GB2559880A - Steering Wheel Assembly - Google Patents
Steering Wheel Assembly Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2559880A GB2559880A GB1800602.3A GB201800602A GB2559880A GB 2559880 A GB2559880 A GB 2559880A GB 201800602 A GB201800602 A GB 201800602A GB 2559880 A GB2559880 A GB 2559880A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- steering wheel
- support
- wheel assembly
- driver
- support column
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
- B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
- B62D1/00—Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle
- B62D1/02—Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle vehicle-mounted
- B62D1/16—Steering columns
- B62D1/18—Steering columns yieldable or adjustable, e.g. tiltable
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
- B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
- B62D1/00—Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle
- B62D1/02—Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle vehicle-mounted
- B62D1/04—Hand wheels
- B62D1/10—Hubs; Connecting hubs to steering columns, e.g. adjustable
- B62D1/105—Non-rotatable hubs, e.g. the central part of the steering wheel not rotating
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
- B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
- B62D1/00—Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle
- B62D1/02—Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle vehicle-mounted
- B62D1/16—Steering columns
- B62D1/18—Steering columns yieldable or adjustable, e.g. tiltable
- B62D1/187—Steering columns yieldable or adjustable, e.g. tiltable with tilt adjustment; with tilt and axial adjustment
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- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06V—IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- G06V20/00—Scenes; Scene-specific elements
- G06V20/50—Context or environment of the image
- G06V20/59—Context or environment of the image inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
- G06V20/597—Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Multimedia (AREA)
- Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
- Steering Controls (AREA)
Abstract
A steering wheel assembly 1 for a vehicle (V, Figure 1) includes a steering wheel support 4 and a substantially fixed support column 5 for supporting at least one vehicle system 8, 9, for example an driver monitoring sensor, typically a camera, or an airbag. A steering wheel 3 is mounted to steering wheel support 4, so that at least one of the vertical position, rake angle and reach of steering wheel 3 is adjustable with respect to support column 5. System 8, 9 is typically in a central region of steering wheel 3 and in front of steering wheel support 4. Steering wheel support 4 may be a dove tail that engages a rim of steering wheel 3 to support the wheel; in a preferred embodiment steering wheel 3 is hubless.
Description
(71) Applicant(s):
(51) INT CL:
B62D 1/187 (2006.01) (56) Documents Cited:
WO 2016/194341 A1 WO 2016/004167 A1 US 2622690 A US 20140240478 A1 US 20100002075 A1
B62D1/10 (2006.01)
WO 2016/169684 A1 US 3548128 A US 20160188987 A1 US 20110025836 A1
Jaguar Land Rover Limited
Abbey Road, Whitley, Coventry, Warwickshire, CV3 4LF, United Kingdom (58) Field of Search:
INT CL B62D Other: EPODOC, WPI (72) Inventor(s):
Sebastian Lenik (74) Agent and/or Address for Service:
Jaguar Land Rover Limited
Abbey Road, Whitley, Coventry, Warwickshire,
CV3 4LF, United Kingdom (54) Title of the Invention: Steering Wheel Assembly
Abstract Title: Adjustable steering wheel and support (57) A steering wheel assembly 1 for a vehicle (V, Figure 1) includes a steering wheel support 4 and a substantially fixed support column 5 for supporting at least one vehicle system 8, 9, for example an driver monitoring sensor, typically a camera, or an airbag. A steering wheel 3 is mounted to steering wheel support 4, so that at least one of the vertical position, rake angle and reach of steering wheel 3 is adjustable with respect to support column 5. System 8, 9 is typically in a central region of steering wheel 3 and in front of steering wheel support 4. Steering wheel support 4 may be a dove tail that engages a rim of steering wheel 3 to support the wheel; in a preferred embodiment steering wheel 3 is hubless.
At least one drawing originally filed was informal and the print reproduced here is taken from a later filed formal copy.
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STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to a steering wheel assembly. Particularly, but not exclusively, the present disclosure relates to a steering wheel assembly for a vehicle; and to a vehicle comprising a steering wheel assembly.
BACKGROUND
It is known to provide a driver monitoring system to monitor a driver of a vehicle, for example to detect driver fatigue. The driver monitoring system may, for example, track driver eye movements. One or more driver-facing cameras may be installed in the vehicle cabin for this purpose. The driver-facing camera may comprise an optical sensor and/or an infrared sensor. However, the implementation of driver-facing camera(s) presents certain challenges due to the configuration of a typical vehicle cabin. One of the main requirements for reliable operation is that the driver-facing camera is positioned directly in front of the driver and inclined upwardly to provide a clear view of the driver’s eyes. This typically corresponds to a mounting location behind a steering wheel of the vehicle, for example on a cowling of the column. However, in this position, the field of view of the driver-facing camera is easily blocked or obstructed, for example by the steering wheel and/or the column. Moreover, the hands and/or arms of the driver may obstruct the field of view of the driver-facing camera. Conversely, the driver-facing camera may partially obstruct the instrument cluster.
At least in certain embodiments, the present invention seeks to provide an improved steering wheel assembly for a vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Aspects of the present invention relate to a steering wheel assembly; and to a vehicle as claimed in the appended claims.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a steering wheel assembly comprising:
a steering wheel support;
a support column for supporting at least one vehicle system, the support column being at least substantially fixed in position; and a steering wheel mounted to the steering wheel support;
wherein the steering wheel support is arranged such that at least one of the vertical position, rake angle and reach of the steering wheel is adjustable with respect to the support column. The steering wheel support and the support column are independent of each other such that the vertical position and/or the rake angle and/or the reach of the steering wheel may be adjusted without affecting the position or orientation of the support column. The at least one vehicle system may be supported by the support column in a substantially fixed position.
The steering wheel assembly may comprise said at least one vehicle system. The at least one vehicle system may comprise at least one driver monitoring sensor. The driver monitoring sensor may comprise a driver-facing camera. At least in certain embodiments, the position and orientation of the driver-facing camera may remain fixed in order to facilitate driver monitoring, for example to detect driver fatigue. The driver-facing camera may comprise one or more optical sensor and/or one or more infrared sensor. The driver-facing camera may be configured to track eye movements of the driver of the vehicle. The driverfacing camera may be connected to an image processor to monitor driver behaviour. The driver-facing camera may be supported by said support column such that its field of view is substantially un-obstructed by the steering column and/or the steering wheel during normal operation.
The at least one vehicle system may comprise at least one airbag. The fixed position and orientation of the support column may facilitate reliable deployment of the driver airbag.
The support column may be configured to support the at least one vehicle system in a region at least partly defined by the steering wheel. The support column may be configured to support the at least one vehicle system in a substantially central region of the steering wheel. In particular, the support column may be configured to support the at least one vehicle system inside an annulus formed by a rim of the steering wheel.
The at least one vehicle system may be disposed at a first end of the support column for positioning proximal to the driver. This arrangement may help to ensure that the steering wheel does not interfere with the operation of said at least one vehicle system. The support column may be configured to support the at least one vehicle system in front of at least a portion of the steering wheel support. The at least one vehicle system may be supported in a position ahead of the steering wheel support.
The support column and the steering wheel support may be disposed adjacent to each other. The support column and the steering wheel support may extend alongside each other.
The support column and the steering wheel support may have respective central longitudinal axes which are both arranged in a vertical plane.
The at least one vehicle system may be located in a housing disposed on the support column. The housing may be disposed in front of at least a portion of the steering wheel support. For example, the housing may extend over a front portion of the steering wheel support. The housing may comprise a window, for example made of a transparent or semitransparent material. The at least one vehicle system may be mounted behind said window.
The steering wheel assembly may comprise rotatable mounting means for rotatably mounting the steering wheel to the steering wheel support. The rotatable mounting means may comprise a dove tail for rotatably mounting the steering wheel.
The steering wheel assembly may comprise rotational sensing means for sensing rotation of the steering wheel relative to the steering wheel support. The rotational sensing means may comprise a transducer, for example an optical transducer or a Hall effect transducer.
The rotatable mounting means may be configured to engage a rim of the steering wheel. The steering wheel may consist of said rim. In this arrangement, the steering wheel may be referred to as a spokeless steering wheel.
The steering wheel support may be rotatably mounted. The steering wheel may be fixedly mounted to the steering wheel support such that the steering wheel and the steering wheel support rotate together.
The steering wheel support may comprise at least one support arm for supporting the steering wheel. The at least one support arm may extend from a first end of the adjustable column. The at least one support arm may extend in a radial direction from the steering wheel support.
The steering wheel support may form part of a steering column. The steering wheel support may be adjustable. The steering wheel support may, for example, comprise or consist of an adjustable column. The adjustable column may be adjustable to adjust at least one of the vertical position, rake angle and reach of the steering wheel. The at least one vehicle system may be disposed in front of at least a portion of the adjustable column. The at least one vehicle system may be disposed in front of the first end of the adjustable column (i.e. ahead of the end of the adjustable column which is closest to the driver of the vehicle). The at least one vehicle system may be located in a housing disposed in front of the first end of the adjustable column. The first end of the adjustable column may be disposed at least partially behind the housing for the at least one vehicle system. The housing for the at least one vehicle system may be disposed in front of a base of the at least one support arm.
The at least one support arm may be configured to engage the rim of the steering wheel. The steering wheel support may have one support arm connected to the rim of the steering wheel. The support arm may engage the rim of the steering wheel at a 6 o’clock position. Alternatively, the steering wheel support may comprise opposing first and second support members connected to the rim of the steering wheel. The first and second support members may engage the rim of the steering wheel at a 3 o’clock position and a 9 o’clock position respectively. The at least one support arm may be part-conical.
The at least one support arm may comprise rake angle adjustment means for adjusting a rake angle of the steering wheel. The rake angle adjustment means may be configured to incline the steering wheel relative to the steering wheel support. The rake angle adjustment means may comprise a pivoting coupling, for example incorporated into a support arm for the steering wheel.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle comprising a steering wheel assembly as described herein.
Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and/or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and/or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and/or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and/or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One or more embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying Figures, in which:
Figure 1 shows a schematic illustration of a vehicle comprising a steering wheel assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the steering wheel assembly shown in Figure
1;
Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of a steer-by-wire system implemented in the steering wheel assembly shown in Figures 1 and 2;
Figure 4A and 4B illustrate rotation of the steering wheel shown in Figures 2 and 3 to provide a steering input for the vehicle;
Figures 5A, 5B and 5C illustrate longitudinal movement of the steering wheel support of the steering wheel assembly to adjust steering wheel reach;
Figures 6A, 6B and 6C illustrate vertical movement of the steering wheel support of the steering wheel assembly to adjust the vertical position of the steering wheel;
Figures 7A-7D illustrate pivoting movement of the steering wheel to adjust the rake angle of the steering wheel;
Figures 8A and 8B show schematic representations of variants of the steering wheel assembly comprising a mechanical connection for generating steering inputs;
Figure 9 shows a modified version of the steering wheel assembly incorporating controllers on the support column of the steering column;
Figure 10 shows a perspective view of the steering wheel assembly according to a further embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 11 shows a side elevation of the steering wheel assembly shown in Figure
10;
Figure 12 illustrate rotation of the steering wheel shown in Figures 10 and 11 to provide a steering input for the vehicle;
Figures 13A to 13C illustrate adjustment of a vertical position of the steering wheel in the embodiment shown in Figures 10,11 and 12;
Figures 14A to 14C illustrate adjustment of a reach of the steering wheel in the embodiment shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12;
Figures 15A to 15C illustrate adjustment of a rake angle of the steering wheel in the embodiment shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12;
Figure 16 shows a perspective view of the steering wheel assembly according to a further embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 17 shows a side elevation of the steering wheel assembly according to a further embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 18 shows a variant of the steering wheel assembly shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12; and
Figure 19 shows a variant of the steering wheel assembly shown in Figure 16.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A steering wheel assembly 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying Figures. The steering wheel assembly 1 is configured to provide steering inputs for a vehicle V, such as an automobile. The steering wheel assembly 1 and the vehicle V are illustrated in Figure 1.
With reference to Figure 2, the steering wheel assembly 1 comprises a steering column 2, a steering wheel 3 and a support column 5. The steering column 2 comprises a steering wheel support 4 for supporting the steering wheel 3. First and second controllers 6, 7 are provided on the steering wheel 3. The steering wheel support 4 and the support column 5 are mounted below a dashboard (not shown) and extend towards a driver of the vehicle V. The steering wheel support 4 is positioned below the support column 5 in the present embodiment. The steering wheel 3 is rotatably mounted to a first end of the steering wheel support 4 proximal to the driver. The steering wheel 3 in the present embodiment consists of an annular rim 10. Thus, the steering wheel 3 in the present embodiment is spokeless. In use, a driver of the vehicle V holds the annular rim 10 of the steering wheel 3. The first and second controllers 6, 7 are fixedly mounted to the annular rim 10 for operation by the driver.
The steering wheel support 4 comprises a support arm 11 and a rotatable mounting means 12 for mounting the steering wheel 3. The support arm 11 extends in a downwards direction from the first end of the steering wheel support 4. The rotatable mounting means 12 is configured to enable the steering wheel 3 to rotate about a rotational axis X to provide steering inputs for the vehicle V. The rotatable mounting means 12 in the present embodiment comprises a dove tail coupling (not shown). The rotatable mounting means 12 may comprise one or more roller bearings to facilitate rotation of the annular rim 10. In the example shown in Figure 3, a rotation sensing means 13 is provided to monitor rotation of the steering wheel 3 relative to the support arm 11. In the present embodiment, the rotation sensing means 13 comprises a transducer 14 which outputs an angular rotation signal to a steering control unit (not shown) to implement a so-called steer-by-wire function.
The steering wheel support 4 is adjustable to allow the driver of the vehicle V to adjust the vertical position and/or a rake angle and/or a reach of the steering wheel 3 to be adjusted. The term “rake angle” is used herein to refer to the angular orientation of the steering wheel 3 relative to a vertical plane. The steering wheel support 4 may be pivotable about a horizontal transverse axis (perpendicular to the rotational axis X of the steering wheel 3) to adjust the vertical position of the steering wheel 3. It will be understood that pivoting the steering wheel support 4 about said horizontal transverse axis will also adjust the rake angle of the steering wheel 3. Alternatively, or in addition, the support arm 11 may comprise a pivoting connection to provide an additional degree of freedom for adjusting the rake angle of the steering wheel 3.
The support column 5 is fixedly mounted such that its position and orientation cannot be adjusted. Thus, the support column 5 remains in a substantially fixed position as the position and/or the angular orientation of the steering wheel support 4 are adjusted. The support column 5 is arranged to support vehicle systems including a driver monitoring sensor 8 and a driver airbag 9. As shown in Figure 2, the support column 5 comprises a floating housing 15 arranged to receive said vehicle systems. The floating housing 15 is disposed within a substantially central region of the steering wheel 3. As the support column 5 does not move, the position and orientation of the floating housing 15 is at least substantially fixed irrespective of the position and orientation of the steering wheel support 4 and the angular orientation of the steering wheel 3. The floating housing 15 in the present embodiment extends downwardly over the front of the steering wheel support 4. The floating housing 15 comprises a front panel 16 having a transparent window 17. The driver monitoring sensor 8 comprises a driver-facing camera, for example including an optical sensor and/or an infrared sensor. The driver-facing camera is mounted behind the transparent window 17 and is directed towards the driver’s face. Due to the positioning of the floating housing 15 within the central region of the steering wheel 3, at least during normal operation, the field of view of the driver-facing camera is not obstructed by the steering column 2 or the steering wheel 3. The driver-facing camera outputs image data to an image processor (not shown). The image data is analysed to monitor driver behaviour, for example to detect driver fatigue. The transparent window 17 in the present embodiment is positioned in a lower portion of the floating housing 15 to enable the driver-facing camera to be inclined upwardly towards the driver’s face. The fixed arrangement of the support column 5 helps to ensure that the position and orientation of the driver-facing camera is unchanged. Furthermore, the image processor does not need to account for movement of the driver-facing camera. The driver airbag 9 is disposed in a chamber (not shown) formed in the floating housing 15. The driver airbag 9 is positioned above the driver-facing camera in the present embodiment. Since the support column 5 is fixed, the location and the orientation of the driver airbag 9 do not change (irrespective of the position and/or the angular orientation of the steering wheel support 4), thereby helping to ensure consistent deployment.
The first and second controllers 6, 7 provide control functions for vehicle systems, for example to control a cruise control system and/or an infotainment system and/or communications via a paired cellular telephone. As shown in Figure 2, the first and second controllers 6, 7 are mounted at three (3) o’clock and nine (9) o’clock positions respectively on the annular rim 10 when the steering wheel 3 is in a centralised position. The first and second controllers 6, 7 are mounted to an outer portion of the annular rim 10 so as to remain clear of the rotatable mounting means 12 as the steering wheel 3 is rotated. One or more electrical connections may be provided between the steering wheel 3 and the steering wheel support 4 to connect the first and second controllers 6, 7 to the vehicle systems.
The operation of the steering wheel assembly 1 will now be described with reference to Figures 4 to 7. The movement of the steering wheel 3 and the steering wheel support 4 are illustrated by directional arrows in the figures. With reference to Figures 4A and 4B, the steering wheel 3 is rotatable about the rotational axis X in a conventional manner to generate steering inputs to control the vehicle. With reference to Figures 5A, 5B and 5C, the steering wheel support 4 can translate in a longitudinal direction to adjust the reach of the steering wheel 3. The steering wheel support 4 is shown in a rearward position in Figure 5A, an intermediate position in Figure 5B and a forward position in Figure 5C. With reference to Figures 6A, 6B and 6C, the steering wheel support 4 can pivot or translate to adjust the vertical height of the steering wheel 3. The steering wheel 3 is shown in an upper position in Figure 6A, an intermediate position in Figure 6B and a lower position in Figure 6C. As described herein, the support arm 11 may comprise a pivoting connection to enable the rake angle of the steering wheel 3 to be adjusted. The adjustment of the rake angle of the steering wheel 3 is illustrated in Figures 7A, 7B, 7C and 7D. The steering wheel 3 is illustrated in an upright position in Figure 7A and in first, second and third inclined position to in Figures 7B, 7C and 7D respectively.
The steering wheel assembly 1 has been described herein as incorporating a transducer 14 to measure angular rotation of the steering wheel 3 to implement a steer-by-wire function. In variants, a mechanical coupling may be provided to transmit torque from the steering wheel 3 to an output shaft 18 disposed in the steering wheel support 4. As shown in Figure 8A, the mechanical coupling may comprise a gear train 19 for transmitting torque to the output shaft 18. As shown in Figure 8B, the mechanical coupling may comprise a chain-drive, a toothed belt drive and/or pulley drive mechanism 20 for transmitting torque to the output shaft 18.
The steering wheel assembly 1 described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 comprises first and second controllers 6, 7 mounted to the steering wheel 3. In a variant, the first and second controllers 6, 7 may be mounted to the support column 5, as shown in Figure 9. In a further variant, the first and second controllers 6, 7 could be mounted to the steering wheel support 4.
A further embodiment of the steering wheel assembly 1 will now be described with reference to Figures 10, 11 and 12. Like reference numerals are used for like components.
As shown in Figure 10, the steering wheel assembly 1 according to the present embodiment comprises a steering column 2, a steering wheel 3, a support column 5, and first and second controllers 6, 7. The steering column 2 comprises a steering wheel support 4 and the steering wheel 3 is mounted to a first end of the steering wheel support 4 proximal to the driver. The steering wheel support 4 is adjustable to enable the reach and/or the vertical position and/or the rake angle of the steering wheel 3 to be adjusted. The mounting arrangement of the steering wheel 3 is modified in this embodiment such that the steering wheel 3 is fixedly mounted to the steering wheel support 4. The steering wheel support 4 is rotatably mounted to enable rotation of the steering wheel 3 about a rotational axis X to generate steering inputs to control the vehicle, as illustrated in Figure 12. The position and orientation of the support column 5 are fixed. The steering wheel support 4 is profiled to enable pivoting and translational movement without contacting the column support 5. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the support column 5 is generally cylindrical; and the steering wheel support 4 is part-conical. A driver monitoring sensor 8 and a driver airbag 9 are mounted to the support column 5. The mounting arrangement of the first and second controllers 6, 7 is unchanged from the arrangement illustrated in Figure 2. In particular, the first and second controllers 6, 7 are mounted to an annular rim 10 of the steering wheel 3.
The support column 5 is fixedly mounted such that its position and orientation cannot be adjusted. The support column 5 remains at least substantially stationary when the position and/or the angular orientation of the steering wheel support 4 are adjusted. As shown in Figure 10, the support column 5 comprises a floating housing 15 comprising a front panel 16 having a transparent window 17. The driver monitoring sensor 8 is mounted behind the transparent window 17 and is directed towards the driver’s face. The operation of the driver monitoring sensor 8 is unchanged from the other embodiments described herein. The driver airbag 9 is disposed in a chamber (not shown) formed in the floating housing 15. The driver airbag 9 is positioned above the driver monitoring sensor 8 in the present embodiment. The driver monitoring sensor 8 comprises a driver-facing camera, for example including an optical sensor and/or an infrared sensor.
As illustrated in Figure 12, the steering wheel 3 is rotatable about the rotational axis X. The directional arrow in Figure 12 illustrates the combined rotation of the steering wheel 3 and the steering wheel support 4. The operation of the steering wheel assembly 1 according to the present embodiment is substantially unchanged from the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 7.
The steering wheel support 4 may be adjustable to change the vertical position of the steering wheel 3. The adjustment of the vertical position of the steering wheel support 4 is illustrated in Figures 13A to 13C. The steering wheel support 4 may translate along a vertical axis to adjust the vertical position of the steering wheel 3. Alternatively, the steering wheel support 4 may pivot about a transverse axis to adjust the vertical position of the steering wheel 3. The steering wheel support 4 is shown in an uppermost position in Figure 13A. In the uppermost position, the steering wheel support 4 is disposed proximal to the support column 5. The part-conical steering wheel support 4 extends around a portion of the support column 5. The steering wheel support 4 can translate vertically to an intermediate position as illustrated in Figure 13B. The steering wheel support 4 is shown in a lowermost position in Figure 13C. In the lowermost position, the steering wheel support 4 is displaced from the support column 5. The floating housing 15 remains within the bounds of the steering wheel 3 irrespective of the vertical position of the steering wheel support 4.
The steering wheel support 4 may be adjustable to change the reach of the steering wheel 3. The adjustment of the vertical position of the steering wheel support 4 is illustrated in Figures 14A to 14C. The steering wheel support 4 may translate along a longitudinal axis to adjust the reach of the steering wheel 3. The steering wheel support 4 is shown in a forward position (relative to the vehicle) in Figure 14A, thereby increasing the reach of the steering wheel 3. In the forward position, the reach is increased such that the steering wheel 3 is disposed distal from the driver. The steering wheel support 4 can translate longitudinally and is illustrated in an intermediate position in Figure 14B. The steering wheel support 4 is shown in a rearward position (relative to the vehicle) in Figure 14C. In the rearward position, the reach is reduced such that the steering wheel 3 is disposed proximal to the driver.
The steering wheel support 4 may be adjustable to change the rake angle of the steering wheel 3. The adjustment of the rake angle of the steering wheel support 4 is illustrated in Figures 15A to 15C. The steering wheel support 4 may pivot about a transverse axis to adjust the rake angle of the steering wheel 3. The steering wheel support 4 is shown in an upright position in Figure 15A. In the upright position, the steering wheel 3 may be disposed at least substantially in a vertical plane. The steering wheel support 4 can pivot about the transverse axis and is illustrated in an intermediate position in Figure 15B. The steering wheel support 4 is shown in an inclined position in Figure 15C. In the inclined position, the steering wheel 3 is inclined relative to a vertical plane.
A further variant of the steering wheel assembly 1 is illustrated in Figures 16 and 17. This variant is a development of the arrangement illustrated in Figures 10, 11 and 12. In this arrangement, the steering wheel support 4 comprises opposing first and second support arms 21, 22. As shown in Figure 16, the first and second controllers 6, 7 may optionally be integrated into said first and second support arms 21,22. The operation of this variant of the steering wheel assembly 1 is unchanged.
The steering wheel assemblies 1 described herein have incorporated the driver monitoring sensor 8 into the floating housing 15 formed in the support column 5. However, the driver monitoring sensor 8 may be provided in a camera housing 23 mounted to the support column 5 as shown in Figures 18 and 19. For example, the camera housing 23 may be mounted to an upper surface of the support column 5. The camera housing 23 may, for example, be formed from a transparent or semi-transparent plastics material. A variant of the steering wheel assembly 1 illustrated in Figures 10, 11 and 12 comprising a camera housing 23 is illustrated in Figure 18. A variant of the steering wheel assembly 1 illustrated in Figure 16 comprising a camera housing 23 is illustrated in Figure 19.
It will be understood that conventional mechanisms can be used to adjust the position and/or angular orientation of the steering wheel support 4. The mechanisms may, for example, be operated using one or more hand-operated or power-operated mechanisms.
In another embodiment, not shown, the position and orientation of the support column 5 may be arranged to provide secondary adjustment means, operable to provide auxiliary adjustment of the support column 5 relative to the vehicle. This secondary adjustment means may be employed to increase the available range of adjustment of the steering wheel and/or the vehicle systems supported on the support column relative to the driver. It is intended that the primary adjustment of the steering wheel by the driver in normal daily driving would be performed as described above. However, in this embodiment, if the vehicle is to be used by a driver with unusually tall, or unusually short stature, then it is envisioned that the secondary adjustment means may be adjusted by authorised personnel, such as service technicians at a vehicle dealership, to provide a more comfortable seating position for the driver without losing the benefits of the enhanced positioning of the driver monitoring sensor 8.
A variant of the embodiment shown in Figures 10 to 15 is illustrated in Figures 20A-C, 21A-B and 22A-B. Like reference numerals are used for like components. The support column 5 is generally cylindrical; and the steering wheel support 4 is part-conical. However, in the present variant, the steering wheel support 4 is provided above the support column 5. When the steering wheel 3 is in a neutral position (corresponding to a steering angle of 0°), the steering wheel support 4 is position above the support column 5 in a 12 o’clock position. The steering wheel support 4 is adjustable to enable the reach and/or the vertical position and/or the rake angle of the steering wheel 3 to be adjusted.
The steering wheel support 4 may be adjustable to change the vertical position of the steering wheel 3. The adjustment of the vertical position of the steering wheel support 4 is illustrated in Figures 20A to 20C. The steering wheel support 4 may translate along a vertical axis to adjust the vertical position of the steering wheel 3. The steering wheel support 4 is shown in a lowermost position in Figure 20A. In the lowermost position, the steering wheel support 4 is disposed proximal to the support column 5. The part-conical steering wheel support 4 extends around a portion of the support column 5. The steering wheel support 4 can translate vertically to an intermediate position as illustrated in Figure 20B. The steering wheel support 4 is shown in an uppermost position in Figure 20C. In the uppermost position, the steering wheel support 4 is disposed distal from the support column 5. The floating housing 15 remains within the bounds of the steering wheel 3 irrespective of the vertical position of the steering wheel support 4.
The steering wheel support 4 may be adjustable to change the reach of the steering wheel 3. The adjustment of the vertical position of the steering wheel support 4 is illustrated in Figures 21A and 21B. The steering wheel support 4 may translate along a longitudinal axis to adjust the reach of the steering wheel 3. The steering wheel support 4 can translate longitudinally to a forward position (relative to the vehicle), not shown. In the forward position, the reach is increased such that the steering wheel 3 is disposed distal from the driver. The steering wheel support 4 can translate longitudinally and is illustrated in an intermediate position in Figure 21 A. The steering wheel support 4 is shown in a rearward position (relative to the vehicle) in Figure 21B, thereby reducing the reach of the steering wheel 3. In the rearward position, the reach is reduced such that the steering wheel 3 is disposed proximal to the driver.
The steering wheel support 4 may be adjustable to change the rake angle of the steering wheel 3. The adjustment of the rake angle of the steering wheel support 4 is illustrated in Figures 22A and 22B. The steering wheel support 4 may pivot about a transverse axis to adjust the rake angle of the steering wheel 3. The steering wheel support 4 is shown in an upright position in Figure 22A. In the upright position, the steering wheel 3 may be disposed at least substantially in a vertical plane. The steering wheel support 4 can pivot about the transverse axis and is illustrated in an inclined position in Figure 22B. In the inclined position, the steering wheel 3 is inclined relative to a vertical plane.
It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made to the embodiment(s) described herein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (20)
1. A steering wheel assembly comprising: a steering wheel support;
a support column for supporting at least one vehicle system, the support column being at least substantially fixed in position; and a steering wheel mounted to the steering wheel support;
wherein the steering wheel support is arranged such that at least one of the vertical position, rake angle and reach of the steering wheel is adjustable with respect to the support column.
2. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one vehicle system comprises at least one driver monitoring sensor.
3. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the driver monitoring sensor comprises a driver-facing camera.
4. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1,2 or 3, wherein the at least one vehicle system comprises at least one airbag.
5. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the support column is configured to support the at least one vehicle system in a region at least partly defined by the steering wheel.
6. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the support column is configured to support the at least one vehicle system in a central region of the steering wheel.
7. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support column is configured to support the at least one vehicle system in front of the steering wheel support.
8. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising rotatable mounting means for rotatably mounting the steering wheel to the steering wheel support.
9. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rotatable mounting means comprises a dove tail for mounting the steering wheel.
10. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 comprising rotational sensing means for sensing rotation of the steering wheel relative to the steering wheel support.
11. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in any one of claims 8, 9 or 10, wherein the rotatable mounting means is configured to engage a rim of the steering wheel.
12. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support column and the steering wheel support are disposed adjacent to each other.
13. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the steering wheel support is rotatably mounted such that the steering wheel and the steering wheel support are rotatable together.
14. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the steering wheel support comprises at least one support arm for engaging the rim of the steering wheel.
15. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least one support arm is part-conical.
16. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the at least one support arm comprises rake angle adjustment means for adjusting a rake angle of the steering wheel.
17. A steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein the rake angle adjustment means is configured to incline the steering wheel relative to the steering wheel support.
18. A vehicle comprising a steering wheel assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.
19. A steering wheel assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying Figures.
20. A vehicle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying Figures.
Intellectual
Property
Office
Application No: GB1800602.3
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB1700706.3A GB2558653A (en) | 2017-01-16 | 2017-01-16 | Steering wheel assembly |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
GB201800602D0 GB201800602D0 (en) | 2018-02-28 |
GB2559880A true GB2559880A (en) | 2018-08-22 |
Family
ID=58463397
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB1700706.3A Withdrawn GB2558653A (en) | 2017-01-16 | 2017-01-16 | Steering wheel assembly |
GB1800602.3A Withdrawn GB2559880A (en) | 2017-01-16 | 2018-01-15 | Steering Wheel Assembly |
Family Applications Before (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB1700706.3A Withdrawn GB2558653A (en) | 2017-01-16 | 2017-01-16 | Steering wheel assembly |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
GB (2) | GB2558653A (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE102019106334A1 (en) * | 2019-03-13 | 2020-09-17 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft | Means of transport and user interface for an autonomously drivable means of transport |
DE102020133726A1 (en) | 2020-12-16 | 2022-06-23 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft | Steering assembly for a vehicle, steering input device for a steering assembly, vehicle and method for operating a vehicle with a steering assembly |
Families Citing this family (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2579866B (en) | 2018-12-19 | 2021-02-24 | Ford Global Tech Llc | Movable steering wheel assemblies |
DE102019107577A1 (en) * | 2019-03-25 | 2020-10-01 | Zf Automotive Germany Gmbh | Steer-by-wire steering system |
EP4170607A1 (en) * | 2021-10-22 | 2023-04-26 | Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH | Driver monitoring camera |
KR20230079788A (en) * | 2021-11-29 | 2023-06-07 | 현대모비스 주식회사 | Apparatus for adjusting steering wheel and method thereof |
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GB675928A (en) * | 1949-02-25 | 1952-07-16 | Bela Barenyi | Improvements relating to steering wheel and instrument arrangements on motor vehicles |
IT214163Z2 (en) * | 1988-06-24 | 1990-04-02 | Same Spa | DRIVING STATION FOR TRACTORS |
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- 2017-01-16 GB GB1700706.3A patent/GB2558653A/en not_active Withdrawn
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US2622690A (en) * | 1949-02-25 | 1952-12-23 | Barenyi Bela | Steering device for motor vehicles |
US3548128A (en) * | 1969-07-11 | 1970-12-15 | Palmer B Willett | Adjustable steering wheel |
US20110025836A1 (en) * | 2008-03-18 | 2011-02-03 | Satoshi Tamaki | Driver monitoring apparatus, driver monitoring method, and vehicle |
US20100002075A1 (en) * | 2008-07-04 | 2010-01-07 | Hyundai Motor Company | Driver's state monitoring system using a camera mounted on steering wheel |
US20140240478A1 (en) * | 2013-02-27 | 2014-08-28 | GM Global Technology Operations LLC | Driver monitoring camera system |
WO2016004167A1 (en) * | 2014-07-02 | 2016-01-07 | Nsk Americas, Inc. | Steering column assembly with tilt adjustment and improved assembly method for resisting lash |
US20160188987A1 (en) * | 2014-12-30 | 2016-06-30 | Tk Holdings, Inc. | Occupant monitoring systems and methods |
WO2016169684A1 (en) * | 2015-04-23 | 2016-10-27 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft | Arrangement of a steering wheel in a motor vehicle suitable for autonomous driving |
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DE102019106334A1 (en) * | 2019-03-13 | 2020-09-17 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft | Means of transport and user interface for an autonomously drivable means of transport |
DE102020133726A1 (en) | 2020-12-16 | 2022-06-23 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft | Steering assembly for a vehicle, steering input device for a steering assembly, vehicle and method for operating a vehicle with a steering assembly |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB2558653A (en) | 2018-07-18 |
GB201700706D0 (en) | 2017-03-01 |
GB201800602D0 (en) | 2018-02-28 |
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WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |