WO2023189471A1

WO2023189471A1 - Steering device and vehicle equipped with same

Info

Publication number: WO2023189471A1
Application number: PCT/JP2023/009548
Authority: WO
Inventors: 愛子妙木; 光司佐藤
Original assignee: Ntn株式会社
Priority date: 2022-03-28
Filing date: 2023-03-13
Publication date: 2023-10-05
Also published as: JP2023144535A

Abstract

Provided is a steering device in which a steering control system automatically operates the steering angle of a vehicle in an automatic driving mode by using an electric signal and in which a driver operates the same in an ordinary driving mode by using a steering member (steering wheel (1)), said steering device being formed from: a steering unit (7) comprising the steering member (steering wheel (1)) and a lock mechanism (clutch (6)) for switching between the locked state and the free state thereof by using an electric signal; and a controller (8) that has the function of a steering control system and controls the lock mechanism (clutch (6)). Additionally, the steering device comprises a function in which, at a time such as when an abnormality in the driver has been detected, the steering member (steering wheel (1)) is put into the locked state by means of a command from the controller (8) while the vehicle is being automatically driven.

Description

Steering device and vehicle equipped with the same

The present invention relates to a steering device having a function of locking a steering member when an abnormality of the driver is detected, as well as during automatic driving when following a vehicle in front or parking the vehicle, and a vehicle equipped with the same.

While driving a vehicle, the driver may suddenly become unwell and become unable to drive due to loss of consciousness or impaired judgment.If such an abnormality is detected, the driver may be unable to operate the steering wheel, accelerator, or brakes. Technology has been developed for an automatic stopping function that allows the vehicle to stop safely using an electronically controlled automatic driving system even if the vehicle does not have to do so. This automatic stopping system detects abnormalities from information such as the behavior of the vehicle body and the driver's line of sight and posture, automatically decelerates the vehicle and performs steering operations to bring the vehicle to a stop on the roadside.

Furthermore, in Patent Document 1, when an automatic stop is performed when an abnormality is detected by the driver, in order to prevent a driver with impaired judgment from unintentionally or mistakenly canceling the automatic stop control, a center A vehicle control system has been proposed that allows occupants other than the driver to recognize the situation and monitor the driver's actions by displaying an indication on the display or meter device that the emergency stop function is activated. .

JP 2021-172097 Publication

By the way, in a vehicle that has the above-mentioned automatic driving stop function when an abnormality is detected by the driver, if the driver is unconscious and lies face down on the steering wheel, or if the driver has a convulsion and grips the steering wheel tightly, If the automatic parking system activates and the steering wheel moves, the driver's upper body may fall or his or her wrists may twist unnaturally, putting the driver at risk of injury. Furthermore, since the driver's body is displaced from the predetermined position where the airbag receives it, the driver may be seriously injured if a collision is unavoidable and the airbag is activated.

In addition, in autonomous driving systems, a steer-by-wire steering device is used, in which the steering wheel and the wheels whose direction changes depending on the rotation operation are mechanically separated, and steering is performed using electric signals. In this case, a reaction motor that applies a steering reaction force to the steering wheel is attached to the base of the steering shaft, which is the axis of rotation of the steering wheel, but when an abnormality is detected by the driver, the reaction motor applies a large steering reaction force to the steering wheel. Even if the steering wheel is turned by the steering function of the automated driving system, there is still a risk of injury to the driver.

In addition to this risk problem, when using automatic driving's function to follow the vehicle in front or use functions such as parking assist when the driver is not abnormal, the steering wheel may automatically If the steering wheel rotates, the driver must take his hands off the steering wheel, which poses a problem in that his posture is restricted.

The problem to be solved by this invention is to prevent injury to the driver due to automatic movement of steering members such as a steering wheel in a vehicle equipped with an automatic driving function, and to prevent injury to the driver while the automatic driving function is activated. The goal is to eliminate restrictions on people's posture.

In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, the steering control system automatically controls the steering angle of the vehicle using an electric signal in the automatic driving mode, and in the normal driving mode, the steering angle is controlled according to the amount of operation of the steering member by the driver. In the steering device operated by the control system,
It is composed of a steering unit including the steering member and a locking mechanism that switches between a locked state and a free state thereof using an electric signal, and a controller that has the function of the steering control system and controls the locking mechanism,
A steering device is provided, characterized in that the steering device has a function of placing the steering member in a locked state according to a command from the controller when the vehicle is automatically driven.

Specifically, when the automatic driving system detects an abnormality of the driver while the driver is driving in the normal driving mode and the vehicle switches to the automatic driving mode, the steering member is in a locked state according to a command from the controller. so that it becomes

Furthermore, when the vehicle is in the automatic driving mode, when the driver selects to lock the steering member, the steering member is brought into the locked state by a command from the controller.

In such steering devices, when the automated driving system detects an abnormality on the part of the driver, or when the driver selects to lock the steering member (generally the steering wheel) in automated driving mode, the automatic driving system automatically activates the automatic driving system. Switch to operation, disconnect the mechanical connection between the steering member and the steering control system (this is not necessary if the steer-by-wire system has no mechanical connection from the beginning), and disconnect the steering member and the steering control system. It is possible to put the steering member in a locked state in which rotation is prevented by the lock mechanism without mechanical connection.

Therefore, when an abnormality of the driver is detected and automatic operation is switched to, the driver will not unnaturally lose his posture due to rotation of the steering member.

Additionally, when the driver follows the vehicle ahead during automatic driving or uses functions such as parking assist, the driver does not have to take his hands off the steering member.

Furthermore, in such a steering device, if the locking mechanism is a clutch that is a combination of an electromagnetic clutch and a mechanical clutch, the characteristics of the electromagnetic clutch can instantly switch the steering member between a locked state and a free state. In addition to being able to lock the steering member at any position, the characteristics of the mechanical clutch allow it to be compact but have a high torque retention force when the steering member is locked. rotation can be reliably prevented.

Note that the locking mechanism may be an electromagnetic brake or may utilize a steering reaction force motor. In addition, a combination of a solenoid and a dog clutch may be used.

And, in vehicles such as various vehicles, automatic driving has an automatic steering function in which the steering member is switched between a locked state and a free state by such a steering device, and an automatic acceleration/deceleration function that automatically controls the accelerator and brakes. In addition to installing the system,
Equipped with a driving switching determination system that determines whether to switch between normal driving and automated driving by asking questions of the driver, which will prevent accidents caused by unintentional or erroneous operation of the steering components by drivers with impaired judgment. Can be done.

In the steering device of the present invention, when the automatic driving system detects an abnormality on the part of the driver and switches to the automatic driving mode, the steering member can be locked by a command from the controller, so that the driver can lie face down on the steering member. Even when the driver's upper body collapses and the driver's wrists are twisted unnaturally, even when the driver is in a state where the steering member is firmly gripped, the driver's upper body does not fall down or his/her wrists are twisted unnaturally, thereby preventing injury to the driver. , automatic driving control can be performed.

In addition, the steering wheel can be locked when the driver of the vehicle is in a normal state and uses the automatic driving function to follow the vehicle in front or when using functions such as parking assist. , the driver does not have to take his hands off the steering wheel, and is no longer restricted by his posture.

A schematic diagram showing an example of application of a steering device according to an embodiment of the present invention to a vehicle A sectional view of the clutch used in the steering device in Figure 1 Cross-sectional view along line III-III in Figure 2 Flowchart showing an example of control when detecting abnormality of the driver in the steering device of FIG. 1 A schematic diagram showing the vicinity of the dashboard of a vehicle to which the steering device of FIG. 1 is applied. A diagram showing an example of the screen display of the center display in Figure 5.

[Overview of steering device]
FIG. 1 shows an example in which a steering device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a vehicle. This steering device is applied to a vehicle equipped with an automatic driving system that can automatically control steering and acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle.

This vehicle includes a steering wheel 1 as a steering member operated by a driver in a normal driving mode, and a steering mechanism 3 that steers a pair of left and right wheels 2 of the vehicle. The steering mechanism 3 is capable of controlling the steering angle of the pair of wheels 2 using electric signals when in automatic driving mode. Steering in autonomous driving mode is performed by a steering control system.

A reaction force motor 5 is provided at the base of the steering shaft 4, which rotates together with the steering wheel 1, to make the driver feel a steering reaction force. A clutch 6 is provided as a locking mechanism for switching between a released and free state.

The steering wheel 1, reaction motor 5, and clutch 6 constitute a steering unit 7, and the steering unit 7 and a controller 8 having the function of a steering control system constitute a steering device according to the present invention. .

The steering device illustrated here is a steer-by-wire system in which the steering wheel 1 and the steering mechanism 3 are not mechanically connected, and the steering control system controls the steering mechanism 3 to give the wheels 2 an appropriate steering angle. It is something.

[Reaction force motor]
In such a steering device, as shown in FIG. 2, the reaction motor 5 incorporated in the steering unit 7 is located between the motor case 15 and the side opposite to the steering wheel 1 (see FIG. 1) from the motor case 15. It has a motor shaft 16 that protrudes downward (in the figure). The motor shaft 16 is rotatably supported by a rolling bearing (not shown) built into the motor case 15 . Further, the motor shaft 16 is connected to the steering shaft 4 (see FIG. 1) so as to rotate together with the steering wheel 1 and the steering shaft 4 (see FIG. 1). The motor case 15 is fixed to a vehicle body (not shown) so as not to rotate.

[clutch]
The clutch 6 is a clutch unit that combines a mechanical clutch and an electromagnetic clutch that switches transmission/cutoff of rotational torque.

As shown in FIG. 2, this clutch 6 includes an inner ring 20 connected to the motor shaft 16, and a key member 55 (see FIG. 3) fitted inside a clutch case 29 fixed to the motor case 15. ), a plurality of cam surfaces 22 (see FIG. 3) formed on the outer periphery of the inner ring 20, a cylindrical surface 23 formed on the inner periphery of the outer ring 21, and each cam surface 22. Engagement elements 24 incorporated between the cylindrical surface 23, an engagement element holder 25 that holds these engagement elements 24, and an armature 26 supported movably in the axial direction, the armature 26 being attracted by electricity. It has an electromagnet 27 that moves the armature 26 and the engager holder 25 in the axial direction, and a motion conversion mechanism 28 that moves the armature 26 and the engager holder 25 integrally in the circumferential direction.

The mechanical clutch in the clutch 6 is mainly composed of an inner ring 20, an outer ring 21, a cam surface 22, a cylindrical surface 23, an engager 24, and an engager retainer 25, and the electromagnetic clutch is mainly composed of an electromagnet 27. A motion conversion mechanism 28 is interposed between the electromagnetic clutch and the electromagnetic clutch. The operation of the electromagnetic clutch switches between transmitting and cutting off the rotational torque between the inner ring 20 and outer ring 21 of the mechanical clutch, allowing the motor shaft 16 connected to the inner ring 20 to rotate freely, or allowing the motor shaft 16 to rotate freely. thwarted.

The inner ring 20 is spline-fitted to the outer periphery of the motor shaft 16. By this spline fitting, the motor shaft 16 is connected to the inner ring 20 without any play so that it does not rotate relative to the inner ring 20 at all. The outer ring 21 is fitted inside the clutch case 29 and is prevented from rotating by a key member 55. The clutch case 29 is a cylindrical member that collectively accommodates the constituent members of the clutch 6 (inner ring 20, engagement element 24, engagement element holder 25, armature 26, electromagnet 27, etc.). A flange portion 30 extending radially outward is formed at one end of the clutch case 29 in the axial direction, and the flange portion 30 is fixed to the end surface of the motor case 15 in the axial direction with bolts (not shown). A bearing 31 that rotatably supports the inner ring 20 is incorporated into the outer ring 21 .

As shown in FIG. 3, the cam surface 22 on the outer circumference of the inner ring 20 faces the cylindrical surface 23 on the inner circumference of the outer ring 21 in the radial direction. A wedge space is formed between the cam surface 22 and the cylindrical surface 23, which becomes gradually narrower from the center in the circumferential direction toward both ends in the circumferential direction.

A plurality of pockets 32 (see FIG. 2) penetrating in the radial direction are formed in the engager holder 25 at intervals in the circumferential direction, and each of the pockets 32 accommodates the engager 24, respectively. The engager retainer 25 engages the engager 24 between the cam surface 22 and the cylindrical surface 23 by moving the engager 24 in the circumferential direction from the circumferential center of the cam surface 22 (see FIG. 3). Inner ring 20 It is supported so as to be movable in the circumferential direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the armature 26 is supported movably in the axial direction on the outer periphery of an inner ring shaft portion 33 that is provided integrally with the inner ring 20. The armature 26 is a disc-shaped member made of a magnetic material (iron, silicon steel, etc.). The electromagnet 27 is arranged to face the armature 26 in the axial direction. The electromagnet 27 is fixed to the clutch case 29 so as not to move in either the axial direction or the circumferential direction. A separation spring 34 is installed between the armature 26 and the electromagnet 27 to urge the armature 26 in a direction away from the electromagnet 27.

The electromagnet 27 has an annular field core 35 with a C-shaped cross section that opens in the axial direction toward the armature 26, and a solenoid coil 36 wound around the field core 35. When the solenoid coil 36 is energized, a magnetic circuit passing through the field core 35 and the armature 26 is formed, and the armature 26 is attracted to the field core 35. A through hole 38 is formed in the clutch case 29 through which a lead wire 37 for supplying power to the solenoid coil 36 passes. A rubber grommet 39 is attached to the through hole 38 to fill the gap between the inner periphery of the through hole 38 and the outer periphery of the lead wire 37 .

The motion conversion mechanism 28 engages the engager holder 25 with an intermediate plate 40 which is prevented from rotating by the armature 26 and is prevented from rotating by the engager holder 25 so as to be movable relative to the armature 26 in the axial direction. It has a centering spring 41 that elastically holds it in the released position.

The intermediate plate 40 is configured to move in the circumferential direction together with the engager retainer 25, and is also configured to move in the circumferential direction together with the armature 26 while being movable in the axial direction relative to the armature 26. .

As shown in FIG. 3, the centering spring 41 includes a C-shaped annular portion 46 formed by winding a steel wire in a C-shape, and a pair of extension portions 47 extending radially outward from both ends of the C-shaped annular portion 46. It consists of The C-shaped annular portion 46 is fitted into a circular spring accommodating recess 48 formed in the axial end surface of the inner ring 20 . The pair of extensions 47 are inserted into radial grooves 49 formed in the axial end surface of the inner ring 20 so as to penetrate radially outward from the spring housing recess 48 .

The extending portion 47 of the centering spring 41 protrudes from the radially outer end of the radial groove 49, and the portion of the extending portion 47 protruding from the radial groove 49 is connected to the retainer formed in the engager retainer 25. It is inserted into the container groove 50. The radial groove 49 and the cage groove 50 are formed to have the same circumferential width. The extending portion 47 of the centering spring 41 is in contact with the inner surface of the radial groove 49 and the inner surface of the retainer groove 50, and engages the engager retainer 25 by the circumferential force acting on the contact portions. It is elastically held in the released position.

The clutch 6 shown in FIG. 2 is in an idling state in which the inner ring 20 can freely rotate relative to the outer ring 21 when the electromagnet 27 is de-energized. That is, when the electromagnet 27 is de-energized, the armature 26 is separated from the electromagnet 27 by the urging force of the separation spring 34, and the armature 26 is in a state where it can freely rotate relative to the electromagnet 27. At this time, the engager retainer 25 is held in the disengaged position by the elastic restoring force of the centering spring 41, so even if the inner ring 20 is rotated, the cam surface 22 on the outer periphery of the inner ring 20 and the inner periphery of the outer ring 21 The engaging element 24 does not engage with the cylindrical surface 23 of the inner ring 20 and the motor shaft 16 can freely rotate in both forward and reverse directions, and the steering wheel 1 (see FIG. 1) is in a free state. Become.

On the other hand, when the electromagnet 27 is energized, it is in a locked state in which rotation of the inner ring 20 relative to the outer ring 21 is prevented. That is, when the electromagnet 27 is energized, the armature 26 is attracted to the electromagnet 27, and the armature 26 is in frictional contact with the electromagnet 27. At this time, when the inner ring 20 is rotated, the armature 26 that comes into frictional contact with the electromagnet 27 is prevented from rotating by the engager holder 25 via the intermediate plate 40, so the rotation of the engager holder 25 is restricted. The inner ring 20 rotates relative to the engager retainer 25. As a result, the engager retainer 25 moves from the disengaged position to the engaged position against the elastic force of the centering spring 41, and the cam surface 22 on the outer circumference of the inner ring 20 and the cylindrical surface 23 on the inner circumference of the outer ring 21 move. Since the engaging element 24 engages between the two, rotation of the inner ring 20 is prevented, rotation of the motor shaft 16 connected to the inner ring 20 is prevented, and the steering wheel 1 (see FIG. 1) is in a locked state.

When a combination of an electromagnetic clutch and a mechanical clutch is used as the clutch 6, the characteristics of the electromagnetic clutch allow the steering wheel 1 to be switched instantly between the locked state and the free state, and the steering wheel 1 can be freely switched. It can also be locked in the position. Further, due to the characteristics of the mechanical clutch, although it is compact, it has a high torque holding power when the steering wheel 1 is in a locked state, and can reliably prevent rotation of the steering wheel 1.

[Autonomous driving system]
The automatic driving system 9 (see FIG. 1) included in this vehicle has functions such as normal/automatic driving mode selection, vehicle behavior control, and driver abnormality detection, and an external camera 10 for understanding the situation outside the vehicle. In addition to radar, the system uses information obtained from vehicle speed sensors, acceleration sensors, yaw rate sensors, steering angle sensors, accelerator opening sensors, brake depression sensors, etc. that detect vehicle behavior to monitor surrounding conditions and vehicle conditions. The system recognizes this and automatically drives the vehicle appropriately, or assists the driver's operations even in normal driving mode.

Additionally, an in-vehicle camera 11 is connected to the automatic driving system 9 to photograph the inside of the vehicle, with a particular focus on the driver.

The automatic driving system 9 obtains image data from the in-vehicle camera 11, analyzes the driver's sitting posture and line of sight, and detects any abnormalities in the driver. For example, if the driver is seated in a position that would not be possible under normal driving conditions, if the driver's head is bowed, or if the eyes are closed, this may indicate that something is wrong with the driver. judge.

In addition, even if the driver's posture remains unchanged and his eyes are open, if the vehicle is behaving in a dangerous manner relative to the surrounding conditions (for example, if the vehicle is meandering to the extent that it strays from the lane, If there is a risk of contact with surrounding vehicles, pedestrians, or structures such as guardrails or walls due to inappropriate operation, it is determined that the driver is abnormal.

If it is determined that the driver is abnormal, the automatic driving system 9 controls the vehicle in automatic driving mode, moves the vehicle to a safe road shoulder, etc., and stops the vehicle.

[Example of control when driver abnormality is detected]
Control of the steering device when an abnormality of the driver is detected will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4. The process according to this flowchart is repeatedly executed at a predetermined period by the controller 8 (see FIG. 1) of the steering control system.

In step S1 of this process, the controller 8 acquires various information regarding the driver, vehicle behavior, conditions outside the vehicle, etc. from the automatic driving system 9 (see FIG. 1).

Next, in step S2, it is determined whether or not an abnormality has occurred with the driver. If it is determined that something is wrong with the driver, the process proceeds to step S3, where a text or image warning is displayed on the instrument panel of the vehicle, and an audio warning is issued from the speaker.

Then, in step S4, it is determined whether or not there is any reaction from the driver to the warning, and if there is no reaction from the driver, the process proceeds to step S5 and switches to automatic driving mode.

On the other hand, if there is a response to the alarm, the process proceeds to step S6, where it is determined whether or not there is a risk of contact with people, objects, or other vehicles around the vehicle. If there is a danger, the process proceeds to step S5. , switches to automatic driving mode, but if there is no danger, the process of this flowchart ends.

In step S5, when the automatic operation mode is switched, the process proceeds to step S7, and power is supplied to the clutch 6 (see FIG. 1), which is a locking mechanism. As a result, the steering wheel 1 (see Figure 1) becomes locked, so even if the driver lies face down on the steering wheel 1 or grips the steering wheel 1 strongly, the driver's upper body collapses. No more slumping over or twisting your wrists unnaturally.

Thereafter, in step S8, the vehicle is automatically driven by the automatic driving system 9 (see FIG. 1) without rotating the steering wheel 1 and comes to a stop on a safe roadside.

When the vehicle stops, in step S9, the touch panel type center display 12 (see FIG. 5) located in the center of the vehicle dashboard displays a message indicating whether or not to cancel the automatic driving mode as shown in FIG. 6(a). question is displayed, and the process proceeds to step S10.

The reason why the questions are displayed on the center display 12 (see FIG. 5) instead of on the meter device is to allow fellow passengers and rescuers to answer on behalf of the driver.

Then, in step S10, if the driver, fellow passenger, or rescuer selects "cancel", the process advances to step S11.

On the other hand, in step S10, if there is no response for a certain period of time or if the driver, passenger, or rescuer selects "Do not release", the process returns to step S9, and automatic operation is started as shown in FIG. 6(a). The question regarding whether to cancel the mode continues to be displayed.

In step S11, as shown in FIGS. 6(b) and (c), questions such as "Are you feeling unwell?" and "Do you want to start normal operation mode?" are displayed on the center display 12 (see FIG. 5). is displayed, and the process advances to step S12.

In step S12, if the driver, passenger, or rescuer answers "YES" to the multiple questions shown in FIGS. 6(b) and (c) displayed in step S11, the process advances to step S13, Automatic operation mode ends.

On the other hand, in step S12, the driver, fellow passenger, or rescuer answers "NO" to one of the multiple questions shown in FIGS. 6(b) and 6(c) displayed in step S11. If no answer is given or there is no response for a certain period of time, the process returns to step S9, and as shown in FIG. 6(a), the question as to whether or not to cancel automatic operation continues to be displayed.

In step S13, when the automatic operation mode ends, the process proceeds to step S14, and the supply of power to the clutch 6 (see FIG. 1), which is a locking mechanism, is stopped. As a result, the steering wheel 1 (see FIG. 1) becomes free, and steering by the steering wheel 1 becomes possible.

[Example of control during automatic driving based on driver selection]
The technology of this steering device is not only used to ensure safety when an abnormality is detected by the driver as described above, but also to support functions such as automatic driving that follows the vehicle ahead and parking assist. When in use, the driver can also use the function to lock the steering wheel 1 (see FIG. 1) and disable the steering operation using the steering wheel 1.

To use it, the driver selects a lock mode in which the steering wheel 1 is locked when starting the automatic driving mode in the forward vehicle following function or the parking assist function. As a result, current is supplied to the clutch 6 in response to a command from the controller 8 (see FIG. 1) of the steering control system, and the steering wheel 1 is placed in a locked state.

As a result, even if the driver applies force to the steering wheel 1, it will not affect the steering angle control. Furthermore, since the driver can keep his/her hands on the steering wheel 1, there are no restrictions on his/her posture, and the comfort of the vehicle is improved.

When the automatic driving mode ends due to completion of following the vehicle in front or completion of parking, the supply of current to the clutch 6 is stopped by a command from the controller 8, and the locked state of the steering wheel 1 is released.

Furthermore, if the driver ends the automatic driving mode midway, the controller 8 stops supplying current to the clutch 6, and the locked state of the steering wheel 1 is released.

The selection of whether or not to put the steering wheel 1 in the lock mode can be made by operating the switch provided on the spokes of the steering wheel 1 or by operating the center display 12 (Fig. It is preferable to enable this by touching the options displayed in (see).

Note that there may be cases where the driver urgently wants to release the lock mode. In that case, by operating the switch on the spoke part of the steering wheel 1 or firmly grasping the rim part of the steering wheel 1, the controller 8 (see FIG. 1) immediately stops supplying current to the clutch 6. It is a good idea to be able to release the lock mode.

[Other application examples]
As shown in FIG. 1, the structure of the steering device according to the present invention is not only a complete steer-by-wire type in which there is no mechanical connection structure between the steering wheel 1 and the steering mechanism 3, but also a mechanical one as a backup. It can also be applied to steer-by-wire steering devices equipped with a connection structure.

In the above embodiment, the clutch 6 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), which is a combination of an electromagnetic clutch and a mechanical clutch, is used as an example of the locking mechanism that locks the steering wheel 1, but the locking mechanism may be an electromagnetic brake or a mechanical clutch. It may also be a reaction motor, a combination of a solenoid and a dog clutch, or the like.

Furthermore, the structure of the steering device according to the present invention can be applied to vehicles such as agricultural machines, construction machines, ships, and aircrafts equipped with an automatic steering function, in addition to the above-mentioned automobiles.

1 Steering wheel (steering member)
2 Wheels 3 Steering mechanism 4 Steering shaft 5 Reaction motor 6 Clutch (lock mechanism)
7 Steering unit 8 Controller 9 Autonomous driving system 10 Outside camera 11 Inside camera 12 Center display 16 Motor shaft 20 Inner ring 21 Outer ring 24 Engagement element 25 Engagement element holder 26 Armature 27 Electromagnet 28 Operation conversion mechanism 29 Clutch case

Claims

In the automatic driving mode, the steering control system automatically operates the steering angle of the vehicle using electric signals, and in the normal driving mode, the steering device operates the vehicle using a steering member.
It is composed of a steering unit including the steering member and a locking mechanism that switches between a locked state and a free state thereof using an electric signal, and a controller that has the function of the steering control system and controls the locking mechanism,
A steering device characterized by having a function of causing the steering member to be in a locked state according to a command from the controller when the vehicle is automatically operated.
The steering device according to claim 1, wherein when the automatic driving system detects an abnormality of the driver and the vehicle switches to automatic driving mode, the steering member is placed in a locked state by a command from the controller.
2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when the vehicle is in an automatic driving mode, when the driver selects to put the steering member into the locked state, the steering member is put into the locked state by a command from the controller. Steering device as described.
The steering device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the locking mechanism is a clutch that combines an electromagnetic clutch and a mechanical clutch.
The steering device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the locking mechanism is an electromagnetic brake.
The steering device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a steering reaction force motor is used as the locking mechanism.
The steering device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the locking mechanism is a combination of a solenoid and a dog clutch.
An automatic driving system having an automatic steering function in which the steering device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 switches the steering member between a locked state and a free state, and an automatic acceleration/deceleration function that automatically controls an accelerator and a brake. In addition to being equipped with
A vehicle characterized by being equipped with a driving switching determination system that determines whether to switch between normal driving and automatic driving by asking the driver questions.