Vehicle turn signal device

• US 8,791,637 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2010
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Shimizu, Takahiro, Imai, Takao, Ieda, Takashi, Yamaguchi, Syogo, Nishimura, Kozo
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Jianzi
• Application Number:
  US12/711,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20100219051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 315/80, 315/81, 362/36, 340/476, 340/477, 200/61.27, 200/61.3
• US Class Current: 315/81
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/40 having mechanical, electric or electronic automatic return to inoperative position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/42 having mechanical automatic return to inoperative position due to steering-wheel position , e.g. with roller wheel control

Abstract

A turn signal device for a vehicle for activating a turn signal in accordance with operation of an operation lever. The turn signal device includes a turning state detection unit, which detects a turning state of the vehicle. The turning state detection unit monitors a temporal change in the turning state of the vehicle after the turn signal is activated. The turning state detection unit deactivates the turning signal when detecting that the vehicle first turns in an activation direction of the turn signal, then turns in a direction opposite to the activation direction, and afterward turns again in the activation direction.

Claims

1. A turn signal device for a vehicle for activating a turn signal in accordance with operation of an operation lever, the turn signal device comprising:

a turning state detection unit which detects a turning state of the vehicle, the turning state detection unit monitoring temporal change in the turning state of the vehicle after the turn signal is activated, so that the turning state detection unit deactivates the turn signal when detecting that the vehicle first turns in an activation direction of the turn signal, then turns in a direction opposite to the activation direction, and afterward turns again in the activation direction before the vehicle returns back to a straight ahead state, wherein the turning state detection unit allows the turn signal to be deactivated even before the vehicle returns back to the straight ahead state.

2. The turn signal device according to claim 1, wherein the turning state detection unit constantly monitors temporal change in the turning state of the vehicle, and the turning state detection unit determines, based on information indicating change in the constantly monitored turning state of the vehicle, that the vehicle turned in the direction opposite to the activation direction of the turn signal after being first turned in the activation direction when detecting upon activation of the turn signal that the vehicle is being turned in the direction opposite to the activation direction of the turn signal.

3. The turn signal device according to claim 1, wherein the turning state detection unit deactivates the turn signal when determining that the vehicle has completed lane changing after being turned again in the activation direction of the turn signal.

4. The turn signal device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a timer circuit which measures elapsed time from when the vehicle turns again in the activation direction of the turn signal;

wherein the turning state detection unit determines that the vehicle has completed lane changing when the elapsed time measured by the timer circuit reaches a predetermined time.

5. The turn signal device according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined time is set based on a time interval from when the vehicle turns in the direction opposite to the activation direction after being first turned in the activation direction of the turn signal to when the vehicle turns again in the activation direction of the turn signal.

6. The turn signal device according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined time is set based on a time interval from when the turn signal is activated to when the vehicle turns again in the activation direction of the turn signal.

7. The turn signal device according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined time is set based on a time interval from when the vehicle first turns in the activation direction of the turn signal to when the vehicle turns again in the activation direction of the turn signal.

8. The turn signal device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a rotation angle detection unit which detects a rotation angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle;

wherein the turning state detection unit detects with the rotation angle detection unit a first peak in temporal change of the rotation angle after activation of the turn signal, an inflection point of the rotation angle after detection of the first peak, and a second peak in the temporal change of the rotation angle after detection of the inflection point; and

the predetermined time is set based on a time interval from when the inflection point is detected to when the second peak is detected.

9. The turn signal device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a turning amount detection unit which detects a turning amount of the vehicle;

wherein the turning state detection unit detects with the turning amount detection unit the turning amount of the vehicle from when the vehicle turns again in the activation direction of the turn signal, and the turning state detection unit determines that the vehicle has completed lane changing when the detected turning amount reaches a predetermined amount.

10. The turn signal device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a turning speed detection unit which detects turning speed of the vehicle;

wherein the turning state detection unit determines that the vehicle has completed lane changing when the turning speed of the vehicle becomes less than or equal to a predetermined speed during a period from when the vehicle turns again in the activation direction of the turn signal to when the turning amount of the vehicle reaches the predetermined amount.

11. The turn signal device according to claim 1, wherein the turning state detection unit includes a rotation angle detection unit which detects rotation angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle, the turning state detection unit detects temporal change in the turning state of the vehicle by detecting temporal change in the rotation angle with the rotation angle detection unit, and the turning state detection unit detects that the vehicle first turns in the activation direction of the turn signal, then turns in the direction opposite to the activation direction, and afterward turns again in the activation direction based on two peaks in the temporal change of the rotation angle produced after the turn signal is activated.

12. The turn signal device according to claim 11, wherein the turning state detection unit detects a first peak of the rotation angle, which is produced when the vehicle turns in the activation direction of the turn signal, and a second peak of the rotation angle, which is produced when the vehicle turns in the direction opposite to the activation direction, and the turning state detection unit deactivates the turn signal based on the detection of the first and second peaks.

13. The turn signal device according to claim 1, wherein the turning state detection unit includes a yaw rate detection unit which detecting a yaw rate of the vehicle, and the turning state detection unit detects temporal change in the turning state of the vehicle by detecting temporal change in the yaw rate with the yaw rate detection unit, and the turning state detection unit detects that the vehicle first turns in the activation direction of the turn signal, then turns in the direction opposite to the activation direction, and afterward turns again in the activation direction based on two peaks in the temporal change of the yaw rate of the vehicle produced after the turn signal is activated.

14. The turn signal device according to claim 13, wherein the turning state detection unit detects a first peak of the yaw rate, which is produced when the vehicle turns in the activation direction of the turn signal, and a second peak of the yaw rate, which is produced when the vehicle turns in the direction opposite to the activation direction, and the turning state detection unit deactivates the turn signal based on the detection of the first and second peaks.