Control unit for operating the peripheral instruments of a vehicle, and a gear lever that can be used in the control unit

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a control unit for operating the peripheral instruments of a vehicle, comprising an electronic display apparatus and a control element connected to the display apparatus. Peripheral instruments as defined here also include interior apparatuses. A monitor screen can be used as the electronic display apparatus.

Modern vehicles are being fitted with increasingly more peripheral instruments, e.g. ventilation/air conditioning, a navigation system, audio system, board computer, etc. All these peripheral instruments can be operated by buttons. The peripheral instruments in a modem vehicle can be operated by a central control unit in order to keep an overall view of the controls and to limit the number of buttons.

Prior art

Such a control unit is known from European patent application EP-A-O 366

132. This known control unit has a monitor screen and a knob that can be turned in two directions and depressed in an axial direction and thereby also forms a push button.

Peripheral instruments and their functions can be selected and activated on the monitor screen using the knob/button. This known control unit is incorporated in the centre console or between the front seats.

Summary of the invention

An objective of the invention is to provide a control unit with which the peripheral instruments of a vehicle can be operated more simply and more easily than with the known control unit. For this purpose the control unit according to the invention is

characterised in that it comprises a gear lever for changing a vehicle's gears. The gear lever is always set up for optimum accessibility. By making the gear lever as a control element for the peripheral instruments of a vehicle, the peripheral instruments can be easily operated. An embodiment of the control unit according to the invention is characterised in that the gear lever can be moved between several positions, so that it can be operated in and/or from any position for controlling the peripheral instruments. As the peripheral instruments can be operated in any position of the gear lever, the gear lever does not first have to be moved to another position for the operation. It is, however, not necessary for the gear lever to remain in its current position to operate the peripheral instruments. It is also possible to make the control unit so that the peripheral instruments can be operated whilst the gear lever is moved from one position to another.

The different positions between which the gear lever can be moved can, if the gear box is manually operated, comprise positions that correspond to different gear ratios, including the reverse, in which the gears can be changed, and the neutral and/or parking positions. If the gear box is automatic, these positions can include the forward, reverse, neutral and parking positions.

The gear lever can be operated by exerting a small force in different directions. However, the gear lever is preferably operated by moving it manually. This is possible in an embodiment of the control unit according to the invention, in which the gear lever can be moved in a limited area around each position.

A further embodiment of the control unit according to the invention is characterised in that the gear lever comprises a first section for operating a gear box and a second section for controlling peripheral instruments. The control unit preferably comprises a sensor that is connected to the second section for detecting the operation of the second section.

A still further embodiment of the control unit according to the invention is characterised in that the gear lever comprises a third section for switching between the peripheral instruments. The third section is preferably formed by an element that can be moved in relation to the first and/or second section, which is connected to a further sensor of the control unit. The movable element can for example be a turnable ring.

The control unit is preferably made so that operation of the first and/or second and/or third section of the gear lever can be used to change graphic settings on the display apparatus.

Again a further embodiment of the control unit according to the invention is characterised in that the control unit comprises vibration devices and/or fixing devices that can vibrate the whole gear lever or the first and/or second and/or third section of the gear lever during its operation, so that it can be felt when a switch is made between peripheral instruments and when functions of peripheral instruments are selected/set. This means that it can not only be noticed on the display apparatus which peripheral instrument and which function have been selected and set, but this can also be felt, so that it is not or less necessary to look at the display apparatus.

The invention also relates to a gear lever usable in a control unit according to the invention, for operating a vehicle gear box, which gear lever can be moved between several positions. Such a gear lever is generally known. The known gear lever can be moved in an H-pattern for the first four gears (transmissions) and for the neutral, which pattern is expanded with a further branch for the reverse gear and one or two further branches for the fifth and/or sixth gear.

Concerning the gear lever, the invention is characterised in that it can be moved in and/or from any position for operating the peripheral instruments of a vehicle. Refer to the appended claims for embodiments of the gear lever according to the invention.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be elucidated more fully below on the basis of drawings in which an embodiment of the control unit and gear lever according to the invention are shown. In these drawings:

Figure 1 shows a diagram of an embodiment of the control unit according to the invention; and

Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the gear lever according to the invention.

Detailed description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of the control unit for operating the peripheral instruments of a vehicle according to the invention. The control unit 1 comprises a control element 3 with an electronic display apparatus connected to it in the form of a monitor screen 5. The control element is formed by a gear lever 7 for operating a vehicle gear box. The gear lever 7 can be moved between several positions 9 that correspond to different gear ratios in which the gears can be changed, and the neutral position. The gear lever 7 can be moved in a limited area 11 around each position 9 to operate the peripheral instruments. Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the gear lever 7 according to the invention. The gear lever 7 comprises a shaft 13 and a first section for changing the gears. This first section is formed by a knob 15 on the free end of the shaft. The gear leveτ 7 also comprises a second section for operating the peripheral instruments. This second section is formed by a neck 17 under the knob 15. The gear lever can be moved in the H-pattern 19 (see figure 1 ) to change the gears by grasping the knob 15. The gear lever can be moved in the limited area 11 around its position by grasping the neck 17 in order to operate the peripheral instruments. There is a sensor 21 in the gear lever, which is connected to the neck 17 in order to detect if the neck has been grasped.

The gear lever 7 also comprises a third section for switching between the peripheral instruments. This third section is formed by a turnable ring 23 under the neck 17 and around the shaft 13. This ring is connected to a further sensor 25. Turning the ring 23 moves a cursor on the monitor screen with which the different peripheral instruments can be selected. The different functions of the peripheral instrument can be set by then moving the gear lever 7 by the neck 17. The control unit 1 also comprises vibration devices 27, see figure 1 , which can vibrate the whole gear lever 7 during its operation. The user can feel when a switch is made between the peripheral instruments and when functions of the peripheral instruments are selected or set by vibrating the gear lever in different ways.

Although in the above the invention is explained on the basis of the drawings, it should be noted that the invention is in no way limited to the embodiment shown in the drawings. The invention also extends to all embodiments deviating from the embodiment shown in the drawings within the context defined by the claims.