JP2022158177A - Operation device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an operation device for a vehicle, capable of achieving both space saving and operability.SOLUTION: An operation device for a vehicle comprises: a display device 4 capable of displaying operation items; and a display control part 32 for controlling the operation items by the operation of an operation unit 2 installed in a center console 13. The operation unit 2 has a projection 25 projecting forward and upward, The projection 25 has a first input part 21 capable of being input into an electric parking brake control part 31, and being operated in a first operation form of pressing with the first finger in a state that the fifth finger is brought into contact with the front end vicinity of a connection part 25x, and a second input part 22 capable of being input into the display control part 32, and being operated in a second operation form of pressing with the finger tip in a state that the hand is brought into contact with an upper face part 25a of the projection 25, and the first finger or the fifth finger of an occupant is brought into contact with a rear side from a front end of the connection part 25x. The first input part 21 is arranged in a front end side part of the projection 25, and the second input part 22 is arranged at a rear side by a predetermined distance from the first input part 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present invention includes display means capable of displaying a plurality of operation items related to in-vehicle equipment, operation means capable of input operation by a passenger, and display control means controlling operation items in conjunction with the input operation of the operation means. The present invention relates to a vehicle operation device provided with.

Conventionally, a manually rotatable shift operating mechanism (shift lever) is provided on the upper surface of a center console, and this shift operating mechanism is mechanically connected to a transmission via a link member.
In recent years, shifting operation mechanisms and parking brake mechanisms have been promoted to be computerized (by-wire) in place of mechanical connection structures using link members. Gear shifting (shift-by-wire) and braking (brake-by-wire) using this electric signal are currently the mainstream in various vehicle operation systems.

The transmission control system of Patent Document 1 includes a touch panel capable of detecting touch operations and fingerprints by a passenger, a fingerprint authentication unit that authenticates the detected fingerprints, and receives a shift switching touch operation when the fingerprints are authenticated. A touch panel operation determination unit and a shift switching mechanism for switching the range position of the transmission based on the determined shift switching touch operation are provided.
As a result, the shift operation mechanism such as the shift lever can be configured with a touch panel, and the shift operation mechanism can be miniaturized.

On the other hand, for various in-vehicle devices (air conditioner, audio system, navigation device, etc.) installed in the vehicle, operation items corresponding to each in-vehicle device are displayed on the display in the vehicle interior.
When operating the in-vehicle device, the occupant uses a commander knob (hereinafter simply referred to as the commander) to perform a switching operation so as to display a desired operation item, and the in-vehicle device changes the operation item in synchronization with the switching of the operation item. are performing the actions specified in Here, the operation items displayed on the display represent the type of vehicle-mounted device and the title of a predetermined function (operation) screen.

JP 2016-137785 A

In the transmission control system of Patent Document 1, the shift lever can be omitted from the interior of the vehicle, particularly from the area around the passenger, so it is possible to promote the space saving of the interior of the vehicle.
However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, when switching the range position of the transmission, the passenger needs to perform the shift switching touch operation while paying more attention to the display than the traveling direction, which hinders the driving itself while the vehicle is running. There is a danger of coming.

Also, when aiming to save space in the vehicle interior, it is conceivable to integrate the shift switching operation and the activation operation of the in-vehicle equipment into a blind operable commander. The commander is rotatable about a vertical axis and has a push switch function using a pressure sensor.
On the other hand, since the control of the drive system and the braking system is directly related to the behavior of the vehicle, it is essential to avoid erroneous operation when inputting to the operation control means that controls the drive system and the braking system in order to ensure safety.
However, when the crew operates the commander blindly, it is not easy to completely avoid erroneous operations. That is, it must be said that it is difficult to achieve both space saving and operability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle operation device and the like that can achieve both space saving and operability.

A vehicle operating device according to claim 1 comprises display means installed on an instrument panel and capable of displaying a plurality of operation items related to on-vehicle equipment, and a center console installed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body that can be operated by an occupant. In a vehicle operating device comprising an operation means and a display control means for controlling an operation item displayed on the display means by operating the operation means, the operation means has a connection portion on the upper surface of the center console. The protrusion is a first input part that is connected via the connecting part and protrudes forward and upward from the connection part, the protrusion being capable of inputting to operation control means for controlling driving and/or braking of the vehicle. A first input configured to be operable in a first operation mode in which the fifth finger of the occupant is pressed with a fingertip other than the fifth finger while the fifth finger of the occupant is in contact with the portion near the front end of the connecting portion of the projecting portion. and a second input unit capable of inputting to the display control means, wherein the occupant's palm is brought into contact with the upper surface of the protrusion, and the occupant's first or fifth finger is placed on the front end of the connecting portion of the protrusion. and a second input portion configured to be operable by a second operation mode in which the fingertip is pressed while being in contact with the rear portion of the first input portion, wherein the first input portion is the front end of the protrusion. It is characterized in that it is arranged on the side portion and the second input section is arranged on the rear side with a predetermined distance from the first input section.

In this vehicular operating device, the operating means is connected to the upper surface of the center console via a connecting portion and has a protruding portion that protrudes forward and upward from the connecting portion. It is possible to form the protruding portion in a shape that is flexible and easy to grip.
The protruding portion is a first input portion that can be input to operation control means for controlling the driving and/or braking of the vehicle, and the fifth finger of the occupant is in contact with the portion near the front end of the connecting portion of the protruding portion. A first input unit configured to be operable by a first operation mode in which a fingertip other than the fifth finger is pressed, and a second input unit capable of inputting to the display control means, wherein the occupant's palm is pressed. A second operation of pressing the occupant's first finger or fifth finger with a fingertip while contacting the upper surface of the projecting portion and contacting the rear portion of the connecting portion of the projecting portion with respect to the front end of the connecting portion. Since it has a second input section configured to be operable according to the form, the fingertip can be placed at a prescribed position using the stopper function even in blind operation, and the input section of the operation control means and the display control means are integrated into a single piece of hardware and different input operation forms can be used to avoid erroneous operations between both control means. Since the first input section is arranged at the front end side portion of the projecting section and the second input section is arranged at the rear side with a predetermined distance from the first input section, the first input section and the second input section are arranged at the rear side. Erroneous operation can be avoided by separately arranging the two input units in the front and rear.

The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention of claim 1, in the first operation mode, the projecting portion is gripped from above and below with a first finger and other fingers of the occupant.
According to this configuration, it is possible to easily perform the pressing operation of the first input section with a fingertip.

The invention of claim 3 is based on the invention of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first input part is configured to touch the tip of the first finger while the passenger's fifth finger is in contact with the portion near the front end of the connection part of the protrusion. It is characterized in that it is configured to be operable by the first operation mode in which pressing is performed using the .
According to this configuration, the position pressed by the first finger can be defined by using the stopper mechanism by the contact of the fifth finger.

The invention according to claim 4 is based on the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first input unit has a pressure sensor, and the pressing force by the occupant's fingertip exceeds a preset first threshold value. It is characterized by detecting an input operation by the passenger.
According to this configuration, input by accidental contact can be eliminated, and erroneous operation can be avoided.

According to the invention of claim 5, in the invention of claim 4, the second input part comprises a line-shaped input part disposed at a center portion in the vehicle width direction on the upper surface of the projecting part, and a line-shaped input part. It is characterized by having a front area and a plurality of area-shaped input sections provided in both left and right side areas of the line-shaped input section.
According to this configuration, the linear input section and the area-shaped input section can be easily operated while the palm is in contact with the upper surface of the protrusion.

The invention of claim 6 is the invention of claim 5, wherein the line-shaped input section has a capacitance sensor that detects the proximity or contact of a passenger based on a change in capacitance, and the area-shaped input section includes: It is characterized by having a pressure sensor and detecting an input operation by the passenger when the pressing force of the fingertip of the passenger exceeds a preset second threshold.
According to this configuration, it is possible to easily and reliably detect the input operation by the occupant's sliding motion with the line-shaped input section, and it is possible to eliminate the input by accidental contact with the area-shaped input section.

The invention of claim 7 is characterized in that, in the invention of claim 6, the second threshold is smaller than the first threshold.
According to this configuration, the operation load of the first input section can be made larger than the operation load of the area-shaped input section, and erroneous operations of the operation control means can be suppressed.

The invention of claim 8 is the invention of claim 5, wherein the line-shaped input part has a decoration part different in material and color from the adjacent part, and the decoration part is the front end side part of the operation means. to the upper surface of the center console.
According to this configuration, the input operation direction of the line-shaped input unit can be clearly guided by the decorative portion, and the occupant can be made to reliably recognize the input operation direction.

The invention according to claim 9 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the projecting part has a covering part covering the outer peripheral surface thereof and partially covering the upper surface of the center console, A portion of the covering portion that covers the upper surface of the center console is characterized in that it is configured so that the dimension in the vehicle width direction increases toward the rear side in correspondence with the parting line of the center console.
According to this configuration, the occupant's hand can be unconsciously guided to the second operation mode by bringing the occupant's hand closer to the projecting portion along the parting line.

According to the vehicular operation device of the present invention, the input units of the two different control means integrated into a single piece of hardware are separately arranged in the front and rear with different operation forms, thereby saving space and improving operability. can be compatible.

2 is a control system block diagram of the vehicle operating device according to the first embodiment; FIG. It is the perspective view which looked the inside of the vehicle interior from the back. It is a top view of an operation part. It is a side view of an operation part. It is a perspective view of an operation part. FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 4, where (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A, (b) is a cross-sectional view along line B-B, and (c) is a cross-sectional view along line C-C. It is an example of a home screen. It is an example of an entertainment function screen. It is a figure which shows the 1st operation form. It is a figure which shows the 3rd operation form. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing optical flow and pseudo display directions; FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a control system of a vehicle operating device according to a second embodiment; It is a side view of an operation part. It is a modified example of the home screen.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.
The following description exemplifies the application of the present invention to a vehicle operating device, and does not limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11. FIG.
Vehicle V integrates the input unit of the driving control system device and the input unit of the display control system device into a single piece of hardware, while dividing the input unit arrangement position and the input unit operation mode of both control system devices into front and rear. is configured as In addition, the vehicle V uses visual and tactile effects among the five senses of the occupant to enhance the sense of axis, that is, the ability to cognize the space between the vehicle exterior space coordinate system and the vehicle interior space coordinate system.

A vehicle V is provided with a vehicle operating device 1 that allows an occupant to operate vehicle-mounted equipment during driving. The in-vehicle equipment is, for example, an audio system, a navigation system, and the like.
As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle operation device 1 includes an operation unit 2 (operation means) that can be manually operated by a passenger, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 3, and a display device 4 (display means) that displays various information. and an electric parking brake device 5 for applying braking force to the left and right wheels of each of the front and rear wheels.

First, the cabin structure of the vehicle V and main interior members will be described.
As shown in FIG. 2, a right driver's seat 12a and a left front passenger's seat 12b are arranged as front seats on a floor panel 11 forming the floor of the passenger compartment.
Between these seats 12a and 12b, there is a tunnel portion (not shown) projecting upward and extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and a center console 13 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body on top of this tunnel portion. The center console 13 is formed by injection molding a synthetic resin material. Hereinafter, in the drawings, the arrow F indicates the front of the vehicle body, the arrow L indicates the left side of the vehicle, and the arrow U indicates the upper side of the vehicle.

A front window glass 14, an instrument panel 16, a steering handle 17, and the like are arranged in front of the seats 12a and 12b.
A front window glass 14 is spanned between a pair of left and right front pillars 15 . The steering handle 17 is arranged between the right side area of the instrument panel 16 and the seat back of the driver's seat 12a.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the instrument panel 16 is formed to extend in the vehicle width direction at the front part of the vehicle compartment, and the lower central part is connected to the front end part of the center console 13 . The synthetic resin instrument panel 16 has, for example, an upper surface extending in the front-rear direction, a rear surface extending rearward and downward from the rear end of the upper surface, and a lower surface extending forward from the lower end of the rear surface. etc.

Inside the instrument panel 16, an instrument panel member (not shown) is provided as a strength member that connects a pair of left and right hinge pillars (not shown) in the vehicle width direction, and a support stay (not shown) supports the instrument panel member. is stretched between the instrument panel member and the tunnel.
The instrument panel 16 includes a plurality of defroster outlets (not shown), a pair of left and right center vent outlets 16a, a pair of left and right side vent outlets 16b, a meter panel 16c, a display device 4, and the like. It has

The defroster outlet is provided on the upper surface of the instrument panel 16 at the front end side facing the lower portion of the windshield 14 .
As shown in FIG. 2, the pair of center vent outlets 16a are formed adjacent to each other in the middle portion of the rear surface in the vehicle width direction, and the pair of side vent outlets 16b are formed at both ends of the rear surface in the vehicle width direction. are formed respectively. Both of the outlets 16a and 16b communicate with an air conditioning duct.
A display device 4 having a substantially rectangular display screen (display panel) is provided at the center of the upper surface of the instrument panel 16 in the vehicle width direction. The display screen of the display device 4 is, for example, a liquid crystal display panel or a plasma display panel.

The meter panel 16 c is provided on the rear surface portion of the instrument panel 16 corresponding to the front portion of the steering handle 17 so as to face the steering handle 17 . The meter panel 16c includes, for example, an analog-displayed circular engine tachometer and an analog-displayed circular speedometer adjacent to the engine tachometer.
These meters may have a digital display, or a combination of analog display and digital display. Reference numeral 18 denotes an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal.

It returns to description of the operating device 1 for vehicles.
As shown in FIG. 2, the operation unit 2 protrudes forward and upward from the upper surface of the center console 13 and near the side of the driver's seat 12a (seat cushion).
The operation unit 2 is an input interface in which a pseudo lever for driving, braking, etc. of the vehicle V and a pseudo commander for vehicle-mounted equipment are integrated and shared. The operation unit 2 is formed so that the occupant can operate the steering wheel 17 with his/her right hand while being able to hold it with his/her left hand alone and operate the in-vehicle equipment and the like.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the operation unit 2 includes a rod-shaped (elongated) projecting portion 25 elongated in the front-rear direction, and projecting portions 25 on the surface of the projecting portion 25 and on the upper surface of the center console 13. and a covering portion 26 that partially covers the rear side portion.
The protruding portion 25 has a rear half portion joined to the upper surface portion of the center console 13 via a joint portion 25x, and a front half portion separated from the upper surface portion of the center console 13 toward the front side and protruding upward. ing. The extension line of the axis of the operation unit 2 is oriented toward the display device 4 in a plan view.

The covering portion 26 is configured to cover the projecting portion 25 and the upper surface portion of the center console 13 with a covering member such as black synthetic leather. The covering portion 26 covers the outer peripheral surface of the protruding portion 25 and partially covers the upper surface portion of the center console 13 rearward from the longitudinal middle portion of the protruding portion 25 (the front end portion of the joint portion 25x). .
The portion of the covering portion 26 that covers the upper surface of the center console 13 is configured such that the dimension in the vehicle width direction increases toward the rear side, and the ends thereof are sewn to the upper surface portion of the center console 13 to form sewn portions 26a. forming In this embodiment, the sewn portion 26a is set so as to substantially match the parting line of the center console 13. As shown in FIG.

The projecting portion 25 includes an upper surface portion 25a that is formed in a substantially teardrop shape and faces the upper space, a lower surface portion 25b that is formed so as to be substantially parallel to the tip side portion of the upper surface portion 25a and faces the lower space, and a side surface. and a portion 25c. As shown in FIGS. 6(a) to 6(c), the side surface portion 25c gradually rises from the surface of the center console 13 toward the front side to form the curved side surface of the protruding portion 25, and the lower surface portion 25b further forward. formed to converge.

As shown in FIG. 1, the operation unit 2 includes a first input unit 21 that can be input with the left hand while the driver is operating the vehicle to control the driving device and the braking device, and a plurality of buttons displayed on the display device 4. A second input unit 22 or the like that can be input with the left hand while the driver is driving the vehicle is provided to control each of the operation items. The operation item is a general term for the type of vehicle-mounted equipment displayed on the display device 4 and the title of a predetermined function (operation) screen.
As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the first input portion 21 is semicircular in plan view and trapezoidal in side view, and is disposed on the front end portion of the upper surface portion 25a. The first input unit 21 is, for example, a pressure sensor capable of detecting pressure exceeding the first threshold.

Next, the second input section 22 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the second input section 22 includes a line input section 23 and area input sections 24a to 24e. The line-shaped input portion 23 is mounted so as to extend in the front-rear direction from the central portion of the projecting portion 25 in the vehicle width direction and from the middle portion in the longitudinal direction to the rear end portion of the projecting portion 25 . A linear decoration part 27 is installed on the upper part of the linear input part 23 so as to cover the linear input part 23 .

The decorative portion 27 is provided so as to extend in the front-rear direction from the front end portion of the projecting portion 25 (the front end portion of the linear input portion 23 ) to the upper surface portion of the center console 13 . The decorative portion 27 is formed using a synthetic resin material having a higher brightness than the covering portion 26, for example, a silver color.
Therefore, the display device 4 is arranged on an extension line that extends the decorative portion 27 forward in plan view.

The line-shaped input unit 23 is composed of, for example, a linear capacitance sensor capable of detecting the proximity or contact of an occupant based on a change in capacitance. This capacitive sensor has a detection electrode that a human body comes close to or touches, and measures the stray capacitance caused by the human body or a change in capacitance between ground and ground. Specifically, when the occupant brings his hand closer, a pseudo capacitor is generated between the electric field and the hand, and the approach of the person is detected at the timing when the electrostatic capacitance accumulated in this capacitor increases or decreases. there is Since the capacitive sensor is a well-known technology, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Next, the area-shaped input units 24a to 24e will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the area-like input portion 24c is set in the vicinity of the front end of the decorating portion 27 with a predetermined area, and the area-like input portion 24b is set in the vicinity of the front end right side of the decorating portion 27. The area-shaped input portion 24d is set in the vicinity of the front end left side of the decoration portion 27 with a predetermined area. The area-shaped input portion 24c is arranged at a position near the front end of the decorative portion 27 (line-shaped input portion 23) and separated rearward from the rear end of the first input portion 21 by a predetermined distance.

Further, the area-like input portion 24a is set on the right side portion 25c at the lower rear portion of the area-like input portion 24b with a predetermined area, and the area-like input portion 24e is set on the left side portion 25c at the lower rear portion of the area-like input portion 24d. It is set with a predetermined area in the part.
The area-shaped input sections 24a to 24e are arranged at predetermined intervals.
As for the first and fifth fingers, it is expected that there will be variations due to movement errors and physical differences. It is formed to have a larger area than the input sections 24b to 24d.

The area-shaped input units 24a to 24e are configured by, for example, area-shaped pressure sensors capable of detecting pressure exceeding the second threshold. For example, a semiconductor pressure sensor is used as this pressure sensor. The second threshold values of the area input units 24a to 24e are set to values smaller than the first threshold value of the first input unit 21. FIG. As a result, erroneous operation of the first input section 21 is avoided while ensuring the operability of the area-shaped input sections 24a to 24e.
The pressure sensor is not limited to a semiconductor pressure sensor, and may be a strain gauge pressure sensor or a metal thin film pressure sensor.

The area-shaped input sections 24a to 24e are push buttons for short-circuiting, which can display a screen set in advance in each input section on the display device 4 by a pressing operation. These area-shaped input sections 24a to 24e are set corresponding to each of the five fingers of the passenger's left hand in the third operation mode.
The area input unit 24a displays the previous screen displayed before by operating the first finger (thumb finger), and the area input unit 24b displays the navigation function screen by operating the second finger (index finger). The area input unit 24c displays the home screen by operating the third finger (middle finger).
The area input unit 24d displays an entertainment function screen by operating the fourth finger (ring finger), and the area input unit 24e displays a pre-registered favorite screen by operating the fifth finger (little finger). indicate.

Next, ECU3 is demonstrated.
The ECU 3 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM, a RAM, an in-side interface, an out-side interface, and the like. Various programs and data such as parking brake control and display control are stored in the ROM, and a processing area used when the CPU performs a series of processes is provided in the RAM.
The ECU 3 includes an electric parking brake control section 31 (operation control means) and a display control section 32 (display control means).

When the first input unit 21 is pressed, the electric parking brake control unit 31 sets the wheel braking force suitable for the parking environment (road surface condition, slope, etc.) and transmits an operation command signal to the electric parking brake device 5. do. Upon receiving the actuation command signal, the electric parking brake device 5 actuates an electric brake mechanism driven by an electric actuator to apply braking force to the wheels (not shown).

The display control unit 32 transmits an operation command signal to the display device 4 when the second input unit 22 is pressed or slid. The display device 4 that has received the operation command signal controls a plurality of operation items displayed on the screen. The second input section 22 is composed of the line-shaped input section 23 described above and five area-shaped input sections 24a to 24e.
The ECU 3 controls the in-vehicle device corresponding to each operation item to perform its function in synchronization with the display timing of the operation item on the display device 4 .

Next, the display device 4 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 7, the display device 4 displays a home screen, which is an initial screen, when started.
The home screen displays a plurality of operation items, an air volume level of the air conditioner, the temperature of the air blown from each outlet, the current time, and the like on the same screen. For these plurality of operation items, for example, icons such as "Information", "Entertainment", "Communication", "Navigation", and "Setting" are displayed side by side in the vertical direction.

Here, "Information" is function screens such as fuel consumption and various maintenance information, "Entertainment" is function screens such as Internet radio, audio, TV, CD/DVD, etc. "Communication" is hands-free calling and short message. It corresponds to the function screen such as reading aloud. In addition, "Navigation" corresponds to functional screens such as road map display, route guidance, route guidance, etc., and "Setting" corresponds to functional screens such as sound settings, brightness and angle adjustment of the active driving display.

Operation items arranged lower are visually emphasized so that the occupant recognizes that the plurality of operation items are arranged in the front-rear direction in a pseudo or optical illusion. Specifically, the lower the operation item is, the larger the character size is displayed.
As a result, when the occupant views the display device 4, the occupant perceives that the upper operation item exists in the back (front) and the lower operation item exists in the front (rear) due to the optical illusion.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, each operation is performed so that the extension line of the line connecting the initials of the operation items is directed to the vanishing point P in the forward direction of movement, in other words, along the optical flow F. The item initials are arranged. As a result, the spatial coordinate system outside the vehicle and the spatial coordinate system within the vehicle recognized by the occupant are made to coincide with each other, thereby improving spatial recognition ability.
The vanishing point P is a vanishing point position (convergence point) in the occupant's field of vision when the occupant of a predetermined body shape is seated in the driver's seat 12a arranged at the predetermined reference position and looks forward.
A line connecting the initials of the plurality of operation items (and extension thereof) corresponds to the virtual axis, and the direction of the line connecting the above (and extension thereof) is the pseudo display direction D1 of the plurality of operation items. Equivalent.

Next, the operation mode of each input unit will be described.
First, the first operation mode for operating the first input unit 21 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 9, when the fifth finger of the left hand is in contact with the lower front end portion of the projecting portion 25 corresponding to the vicinity of the front end portion of the connecting portion 25x (the front end portion of the suture portion 26a), the projecting portion 25 is vertically sandwiched between the first finger and the second to fifth fingers. In this first operation mode, the first input section 21 is provided at a position facing the first finger. As a result, the occupant can minimize the movement distance of the left hand gripping the steering wheel 17 while driving the vehicle, and the stopper function of the projecting portion 25 (the portion corresponding to the vicinity of the front end portion of the connecting portion 25x) allows the first input portion to be operated. 21 can be operated blind.

Next, a second operation mode for operating the linear input section 23 will be described.
The occupant performs a sliding operation (input operation) of sliding the decorative portion 27 (linear input portion 23) with any finger in the input operation direction D2 (including forward and reverse directions). In conjunction with this, the operation items are rotated (scrolled) and displayed selectively.
On the display screen of the display device 4, the operation item displayed at the lowest position among the operation items corresponds to the operation item selected by the passenger. Here, the extension line of the linear input unit 23 that slides corresponds to the virtual axis, and the direction in which the extension line extends corresponds to the input operation direction D2 of the linear input unit 23 (FIGS. 9 and 10). reference). In this embodiment, the extension line of the decorative portion 27 is formed so as to substantially match the extension line of the line connecting the initials of the operation items (the extension line indicating the pseudo display direction D1).

After selecting an operation item, the occupant taps the decorative portion 27 with a hand (fingertip) to determine a desired function screen. For example, when the passenger wishes to operate an in-vehicle device (CD/DVD, etc.) with an entertainment function, the passenger slides the decoration unit 27 in the front-rear direction to select "Entertainment" from among a plurality of operation items on the home screen. Next, when "Entertainment" is displayed at the bottom, the entertainment function screen shown in FIG. 8 is displayed by performing a tap operation on the decoration section 27 with a fingertip. As a result, the occupant can perform the blind operation of scrolling the operation item without directing his or her line of sight to the operation unit 2 .

Next, a third operation mode for operating the area input sections 24a to 24e will be described.
As shown in FIG. 10 , the third finger of the left hand is lightly placed on the front end portion of the decorative portion 27 . In the third operation mode, the projecting portion 25 has a first finger facing the area-like input portion 24a, a second finger facing the area-like input portion 24b, and an extended third finger facing the area-like input portion 24b. The fourth finger faces the input area 24d, and the fifth finger faces the input area 24e. In this state, a desired area-shaped input portion is pressed. Accordingly, the passenger can blindly press the area-shaped input sections 24a to 24e without directing his or her line of sight to the operation section 2. FIG. In both the second operation mode for operating the line-shaped input section 23 and the third operation mode for operating the area-shaped input sections 24a to 24e in the present embodiment, the occupant's palm is placed on the upper surface portion 25a of the projecting section 25. This corresponds to the second operation mode of the present invention.

Next, the operation and effects of the vehicle operating device 1 of this embodiment will be described.
According to the vehicle operating device 10, the operating unit 2 is connected to the upper surface of the center console 13 via the connecting portion 25x and has the protruding portion 25 that protrudes forward and upward from the connecting portion 25x. The protruding portion 25 can be formed at a position that is easy to approach and in a shape that is easy to grasp. The protruding portion 25 is a first input portion 21 capable of inputting to the electric parking brake control portion 31, and when the occupant's fifth finger is in contact with the portion near the front end of the connecting portion 25x of the protruding portion 25, other than the fifth finger. A first input unit 21 configured to be operable by a first operation mode pressed with the fingertip of the occupant, and a second input unit 22 capable of inputting to the display control unit 32, and the palm of the occupant is the protrusion 25 A second operation mode in which the first or fifth finger of the occupant is brought into contact with the upper surface portion 25a and is pressed with a fingertip while being brought into contact with the portion rearward of the front end of the connection portion 25x of the projecting portion 25. Since it has the second input section 22 configured to be operable, it is possible to place the fingertip at a prescribed position using the stopper function even in blind operation, and the electric parking brake control section 31 and the display control section 32 can be operated. Integrating the input units 21 and 22 into a single piece of hardware and differentiating the input operation mode makes it possible to avoid erroneous operations between the control means 31 and 32 . Since the first input section 21 is arranged on the front end side portion of the projecting section 25 and the second input section 22 is arranged on the rear side with a predetermined distance from the first input section 21, the first input section 21 and Misoperation can be avoided by separately arranging the second input unit 22 in the front and rear.

In the first operation mode, since the protrusion 25 is gripped from above and below with the occupant's first finger and other fingers, it is possible to easily perform the pressing operation of the first input portion 21 with the fingertips.

The first input unit 21 is configured to be operable in a first operation mode in which the occupant's fifth finger is pressed with the tip of the first finger while the fifth finger is in contact with the portion near the front end of the connecting portion 25x of the projecting portion 25. Therefore, the position pressed by the first finger can be defined using a stopper mechanism based on the contact of the fifth finger.

The first input unit 21 has a pressure sensor, and detects an input operation by the occupant when the pressing force of the occupant's fingertip exceeds a preset first threshold, so that input due to accidental contact is excluded. can be used to avoid erroneous operations.

The second input portion 22 includes a line-shaped input portion 23 arranged in the center portion in the vehicle width direction of the upper surface portion 25 a of the projecting portion 25 , a front region of the line-shaped input portion 23 , and left and right sides of the line-shaped input portion 23 . Since there are a plurality of area-shaped input sections 24a to 24e provided in the area, it is possible to easily operate the line-shaped input section 23 and the area-shaped input sections 24a to 24e with the palm in contact with the upper surface section 25a of the projecting section 25. can be operated.

The line-shaped input unit 23 has a capacitance sensor that detects the proximity or contact of an occupant based on a change in capacitance, and the area-shaped input units 24a to 24e have pressure sensors that detect the pressure applied by the occupant's fingertips. exceeds a preset second threshold, an input operation by the passenger is detected.
As a result, the line-shaped input section 23 can easily and reliably detect the input operation by the occupant's sliding motion, and the area-shaped input sections 24a to 24e can eliminate input by accidental contact.

Since the second threshold value of the area input units 24a to 24e is smaller than the first threshold value of the first input unit 21, the operation load of the first input unit 21 is made larger than the operation load of the area input units 24a to 24e. , and erroneous operation of the electric parking brake control unit 31 can be suppressed.

The linear input section 23 has a decorative section 27 that is different in material and color from the adjacent section. , the input operation direction of the line-shaped input unit 23 can be clearly guided by the decorative portion 27, and the input operation direction can be reliably recognized by the occupant.

The protruding portion 25 has a covering portion 26 that covers the outer peripheral surface and partially covers the upper surface of the center console 13. The portion of the covering portion 26 that covers the upper surface of the center console 13 (sewn portion 26a) is , corresponding to the parting line of the center console 13, so that the dimension in the vehicle width direction increases toward the rear side. Accordingly, the occupant's hand can be unconsciously guided to the second operation mode by bringing the occupant's hand closer to the protruding portion 25 along the parting line.

Next, a vehicle operating device 1A for a vehicle VA according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13. FIG. In addition, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected to the member similar to Example 1. As shown in FIG.
While the first input unit 21 controls only the electric parking brake device 5 in the first embodiment, the first input unit 21A controls the electric parking brake device 5 and the transmission 6 in the second embodiment. there is

As shown in FIG. 12, the vehicle operation device 1A includes an operation unit 2A that can be manually operated by a passenger, an ECU 3A, a display device 4 that displays various information, and an electric vehicle that applies braking force to each of the front and rear left and right wheels. The main components are a parking brake device 5, a transmission 6, and the like.
The operation unit 2A includes a first input unit 21A for controlling the electric parking brake device 5 and the transmission 6, a second input unit 22 for controlling the plurality of operation items displayed on the display device 4, and the like. I have.

As shown in FIG. 13 , the first input section 21A includes an upper input section 28 and a lower input section 29 arranged below the upper input section 28 . The upper input portion 28 is disposed on the front end side portion of the upper surface portion 25a, and is formed in a semicircular shape in a plan view and a trapezoidal shape in a side view.
The lower input portion 29 is arranged at the front end side portion of the lower surface portion 25b, and is formed in a semicircular shape in a plan view and a trapezoidal shape in a side view.

A shift control unit 33 provided in the ECU 3A has a shift map (not shown) in which predetermined shift characteristics (switching lines) are set depending on the vehicle speed and the engine speed.
When the lower input portion 29 is pressed, the shift control section 33 transmits an operation command signal to the transmission 6 after the sport mode is set in which all the shift characteristics of the shift map are shifted to the high speed side. . Upon receiving the operation command signal, the transmission 6 implements the sport mode shift characteristics according to the shift map shifted to the high speed side. When the lower input unit 29 is pressed again while the sports mode is being executed, the sports mode is canceled.

With the fifth finger of the left hand in contact with the lower front end portion of the projecting portion 25 corresponding to the vicinity of the front end portion of the connecting portion 25x, the projecting portion 25 is vertically moved by the first finger and the second to fifth fingers. sandwiched.
In this first operation mode, the upper input section 28 is provided at a position facing the first finger, and the lower input section 29 is provided at a position facing the second finger.
As a result, the occupant can operate the upper input section 28 and the lower input section 29 blindly by the stopper function of the projecting portion 25 while minimizing the movement distance of the left hand gripping the steering handle 17 when driving the vehicle. can be done.

Next, a modified example in which the above embodiment is partially changed will be described.
1) In the above-described embodiment, the steering handle 17 is arranged on the right side, and the operation unit 2 is operated with the left hand. .

2) In the above embodiment, parking brake control and sports mode switching control were described as examples of driving control for controlling the driving and/or braking of the vehicle, but the present invention can be applied to various driving controls such as shift change and cruise driving switching control. You can
In addition, although an example in which the upper input section 28 and the lower input section 29 are individually arranged on the upper surface portion 25a and the lower surface portion 25b of the protruding portion 25, respectively, a plurality of input portions may be arranged on one side surface portion. good.

3) In the above-described embodiment, the first input section 21 (21A) and the area-shaped input sections 24a to 24e are configured by touch sensors represented by pressure sensors, and an example in which input is performed by a pressing operation by tapping has been described. A physical on/off type alternate switch may be used.

4) In the above-described embodiment, an example was explained in which the closer the operation item is to be recognized, the larger the character size is. As shown in FIG. 14, the contrast (brightness difference) with the background is increased for operation items that are desired to be recognized as being closer (located on the lower side). In addition, three-dimensional display may be performed so that the lower the operation items are, the closer they appear.

5) In addition, without departing from the spirit of the present invention, a person skilled in the art can implement the above-described embodiment in a form in which various modifications are added or in a form in which each embodiment is combined. Any modifications are also included.

1, 1A Vehicle operation device 2, 2A Operation unit 4 Display device 13 Center console 16 Instrument panel 21, 21A First input unit 22 Second input unit 23 Line-shaped input units 24a to 24e Area-shaped input unit 25 Protruding portion 25x connection portion 26 covering portion 27 decoration portion 28 upper input portion 29 lower input portion 31 electric parking brake control portion 32 display control portion 33 transmission control portion V, VA vehicle

Claims (9)

display means installed on the instrument panel and capable of displaying a plurality of operation items related to in-vehicle equipment; operation means installed on the center console extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and capable of being operated by a passenger; A vehicle operation device comprising display control means for controlling operation items displayed on the display means,
The operation means is connected to the upper surface of the center console via a connecting portion and has a protruding portion that protrudes forward and upward from the connecting portion,
The protruding portion is a first input portion that can be input to operation control means for controlling the driving and/or braking of the vehicle, and the fifth finger of the occupant is in contact with the portion near the front end of the connecting portion of the protruding portion. A first input unit configured to be operable by a first operation mode in which a fingertip other than the fifth finger is pressed, and a second input unit capable of inputting to the display control means, wherein the occupant's palm is pressed. A second operation of pressing the occupant's first finger or fifth finger with a fingertip while contacting the upper surface of the projecting portion and contacting the rear portion of the connecting portion of the projecting portion with respect to the front end of the connecting portion. a second input unit configured to be operable according to the form,
For a vehicle, wherein the first input portion is arranged at a front end side portion of the projecting portion, and the second input portion is arranged at a predetermined distance from the first input portion on the rear side. operating device. 2. The operating device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said first operation mode is such that said projecting portion is gripped from above and below with a first finger and other fingers of an occupant. The first input unit is configured to be operable in the first operation mode in which the fifth finger of the occupant is pressed with the tip of the first finger while the fifth finger is in contact with the portion near the front end of the connecting portion of the projecting portion. 3. The operating device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the operating device for a vehicle is a The first input unit has a pressure sensor, and detects an input operation by the occupant when the pressure applied by the occupant's fingertip exceeds a preset first threshold value. The operating device for a vehicle according to any one of items 1 and 2. The second input portion includes a line-shaped input portion arranged in a central portion in the vehicle width direction on the upper surface portion of the projecting portion, and a front region of the line-shaped input portion and left and right side regions of the line-shaped input portion. 5. The operating device for a vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising a plurality of area-shaped input sections provided. The line-shaped input section has a capacitance sensor that detects an occupant's proximity or contact based on a change in capacitance, and the area-shaped input section has a pressure sensor. 6. The operating device for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein an input operation by a passenger is detected when the set second threshold is exceeded. The vehicle operating device according to claim 6, wherein the second threshold is smaller than the first threshold. The line-shaped input section has a decorative section that is different in material and color from adjacent portions,
6. The operating device for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the decorative portion is arranged so as to extend from the front end side portion of the operating means to the upper surface portion of the center console. the protruding portion has a covering portion covering the outer peripheral surface thereof and partially covering the upper surface of the center console;
2. A portion of the covering portion that covers the upper surface of the center console is constructed so that the dimension in the vehicle width direction increases toward the rear side in correspondence with the parting line of the center console. 9. The operating device for a vehicle according to any one of items 1 to 8.

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