JP3221839B2 - Switch device for operating onboard equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of arranging a switch for operating an on-vehicle device disposed in an instrument panel between a driver's seat and a passenger's seat of an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the number of on-vehicle device operation switches (hereinafter simply referred to as operation switches) disposed on an instrument panel of an automobile has been increasing more and more in addition to conventional air conditioners and audio devices, such as navigation systems and automobile telephones. As each device is becoming more complicated and diversified, the number of operation switches tends to increase. Many of these operation switches need to be able to be operated not only by the driver in the driver's seat but also by the occupant in the front passenger seat, such as navigation system operation switches. They are located at equal distances.

[0003]

However, as the types of operation switches that require operation from both the driver and the passenger in the front passenger seat increase, the arrangement of those switches becomes congested and the shape of the operation switches becomes smaller. However, there was a problem that the operability was reduced. One solution to this problem is to replace a plurality or a large number of operation switches with a composite switch that performs the function of those switches. In addition, complicated switch operations have to be performed.

[0004] As another alternative, two operation switches are provided, one of which is provided on the driver's seat side of the instrument panel, and the other is provided on the passenger's seat side of the instrument panel. Conceivable. However, it has been difficult to duplicate such operation switches in terms of the space for arranging the operation switches of the instrument panel, aesthetics, and cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides an on-vehicle device operating switch device which improves operability for both a driver and a passenger in a passenger seat without unnecessarily adding operation switches. Its purpose is to do.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of switch panels arranged rearwardly at an intermediate position between a driver's seat and a passenger's seat of an automobile are biased toward a driver's seat. An in-vehicle device operation switch is provided, and a composite switch having a common switch function with the in-vehicle device operation switch is provided near the passenger seat of the switch panel.

[0007] According to this structure, each operation switch having a simpler switch function than that of the composite switch and being easily operated is arranged close to the driver, so that the driver can easily and reliably mount the vehicle even during driving. Equipment can be controlled. In addition, the passenger seat occupant can easily control the in-vehicle device by easily operating the composite switch, since the composite switch having the same switch function as each of the operation switches is arranged close to the switch. In addition, the number of operation switches as a whole is increased only by the number of composite switches, and the switch arrangement on the switch panel is not complicated, and each operation switch does not need to be downsized. Can also be prevented from being reduced in operability.

The passenger in the passenger seat operates a composite switch integrating the switch functions of a plurality of operation switches.
The switch operability is lower than that of the driver. However, since the passenger in the front passenger seat does not drive the vehicle, it is possible to easily cope with such complicated switch operation (switch integration). In particular, when the functions of a plurality of operation switches are integrated into one composite switch, it is necessary to display the operation result (operation output) on the display for each operation of the composite switch so that the operation can be reliably performed. Although such a display is easy for the passenger in the passenger seat to confirm, it is not so easy for the driver, which is convenient in this respect.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the control of the audio device and the control of the A / C device can be performed simply and completely by using the navigation switch having the volume and the multi-point tilt type selection switch. Switch changes,
There is no expansion and it is very practical. According to the device of the third aspect, the switch panel is provided with the common display for displaying the operation output (selection result) of both the in-vehicle device operation switch and the multi-point tilting selection switch. The reliability of the operation of the composite switch can be improved.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the following examples. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a switch device for operating an in-vehicle device according to this embodiment. The central part in the left-right direction of the instrument panel 1 of the resin-molded automobile forms a switch panel 2 substantially rearward. A switch board (not shown) is provided on the back side of the switch panel 2, and a circuit device including each switch described later is provided on the switch board, and an operation unit of each switch is operably protruded from an opening of the switch panel 2. Have been.

On the driver's seat side of the switch panel 2, a navigation selection switch 3, an audio selection switch 4,
A / C selection switches 5 are arranged side by side.
Reference numeral 6 denotes a display device having a CRT or a liquid crystal screen with a backlight, and a navigation control window (NAV1) by pushing each of the selection switches 3 to 5 or operating the navigation switch 17;
Window for audio device control (AUDIO), A
One of the / C device control windows (A / C) is selectively displayed.

Below the selection switches 3 to 5, an air conditioner switch group 7 is provided. Air conditioner switch group 7
Is composed of an A / C on / off switch 71, an inside / outside air changeover switch 72, and a temperature setting switch 73. The on / off switch 71 is set to A by repeating the push operation.
/ C is turned on and off. Inside / outside air changeover switch 72
Selects the inside air by pushing the left switch part and selects the outside air by pushing the right switch part. The temperature setting switch 73 is a temperature control volume for changing the set temperature by a turning operation, and changes the set temperature by turning. Further, by repeating the push operation of the temperature setting switch 73, selection / non-selection of the automatic adjustment mode (A / C control mode to the optimum temperature calculated by the controller instead of the set temperature) is switched.

An audio switch group 8 is provided below the air conditioner switch group 7. The audio switch group 8 includes a sound selection switch 81, a traffic information selection switch 82, and a volume control volume 83.
The sound selection switch 81 is a switch for generating a predetermined sound effect on a speaker (not shown), and the traffic information selection switch 82 is a switch for receiving wireless traffic information of a predetermined frequency and outputting the sound. The volume control volume 83 adjusts the speaker volume by turning, and turns on / off each audio device by repeating the push operation.

A joystick-type navigation switch 9 is provided below the audio switch group 8. The navigation switch 9 has an eight-direction tilt switch 91 that protrudes round at the center and a volume 92 that is rotatably disposed around the switch. The tilt switch 91 has eight azimuth switches (not shown) on the outer periphery thereof at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and one push switch (not shown) directly below the center tilt portion 93. The center tilt unit 93 is tilted to a predetermined direction, a direction switch of a predetermined direction is selected, the navigation screen is shifted to that direction, and the center tilt unit is pushed to stop the shift. The navigation screen is enlarged by rotating the volume 92 clockwise, and the navigation screen is reduced by rotating the volume 92 counterclockwise.

Below the navigation switch 9, there are provided mode changeover switches 11 to 16 for detailed setting. The mode changeover switches 11 to 16 perform a switch function for selecting any of the six menus for navigation in a state where the navigation screen is selected by the navigation selection switch 3. Furthermore,
When the audio screen is selected, the mode changeover switches 11 to 16 operate at the first selection level, as will be described later, as TV1, TV2,
It functions as a switch for selecting one of CD, cassette tape, AM radio, and FM radio.

On the passenger side of the switch panel 2, a joystick type navigation switch 17 is provided. The navigation switch 17 includes an eight-direction tilt switch 171 that protrudes round at the center, a volume 172 rotatably disposed around the switch, and a center tilt unit 1.
73, and the structure and function are the same as those of the navigation switch 9, and therefore the description is omitted. The navigation switch 17 constitutes a composite switch according to the present invention, and has the same function as the navigation switch 9 and also has an audio control function and an A / C control function as described later.

Hereinafter, the audio control function and the A / C control function by the navigation switch 17 will be described in more detail. FIG. 3 shows the navigation switch 17.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a flow for performing audio control as an example of the operation of FIG. First, the tilt unit 173 at the center of the navigation switch 17 is tilted to the 3 o'clock direction, so that NAV 1 and AUDI are displayed at the bottom of the screen of the display device 6.
Three windows O and A / C are displayed.
The AUDIO window is highlighted as shown on screen A to indicate that it has been selected (S10). Incidentally, by tilting the tilting unit 173 to the 6 o'clock direction, three windows of NAV1, AUDIO, and A / C are displayed at the bottom of the screen of the display device 6, and the NAV1 window is displayed in reverse. By tilting to the time direction, the NA of the display device 6 is displayed at the bottom of the screen.
V1, AUDIO, and A / C windows are displayed, and the A / C window is highlighted. That is, the tilting of the center tilting portion 173 to 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock, and 9 o'clock produces the same operation result as the operation of pushing any of the switches 3 to 5.

Next, by pushing the center tilting portion 173, the screen B is displayed at the bottom of the screen of the display device 6.
As shown in (1), windows of sound, TV, CD, TAPE, AM, and FM are called as details of the audio source (S11). Next, the AM window is inverted and displayed as shown on the screen C by tilting the tilt portion 173 at the center of the navigation switch 17 to the 3 o'clock direction (S12).

Next, by pushing the tilting portion 173 at the center, the screen D is displayed at the bottom of the screen of the display device 6.
As shown in FIG.
K1, NHK2, and other windows with the names of the broadcasting stations of eight or less channels are displayed (S13). Next, by tilting the center tilt unit 173 of the navigation switch 17 in a predetermined direction, the desired broadcasting station is selected and highlighted, and then the center tilt unit 173 is pushed to turn on the AM radio.

On the other hand, the volume is controlled by the navigation switch 1.
Turn 7 volume 172 to adjust. That is, the navigation switch 17 has the same function as the mode changeover switches 11 to 16 and the volume 83. The audio device can be turned off by pushing the center tilt portion 173 while the audio device is on. The same applies to the A / C operation by the navigation switch 17, in which the A / C window is selected by tilting to the predetermined direction in S10, and the next push selects the inside air selection operation, the outside air selection operation, and the automatic operation (temperature non-setting operation). ), Manual operation (temperature setting operation), and dry operation are displayed, the desired operation mode is determined by the next tilt, and the A / C operation in the operation mode is started by the next push. Temperature control navigation switch 17
Turn the volume 172 to adjust. To turn off the A / C device, the center tilting unit 173 may be pushed in a state where the A / C device is turned on, but it is natural that a special window may be allocated. That is, the navigation switch 17 has the same function as the mode changeover switches 11 to 16, the switch 72, and the volume 73.

Next, a flow for performing audio control by the driver using the mode changeover switches 11 to 16 will be described with reference to a flow chart of FIG. First, the display device 6 is pressed by pushing the audio selection switch 4.
As shown in screen E at the bottom of the screen, sound, TV, CD, TAPE, A
The M and FM windows are called (S21).

Next, the AM mode is selected by pushing the mode changeover switch 15 from each of the mode changeover switches 11 to 16 individually corresponding to each of these windows, whereby the screen F is displayed at the lower part of the screen of the display device 6. As shown, windows of NHK1, NHK2, and other broadcast station names of eight or less channels are displayed as the channels in the AM mode (S22).

Next, a desired broadcast channel is selected by pushing a desired mode change switch from the mode change switches 11 to 16 individually corresponding to these windows. The on / off operation is performed by pushing the volume 83.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a switch device for operating a vehicle-mounted device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view of a main part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing audio control by operating a navigation switch 17 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing mode change switches 11 to 11 of FIG.
It is a flowchart which shows the audio control by 16 operations.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 is an instrument panel, 2 is a switch panel, 3
5, a selection switch (operation switch), 6 is a display device, 7 is an air conditioner switch group 7 (operation switch), 8 is an audio switch group 8 (operation switch), 9 is a navigation switch (operation switch),
11 to 16 are mode changeover switches (operation switches), and 17 is a navigation switch (composite switch).

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-64-18745 (JP, A) JP-A-1-266024 (JP, A) JP-A-1-129841 (JP, A) JP-A-5-221272 (JP) JP-A-7-114859 (JP, A) JP-A-7-257231 (JP, A) JP-A-9-231859 (JP, A) JP-A-10-91547 (JP, A) 63-83744 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01H 9/00-9/28 B60K 37/00 B60R 16/02 630

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A switch panel having a switch board on the back side and disposed rearward at an intermediate position between a driver's seat and a passenger's seat of an automobile, and a switch panel biased toward the driver's seat of the switch panel. A plurality of in-vehicle device operation switches, and a compound switch having a common switch function as the plurality of in-vehicle device operation switches and being disposed so as to be biased toward a passenger seat of the switch panel. Switch device for operating onboard equipment. 2. The switch device for operating an on-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein the composite switch includes a multi-point tilt type selection switch and a volume, and the multi-point tilt type selection switch includes a direction indication of a navigation switch. And a selection of an audio device and an A / C operation mode, and the volume controls enlargement / reduction of a navigation screen, volume control, and set temperature control. 3. The on-vehicle device operating switch device according to claim 1, wherein the switch panel displays an operation output of each of the on-vehicle device operating switch and the multi-point tilt type selection switch. A switch device for operating an in-vehicle device, comprising: