US 11,938,814 B2
Driving assistance device
Yutaka Sakuragi, Hiroshima (JP); Tomoya Yamamoto, Hiroshima (JP); Kenichi Nakamoto, Hiroshima (JP); Yasuyuki Tonohara, Hiroshima (JP); Yu Morokuma, Hiroshima (JP); and Katsuhisa Maedo, Hiroshima (JP)
Assigned to MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, Hiroshima (JP)
Filed by Mazda Motor Corporation, Hiroshima (JP)
Filed on Dec. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/555,545.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-003544 (JP), filed on Jan. 13, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0219531 A1, Jul. 14, 2022
Int. Cl. B60K 26/02 (2006.01); B62D 1/04 (2006.01); G05G 1/02 (2006.01); G05G 5/03 (2008.04)
CPC B60K 26/02 (2013.01) [B60K 26/021 (2013.01); B62D 1/046 (2013.01); G05G 1/025 (2013.01); G05G 5/03 (2013.01); B60K 2026/028 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A driving assistance device comprising:
a lever coupled to a steering wheel of a vehicle and configured for manual operation by a driver of the vehicle,
wherein acceleration of the vehicle is controlled by pressing the lever,
wherein the lever is configured to be pressed while the driver grips the steering wheel,
wherein an operation reaction force opposes pressing of the lever, and
wherein the operation reaction force increases when the lever is pressed beyond a certain point, and
wherein the lever is provided in an arc shape along an inner periphery side of the steering wheel, the lever comprises at least four support portions which are capable of a slide operation with respect to the steering wheel are arranged in left-right symmetry, and at least one support portion among the at least four support portions is configured to generate an operation reaction force in a region where a first operation amount of the lever is larger than a second operation amount of the lever at an inflection point of the operation reaction force.