Classifications

• • 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
  • B62D1/046—Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• • 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
  • B62D1/06—Rims, e.g. with heating means; Rim covers

Definitions

• the invention relates to a steering wheel assembly for a motor vehicle steering wheel according to the preamble of claim 1.
• Such a steering wheel assembly includes a handle portion for gripping and operating a steering wheel, for example in the form of a steering wheel rim and / or steering wheel spokes, via which the steering wheel rim is connected to a steering wheel hub, wherein the handle portion has an outer surface which surrounds the handle portion and which the area surrounding the grip area is adjacent.
• the outer surface of the grip area comes into contact with a driver's hand when it executes a steering movement by gripping the grip area or when operating a control element provided on the grip area, such as an electric switch.
• One or more electrical elements for forming a planar electrode arrangement are provided on the grip area, by means of which the approach of a hand to the grip area and / or the position of a hand on the grip area can be detected.
• the planar electrode arrangement or the electrical elements provided for forming that electrode arrangement are regularly between a (in cross-section) central portion of the handle region and a thereto (in the radial direction) outwardly adjoining outer portion of the handle portion (which also the outer Surface of the handle portion forms) arranged.
• the inner (eg central) and the outer portion of the grip area can each be formed by one or more subsections or layers.
• the inner (central) portion of the grip area can be formed by the steering wheel skeleton and a foam applied thereto.
• the outer portion of the grip area can be formed, for example, by a further foam and / or an outer lining, in particular made of wood or leather.
• the electrode arrangement or, more precisely, the electrical elements provided for forming the electrode arrangement extend between an inner and the outer section of the grip area and, in the case of prior art arrangements, are for example angled around the inner section of the grip area.
• the electrode arrangement is not formed by a single large-area electrical element but is subdivided into a plurality of individual electrical elements, in particular it should be possible to determine whether only one or both hands of the driver grasp the grip area, where this happens in each case and / or if one each hand actually firmly grasps the grip area or merely touches it in a touching manner.
• the detection of a driver's hand may be particularly capacitive in such a system, i.e., by evaluating the capacitive coupling of the hand to the electrode assembly integrated into the grip area of the steering wheel assembly.
• Alternatively and / or additionally, for example, also force effects can be detected by the hand when gripping the grip area.
• the invention is based on the problem of further improving a steering wheel assembly having an electrode arrangement integrated in its grip region with regard to detecting a respective touch or grip situation.
• This problem is inventively solved by the provision of a steering wheel assembly with the features of claim 1.
• the planar electrode arrangement formed by at least one electrical element
• the invention is based on the finding that the alignment and strength of the electric fields generated on adjacent subregions of the electrode arrangement when approaching a hand are better separated from one another by the use in the cross section of straight and / or concave electrode surfaces for forming the electrode arrangement serving as a touch or handle sensor delimit so that different touch and handle situations can be detected more reliable than in the prior art electrode assemblies.
• the direction and intensity of the electric fields generated along the gripping area when a hand approaches the same change continuously (for example due to a continuous convex curvature of the electrode arrangement around a central steering wheel area), which makes it difficult to differentiate between different touch and grip situations.
• the electrode assembly surrounds an inner portion of the handle portion. On the one hand, this can take place in such a way that the electrode arrangement encloses the inner portion of the grip area completely (over an angle of 360 °). On the other hand, this can also take place in such a way that the electrode arrangement only partially surrounds the inner portion of the grip area, for example over an angle of at least
• the electrode arrangement may, for example, have a substantially U-shaped cross-section.
• the electrode arrangement may have at least two partial regions which are angled away from one another. This means, in particular, that at the transition from one partial region to the other, angled partial region, there is a discontinuity at which the direction of the surface normals of the respective partial region undergoes a discontinuous, ie abrupt, change in the transition from one partial region to the other partial region.
• the mutually angled planar partial regions of the electrode arrangement can touch each other at the transition. On the other hand, you can also complain about each other there.
• the individual subareas of the electrode arrangement can be formed in their rectilinear, concave or convex cross-section on their side facing the outer surface of the grip area.
• the electrode arrangement can also have exclusively straight-lined or even exclusively convex subareas and a combination of straight, concave and convex subareas.
• it should not consist exclusively of convex part sections in cross section.
• convex-shaped and concave-shaped portions of the electrode assembly may alternate along the circumference of the grip portion, or convex shaped and rectilinear portions of the electrode assembly may be alternately arranged along the circumference. Also possible is an alternating arrangement in the cross section of straight and concave shaped portions. Finally, it is also possible to provide both straight-line and concave-shaped and convex-shaped partial regions in cross-section.
• the shape of a respective subregion of the electrode arrangement advantageously corresponds to the associated surface area, i. the outer contour of the inner portion of the handle portion, on which the corresponding portion of the electrode assembly is applied.
• a surface area which is rectilinear in cross-section is provided on the inner portion of the grip area for applying a section of the electrode arrangement which is rectilinear in cross section, etc.
• two or electrode arrangements in each case between the steering wheel skeleton and the outer surface of the grip area may also be arranged in the grip area.
• Figure 1 shows a cross section through the handle portion of a steering wheel assembly with a
• Figure 1 A is a detail of Figure 1;
• Figure 2 is a schematic representation of an electrode arrangement of the type shown in Figure 1 with the field lines of an electric field, which is generated when approaching a hand to the electrode assembly;
• Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a modification of the arrangement of FIG.
• Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a development of
• Figure 5a is a schematic, fragmentary view of a second
• Figure 5b is a schematic, fragmentary view of a second
• Figure 6 is a schematic representation of a motor vehicle steering wheel.
• FIG. 6 shows a steering wheel L for a motor vehicle which, in a known manner, has an annular ring extending in a direction of extent E, for example a circular ring, extending steering wheel rim K.
• This forms a grip area for gripping and operating the steering wheel L, to perform in a motor vehicle hereby a steering movement or to operate on the steering wheel rim K provided operating element, for example in the form of an electrical switch.
• the circumferential direction U of the grip region that is, the direction along which the grip region rotates in cross-section, runs.
• the steering wheel L further has a central region in the form of a hub N, via which the steering wheel L can be brought into connection with the steering system of a motor vehicle in order to implement a steering movement performed on the steering wheel L.
• the steering wheel rim K is connected to the central steering wheel area via spokes S, which likewise form part of the grip area and may have, for example, operating elements.
• the steering wheel assembly of Figure 6 is to be understood as exemplary only.
• the steering wheel rim K does not have to revolve uninterruptedly along the extension direction E, but may e.g. consist of two (or more) rim portions which are spaced apart along the extension direction E of the steering wheel rim.
• the handle region 1 shows a cross section through the grip area (for example through the steering wheel rim K) of a steering wheel L of the type shown in FIG. 6, the grip area in FIG. 1 and in the following FIGS. 2 and 3 being denoted by the reference symbol "1"
• the handle region 1 comprises as the central section 2, 3 a steering wheel skeleton 2 and a layer 3 surrounding the skeleton 2, for example in the form of a foam around the skeleton 2.
• This central section 2, 3 of the grip region 1 is shown again separately in FIG 1 A, it is clear that the central section 2, 3 of the grip region 1 has a polygonal cross-section, ie the central section 2, 3 of the grip region 1 is defined by a plurality of edges 31, 32, 33 which are angled in the exemplary embodiment , 34, which in each case have a rectilinear cross-section, adjoin the central section 2, 3 of the grip region 1 to the outside
• Section 4 which may be formed for example by a foam around the central portion 2, 3 (second foam).
• the outer portion 4 of the handle portion 1 defined in the embodiment at the same time the outer surface 10 of the handle portion 1, via which the grip area adjacent to the environment outside the steering wheel.
• the outer surface 10 of the handle portion 1 is formed in the embodiment at the same time the outer surface 10 of the handle portion 1, via which the grip area adjacent to the environment outside the steering wheel.
• the outer surface 10 of the handle portion 1 may be provided with indentations to form recesses for the fingers of a driver.
• an electrode assembly 5 is applied, consisting of electrical elements, which form four portions 51, 52, 53, 54 of the electrode assembly 5 in the form of a respective electrode surface.
• Each subarea 51, 52, 53, 54 of the electrode arrangement 5 is in each case assigned a surface region 31, 32, 33, 34 of the inner section 2, 3 of the grip region 1 (or more precisely its outer contour) on which the corresponding subregion 51 , 52, 53, 54 of the electrode assembly 5 is applied.
• the sub-regions 51 to 54 of the electron assembly 5 form in the embodiment in cross-section a polygon, specifically a quadrangle.
• a polygon specifically a quadrangle.
• other cross-sectional polygonal embodiments - both the central portion 2, 3 and the electrode assembly 5 - can be realized.
• the corners can also be rounded.
• the partial regions 51, 52, 53, 54 of the electrode arrangement 5 are in each case rectilinear in cross-section, in contrast to the convex curvature of the outer surface 10 of the handle region 1 as a whole. This results in improved properties with regard to the electric field generated when approaching a driver's hand, as will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG.
• FIGS. 1 and 1 A concretely starts from a situation in which the inner section of the grip region 1 surrounded by the electrode arrangement 5 coincides with its central section 2, 3, which also contains the skeleton 2 of the grip area 1.
• the electrode assembly 5 may also be arranged off-center with respect to the skeleton 2, so that the inner portion of the grip region 1 encompassed by the electrode assembly 5 does not contain the skeleton 2.
• Electrodes can be integrated into the grip area 1, each surrounding an inner portion of the grip area 1, so that a plurality of corresponding inner portions of the grip area 1 would then be defined. This can be realized, for example, by repeated, section-wise foaming of the grip region 1.
• the electrode arrangement 5 shown in cross-section in FIG. 1 does not have to extend along the extension direction E over the entire length of the grip region 1, for example in the form of a steering wheel rim (cf. FIG. 4). Instead, a plurality of such electrode arrangements can be arranged one behind the other along the direction of extension E in order to be able to detect the position of a hand on the grip region 1 along the extension direction E in a position-resolved manner.
• the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 1 A facilitates the application and exact positioning of the individual electrical elements (sensor elements) which form the electrode assembly 5.
• the individual subregions 51, 52, 53, 54 of the electrode arrangement 5 can each be mounted separately on the respectively associated surface region 31, 32, 33, 34 of the inner section 2, 3 and thus on its outer contour.
• Figure 2 shows an electrode assembly 5 of the type shown in Figure 1, but only three mutually angled portions 51, 52, 53 are provided. In contrast to Arrangement of Figure 1 enclose this an inner portion of the handle area is not complete; but the electrode assembly 5 shown in Figure 2 is open on one side. Between each two subregions 51, 52 and 52, 53 of the electrode arrangement 5 from FIG. 2 (along the circumferential direction U, compare FIG. 1) there is in each case a transition B1 or B2 from the one subregion 51 or 52 to the respectively adjoining subregion 52 or 53. At this respective transition B1, B2, the spatial orientation of the electrode arrangement 5 changes discontinuously.
• individual hand segments H1, H2, H3 are schematically illustrated in FIG. 2, wherein H1 represents, for example, a thumb, H2 a palm and H3 further fingers of a hand.
• the considered hand segments H1, H2, H3 lie in the exemplary embodiment in each case one of the partial regions 51, 52, 53 of the electrode assembly 5 opposite.
• FIG. 3 shows a modification of FIG. 2 with regard to the embodiment of FIG.
• Electrode assembly According to FIG. 3, the electrode arrangement 6 there has three subareas 61, 62, 63; and these do not completely enclose an inner portion (of the associated handle portion), but the electrode assembly 6 is open on one side (opposite to the portion 62).
• the partial areas 61, 62, 63 electrode arrangement 6 are not be formed by a straight line in cross-section, but by concave and convex electrode surfaces.
• a concave-shaped subregion 62 (with respect to the outer surface of an associated grip region, as shown in FIG. 1) is provided, from which two convexly shaped subregions 61, 63 are angled.
• parasitic capacitances of further elements of the grip area can also be shielded and their undesired influence on the resulting electric fields correspondingly reduced.
• FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a further development of the arrangement from FIGS. 1 and 1A, according to which two electrode arrangements 5, 5 'are arranged one behind the other perpendicular to the cross-sectional plane (that is to say along the extension direction E from FIG. 6) Cross-sectional plane (by relative rotation with respect to the skeleton 2) - are offset from each other.
• two electrode arrangements 5, 5 ' are arranged one behind the other perpendicular to the cross-sectional plane (that is to say along the extension direction E from FIG. 6)
• Cross-sectional plane by relative rotation with respect to the skeleton 2 - are offset from each other.
• the electrode assemblies 5, 5' are respectively applied.
• FIGS. 5A and 5B a section of a development of an arrangement of the type shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A is shown in cross-section.
• a further electrode region 72 is provided between a concave-shaped partial region 62 of an electrode arrangement and the skeleton 2, specifically with a convex curvature (relative to the outer surface 10 of the grip region).
• a convexly curved electrode region 72 is provided between a concavely curved portion 62 of an electron assembly and the outer surface 10.
• an electrode region of the electrode arrangement (which faces the outer surface of the grip region) is designed to be rectilinear or concave in cross section.
• the exertion of pressure or associated forces on the grip area can be specifically detected if the grip area is touched by a hand (and thereby, for example, covered by it).
• the exertion of pressure or associated forces on the grip area can be specifically detected if the grip area is touched by a hand (and thereby, for example, covered by it).

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Steering Controls (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=58530501

Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (1)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 2016
  • 2016-03-23 DE DE102016204864.3A patent/DE102016204864A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2017
  • 2017-03-14 WO PCT/EP2017/055947 patent/WO2017162478A1/de active Application Filing
  • 2017-03-14 CN CN201780018462.8A patent/CN109641607B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (3)

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