver's operation.

If you neglect this operation, the lamp will continue to flash, which will have an extremely large impact on oncoming and following vehicles.
It's not only confusing, but dangerous.

In particular, in the case of a two-wheeled vehicle, the steering wheel operation is completely different from that of a four-wheeled vehicle (different from that of a four-wheeled vehicle), it is possible to change the course with a very small amount of steering wheel operation, and even while driving, it is necessary to operate the steering wheel to maintain balance and for other purposes. It is difficult to distinguish between a steering wheel operation to change direction and a steering wheel operation to change course, and it is impossible to set up a release mechanism that is linked to the steering wheel to automatically return the vehicle, as is the case with four-wheeled vehicles. Met.

For this reason, all conventional turn signal switches for two-wheeled vehicles have been released at the driver's will.

In cases where it is extremely difficult to provide a release mechanism that is linked to the steering wheel, such as in a motorcycle, other elements unrelated to steering wheel operation, such as the turn signal switch, are closed.
It is conceivable that the release mechanism is activated depending on the distance or travel time of the vehicle until the end of the action.

The turn signal switch is about 30~------ at the intersection
You can enter at a point 50 meters before the train, but at that point the speed of the vehicle is fast (I see, it is normal for it to be inconsistent as it gets closer to you).

For this reason, if the turn signal switch is turned on and automatically resets after driving a certain distance, the turn signal may be cut off before the intersection, or it may continue to flash after the intersection.

However, when considering the running time, the faster the vehicle speed is, the closer the switch is turned on, and the longer the running distance is, so the running time until the switch is shut off is approximately constant.

However, if the system automatically returns after a certain period of time after the switch is turned on, if the vehicle slows down midway due to waiting at a traffic light or being obstructed by another vehicle, the system will automatically return before the intersection, resulting in an undesirable result.

The present invention improves this point.

Fig. 1 shows a direction indicator flashing device, and 1 is a conventionally used flasher unit, 2 is a turn signal switch, 6 to 7 are left turn indicator lamps, 8 to 9 are right turn indicator lamps, 10 is an automatic return device, 11 indicates wheel speed detection sensor.

Contacts 2 and 3 of the turn signal switch are normally in the neutral position, and when pushed to the left or right, the circuit is completed.
The flasher unit 1 starts operating and the direction indicator lamp flashes.

FIG. 2A shows a front view and a side view of an example of the turn signal switch 2 used in this device.

This figure shows the neutral state, in which the ball 23 is pressed into one of the three holes 22 formed in the lever 21 by the force of the spring 26.

At this time, the coil 25 is de-energized.

At this time, contacts 3-4 and 3'-5 are in an open state.

If the lever 21 is now tilted upward in the figure, the return spring 21 is bent by the lever 21, and the contact points 3-4 are closed. If the lever 21 is still rotated, the ball 2
3 is fixed to one of the inner sides of the hole 22 and stops.

By closing the contacts 3-4 in this manner, the operation of the flasher unit 1 is started.

The coil 25 is energized after a set time described below after the start of operation, and the movable piece 24 is struck by the force of the spring 26 and attracted to the fixed piece 31.

In this way, the ball 23 is removed from the hole 22, and the lever 21 is returned to the neutral position by the return spring 27.

In this way, the contacts 3 and 4 are brought into an open state, and the excitation to the coil 25 is restored to its original state as described below.

An example of a circuit using the turn signal switch 2 described below will be described.

In FIG. 3, 41 is a permanent magnet that rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the wheels.

42 is a contact point of a reed switch placed near the magnet 41, which turns ON and OFF as the magnet 41 rotates.

43 is an F/V converter, which can obtain high voltage at low speed (low voltage at high speed).

1 and 3, when the contacts of the turn signal switch 2 are now open, the contacts 4.5 are at zero potential and the capacitor 93 is in a discharged state.

Therefore, the transistor 95 is in a cut-off state, and the transistor 41 is in a cut-off state.
is in a conductive state, and the capacitor 48 is in a discharged state.

Therefore, the output voltage of the comparator 49 becomes zero, and the coil 25 is in a non-excited state.

When contacts 3-4 or 3'-5 of the turn signal switch are closed, the flasher unit starts operating.

If the direction indicator lamp is now lit, contact 4 or 5 will be at a high potential, and capacitor 93 will be rapidly charged.

When the direction indicator lamp goes out, the capacitor 93 becomes the resistor 9.
However, while the flasher unit continues to flash, the potential of the capacitor 93 is high, the transistor 95 is in a conductive state, the transistor 41 is cut off, and the capacitor 48 continues to be charged.

When the vehicle speed is slow, the output voltage of the F/V converter 43 is high and the base current of the transistor 450 is small, so the collector current flowing through the transistor 45 is also small and the capacitor 48 is gradually charged.

The potential of the capacitor 48 is equal to the negative input voltage Vre of the comparator 49.
If f is exceeded, the output voltage of the comparator 49 rises to the power supply voltage, and the coil 25 is energized.

In addition, when the speed is high, the capacitor 48 is charged quickly,
Is the time required to reach the Vref voltage short?

Further, the output voltage of the F/V converter 43 is changed from the power supply voltage Vcc to V, be of the transistor 45 and the diode 44.
If the speed exceeds the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the forward voltage drops of Vo, for example, 5 km/h (10 km/h).
If the voltage becomes less than 100 h (it may be about h), the transistor 45 is cut off and the capacitor 48 is not charged.

FIG. 4 shows the relationship between vehicle speed and operating time during this period.

FIG. 5 is a simplified version of the method without sacrificing its functionality.

However, in this figure, the transistor 470 input is the same as in FIG.

At low speeds, the output voltage of the F/V converter 43 is higher than V'ref (the output of the comparator 51 rises to the power supply voltage, and the transistor 52 becomes conductive).

Therefore, the capacitor 48 is not charged and the flasher continues to blink forever.

The vehicle speed gradually increases and the output voltage of the F/V converter increases to V
When the voltage becomes smaller than 'ref, the transistor 52 is cut off, and the capacitor 48 is charged through the resistor 53.

The relationship between vehicle speed and operating time is shown in FIG.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 above, compared to the method in which the direction indicator automatically returns after a certain period of time after it starts flashing,
Vehicle speed Vo (approximately 5 to 10
If you continue to drive at low speeds below (km/h) or while waiting at a traffic light, the system will not automatically return midway through an intersection (,
The flashing continues, the vehicle starts running again, and when the cumulative time at vehicle speed Vo or higher reaches a certain time T1, the vehicle returns automatically.

This configuration eliminates the drawback that the vehicle automatically returns midway through an intersection even when the vehicle is running at low speeds caused by waiting at a traffic light or being obstructed by another vehicle.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment, and FIG. 8 shows the relationship between vehicle speed and operating time.

In this figure, the input of transistor 47 is the same as in FIG.

In this embodiment, for example, there are rare cases where a motorcycle is left parked on the side of the road, and in such cases, the turn signal is automatically reset after a set time has elapsed, and the turn signal is turned off. I will give an example of measures taken to prevent the blinking from continuing even if the user forgets to do so.

In this case, transistor 52 is conductive and resistor 5
Even if the capacitor 48 is not charged through the resistor 3, it is gradually charged through the resistor 54.

In this case, the automatic return time T2 when the vehicle speed is below Vo is selected to be a long value so that the automatic return does not occur midway during normal waiting at traffic lights.

By doing this, it is possible to prevent forgetting to turn off the power when the vehicle is stopped and the driver leaves.

As described above, according to the present method, an automatic return device can be easily realized even in a two-wheeled vehicle without providing a complicated return mechanism around the bundle.

Furthermore, in the present invention, since the vehicle speed returns to stop blinking after a certain period of time has elapsed during which the vehicle speed is O, it is possible to prevent the driver from forgetting to turn off the blinking when the vehicle is stopped and the driver leaves the vehicle.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a wiring diagram of a turn signal flashing device, Fig. 2 A and A are front and side views of an example of a turn signal switch used in this device, and Figs. 3 and 5.7 are an example of an embodiment of the present invention. The circuit diagram and FIGS. 4, 6, and 8 are respective characteristic diagrams. 41... Magnet rotating with the wheel, 42...
... Reed switch, 43 ... F/V converter, 49°51 ... Comparator, 25 ... Coil.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In direction indicators for two-wheeled vehicles and four-wheeled vehicles, the first set value is the time period during which the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined non-zero vehicle speed after the energized path of the direction indicator lamp is closed and it starts blinking. A direction indicator characterized by comprising a control means for causing the blinking to continue until reaching a second set value, and then returning to a non-blinking state, and returning to a non-blinking state when the vehicle speed, which is 0, reaches a second set value. Automatic return device.