Steering wheel posture control system
First Claim
1. A control system for changing a position of a steering wheel of a vehicle, said control system comprising:
- a drive means for changing a position of the steering wheel of the vehicle in response to a command signal;
a sensing means for sensing a vehicle speed of the vehicle, and a condition of an automatic transmission of the vehicle; and
a controlling means for commanding said drive means to change the position of said steering wheel by producing said command signal to make it easy for a driver of said vehicle to get on and off said vehicle, said controlling means delivering said command signal only when said vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined speed value, and simultaneously said automatic transmission is in a parking state.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for automatically swinging a steering wheel to a withdrawn position to make it easy for the driver to get on and off a vehicle is made more reliable by employing a park position sensor such as a detent switch for producing a park signal only when a shift lever of an automatic transmission is in a park position. A control unit produces an automatic withdraw command signal to drive a motor to withdraw the steering wheel in response to a driver'"'"'s operation such as an operation to open a driver'"'"'s door or an operation to turn an ignition key to a lock position. The control unit produces the automatic withdraw command signal only when the shift lever is in the park position.
48 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A control system for changing a position of a steering wheel of a vehicle, said control system comprising:
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a drive means for changing a position of the steering wheel of the vehicle in response to a command signal; a sensing means for sensing a vehicle speed of the vehicle, and a condition of an automatic transmission of the vehicle; and a controlling means for commanding said drive means to change the position of said steering wheel by producing said command signal to make it easy for a driver of said vehicle to get on and off said vehicle, said controlling means delivering said command signal only when said vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined speed value, and simultaneously said automatic transmission is in a parking state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 19)
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8. A control system for changing a position of a steering wheel of a vehicle, said control system comprising:
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a detent switch which is in a first switch position when a shift lever of an automatic transmission is in a park position and in a second switch position when said shift lever is out of said parking position; a shift lock system which, if said detent switch is in said first switch position, permits movement of said shift lever away from said park position when an ignition switch of said vehicle is turned on and a brake pedal of said vehicle is depressed; and a drive means for changing a position of said steering wheel of said vehicle from a normal driving position to a withdrawal position in response to a withdrawal command signal; and a controlling means for causing said drive means to move said steering wheel from said normal position to said withdrawal position to facilitate driver'"'"'s egress from said vehicle by producing said withdrawal command signal when said detent switch is in said first switch position. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A vehicle comprising:
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a steering wheel; an automatic transmission system comprising an automatic transmission and a manual shift lever; a brake system comprising a brake pedal; a first signal generating component for producing a park position signal when said shift lever is in a park position; a second signal generating component for producing a brake signal when said brake pedal is depressed; a tilt motor system for moving said steering wheel to facilitate movement of a driver of said vehicle when the driver gets off said vehicle, said tilt motor system comprising a tilt motor for moving said steering wheel and a motor control circuit for driving said motor to move said steering wheel to a withdrawal position in response to an automatic withdrawal command signal; a shift lock actuator for making said shift lever immovable at said park position in response to a shift lock actuation signal; and a control unit which is connected with said first and second signal generating components, which produces said shift lock actuation signal when said brake signal and said park position signal are present; and
which produces said automatic withdrawal command signal when said park position signal is present, and prevents said automatic withdrawal command signal from being delivered to said motor control circuit to prohibit said steering wheel from being automatically moved when said park signal is absent. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification