Rotary driver control input device

• US 20040129488A1
• Filed: 01/06/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Szczerba, Joseph F., Chernoff, Adrian B., Montousse, Julien
• Granted Patent: US 6,880,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/333
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/02 of initiating means or elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/797 for use as electrical control means, e.g. switches
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/02 for personal initiation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/085 by electrical means, e.g. travel, force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18181 Propulsion control with common controlling member for different functions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/02 vehicle-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/12 Hand levers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20834 Hand wheels

Abstract

A driver control input device includes first and second rotatable hand grips positioned within first and second rotatable rings, respectively, for rotation with respect to first and second support members. The rotatable rings are operatively engaged with a steer-by-wire system for sending steering control signals to the steer-by-wire system. The hand grips may also include acceleration and braking demand mechanisms in various combinations.

Claims

1. A driver control input device comprising:

first and second rotatable hand grips positioned for rotation with respect to first and second support members, said rotatable hand grips being operatively engaged with a steer-by-wire system for sending steering control signals to the steer-by-wire system.

2. The driver control input device of claim 1, wherein said first and second hand grips are positioned within first and-second rotatable rings, respectively, and said first and second support members comprise first and second outer non-rotatable rings circumscribing said first and second rotatable rings, respectively.

3. The driver control input device of claim 2, further comprising a transducer operatively connected with said rotatable rings and non-rotatable rings to convert mechanical motion of the hand grips into steering control signals.

4. The driver control input device of claim 1, wherein said first and second rotatable hand grips are each longitudinally slidable with respect to a track for generating acceleration and braking signals to be sent to an energy conversion system and brake-by-wire system.

5. The driver control input device of claim 4, wherein rearward sliding motion of said hand grips causes acceleration signals to be sent to the energy conversion system and forward sliding motion of said hand grips causes braking signals to be sent to the brake-by-wire system.

6. The driver control input device of claim 1, wherein said first and second support members comprise generally U-shaped members.

7. The driver control input device of claim 6, further comprising a transducer operatively connected with said rotatable rings and U-shaped members to convert mechanical rotation of the hand grips into steering control signals.

8. The driver control input device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said hand grips includes an accelerator demand input mechanism to facilitate sending acceleration signals to an energy conversion system, wherein said accelerator demand input mechanism comprises a button or lever.

9. The driver control input device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said hand grips includes a braking demand input mechanism to facilitate sending braking signals to a brake-by-wire system, wherein said braking demand input mechanism comprises a button or lever.

10. The driver control input device of claim 1, wherein said first and second rotatable hand grips are positioned at the ends of first and second armrests, respectively, on a vehicle seat for convenient use by a seated driver.

11. The driver control input device of claim 4, wherein at least one of said hand grips includes a redundant braking demand input mechanism for generating said braking signals, said redundant braking demand input mechanism comprising a button or lever.

12. The driver control input device of claim 10, wherein said first and second hand grips are rotatable in a plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal length of the first and second armrests.

13. The driver control input device of claim 1, wherein said first and second hand grips are configured to rotate approximately 45°

in either direction from a vertical position.

14. The driver control input device of claim 1, wherein said first and second hand grips are sufficiently linked or synchronized such that if either hand grip is rotated the other hand grip will rotate the same distance in the same rotational direction.

15. A driver control input device for a vehicle comprising:

first and second rotatable hand grips positioned within first and second rotatable rings, respectively, for rotation with respect to first and second support members, said rotatable rings being operatively engaged with a steer-by-wire system of the vehicle for sending steering control signals to the steer-by-wire system.

16. The driver control input device of claim 15, wherein said first and second support members comprise first and second outer non-rotatable rings circumscribing said first and second rotatable rings, respectively.

17. The driver control input device of claim 16, further comprising a transducer operatively connected with said rotatable rings and non-rotatable rings to convert mechanical motion of the hand grips into steering control signals.

18. The driver control input device of claim 15, wherein said first and second rotatable hand grips are each longitudinally slidable with respect to a track for generating acceleration and braking signals to be sent to an energy conversion system and brake-by-wire system.

19. The driver control input device of claim 18, wherein rearward sliding motion of said hand grips causes acceleration signals to be sent to the energy conversion system and forward sliding motion of said hand grips causes braking signals to be sent to the brake-by-wire system.

20. The driver control input device of claim 15, wherein said first and second support members comprise generally U-shaped members.

21. The driver control input device of claim 20, further comprising a transducer operatively connected with said rotatable rings and U-shaped members to convert mechanical rotation of the hand grips into steering control signals.

22. The driver control input device of claim 15, wherein at least one of said hand grips includes an accelerator demand input mechanism to facilitate sending acceleration signals to an energy conversion system.

23. The driver control input device of claim 15, wherein at least one of said hand grips includes a braking demand input mechanism to facilitate sending braking signals to a brake-by-wire system.

24. The driver control input device of claim 15, wherein said first and second rotatable hand grips are positioned at the ends of first and second armrests, respectively, on a vehicle seat for convenient use by a seated driver.

25. A driver control input device for a vehicle comprising:

first and second rotatable hand grips positioned within first and second rotatable rings, respectively, for rotation with respect to first and second support members, said rotatable rings being operatively engaged with a steer-by-wire system of the vehicle for sending steering control signals through the steer-by-wire system;

said first and second rotatable hand grips each being longitudinally slidable with respect to a track for generating acceleration and braking signals to be sent to an energy conversion system and brake-by-wire system of the vehicle;

wherein said first and second rotatable hand grips are positioned at the ends of first and second arm rests, respectively, on a vehicle seat for convenient use by a seated driver.

26. A vehicle comprising:

a chassis;

at least three wheels operatively connected with respect to the chassis;

a steering system mounted with respect to the chassis and responsive to non-mechanical control signals;

a braking system mounted with respect to the chassis and responsive to non-mechanical control signals;

an energy conversion system mounted with respect to the chassis and responsive to non-mechanical control signals;

a connection port mounted with respect to the chassis and operatively connected to the steering, braking and energy conversion systems;

first and second rotatable hand grips positioned within first and second rotatable rings, respectively, for rotation with respect to first and second support members, said rotatable rings being operatively engaged with said steering system for sending steering control signals to said steering system via the connection port;

at least one of said first and second rotatable hand grips having an accelerator demand input mechanism to facilitate sending acceleration signals to said energy conversion system via the connection port; and

at least one of said first and second rotatable hand grips having a braking demand input mechanism to facilitate sending braking signals to said braking system via the connection port.