Steering switch device

A steering switch device includes a housing disposed in a spoke portion of a steering wheel of a vehicle, the housing including an operation unit configured to operate an electronic device that is electrically connected, and an illumination unit provided in a side surface of the housing protruding from the spoke portion, the illumination unit being configured to illuminate a grip portion of the steering wheel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is based on Japanese patent application No. 2017-196838 filed on Oct. 10, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a steering switch device.

RELATED ART

In the related art, a vehicle steering handle including an illuminator arranged in at least a part of a rim portion of the vehicle steering handle, a detector that detects at least a state of the steering handle operated by a driver as a driving state of the vehicle, and a controller that controls a lighting state of the illuminator based on the detected driving state of the vehicle is known (see, for example, JP 2015-54564 A).

The illuminator of the vehicle steering handle directs a part of the emitted light toward the driver to give a warning to the driver.

SUMMARY

In the vehicle steering handle of the related art, however, the illuminator is disposed in a grip portion (rim portion), and consequently the accuracy of grip detection is reduced and/or decoration is limited when a function is provided to the grip portion by disposing a heater, by disposing a grip sensor that detects grip, and/or by applying decoration with wrapping leather, for example.

An object of the invention is to provide a steering switch device capable of illuminating a grip portion of a steering wheel while suppressing influence on a function provided to the grip portion.

A steering switch device according to an aspect of the invention includes a housing disposed in a spoke portion of a steering wheel of a vehicle, the housing including an operation unit configured to operate an electronic device that is electrically connected, and an illumination unit provided in a side surface of the housing protruding from the spoke portion, the illumination unit being configured to illuminate a grip portion of the steering wheel.

Advantageous Effect of the Invention

According to an aspect of the invention, the grip portion of the steering wheel can be illuminated while suppressing influence on a function provided to the grip portion.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Overview of Embodiments

A steering switch device according to an embodiment schematically includes a housing disposed in a spoke portion of a steering wheel of a vehicle and including an operation unit configured to operate an electronic device that is electrically connected, and an illumination unit provided in a side surface of the housing protruding from the spoke portion and configured to illuminate a grip portion of the steering wheel.

Since the illumination unit is not disposed in the grip portion, the steering switch device can illuminate the grip portion while suppressing influence on a function provided to the grip portion of the steering wheel in comparison with a case in which such a configuration is not employed.

Embodiment

Overview of Steering Switch Device1

FIG. 1Ais a schematic view of a steering wheel provided with an example of a steering switch device according to an embodiment, andFIG. 1Bis an example of a block diagram of a steering switch device.FIG. 2Ais a perspective view illustrating an example of a steering switch device according to an embodiment,FIG. 2Bis a cross-sectional view of a main part for describing an example of illumination with an illumination unit, andFIG. 2Cis a cross-sectional view of a main part for describing an example of illumination of a modification. In the drawings associated with the following embodiments, ratios between elements in the drawings may be different from the actual ratios. In addition, inFIG. 1B, arrows indicate the flows of primary signals, information, and the like.

A steering switch device1is electrically connected with electronic devices provided in a vehicle9, and is configured to be able to operate the electronic devices, for example. Examples of such electronic devices include navigation devices, audio and video playback devices, air conditioning devices, and the like.

As illustrated inFIG. 1AandFIG. 1B, the steering switch device1schematically includes, for example, a housing10disposed in a spoke portion of a steering wheel8of a vehicle9and including an operation unit2configured to operate electronic devices that are electrically connected, and an illumination unit4provided in a side surface of the housing10protruding from the spoke portion and configured to illuminate a grip portion83of the steering wheel8.

The spoke portion of the present embodiment is, for example, a spoke portion81and a spoke portion82connecting a pad portion80and the grip portion83in the direction of 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock as illustrated inFIG. 1A. In the pad portion80, a horn device, an air bag, and the like are disposed, for example. The steering switch device1is disposed in each of the spoke portion81and the spoke portion82.

In addition, as illustrated inFIG. 1A, the illumination unit4is configured to illuminate an illumination region41including a portion where the spoke portion (the spoke portion81and the spoke portion82) and the grip portion83are connected, for example. In the illumination unit4, light-emitting elements4aare disposed in a first side surface (side surface17) facing the portion where the spoke portion (the spoke portion81and the spoke portion82) and the grip portion83are connected, and in a second side surface (lower side surface16) and a third side surface (upper side surface18) that are connected with the first side surface (side surface17).

The housing10may include a bezel on the outer side of the housing10. In this case, the steering switch device1is configured to output illuminating light40from a side surface of the bezel in which the illumination unit4is disposed, for example.

As illustrated inFIG. 1B, the steering switch device1includes a controller6electrically connected with the operation unit2and the illumination unit4, for example.

Configuration of Operation Unit2

The operation unit2schematically includes a plurality of switches, a touch pad, and the like, for example. The operation unit2of the steering switch device1of the spoke portion81includes a plurality of switches, for example. In addition, the operation unit2of the steering switch device1of the spoke portion82includes a touch pad, for example.

As illustrated inFIG. 1A, the operation unit2is disposed in a front surface12of the housing10, for example. In addition, the operation unit2is configured to generate operation information S1based on an operation performed on the operation unit2and output the operation information S1to the controller6, for example.

The operation unit2is disposed at a position where an operator gripping the grip portion83can operate the operation unit2. The region gripped in this state is included in the illumination region41.

Configuration of Illumination Unit4

The illumination unit4schematically includes a plurality of light-emitting elements4a. The light-emitting element4ais, for example, a light emitting diode (LED), a laser, an organic electro luminescence (EL) element or the like that outputs the illuminating light40, which is visible light. The light-emitting elements4amay be single-color or multi-color. As illustrated inFIG. 1B, the illumination unit4outputs the illuminating light40to the illumination region41based on a driving signal S2output from the controller6, for example.

As illustrated inFIG. 2A, the housing10of the steering switch device1is disposed such that the upper part thereof protrudes from a front surface810of the spoke portion81and a front surface820of the spoke portion82.

Clockwise from the lower side inFIG. 1A, a lower side surface16, a side surface17and an upper side surface18of the housing10on the spoke portion81side protrude from the front surface810, for example. Likewise, counterclockwise from the lower side inFIG. 1A, the lower side surface16, the side surface17and the upper side surface18of the housing10on the spoke portion82side protrude from the front surface820, for example.

The illumination unit4is disposed in the lower side surface16, the side surface17and the upper side surface18, and outputs the illuminating light40toward an inner surface830of the grip portion83from the lower side surface16, the side surface17and the upper side surface18. The inner surface830is an internal surface located on the front surface810side of the spoke portion81, and an internal surface located on the front surface820side of the spoke portion82, and the inner surface830can be illuminated from the side surface of the housing10as illustrated inFIG. 2B, for example.

In other words, the inner surface830is the surface on the right side of the dashed line serving as a boundary inFIG. 2B, for example. Further, while the inner surface830is divided into two portions by the spoke portion serving as a boundary, the inner surface on the front surface810side of the spoke portion81is the surface that serves as the illumination region41. In addition, an outer surface831is the surface on the left side of the dashed line serving as a boundary inFIG. 2B, for example.

In the illumination unit4, the plurality of light-emitting elements4aare arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the side surface17, for example. In the lower side surface16and the upper side surface18, the light-emitting elements4aare disposed on the grip portion83side in the illumination unit4, for example. In addition, the light-emitting elements4ain the lower side surface16and the upper side surface18may not be perpendicular to the side surface, and may be tilted toward the illumination region41.

In addition, in the illumination unit4of a modification, an upper portion of the housing10may be projecting such that the light-emitting elements4acannot be easily directly seen from the operator. In addition, the illumination unit4of another modification may include a light guide that guides, to the illumination region41, the illuminating light40output from the light-emitting elements4a. In the case where the illumination unit4includes the light guide, illumination of the illumination region41and illumination of the operation unit2can be performed by the same light-emitting element4a.

In the steering switch device1of yet another modification, a phosphor7may be disposed in the illumination regions41of the spoke portion81and the spoke portion82as illustrated inFIG. 2C, for example. The illumination unit4of this modification is configured to output, as the illuminating light40, ultraviolet light that causes the phosphor7to emit light.

The phosphor7includes a fluorescent material such as yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG) fluorescent materials, terbium-aluminum-garnet (TAG) fluorescent materials, SIALON fluorescent materials, and barium-ortho-silicate (BOS) fluorescent materials, for example. In the case where the grip portion83is decorated with wrapping leather, the phosphor7may be disposed as a phosphor film on the grip portion83, for example. This phosphor film is formed by partially diffusing a fluorescent material in a transparent resin material, for example.

Configuration of Controller6

The controller6is, for example, a microcomputer constituted of a central processing unit (CPU) that carries out computations, processes, and the like on obtained data in accordance with stored programs, random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM) that are semiconductor memories, and the like. A program for operations of the controller6and an illumination pattern60, for example, are stored in the ROM. The RAM is used as a storage region that temporarily stores computation results and the like, for example.

As illustrated inFIG. 1B, the controller6is connected with a vehicle controller90and an automated driving controller91of the vehicle9via a vehicle local area network (LAN) such as a controller area network (CAN) and a local interconnect network (LIN), for example. The vehicle controller90comprehensively controls sensors, devices, and the like of the vehicle9, for example. The automated driving controller91controls automated driving, for example.

When the operation unit2of the steering switch device1is operated, the controller6generates operation information S3suitable for communication in accordance with operation information S1output from the operation unit2and outputs the operation information S3to the vehicle controller90via the vehicle LAN, for example. The vehicle controller90executes movement of a cursor, scroll of a map image, setting of a numerical value of a function of a setting object, and the like displayed on a display device based on the received operation information S3, for example.

In addition, the controller6controls the illumination unit4based on an instruction signal S4output from the automated driving controller91via the vehicle LAN, for example. When the vehicle9is shifted from automated driving to manual driving, and/or when a notification is performed during automated driving, the illumination unit4illuminates the illumination region41including the portion where the grip portion83, and the spoke portion81and the spoke portion82, are connected, for example.

Such illumination in the illumination region41is performed for notification of switching from automated driving to manual driving. That is, for the purpose of prompting the operator to grip the grip portion83, which is required for performing manual driving, the region to be gripped by the operator is illuminated. The illumination of the illumination region41may be performed as notification during automated driving.

When a shift period of switching from automated driving to manual driving arrives, the automated driving controller91generates an instruction signal S4instructing a start of illumination and outputs the instruction signal S4to the steering switch device1. In addition, when switching from automated driving to manual driving, the automated driving controller91generates an instruction signal S4instructing a stop of illumination and outputs the instruction signal S4to the steering switch device1.

The illumination of the illumination region41is performed in accordance with an illumination pattern60, for example. The illumination pattern60is a pattern in which light is continuously emitted until an instruction signal S4instructing a stop of illumination is input, a pattern in which lighting and blinking are repeated, a pattern in which light is emitted in a flowing fashion in one direction, a pattern in which the colors of the light-emitting elements4aare changed, a pattern combining multiple patterns, and the like.

An example of operations of the steering switch device1of the present embodiment is described below with reference to the flowchart ofFIG. 3. Here, operations in switching from automated driving to manual driving are described.

Operation

In the case of “Yes” at step1, that is, when an instruction signal S4instructing a start of illumination is received from the automated driving controller91via the vehicle LAN (Step1: Yes), the controller6of the steering switch device1generates a driving signal S2based on the illumination pattern60and outputs the driving signal S2to the illumination unit4, thereby illuminating the illumination region41(Step2).

Next, in the case of “Yes” at step3, that is, when an instruction signal S4instructing a stop of illumination is input from the automated driving controller91via the vehicle LAN (Step3: Yes), the controller6stops the output of the driving signal S2and stops the illumination of the illumination region41(Step4).

Effect of Embodiments

The steering switch device1according to the present embodiment can illuminate the grip portion83while suppressing influence on the function provided to the grip portion83of the steering wheel8. To be more specific, since the illumination unit4is not disposed in the grip portion83, the steering switch device1can illuminate the grip portion83while suppressing influence on a function provided to the grip portion83of the steering wheel8in comparison with a case in which such a configuration is not employed.

Since the steering switch device1illuminates the illumination region41including the portion where the spoke portion and grip portion are connected, the gripping region can be illuminated and the operator can easily recognize the switching from automated driving to manual driving in comparison with the case in which such a configuration is not employed.

Although several embodiments of the invention and a modified example thereof have been described above, these embodiments and modified example are merely examples, and the invention according to claims is not intended to be limited thereto. Such novel embodiments and a modified example can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, changes, and the like can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, all combinations of the features described in these embodiments and modified example are not necessary to solve the problem of the invention. Furthermore, these embodiments and modified example are included within the spirit and scope of the invention and also within the invention described in the claims and the scope of equivalents thereof.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

1Steering switch device

16Lower side surface

18Upper side surface

91Automated driving controller