Vehicle-mounting steering switch

• US 6,586,692 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2001
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Agetsuma, Nobuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): FRIEDHOFER, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US09/997,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20020066658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 744/84.R, 200/61.27, 200/61-4-
• US Class Current: 200/61.54
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 20/06 mounted on steering column or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0082 mounted on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/0239 Up- and down-shift or range or mode selection by repeated movement mechanical step by step selection devices F16H63/14
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/0247 with lever or paddle behind steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2021/225 with push-pull operation, e.g. which can be pivoted in both directions by pushing or pulling on the same extremity of the operating member

Abstract

A vehicle-mounting steering switch includes a manipulating knob which is rotatably and pivotally supported on a support member. The support member is fixedly secured to a rear surface of a pad of the steering wheel and, the manipulating knob is protruded into the inside of a space defined between a ring and the pad. A circuit board which is provided with a pair of resistance patterns is mounted on the support member, while a sliding element which is slidable on the circuit board is mounted on the manipulating knob. When a driver performs push or pull manipulation of the manipulating knob with his finger, a relative position of the circuit board and the sliding element is changed so that two kinds of ON signals are outputted. In response to these ON signals, it becomes possible to shift transmission gears in the midst of cruising in a drive range.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounting steering switch comprising:

a support member which is mounted on a steering wheel having spokes thereof extended in an inside of an annular ring thereof,

a manipulating knob which is rotatably and pivotally supported on the support member, and

an output changeover mechanism which is configured to output two different kinds of electric signals in response to a rotating direction of the manipulating knob, wherein

the manipulating knob is protruded into a space defined between the spokes and the ring, and wherein

the manipulating knob is rotatably manipulated in directions opposite to each other with respect to a rotationally neutral position of the manipulating knob, whereby the output changeover mechanism selectively outputs one of the electric signals; and

wherein the output changeover mechanism comprises a first contact member which is mounted on the supporting member and a second contact member which is mounted on the manipulating knob, and wherein two different kinds of electric signals are selectively outputted by changing relative positions of the first and second contact members.

2. A vehicle-mounting steering switch according to claim 1,

wherein the first contact member comprises a circuit board on which a conductive pattern is formed, and wherein the second contact member comprises a sliding element which is brought into slide contact with the conductive pattern.

3. A vehicle-mounting steering switch according to claim 2, wherein the conductive pattern of the first contact member includes two resistance patterns and a collective pattern.

4. A vehicle-mounting steering switch comprising:

a support member which is mounted on a steering wheel having spokes thereof extended in an inside of an annular ring thereof,

a manipulating knob which is rotatably and pivotally supported on the support member and is protruded into a space defined between the spokes and the ring,

a push element which is inserted between the support member and the manipulating knob and is brought into pressure contact with a cam face upon receiving a biasing force of a resilient member, and

an output changeover mechanism which is configured to output two different kinds of electric signals in response to a rotating direction of the manipulating knob, wherein

the manipulating knob is held at a rotationally neutral position when the push element is disposed at a valley of the cam face, and wherein when the manipulating knob is rotatably operated in directions opposite to each other with respect to the rotationally neutral position, the push element is shifted from the valley to a crest of the cam face against the biasing force of the resilient member whereby the output changeover mechanism selectively outputs one of the electric signals.

5. A vehicle-mounting steering switch according to claim 4, wherein the cam face is formed on the support member, and the push element and the resilient member are held by the manipulating knob.

6. A vehicle-mounting steering switch according to claim 5, wherein the steering switch includes a holder which accommodates the push element and the resilient member, and wherein a portion of the holder is inserted into and is fixedly secured to a recess formed in the manipulating knob.

7. A vehicle-mounting steering switch according to claim 4, wherein the output changeover mechanism comprises a first contact member which is mounted on the supporting member and a second contact member which is mounted on the manipulating knob, and wherein two different kinds of electric signals are selectively outputted by changing relative positions of the first and second contact members.

8. A vehicle-mounting steering switch according to claim 7, wherein the first contact member comprises a circuit board on which a conductive pattern is formed, and wherein the second contact member comprises a sliding element which is brought into slide contact with the conductive pattern.

9. A vehicle-mounting steering switch according to claim 8, wherein the conductive pattern of the first contact member includes two resistance patterns and a collective pattern.

10. A vehicle-mounting steering switch comprising:

a support member which is mounted on a steering wheel having spokes thereof extended in an inside of an annular ring thereof,

a manipulating knob which is rotatably and pivotally supported on the support member and is protruded into a space defined between the spokes and the ring,

a hollow which is formed on one of the support member and the manipulating knob,

a stopper protrusion which is formed on the other of the support member and the manipulating knob and is protruded into an inside of the hollow, and

an output changeover mechanism which is configured to output two different kinds of electric signals in response to a rotating direction of the manipulating knob, wherein

by rotatably operating the manipulating knob in directions opposite to each other with respect to a rotationally neutral position, the output changeover mechanism selectively outputs one of the electric signals, and wherein the stopper protrusion is brought into contact with an inner wall of the hollow such that a rotational range of the manipulating knob is restricted.

11. A vehicle-mounting steering switch according to claim 10, wherein the stopper protrusion is mounted on the support member, and wherein the hollow is formed in the manipulating knob.

12. A vehicle-mounting steering switch according to claim 11, wherein a thickness of the inner wall of the hollow at a position with which the stopper protrusion is brought into contact is increased compared to a periphery thereof.

13. A vehicle-mounting steering switch according to claim 12, wherein the stopper protrusion has a tapered shape narrowed toward a distal end thereof.

14. A vehicle-mounting steering switch according to claim 11, wherein the stopper protrusion has a tapered shape narrowed toward a distal end thereof.

15. A vehicle-mounting steering switch according to claim 10, wherein the stopper protrusion has a tapered shape narrowed toward a distal end thereof.