Handle switch device

• US 9,483,133 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Gondo, Yuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tissot, Adam
• Assistant Examiner(s): Worden, Tommy
• Application Number:
  US14/502,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20150100204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/41 characterised by the type of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 6/16 Arrangement of switches
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/14 Handlebar constructions, or arrangements of controls thereon, specially adapted thereto hand controls per se B62K23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range

Abstract

There is provided a handle switch device provided at a position adjacent to a grip part at an end portion of a handle and provided with a control device for controlling an operation of a predetermined vehicle-mounted device by an operation of a passenger. The control device includes a touch pad having an operation surface that the passenger touches upon the operation, a touch sensor for detecting a touch of the passenger to the operation surface and a computing device for performing an operation determination based on an output of the touch sensor. The operation surface is formed as a continuous surface that can be touched by the passenger through a drag operation. The touch sensor can detect the touch to the operation surface at least by the drag operation.

Claims

1. A handle switch device provided at a position adjacent to a grip part at an end portion of a handle and provided with a control device for controlling an operation of a predetermined vehicle-mounted device by an operation of a passenger,

wherein the control device comprises a touch pad having an operation surface that is touched by the passenger upon the operation, a touch sensor configured to detect a touch of the passenger to the operation surface and a computing device configured to perform an operation determination on the basis of an output of the touch sensor,

wherein the operation surface is formed as a continuous surface that can be touched by the passenger through at least a first sliding operation in a horizontal direction and a second sliding operation in a vertical direction,

wherein the touch sensor is configured to detect the touch to the operation surface at least by the first and second sliding operations,

wherein the control device comprises a first rib extending in the horizontal direction to guide the first sliding operation in the horizontal direction and a second rib extending in the vertical direction to guide the second sliding operation in the vertical direction,

wherein the first and second ribs are formed outside of outer rims of four sides of the operation surface having a rectangular shape, and

wherein the control device limits an operation-possible area of the operation surface to a periphery of the first and second ribs when the vehicle is traveling.

2. The handle switch device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is used to control a plurality of vehicle-mounted devices and is configured to change a vehicle-mounted device to be a control target, in accordance with a vehicle state or an arbitrary operation of the passenger.

3. The handle switch device according to claim 1, wherein the second rib is provided in the vicinity of one of the outer rims of the operation surface, at a position most distant from a hand of the passenger gripping the grip part.

4. The handle switch device according to claim 1 wherein the control device comprises a vibration generation device configured to vibrate at least one of the first rib, the second rib and the touch pad upon the operation of the passenger.

5. The handle switch device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to enlarge or reduce an operation-possible area of the operation surface, in correspondence to a vehicle state or a vehicle-mounted device to be a control target.

6. The handle switch device according to claim 1, wherein the handle switch device is applied to a saddle-ridden type vehicle.