JPS63269779A - Automatic tilt steering device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the easiness for the driver to get on and off a vehicle, by enabling a tilt angle adjusting speed to be controlled faster than when a tilt angle is normally adjusted, in the time for the driver to get on and off the vehicle with a larger tilt angle adjusted than in the normal time. CONSTITUTION:When a vehicle is operated, in a tilt angle control unit 20, first the present control condition is decided for whether or not it is immediately after an ignition switch is turned on. When a decision is YES, the vehicle, rotating an oil hydraulic motor 10 in a tilt down direction in a rotary speed V1 higher than the rotary speed V2 when a tilt angle is normally adjusted, resets a steering column 4 to a predetermined tilt angle position Rn. On the contrary, when the decision is NO, the control condition is decided for whether or not it is immediately after the ignition switch is turned off. And when the decision is YES, the vehicle, rotating the oil hydraulic motor 10 in a tilt up direction in the rotary speed V1, sets the column 4 tilting up to a maximum tilt up position Ru.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an automatic tilt steering device for a vehicle.

(Prior Art) Recently, many vehicles have adopted tilt steering devices that can adjust the steering angle to an arbitrary angle to match the driver's body.

Such a tilt steering device is generally provided with a ratchet that rotates around the fulcrum of the tilt lever, and when not adjusting the ratchet, the ratchet engages with the teeth on the steering pole side and is fixed, while when adjusting the tilt angle, the ratchet is fixed. Is there a manual configuration in which the tilt angle can be arbitrarily changed by pulling up the tilt lever to disengage the ratchet and the teeth on the steering pole side?
Some proposals have been made that use a hydraulic motor driven by a battery power source, and that the hydraulic motor operates a worm gear for varying the steering angle to automatically control the tilt angle. (For example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60157962).

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) By the way, in the electric tilt steering device that can automatically adjust the tilt angle as described above, by taking advantage of its characteristics, for example, when the driver gets on and off the vehicle, It is conceivable to change the tilt angle to a larger extent than in the case of normal tilt angle adjustment, for example, to tilt the steering wheel up significantly in front of the driver's seat to make it easier for the driver to get on and off. Some are considering adding a tilt-up stem.

However, since the above-mentioned normal tilt angle adjustment originally requires a fine adjustment function, the variable adjustment speed is inevitably set slow below a certain speed, and as the tilt angle increases, the lower limit angle position changes to the upper limit position. It takes a considerable amount of time to move (tilt up) to the angular position, so the tilt-up function for getting on and off the driver as described above is applied to the conventional tilt steering device where the variable speed is regulated to be set to a constant value. If only a combination of these is used, there is a problem that the operation speed is too slow for tilting up when the driver gets on and off, making it inconvenient for the driver to get on and off.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention has been made for the purpose of solving the above problems. In an automatic tilt steering device for a vehicle, the tilt angle is made larger than a normal tilt adjustment angle when a driver gets on and off the vehicle, comprising a tilt angle adjustment speed variable means,
When the driver gets on or off the vehicle, the tilt adjustment angle is larger than normal, the tilt angle adjustment speed is made faster than during the normal tilt angle adjustment.

(Function) According to the above means, when the driver gets on or off the vehicle, the tilt angle variable speed is controlled faster than during normal tilt angle adjustment, and the steering wheel is quickly tilted up.

(Embodiment) FIGS. 1 and 2 show an automatic tilt steering device for a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

First, in FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a tilt steering device consisting of a steering shaft 2 and a steering column 4 connected to the upper end 2a of the steering shaft 2 via a hinge mechanism 3 so that the tilt angle can be adjusted. be. The hinge mechanism 3 of the tilt steering device 1 includes a hinge bin 3a in which the steering shaft 2 and the steering column 4 are pivotably connected to each other;
It consists of a hinge arm 6 which is pivotally supported on one end of the hinge pin 3a and whose other end is fixed to the steering column 4, and the tip 6a of the hinge arm 6 is connected to the hinge arm operating rod of the tilt angle adjustment mechanism 7. It is pivotally attached to the tip (upper end) of 8.

The tilt angle adjustment mechanism 7 includes the above-mentioned hinge arm operating rod 8 disposed vertically along the steering shaft 2 and formed on the rear end side (lower end side) of the hinge arm operating rod 8. The worm screw 8a is fitted onto the outside of the worm screw 8a having a predetermined length l, and the worm screw 8a is fitted inside the worm screw 8a.
A cylindrical bevel gear 11 equipped with a worm 9 that meshes with a.
and a hydraulic motor 10 provided with a worm gear 12 that meshes with the bevel gear 1.The hydraulic motor 10 is configured to perform normal tilt angle adjustment by a tilt angle control unit 20 composed of, for example, a microcomputer. The second rotational speed V is suitable for tilting up the entire steering column 4 when the driver gets in and out of the vehicle, which is larger than the normal tilt angle adjustment range. The rotation speed is controlled at at least two stages including a first rotation speed V1 which is considerably high.

The hinge arm operating rod 8 is connected to a bearing bracket 1 fixed to the steering shaft 2.
The rear end side of the bevel gear 11 is supported by the bearing bracket I so as to be movable backward in the plane.
It is fixed in the front-rear direction (axial direction) by a holder member 16 provided inside 5.

Further, the length of the worm screw 8a is determined by rotating the hinge arm 6 and moving the steering column 4 along the imaginary line Rd by moving the hinge arm operating rod 8 in the direction of the arrow (A) or (B). The length is set to be sufficient to enable actual adjustment in the maximum tilt angle adjustment range from the Ru position to the Ru position, and the range is set to the front and rear stopper 13.1 provided on the hinge arm operating rod 8.
4 is precisely regulated.

Furthermore, the tilt angle control unit 20 includes:
Tilt up switch 30U1 Tilt down switch 3
0D are connected and their command signals (ON signal)
The hydraulic motor IO is driven in a predetermined rotational direction in accordance with the above.

Next, the tilt angle adjustment operation and tilt angle adjustment speed control operation by the tilt angle control unit 20 will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2.

First, first, check whether the current control state is immediately after the ignition switch IgSW was turned ON. In other words, in the previous control cycle, when the vehicle was getting off, the ignition switch IgSWh was set to OFF and the steering column 4 was turned on. The vehicle is tilted up to the maximum upward angle position Ru in FIG. 1, and it is determined whether the driver has newly sat in the driver's seat and is currently trying to start the engine.

If the result is YES, the process proceeds to step S, in which the hydraulic motor 10 is rotated at the first motor rotational speed V1 in the opposite direction to that during delta engagement, and the steering column 4 is rotated in the previous control cycle before dismounting the vehicle. The tilt angle position Rn is returned to the predetermined tilt angle position Rn.

On the other hand, if the determination in step SI is No, that is, at least the ignition switch I
If it is not immediately after the gSW is turned on, the process proceeds to step S3, and this time it is checked whether the ignition switch IgSW has just been turned off, that is, whether the engine is about to be stopped and the vehicle is about to exit the vehicle. to judge. If the result is YES, the process moves to step S4.
Contrary to step S, the hydraulic motor lO is rotated in the tilt-up direction at the first motor rotational speed V, and the steering column 4 is moved to the maximum tilt-up position Ru shown in the imaginary line in FIG. Tilts up to make it easier for the driver to get on and off.

On the other hand, if the NO ignition switch IgSW is neither turned ON nor immediately turned OFF, step S is further performed.
Proceed to , and this time install the tilt up switch 30 mentioned above.
Check the ON state of U and turn the tilt up switch 3
In the case of YES where 00 is ON, the second motor rotation speed V is considerably lower than the first motor rotation speed V1.
, performs normal tilt angle up control.

On the other hand, if the delta knob switch 30U is OFF,
In this case, the process further advances to step S7, where the ON state of the tilt-down switch 30D is checked.

As a result, tilt down switch 30D is ON (YES)
In this case, the tilt-down angle is adjusted at the second motor rotational speed V.

On the other hand, if the tilt down switch 30D is OFF (NO), it is determined that the tilt angle adjustment is not necessary or the tilt angle adjustment is completed, and the current tilt angle position Rnp is stored in the RAM of the tilt angle control unit 20. ,
The tilt angle control operation for the period is ended.

In the above case, the distinction between the case of large tilt angle adjustment when getting on and off and the case of normal tilt angle adjustment when not getting on and off does not depend on the operation state of the ignition switch IgSW as described above. These are configured as separate and independent switches, and the rotational speed VI or V of the hydraulic motor IO is adjusted depending on the ON state of each of these switches.
Of course, it is also possible to select.

In the first embodiment described above, the tilt angle adjustment mechanism 7 is mainly composed of a worm gear mechanism, and the rotational speed of the hydraulic motor IO is controlled by the tilt angle control unit 20.
An electronic control configuration has been adopted that speeds up the tilt-up operation when getting on and off by variable control in stages, and this tilt angle adjustment mechanism 7 is, for example, a second embodiment as shown in FIG. The rotating speed of the hinge arm operating rod 8 may be kept constant, and the operating speed of the hinge arm actuating rod 8 may be changed by switching the engagement relationship of the rack and pinion into two stages.

That is, in FIG. 3, reference numeral 8 denotes a hinge arm operating rod that rotates the steering column by rotating the hinge arm 6, as in the case of the first embodiment. On the end side, two mutually adjacent racks 41, 42, a first and a second rack, having different heights in the vertical direction are provided. The first and second racks 41 and 42 are provided with first racks having mutually different diameters, which are provided on the drive shaft of the hydraulic motor IO.
and second pinions 51, 52 are engaged.

The small-diameter first pinion 51 and the high-side first rack 41 engage in response to normal tilt angle adjustment,
While the tilt angle is adjusted at a normal speed, the large-diameter second pinion 52 and the second rack 42 on the lower side engage in response to the tilt-up operation when the driver gets on and off. The steering column 4 is tilted up at a tilt angle adjustment speed faster than the tilt angle adjustment speed.

Note that ζ symbols 13 and 14 are stoppers for regulating the tilt angle adjustment range, similar to those in the first embodiment.

According to such a configuration, it can be realized with a simple mechanical configuration, and an expensive system such as a tilt angle control unit can be omitted, which has the advantage of reducing costs.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, the present invention enables the tilt angle of the steering wheel to be automatically variably controlled, and the variably controlled tilt angle to be changed to the normal tilt adjustment angle when the driver gets on and off the vehicle. In an automatic tilt steering system for a vehicle, a tilt angle adjustment speed variable means is provided, and when a driver gets on or off, where the tilt adjustment angle is larger than normal, the tilt angle adjustment speed is adjusted to be larger than the normal tilt angle. The tilt angle is adjusted faster than when adjusting the tilt angle.

That is, according to the present invention, when the driver gets on or off the vehicle, the tilt angle variable speed is controlled faster than during normal tilt angle adjustment, and the steering wheel is moved more quickly.

Therefore, the driver's seat space is quickly opened in response to the driver's behavior when getting on and off, and the ease of getting on and off the vehicle is further improved. Furthermore, during normal tilt angle adjustment, the speed is naturally controlled at a slow speed that allows for fine adjustment, so there is no problem with normal tilt angle adjustment operations.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of an automatic tilt steering device for a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the control operation of a tilt angle control unit of the device of the same embodiment, The figure is a sectional view showing the structure of a tilt angle adjustment mechanism of an automatic tilt steering device for a vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention. ■ ・・・・Tilt steering device 2 ・・・・・
Steering shaft 3...Hinge mechanism 4...Steering column 6...Hinge arm 7...Tilt angle adjustment mechanism 8...Hinge arm operating rod lO... ...
Hydraulic motor 20...Tilt angle control unit 30U
...Tilt up switch 30D...
Tilt down switch 41...First rack 42...Second rack 51...First pinion 52...Second pinion

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Automatic tilt steering for a vehicle, in which the tilt angle of the steering wheel can be automatically and variably controlled, and the variably controlled tilt angle is made larger than the normal tilt adjustment angle when the driver gets on and off the vehicle. In the device, a tilt angle adjustment speed variable means is provided, and when the driver gets on and off, the tilt adjustment angle becomes larger than normal.
An automatic tilt steering device for a vehicle, characterized in that the tilt angle adjustment speed is faster than the normal tilt angle adjustment speed.