IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,878,731
Granted Patent B2
US 11,878,731 · App. 17/189,065 · Granted Jan 23, 2024

Switch device

Inventors: Masahiro Kato (Aichi, JP); Nobuyuki Ishigure (Aichi, JP); Yuki Sato (Aichi, JP); Tadashi Usuya (Aichi, JP); Takayuki Aoki (Toyota, JP); Shinji Matsubara (Toyota, JP); Toshihiko Kosugi (Toyota, JP); Ryusuke Ohta (Toyota, JP); Shinji Hara (Aichi, JP)
Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
B62D1/046B60K2370/1537B60K2370/782
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,878,731
App. No.
17/189,065
Granted
Jan 23, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A switch device includes a switch body, which is attached to and rotated integrally with an irregularly-shaped steering unit, and a lever unit, which is held pivotally about a switch body. The lever unit includes a lever shaft including a base, which extends in a direction intersecting the steering shaft, and an arm, which is formed integrally with the base and extends in a direction that differs from the direction in which the base extends. The lever unit also includes a lever head at the distal end of the lever shaft, and the lever head extends from the lever shaft in the width direction, which intersects an axial direction.

Claims (17)

1. A lever-type switch device including multiple switching functionalities for operating multiple vehicle on-board devices, the switch device comprising:

a switch body arranged on an irregularly-shaped steering unit, wherein the irregularly-shaped steering unit is rotated to steer a vehicle, and the switch body is attached to and rotated integrally with the irregularly-shaped steering unit; and

a lever unit held pivotally about the switch body, wherein

the lever unit includes

a lever shaft including a base that extends in a direction intersecting a rotary shaft of the irregularly-shaped steering unit and an arm that is formed integrally with the base and extends in a direction differing from the direction in which the base extends, and

a lever head arranged on a distal end of the lever shaft, wherein the lever head has a dimension that is larger than a diameter of the arm.

2. The switch device according to claim 1 , wherein

the arm extends from a back side toward a front side of the irregularly-shaped steering unit, and

the lever head is arranged at the back side of the irregularly-shaped steering unit.

3. The switch device according to claim 1 , wherein the lever unit does not extend outward from a grip of the irregularly-shaped steering unit.

4. The switch device according to claim 1 , wherein

the irregularly-shaped steering unit has a dimension in a width direction that is greater than a dimension in a direction orthogonal to the width direction in a front view taken at a neutral position, and

the lever unit projects outward in the direction orthogonal to the width direction from a contour of the irregularly-shaped steering unit in the front view.

5. The switch device according to claim 4 , wherein

the lever unit is pivotal about an axis of the steering shaft and a direction intersecting the axis, and

the lever head extends in the width direction of the irregularly-shaped steering unit.

6. The switch device according to claim 1 , wherein the lever head includes a display that displays the switching functionalities assigned to the lever unit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2021
From: KATO, MASAHIRO; ISHIGURE, NOBUYUKI; SATO, YUKI; USUYA, TADASHI; AOKI, TAKAYUKI; MATSUBARA, SHINJI; KOSUGI, TOSHIHIKO; OHTA, RYUSUKE; HARA, SHINJI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 055449/0718 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-036774 · Mar 4, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210276605A1 · Sep 9, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,311,996