Patent ID: 9162698
Filing Date: 2015-10-20
Classification: B62D,G05G,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A vehicular input apparatus disposed on a steering apparatus of a vehicle, the steering apparatus having a core unit and a rim unit, the core unit fixed on a steering shaft to rotate with the steering shaft and the rim unit disposed on a periphery of the core unit and gripped by a user, the vehicular input apparatus inputs operation information for operating an in-vehicle device installed in the vehicle, the vehicular input apparatus comprising: a housing disposed on the core unit; an operable body disposed on the housing and having an operation surface; at least three straining bodies arranged on the housing and each having a joint part, a fixation part, and a transfer surface part, the joint part coupled to a periphery of the operable body, the fixation part affixed to the housing, and the transfer surface part being between the joint part and the fixation part and having a displacement transfer surface formed thereon for displacing the straining body according to a pressure caused by an operation force from the user, wherein two of the straining bodies positioned closest to the rim unit are designated as closest-to-rim straining bodies; a strain gauge disposed on the displacement transfer surface of the straining body for detecting a strain of the displacement transfer surface caused by the displacement of the straining body; and an output unit calculating the operation force and an operation position of the operation force on the operation surface based on a detection result of each of the strain gauges, and outputting the operation position and the operation force calculated as the operation information to the in-vehicle device, wherein the operable body is positioned to have a rim end portion of the operable body extend beyond the closest-to-rim straining bodies towards the rim unit such that rim end portion of the operable body crosses an end point line defined between end points of the closest-to-rim straining bodies.