Steering wheel switch device

• US 10,099,600 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2017
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Metals (Thailand) Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Metals (Thailand) Ltd.
• Inventors: Ikeda, Yukio
• Primary Examiner(s): Girardi, Vanessa
• Application Number:
  US15/424,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20170240095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 200 52 R, 200 6127, 200 6154, 200 6157, 701 36
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0082 mounted on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1484 mounted on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/003 mounted on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/007 the contacts being actuated by deformation of a flexible housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/008 Wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/026 Car
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/00 Mechanisms for operating contacts for tap changers H01H9/0027; thermal actuating or release means H01H37/02
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/975 using a capacitive movable element

Abstract

A steering switch device, which is mounted on a steering wheel, includes a linear switch that includes a hollow insulator having restorability and two electrode wires arranged spirally along an inner surface of a hollow part in the hollow insulator while being kept not in contact with each other, wherein a winding pitch coiling spirally the electrode wires is at least not more than 10 mm, and a detecting device that detects a press of the linear switch by sensing a contact of the electrode wires. The linear switch is arranged so as to be along at least part of a surface of the steering wheel.

Claims

1. A steering switch device, which is mounted on a steering wheel, the steering switch device comprising:

a linear switch that comprises a hollow insulator having restorability and two electrode wires arranged spirally along an inner surface of a hollow part in the hollow insulator while being kept not in contact with each other, wherein a winding pitch coiling spirally the electrode wires is not more than 10 mm; and

a detecting device that detects a press of the linear switch by sensing a contact of the electrode wires,

wherein the linear switch is arranged so as to be along at least a part of a surface of the steering wheel.

2. The steering switch device according to claim 1, wherein the linear switch comprises a plurality of linear switches, and

wherein the plurality of the linear switches are arranged separately at different positions in the steering wheel.

3. The steering switch device according to claim 1, further comprising a capacitance detecting portion to detect a capacitance between the electrode wires.

4. A steering wheel, comprising the steering switch device according to claim 1.

5. The steering switch device according to claim 1, wherein at least an outermost layer of the two electrode wires comprises a conductive layer comprising a conductive rubber or a conductive plastic,

wherein at least one of the two electrode wires has no conductor to be electrically connected to the conductive layer in an inside layer of the conductive layer, and

wherein the detecting device detects a change in a resistance value between ends of the two electrode wires at one end of the linear switch and detects a position that the linear switch is pressed in a longitudinal direction of the linear switch.

6. The steering switch device according to claim 5, wherein one of the two electrode wires comprises an enameled wire and the conductive layer formed on an outer periphery of the enameled wire, and

wherein an other one of the two electrode wires comprises a conductor, and the conductive layer formed on an outer periphery of the conductor.

7. The steering switch device according to claim 1, wherein the steering wheel comprises a circular steering wheel main body, a coupling portion arranged on an central axis of the steering wheel main body, and a spoke portion arranged between the coupling portion and the steering wheel main body, and

wherein the linear switch is arranged along a circumferential direction of the steering wheel main body so as to be along at least part of a surface of the steering wheel main body.

8. The steering switch device according to claim 7, wherein the linear switch is arranged so as to be along an inner peripheral surface of the steering wheel main body.

9. The steering switch device according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor cover that covers the linear switch and has rigidity,

wherein the sensor cover comprises a plurality of pressing portions where a press of the linear switch is allowed, the pressing portions being arranged separately in a longitudinal direction of the linear switch.

10. The steering switch device according to claim 9, wherein the pressing portions comprise a notch or an opening formed on the sensor cover.

11. A steering switch device, which is mounted on a steering wheel, the steering switch device comprising:

a linear switch that comprises a hollow insulator having restorability and two electrode wires arranged spirally along an inner surface of a hollow part in the hollow insulator while being kept not in contact with each other; and

a detecting device that detects a press of the linear switch by sensing a contact of the electrode wires,

wherein the linear switch is arranged so as to be along at least a part of a surface of the steering wheel.

12. The steering switch device according to claim 11, wherein the linear switch comprises a plurality of linear switches, and

wherein the plurality of the linear switches are arranged separately at different positions in the steering wheel.

13. The steering switch device according to claim 11, further comprising a capacitance detecting portion to detect a capacitance between the electrode wires.

14. A steering wheel, comprising the steering switch device according to claim 11.

15. The steering switch device according to claim 11, wherein at least an outermost layer of the two electrode wires comprises a conductive layer comprising a conductive rubber or a conductive plastic,

wherein at least one of the two electrode wires has no conductor to be electrically connected to the conductive layer in an inside layer of the conductive layer, and

wherein the detecting device detects a change in a resistance value between ends of the two electrode wires at one end of the linear switch and detects a position that the linear switch is pressed in a longitudinal direction of the linear switch.

16. The steering switch device according to claim 15, wherein one of the two electrode wires comprises an enameled wire and the conductive layer formed on an outer periphery of the enameled wire, and

wherein an other one of the two electrode wires comprises a conductor, and the conductive layer formed on an outer periphery of the conductor.

17. The steering switch device according to claim 11, wherein the steering wheel comprises a circular steering wheel main body, a coupling portion arranged on an central axis of the steering wheel main body, and a spoke portion arranged between the coupling portion and the steering wheel main body, and

wherein the linear switch is arranged along a circumferential direction of the steering wheel main body so as to be along at least part of a surface of the steering wheel main body.

18. The steering switch device according to claim 17, wherein the linear switch is arranged so as to be along an inner peripheral surface of the steering wheel main body.

19. The steering switch device according to claim 11, further comprising a sensor cover that covers the linear switch and has rigidity,

wherein the sensor cover comprises a plurality of pressing portions where a press of the linear switch is allowed, the pressing portions being arranged separately in a longitudinal direction of the linear switch.

20. The steering switch device according to claim 19, wherein the pressing portions comprise a notch or an opening formed on the sensor cover.