Steering apparatus for vehicle

• US 20030183438A1
• Filed: 04/01/2003
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jtekt Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Jtekt Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Maeda, Shingo, Hayama, Ryouhei, Segawa, Masaya, Kada, Tomoyasu, Kimura, Shuuji, Higashi, Masayasu
• Granted Patent: US 7,147,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/315
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/00 Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/02 vehicle-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/12 Hand levers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20396 Hand operated

Abstract

The steering means 1 is constructed by supporting a center portion of a rectangle-plate-shaped operation plate 11 at one end of a supporting shaft 10 projected from the front face of a dashboard D so as to freely swing in right and left directions. A steering apparatus for a vehicle having the steering means 1 detects the swing direction and the swing angle of the operation plate 11 with a steering angle sensor 14 provided at a support portion and moves a steering mechanism in the detected direction in accordance with the detected angle so as to steer the vehicle. With this structure, a load in steering can be decreased and tiredness in driving can be reduced. Furthermore, such a steering apparatus can realize steering means which physically handicapped drivers can operate easily.

Claims

1. A steering apparatus for a vehicle, comprising a steering unit and a steering mechanism which is provided mechanically separately from the steering unit and operates on the basis of detection results of an operation direction and an operation amount of the steering unit,

the steering unit including:

a plate-shaped or rod-shaped operation member which is supported so as to freely swing with a center portion thereof being fixed; and

a detector for detecting a swing direction and a swing angle of the operation member respectively as the operation direction and the operation amount.

2. The steering apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the steering unit further includes:

a first shaft projected from a part of a body of the vehicle;

a second shaft, which is coupled with the first shaft so as to be shifted with regard to the first shaft, for supporting the operation member; and

a displacement detector for detecting a displacement direction and a displacement amount of the second shaft, and

the steering mechanism operates on the basis of the swing direction and the swing angle of the operation member detected by the detector and the displacement direction and the displacement amount of the second shaft detected by the displacement detector.

3. The steering apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the steering unit further includes:

a supporting shaft, which is projected from a part of a body of the vehicle, for supporting the operation member so as to be rotated on a center axis thereof, and

a rotation detector for detecting a rotation direction and a rotation amount of the operation member, and

the steering mechanism operates on the basis of the swing direction and the swing angle of the operation member detected by the detector and the rotation direction and the rotation amount of the operation member detected by the rotation detector.

4. A steering apparatus for a vehicle, comprising a steering unit and a steering mechanism which is provided mechanically separately from the steering unit and operates on the basis of detection results of an operation direction and an operation amount of the steering unit,

the steering unit including:

an operation member which is supported so as to be freely displaced along a linear displacement pathway; and

a detector for detecting a displacement direction and a displacement amount of the operation member respectively as the operation direction and the operation amount.

5. A steering apparatus for a vehicle, comprising a steering unit and a steering mechanism which is provided mechanically separately from the steering unit and operates on the basis of detection results of an operation direction and an operation amount of the steering unit,

the steering unit including:

a pair of grip members which are arranged in correspondence to operation directions respectively; and

detectors for detecting strengths of grip forces applied to the grip members as operation amounts in the operation directions corresponding to the respective grip members.

6. A steering apparatus for a vehicle, comprising a steering unit and a steering mechanism which is provided mechanically separately from the steering unit and operates on the basis of detection results of an operation direction and an operation amount of the steering unit,

the steering unit including:

a dial which is supported so as to be rotated on a center axis thereof, and

a detector for detecting a rotation direction and a rotation amount of the dial respectively as the operation direction and the operation amount.

7. A steering apparatus for a vehicle, comprising a steering unit and a steering mechanism which is provided mechanically separately from the steering unit and operates on the basis of detection results of an operation direction and an operation amount of the steering unit,

the steering unit including:

an operation member formed of a strip-shaped member having end portions supported separately and a U-shaped operation portion between the supported end portions; and

a detector for detecting forces, which are applied to the supported end portions by a pulling operation of the operation member, as operation amounts in directions corresponding to the respective supported end portions.