Turning direction indicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9399426-B2
Application number	US-201414546333-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2014
Priority date	Jul 13, 2012
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

In a turning direction indicator, a first determination section determines whether a steering angle becomes equal to or larger than a first angle in one turning direction after the steering angle becomes a rotation angle in another turning direction opposite to the one turning direction in a state where an indication operation section is operated to a position indicating the one turning direction and the one turning direction is displayed by a display section. A second determination section determines whether the steering angle becomes equal to or smaller than a second angle smaller than the first angle after the steering angle becomes equal to or larger than the first angle. If the second determination section determines that the steering angle is equal to or smaller than the second angle, a cancelation section cancels the display of the turning direction by the display section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A turning direction indicator which indicates a turning direction of a vehicle, comprising:
an indication operation section which is operated from a neutral position to a position indicating the turning direction, thereby switching display of the turning direction to an ON state;
a display section which, when the display of the turning direction is switched to the ON state by the indication operation section, displays the turning direction;
a steering angle detection section which detects a steering angle of a steering wheel that is operated for changing a course of the vehicle;
a first determination section which determines whether the steering angle detected by the steering angle detection section becomes equal to or larger than a magnitude of a first angle that is a rotation angle in a one turning direction after the steering angle becomes a rotation angle in another turning direction that is opposite to the one turning direction in a state where the indication operation section is operated to a position indicating the one turning direction and in a state where the one turning direction is displayed by the display section;
a second determination section which determines whether the steering angle detected by the steering angle detection section becomes equal to or smaller than a magnitude of a second angle that is smaller than the first angle after the steering angle becomes equal to or larger than the magnitude of the first angle; and
a cancelation section which, if the second determination section determines that the steering angle is equal to or smaller than the second angle, cancels the display of the turning direction by the display section.

2. The turning direction indicator according to claim 1 ,
wherein when the steering angle of the steering wheel becomes the cancel angle, the indication operation section is automatically returned to the neutral position, and
wherein the first angle is a rotation angle which is larger than the cancel angle, and the second angle is a rotation angle which is smaller than the cancel angle.

3. The turning direction indicator according to claim 1 ,
wherein in a case where a center position of the steering wheel is a value of 0 and in a case where the steering wheel is at an rotation angle in a right turning direction and a left turning direction, the steering angle detection section detects the steering angle of the steering wheel as values which are different in their positive and negative signs.

Assignees

• Yazaki Corp

Inventors

• Mizuno Yoshiyuki
• Akahori Hidehiro

Classifications

• B60Q1/346 Primary

  with automatic actuation · CPC title

• B60Q1/40 Primary

  having {mechanical, electric or electronic} automatic return to inoperative position · CPC title

• B62D15/0215

  by measuring on the steering column · CPC title