Steering device for a vehicle, in particular an electric vehicle

• US 10,583,855 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2017
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BYTON Limited
• Original Assignee: Byton GMBH (Byton)
• Inventors: Toddenroth, Sebastian, Roo-Clefas, Felipe, Luchner, Wolfram
• Primary Examiner(s): English, James A
• Application Number:
  US15/696,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20190071112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/128 Axially displaceable input devices for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/139 Clusters of instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/685 Instruments movable with steering column
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/782 on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/816 Fastening of displays or touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/50 Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle B60K35/231 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/53 Movable instruments, e.g. slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0252 for personal computers, e.g. laptops, notebooks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/001 Vehicle control means, e.g. steering-wheel or column
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2032 the inflator or inflatable member not being rotatable with the steering wheel; Arrangements using the steering column or steering wheel rim for storing, supplying or evacuating the inflation gas or for storing the inflatable member
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2035 using modules containing inflator, bag and cover attachable to the steering wheel as a complete sub-unit steering wheel covers with tear lines B60R21/21656; assembling of modules B60R21/217
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/105 Non-rotatable hubs, e.g. the central part of the steering wheel not rotating

Abstract

A steering device for a vehicle having a steering wheel, a steering wheel hub or steering wheel spokes which are connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the steering wheel for transmission of a steering motion, a central part which is disposed in a stationary position with respect to the steering wheel in a central region defined by the steering wheel and which has a visible surface area in the central region formed predominantly by a screen display and wherein the screen display is an input/output device and is configured for control of at least one functionality of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A steering device for a vehicle comprising:

a steering wheel, a steering wheel hub, or steering wheel spokes connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a rotatable steering shaft in a steering column for transmission of a steering motion;

a central part, which is disposed in a stationary position with respect to the steering wheel in a central region defined by the steering wheel and which has a visible surface area in the central region formed predominantly by a screen display, wherein the screen display is an input/output device and is configured for control of at least one functionality of the vehicle; and

a remaining portion of the surface area visible in the central region is formed by an airbag cover in proximity to the screen display, and an airbag unit with an airbag is disposed beneath the airbag cover on the central part so that the airbag can unfold by opening of the airbag cover in front of the steering device and in front of the screen display, and

wherein the airbag unit is disposed decentrally relative to a central axis of the steering column, and wherein the airbag unit is disposed at an angle inclined relative to the central axis of the steering column in a direction of the screen display such that an airbag outlet direction forms an acute angle with a plane of a display of the display screen and an obtuse angle relative to the central axis, and wherein a surface of the screen display is perpendicular to the central axis of the steering column.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the airbag within the airbag unit is configured to unfold by opening of the airbag cover in front of the steering device and in a downward direction away from the screen display.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the steering wheel is coupled to a rotatable steering shaft for transmission of the steering motion to the steering shaft via the steering wheel hub or steering wheel spoke.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the airbag cover is disposed so that the airbag cover is elevated with respect to the screen display.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the airbag unit comprises an airbag container for receiving the airbag before the airbag is unfolded out of the airbag container, and

the airbag container has a container length, which is greater than a container diameter of the airbag container in at least one airbag outlet opening.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the following is true:

the airbag container is a tubular, cylindrical or conical container;

the container diameter of the airbag container lies in the plane of the airbag outlet opening which is inclined with respect to a plane defined by the screen display; and

the airbag outlet opening and/or the airbag container has/have a cross-sectional area defined by a small container axis and a large container axis.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the device is equipped for arrangement in a passenger area of the vehicle.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the screen display is a touch-sensitive screen display in the form of a touch screen display, and wherein the screen display

is either integrated fixedly into the central part

or is a tablet computer integrated releasably into the central part.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein adjacent to the screen display configurable input elements are disposed on one or both side edges of the screen display, and wherein the input elements comprise a mechanical and/or electromechanical input element.

10. A steering column in a vehicle having a steering device for the vehicle comprising:

a steering wheel, a steering wheel hub, or steering wheel spokes connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a rotatable steering shaft in the steering column for transmission of a steering motion;

a central part, which is disposed in a stationary position with respect to the steering wheel in a central region defined by the steering wheel and which has a visible surface area in the central region formed predominantly by a screen display, wherein the screen display is an input/output device and is configured for control of at least one functionality of the vehicle;

wherein an airbag unit is disposed in in proximity to a housing of the steering column, and a longitudinal axis of an airbag container runs in proximity to or inside the steering column, and

wherein the airbag unit is disposed decentrally relative to a central axis of the steering column, and wherein the airbag unit is disposed at an angle inclined relative to the central axis of the steering column in a direction of the screen display such that an airbag outlet direction forms an acute angle with a plane of a display of the display screen and an obtuse angle relative to the central axis, and wherein a surface of the screen display is perpendicular to the central axis of the steering column.

11. A system for a vehicle having a steering device and a control unit which is communicatively and operatively connected to a screen display, wherein the steering device for the vehicle comprises:

a steering wheel, a steering wheel hub, or steering wheel spokes connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a rotatable steering shaft in a steering column for transmission of a steering motion; and

a central part, which is disposed in a stationary position with respect to the steering wheel in a central region defined by the steering wheel and which has a visible surface area in the central region formed predominantly by the screen display, wherein the screen display is an input/output device and is configured for control of at least one functionality of the vehicle; and

a remaining portion of the surface area visible in the central region is formed by an airbag cover in proximity to the screen display, and an airbag unit with an airbag is disposed beneath the airbag cover, and

wherein the airbag unit is disposed decentrally relative to a central axis of the steering column, and wherein the airbag unit is disposed at an angle inclined relative to the central axis of the steering column in a direction of the screen display such that an airbag outlet direction forms an acute angle with a plane of a display of the display screen and an obtuse angle relative to the central axis, and wherein a surface of the screen display is perpendicular to the central axis of the steering column.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is operatively and communicatively connected to at least one functionality of the vehicle and is configured for controlling and/or transmitting operating parameters to the at least one functionality.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the control unit is configured to display on the screen display at least one control element for adjusting the operating parameters of the at least one functionality of the vehicle for control by a user by means of touch or touch gestures.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the at least one functionality of the vehicle comprises:

a driving mode of the vehicle, comprising;

manual, semi-autonomous, or autonomous driving;

an air conditioning system comprising;

the volume of air, vent valves, seat heating, temperature in the passenger area, or in predetermined zones of the passenger area;

a deicing function and/or a window heating function for at least one window of the vehicle;

a seat adjustment comprising;

adjustment of the back rest, the seat height, or a lower back support;

a general function comprising;

light, brightness of the instruments, and/or background lighting of the interior of a vehicle;

a cruise control function;

an entertainment system and/or multimedia system and/or sound system;

a mobile telephone;

an inclination and/or longitudinal direction adjustment of the steering device.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein the control unit is configured to display symbols for at least one function on the screen display at predetermined or configurable locations, comprising:

a symbol or icon to display installed software applications on the screen display;

a symbol or icon to retrieve a localization function and/or navigation function and display the localization function and/or navigation function on the screen display;

a symbol or icon to retrieve a mobile telephone function and display the mobile telephone function on the screen display,

a symbol or icon to retrieve a message exchange function comprising short messages and/or email, and display the message exchange function on the screen display and/or display a status of short messages and/or email; and

a symbol or icon to retrieve settings options of an entertainment system and/or a multimedia system and display the retrieved settings on the screen display.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to display on the screen display at least one parameter for a user, comprising:

a tire pressure values of individual tires or all tires of the vehicle;

an exterior temperature;

a weather data on the surroundings;

an operating parameters of the vehicle;

a charge status of a drive battery of the vehicle; and

one or more parameters of an entertainment system and/or a multimedia system and/or sound system.

12. A system and at least a steering device, wherein the system for a vehicle having a steering device and a control unit which communicatively and operatively connects to a screen display, wherein the steering device for the vehicle comprises:

a steering wheel, a steering wheel hub or steering wheel spokes connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a rotatable steering shaft in a steering column for transmission of a steering motion;

a central part, which is disposed in a stationary position with respect to the steering wheel in a central region defined by the steering wheel and which has a visible surface area in the central region formed predominantly by the screen display, wherein the screen display is an input/output device and is configured for control of at least one functionality of the vehicle; and

the control unit which is communicatively and operatively connected to the screen display, wherein the remaining portion of the surface area visible in the central region is formed by an airbag cover in proximity to the screen display, and an airbag unit with an airbag is disposed beneath the airbag cover on the central part so that the airbag can unfold by opening of the airbag cover in front of the steering device and in front of the screen display, wherein the airbag unit is communicatively and operatively connected to the control unit, and

wherein the airbag unit is disposed decentrally relative to a central axis of the steering column, and wherein the airbag unit is disposed at an angle inclined relative to the central axis of the steering column in a direction of the screen display such that an airbag outlet direction forms an acute angle with a plane of a display of the display screen and an obtuse angle relative to the central axis, and wherein a surface of the screen display is perpendicular to the central axis of the steering column.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is equipped for providing at least one safety function wherein the airbag unit is equipped to be deployed by the control unit and wherein the control unit is equipped to deploy the airbag unit after detection of collision conditions in order to eject and unfold the airbag contained in the airbag unit.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the system further comprises:

a plurality of sensors communicatively coupled to the control unit and configured to detect motion data on the vehicle for detection of a collision of the vehicle; and

the control unit is configured to, in response to detection of a collision of the vehicle based on at least the motion data of the sensors, deploy the airbag unit.

20. A vehicle having a steering device, wherein the steering device comprises:

a steering wheel, a steering wheel hub, or steering wheel spokes connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the steering wheel for transmission of a steering motion,

a central part, which is disposed in a stationary position with respect to the steering wheel in a central region defined by the steering wheel and which has a visible surface area in the central region formed predominantly by a screen display, wherein the screen display is an input/output device and is configured for control of at least one functionality of the vehicle;

a steering column in the vehicle comprising an airbag unit disposed in proximity to a housing of the steering column, and a longitudinal axis of an airbag container of the airbag unit runs in proximity to or inside the steering column; and

a control unit communicatively and operatively connected to the screen display; and

wherein the airbag unit is disposed decentrally relative to a central axis of the steering column, and wherein the airbag unit is disposed at an angle inclined relative to the central axis of the steering column in a direction of the screen display such that an airbag outlet direction forms an acute angle with a plane of a display of the display screen and an obtuse angle relative to the central axis, and wherein a surface of the screen display is perpendicular to the central axis of the steering column.