JP6608683B2 - Vehicle air-conditioning operation device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioning operation device.

  Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioning operation device mounted on a vehicle. The air conditioning operation device includes an operation unit that protrudes from the control panel to the vehicle interior side. The operation unit is disposed in a mounting hole formed in the control panel. In order to mitigate the impact when the occupant collides with the operation part, a ring groove is formed in the wall defining the mounting hole so as to displace the operation part to the outside of the passenger compartment.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-20678

  In the air-conditioning operation device of Patent Literature 1, since it is necessary to form a ring groove deep in order to move the operation portion to the outside of the vehicle compartment, the wall of the mounting hole protrudes greatly to the outside of the vehicle compartment. On the other hand, the air-conditioning operation device includes a display unit that can display a mark or the like by transmitting light from a light-emitting unit disposed outside the passenger compartment. For example, the light emitting unit may be disposed above the operation member having the operation unit, and the display unit may be disposed below the operation member. In this case, a part of the light traveling from the light emitting unit to the display unit is blocked by the wall of the mounting hole, and unevenness in the illumination of the display unit may occur.

  An object of the present invention is to improve illumination unevenness of a display unit while ensuring safety when an occupant collides.

The present invention relates to a control panel disposed in a front portion of a vehicle interior of a vehicle, an operation portion disposed on a vehicle interior side of the control panel, and a vehicle mounted on the control panel through a mounting hole of the control panel. An operating member having a rotating shaft disposed outside the vehicle; an input unit coupled to the rotating shaft; a base disposed outside the vehicle compartment of the control panel; and a base disposed on the base. A light-emitting unit, and a display unit that is provided in the operation unit or the control panel and is capable of transmitting light from the light-emitting unit to the vehicle interior side, and the operation member and the input unit include: are movably held outside the casing to the control panel, the control panel, the casing of the outer end portion is the vehicle exterior side end portion of the operation portion Located on a side, the mounting hole from the wall defining the beyond the outer periphery of the outer end portion projecting to the side of the rotary shaft, deformation by a load larger than a predetermined value from the vehicle interior side is applied to the operating member or are fragile portion is provided be damaged, the fragile portion is formed of a plate body of annular shape, between the outer end portion and the fragile portion of the operation section, of the attachment hole Provided is an air conditioning operation device for a vehicle, which is provided with a gap that communicates with a gap between the wall and the outer peripheral portion of the operation unit and allows light from the light emitting unit to pass therethrough .

  In the present invention, when a load greater than the set value is applied to the operation member due to the collision of the occupant with the operation portion, the fragile portion is deformed or damaged, so that the operation member moves to the outside of the passenger compartment. Therefore, it is possible to sufficiently secure the safety measure function of the vehicle air conditioning operation device when the occupant collides with the operation unit. Moreover, since the weak part is the structure which protrudes toward the rotating shaft from the wall which demarcates the mounting hole of an operation part, the wall of the mounting hole which protrudes outside a vehicle compartment can be decreased. Therefore, the light traveling from the light emitting unit to the display unit is not blocked by the wall of the mounting hole, so that uneven illumination of the display unit can be improved.

The front view which looked at the air-conditioning operation apparatus for vehicles of 1st Embodiment from the vehicle interior side. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the vehicle air conditioning operation device of FIG. 1. The disassembled perspective view of the vehicle air-conditioning operation apparatus of FIG. FIG. 3B is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 3A. The perspective view which looked at the base member from the vehicle interior outside. The partial expansion perspective view of the air-conditioning operation apparatus for vehicles of 2nd Embodiment. The partial expansion perspective view of the air-conditioning operation apparatus for vehicles of 3rd Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
1 to 4 show a vehicular air conditioning operation device 10 (hereinafter abbreviated as “air conditioning operation device”) according to a first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioning operation device 10 is disposed on the instrument panel 1 of the vehicle, and changes the operating state and operation settings of the air conditioning device mounted on the vehicle.

  In the following description, the longitudinal direction (vehicle length direction) of the instrument panel 1 is the X direction, the height direction of the instrument panel 1 (vehicle height direction) is the Y direction, and the width direction of the instrument panel 1 (vehicle (Width direction) is called Z direction. The direction of the X-axis arrow may be referred to as + X, and the opposite direction may be referred to as -X. The + X direction is a direction toward the vehicle interior, and the -X direction is a direction toward the outside of the vehicle interior.

(overall structure)
As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3A, the air-conditioning operation device 10 includes a resin control panel 12 disposed on the instrument panel 1 in the front part of the vehicle interior of the vehicle, and a −X side of the control panel 12. An exterior body having a resin base 13 disposed is provided. A plurality (three in this embodiment) of operation knobs (operation members) 15A to 15C, an operation lever 20, and display units 35 to 37 are disposed on the exterior body.

  The first operation knob 15A controls the air volume of the air conditioner to stop (air volume 0), weak operation (air volume 1), medium 1 operation (air volume 2), medium 2 operation (air volume 3), and strong operation (air volume 4). Switching means for switching to either of them. The second operation knob 15B is switching means for changing a set temperature for adjusting the temperature of the passenger compartment by the air conditioner. The third operation knob 15C is a switching unit that changes the air outlet that supplies the air whose temperature is adjusted by the air conditioner to the vehicle interior. The operation lever 20 is switching means for switching the intake of air into the air conditioner to either the in-vehicle circulation mode or the outside air introduction mode.

  The first operation knob 15A includes an operation unit 16A disposed on the + X side (vehicle interior side) of the control panel 12, and a rotating shaft 19A disposed on the −X side (vehicle interior outside) of the control panel 12. I have. In the first operation knob 15A, the operation portion 16A is made of an opaque resin and the rotating shaft 19A is made of a transparent resin. In addition to integral molding such as two-color molding and insert molding, two parts are assembled. Can also be configured. Alternatively, the entire first operation knob 15A may be integrally formed of a transparent resin, and the operation portion 16A may be made opaque by coloring or the like. The first operation knob 15A is disposed through the mounting hole 48A of the control panel 12 from the + X side to the −X side. Similarly to the first operation knob 15A, the second operation knob 15B and the third operation knob 15C include operation units 16B and 16C and a rotation shaft (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3A, the operation knobs 15 </ b> A to 15 </ b> C and the operation lever 20 are connected to a switch as an input unit. 2 and 3A, only the blower switch 22A connected to the first operation knob 15A is illustrated. The blower switch 22A is relatively non-rotatably connected to the end of the rotary shaft 19A of the operation knob 15A. Each switch including the blower switch 22 </ b> A is disposed on the base 13.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a mounting portion 26 </ b> A of the blower switch 22 </ b> A is formed on the surface of the base 13 on the −X side. The base 13 is provided with a through hole 25 that allows the connecting portion 23 of the blower switch 22 </ b> A to pass through to the + X side, and a mounting portion 26 </ b> A is provided below the through hole 25. The mounting portion 26A is provided with a locking portion 27 that can release the locking of the blower switch 22A when a load P1 of a set value or more is applied to the first operating knob 15A from the + X side to the −X side. The locking portion 27 includes an elastic piece 28 protruding in the −X direction, and a locking claw 29 protruding upward from the tip of the elastic piece 28.

  In FIG. 2, when a load P1 greater than the set value is applied to the operation knob 15A from the + X side to the −X side, a load P2 is applied to the locking claw 29. Then, the elastic piece 28 is elastically deformed downward due to the moment relationship caused by the load P2. As a result, the latching claw 29 and the blower switch 22A are unlocked, so that the blower switch 22A can move (drop off) in the −X direction together with the operation knob 15A. Thus, the blower switch 22A is locked (held) so as to be movable in the −X direction with respect to the mounting portion 26A.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the first display unit 35 is an air volume display arranged in an arc around the first operation unit 16A. The first display unit 35 has a 0 display 35a indicating the rotation angle position to be switched to the stop setting, a 1 display 35b indicating the rotation angle position to be switched to the weak operation setting, and 2 displays indicating the rotation angle position to be switched to the medium 1 operation setting. 35c, 3 display 35d indicating the rotation angle position to be switched to the middle 2 operation setting, and 4 display 35e indicating the rotation angle position to be switched to the strong operation setting. In addition, although the display part which shows setting temperature is also provided around the 2nd operation part 16B and the display part which shows the setting of the blower outlet of an air conditioner is also provided around the 3rd operation part 16C, this implementation These are not shown in the form.

  The second display unit 36 and the third display unit 37 are disposed above the operation lever 20 with a gap in the Z direction. The 2nd display part 36 shows the position which switches the air-conditioning operation apparatus 10 to vehicle interior circulation mode, and the 3rd display part 37 shows the position which switches the air-conditioning operation apparatus 10 to outside air introduction mode. In addition, the operation units 16A to 16C of the operation knobs 15A to 15C are provided with display units 38A to 38C, which are pointer units that allow the occupant to recognize the setting state (rotational angle position) by the operation units 16A to 16C. ing. These display parts 38A-38C are provided in the outer periphery of the front-surface part 17 which is the + X side end surface of operation part 16A-16C.

  All the display parts 35-38C are formed with the material (for example, transparent resin film) and thickness which can permeate | transmit light, and the predetermined | prescribed mark is printed. The display units 35 to 38C are arranged on the control panel 12, the operation knobs 15A to 15C, and the operation lever 20, respectively. Of all the display units 35 to 38C, the display units 38B and 38C of the operation knobs 15B and 15C are positioned on the uppermost side of the control panel 12. In addition, the display units 38B and 38C are in the uppermost position when the operation knobs 15B and 15C are rotated to the tops in the Y direction. Of all the display units 35 to 38C, the second display unit 36 and the third display unit 37 are located on the lowermost side of the control panel 12.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3A, a printed circuit board 40 is disposed on the base 13. A connector 42 for electrically connecting to the air conditioner is mounted on the printed circuit board 40. Further, a bulb (light bulb) 45 that is a light emitting unit is mounted on the printed circuit board 40. Referring to FIG. 1, the valve 45 is disposed approximately at the center of all the display portions 35 to 38 </ b> C. In other words, the valve 45 is disposed on the base 13 via the printed circuit board 40 so as to be positioned approximately in the center in the Y direction and approximately in the center in the Z direction of the disposition region including the display portions 35 to 38C. Thereby, the light emitted by one bulb 45 irradiates all the display units 35 to 38C. And each display part 35-38C is illuminated by the light permeate | transmitted to the + X side.

(Details of operation knob arrangement structure)
The operation knobs 15 </ b> A to 15 </ b> C are rotatably arranged in the mounting holes 48 </ b> A to 48 </ b> C of the control panel 12, and each switch including the blower switch 22 </ b> A is attached to each attachment portion 26 </ b> A to 26 </ b> C of the base 13. Accordingly, the operation knobs 15A to 15C are arranged at the set positions in the X direction of the control panel 12. In the present embodiment, the mounting hole 48A of the operation knob 15A is improved in order to eliminate uneven illumination of the display portions 36 and 37 disposed on the opposite side of the valve 45 with the operation knob 15A interposed therebetween.

  The control panel 12 is provided with mounting holes 48A to 48C at positions where the operation knobs 15A to 15C are arranged. The mounting holes 48A to 48C are defined by cylindrical walls 49A to 49C protruding in the −X direction so as to form a cylindrical shape. The inner diameters of these cylindrical walls 49A to 49C are larger than the outer diameters of the operation portions 16A to 16C of the operation knobs 15A to 15C. The cylindrical wall 49A is provided with a first dimming unit 50 located at the outer end 18 which is the −X side end of the operation unit 16A, and the cylindrical walls 49B and 49C have −X of the operation units 16B and 16C. The 2nd light control part 52 located in a side edge part is provided. The second dimming part 52 is formed with a ring groove 53 that protrudes radially inward from the cylindrical walls 49B and 49C and that fits the outer ends of the operation parts 16B and 16C so as to be movable along the X direction. The configuration is the same as the conventional one.

  The first dimming unit 50 receives direct light from the bulb 45 from the gap 54 formed between the inner periphery of the cylindrical wall 49A of the control panel 12 and the outer periphery of the operation unit 16A of the operation knob 15A on the + X side. This is to prevent leakage into the (vehicle interior). Referring also to FIG. 3B, the first dimming unit 50 is deformed or damaged when a load P1 of a set value or more is applied to the first operation knob 15A from the + X side to the −X side and the outer end 18 comes into contact therewith. It is a vulnerable part. The first dimming unit 50 is located on the −X side from the outer end 18 of the operation unit 16A. Further, the first dimming part 50 protrudes inward in the radial direction of the cylindrical wall 49A from the cylindrical wall 49A toward the rotating shaft 19A beyond the outer peripheral part of the outer end part 18. The 1st light control part 50 of this embodiment consists of a substantially annular | circular shaped board.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the wall thickness t <b> 1, which is the dimension in the X direction of the first light control unit 50, is formed thinner than the wall thickness t <b> 2 of the main body portion of the control panel 12. For example, in the case of a polypropylene control panel 12 having a load P1 of 378 N and a wall thickness t2 of 2.5 mm, if the wall thickness t1 of the first light control unit 50 is about 0.5 mm, the first light control unit 50 is Further, it can be deformed or broken by the load P1, and can transmit a predetermined amount of light from the bulb 45.

  In the air-conditioning operation device 10, the first operation knob 15 </ b> A is held at a set position where the outer end portion 18 on the −X side of the operation unit 16 </ b> A faces the first dimming unit 50 with an interval S in a normal use state. Has been. On the other hand, the first operation knob 15A moves in the −X direction by deforming or breaking the first dimming unit 50 when a load P1 of a set value or more is applied from the + X side to the −X side. Similarly, the blower switch 22A is detached from the mounting portion 26A and moves in the −X direction when a load P1 of a set value or more is applied from the + X side to the −X side via the first operation knob 15A. Therefore, the first operation knob 15A and the blower switch 22A move to the −X side with respect to the control panel 12 when a load P1 of a set value or more is applied from the + X side. Therefore, it is possible to sufficiently secure the safety measure function of the air conditioning operation device 10 when the occupant collides with the operation unit 16A.

  In addition, the first dimmer 50 can be deformed or broken by forming the thickness t1 of the first dimmer 50 thinner than the thickness t2 of the main body of the control panel 12. Therefore, the safety of the air conditioning operation device 10 can be ensured with a simple configuration. The first dimming part 50 is thin and protrudes from the −X side end of the cylindrical wall 49A that defines the mounting hole 48A toward the rotating shaft 19A. Therefore, the protruding amount of the cylindrical wall 49A protruding to the −X side can be reduced. As a result, since it is possible to greatly suppress the light directed from the bulb 45 toward the display units 36 and 37 from being blocked by the cylindrical wall 49A, the illumination unevenness of the display units 36 and 37 can be improved. Of course, not only the illumination unevenness of the display parts 36 and 37 located on the opposite side of the first operation knob 15A with respect to the bulb 45, but also the illumination unevenness of all the display parts 35 to 38C can be improved.

  Moreover, the air-conditioning operation device 10 of the present embodiment can improve the design unevenness as well as more reliably improving the illumination unevenness of the display units 36 and 37 by configuring the first dimming unit 50 as follows.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the first dimming unit 50 covers the gap 54 formed between the inner periphery of the cylindrical wall 49 </ b> A and the outer periphery of the operation unit 16 </ b> A with the end on the −X side. Therefore, the light from the bulb 45 does not pass (leak) directly to the + X side from the gap 54. However, depending on the shape of the control panel 12 and the position of the bulb 45, indirect light reflected to another part may pass from the gap 54 to the + X side. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a gap S is positively provided between the outer end portion 18 of the operation unit 16A and the first dimming unit 50, and the indirect light is intentionally passed to the + X side, so that FIG. As shown with light ink, the periphery of the operation unit 16A can be illuminated in a ring shape.

  Specifically, if the gap S is set wide, the amount by which the cylindrical wall 49A protrudes to the −X side increases. Therefore, the gap S is a dimension that does not block the light of the bulb 45 toward the display units 36 and 37. In this embodiment, it is set to about 1 mm. Further, the gap S and the gap 54 have a function of releasing heat in the air conditioning operation device 10 to the + X side.

  In addition to the setting of the gap S, the brightness of the ring illumination can be increased by forming the first dimming unit 50 with a material that can transmit light or the wall thickness t1, and the brightness of the operation unit 16A can be increased. The outer periphery can be reliably illuminated. Moreover, the brightness of a ring illumination etc. can be adjusted by selecting the material and thickness of the 1st light control part 50. FIG. Since it is not preferable that the light from the bulb 45 is transmitted through the main body portion of the control panel 12, the main body portion is formed of a colored resin corresponding to the instrument panel 1. When forming the 1st light control part 50 with the material which can permeate | transmit light, the 1st light control part 50 is shape | molded by another component.

  As described above, the air conditioning operation device 10 of the present embodiment can illuminate all the display units 35 to 38C with one valve 45 while ensuring safety when an occupant collides with the operation knob 15A. The display portions 36 and 37 located on the opposite side of the valve 45 with the operation knob 15A interposed therebetween do not cause uneven illumination.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 5 shows the mounting hole 48A of the air conditioning operation device 10 of the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the first dimmer 50 is easily damaged or deformed by providing a plurality of radially extending grooves 55 in the first dimmer 50 that is a fragile portion. Is different. In the second embodiment thus configured, the same operation and effect as the first embodiment can be obtained, and the periphery of the operation unit 16A can be obtained without excessively reducing the wall thickness t1 of the first positioning unit 50. It can be illuminated in a ring shape.

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 6 shows the mounting hole 48A of the air conditioning operation device 10 of the third embodiment. This third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a through hole 56 for allowing the light of the bulb 45 to pass through is provided in the first dimming unit 50 in order to illuminate the periphery of the operation unit 16A in a ring shape. To do. The through-hole 56 is provided so as to be located on the inner side (rotating shaft 19A side) than the outer peripheral portion of the outer end portion 18 of the operation portion 16A. In the third embodiment thus configured, it is possible to prevent light that has passed through the through hole 56 from leaking directly to the + X side (vehicle interior) through the gap 54. In addition, the same operation and effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained, and the periphery of the operation unit 16A can be illuminated in a ring shape without excessively reducing the thickness t1 of the first dimming unit 50.

  In addition, the vehicle air-conditioning operation device of the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the blower switch 22A that is the input unit is locked by the locking part 27 having the locking claw 29 that is unlocked by an impact, but the locking part is damaged by the impact. You may lock by another well-known structure.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Instrument panel 10 ... Air-conditioning operation apparatus for vehicles 12 ... Control panel 13 ... Base 15A ... Operation knob (operation member)
15B, 15C ... Other operation knob 16A ... Operation part 16B, 16C ... Other operation part 17 ... Front part 18 ... Outer end part 19A ... Rotating shaft 20 ... Operation lever 22A ... Blower switch (input part)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 23 ... Connection part 26A ... Attachment part 26B, 26C ... Other attachment part 25 ... Through-hole 27 ... Locking part 28 ... Elastic piece 29 ... Locking claw 35 ... 1st display part 35a-35e ... Display 36 ... 2nd display Unit 37 ... Third display unit 38A to 38C ... Display unit 40 ... Printed circuit board 42 ... Connector 45 ... Bulb (light emitting unit)
48A ... Mounting hole 48B, 48C ... Other mounting hole 49A ... Cylindrical wall 49B, 49C ... Other cylindrical wall 50 ... First dimmer (fragile part)
52 ... 2nd light control part 53 ... Ring groove 54 ... Air gap 55 ... Groove part 56 ... Through-hole
S ... Gap

Claims (5)

A control panel disposed at the front of the vehicle interior;
An operation member having an operation portion disposed on the vehicle interior side of the control panel, and a rotating shaft disposed through the mounting hole of the control panel and disposed on the vehicle exterior side of the control panel;
An input unit coupled to the rotating shaft;
A base disposed outside the vehicle compartment of the control panel;
A light emitting portion disposed on the base;
A display unit that is provided on the operation unit or the control panel, and capable of transmitting light from the light emitting unit to the vehicle interior side;
The operation member and the input unit are held movably outside the vehicle compartment with respect to the control panel,
Wherein the control panel, the outer end portion is the vehicle exterior side end portion of the operation portion is located outside the casing, beyond the outer periphery of the outer end portion from the wall defining said mounting hole projecting rotary shaft side, and the vehicle vulnerable part you modified or damaged by load is applied more than a set value from the indoor side is provided in the operating member,
The fragile portion is composed of an annular plate.
Between the outer end portion and the fragile portion of the operation portion, it communicates with a gap between the wall of the mounting hole and the outer peripheral portion of the operation portion, and light from the light emitting portion can pass therethrough. A vehicle air-conditioning operation device provided with a gap .   2. The vehicle air conditioning operation according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of display units provided on the control panel is disposed on an opposite side of the light emitting unit with the operation member interposed therebetween. apparatus.   The vehicular air conditioning operation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fragile portion is formed thinner than a thickness of a main body portion of the control panel. The vehicular air conditioning operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the fragile portion is formed of a material that can transmit light or a wall thickness. The said base is provided with the latching | locking part which latches the said input part so that latching may be cancelled | released when the load more than a setting value is added to the said operation member from the said vehicle interior side. The vehicle air-conditioning operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 .

Images