Engagement of a sensor system with a vehicle operating device

• US 20060016244A1
• Filed: 04/06/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TransBiotec, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TransBiotec, Inc.
• Inventors: Duval, Landon
• Granted Patent: US 7,377,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/23.300
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches

Abstract

A steering wheel has a structural skeleton forming a core within an outer covering, the covering and skeleton forming a hub portion having at least one arm interconnecting the hub portion with an outer wheel portion. The skeleton within the outer wheel portion has a U-shaped cross sectional conformation. A wire harness is positioned within the U-shaped conformation of the outer wheel portion and a plurality of ethanol detectors are mounted in spaced apart relationship within the outer wheel portion and adjacent to an outer surface of the steering wheel. The ethanol detectors communicate with the wire harness and an electrical circuit, the circuit engaging the hub portion of the skeleton. The circuit is in communication with the wire harness for receiving electrical signals from the ethanol detectors for sensing ethanol vapors in proximity to at least one of the ethanol detectors.

Claims

1. In a steering wheel of a vehicle, wherein the steering wheel has a structural skeleton forming a core within an outer covering, the covering and skeleton forming (a) a hub portion having at least (b) one arm interconnecting the hub portion with an (c) outer wheel portion;

the skeleton within the outer wheel portion having a U-shaped cross sectional conformation;

the improvement comprising an apparatus including;

a wire harness positioned within the U-shaped conformation of the outer wheel portion;

a plurality of ethanol detectors mounted in spaced apart relationship within the outer wheel portion and adjacent to an outer surface thereof, the ethanol detectors communicating with the wire harness; and

an electrical circuit, the circuit engaged with the hub portion of the skeleton;

the circuit in communication with the wire harness for receiving electrical signals from the ethanol detectors for sensing ethanol vapors in proximity to at least one of the ethanol detectors.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of contact sensors mounted in spaced apart relationship with the ethanol detectors and in adjacency to the outer surface of the outer wheel portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the ethanol and the contact sensors are positioned on a rearwardly facing portion of the outer surface of the steering wheel.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the contact sensors are enabled for sensing contact with a skin surface of a hand and for thereby enabling an electrical signal of a corresponding one of the ethanol detectors to be processed by the circuit.

5. In a steering wheel of a vehicle, wherein the steering wheel has a structural skeleton forming a core within an outer covering, the covering and skeleton forming (a) a hub portion having at least (b) one arm interconnecting the hub portion with an (c) outer wheel portion;

the skeleton within the outer wheel portion having a U-shaped cross sectional conformation;

the improvement comprising an apparatus including;

a wire harness positioned within the U-shaped conformation of the outer wheel portion;

an ethanol sensor mounted within the outer wheel portion and adjacent to an outer surface thereof, the ethanol sensor communicating with the wire harness; and

an electrical circuit, the circuit engaged with the hub portion of the skeleton;

the circuit in communication with the wire harness for receiving electrical signals from the ethanol sensor for sensing ethanol vapors in proximity to the ethanol sensor.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a contact sensor mounted in spaced apart relationship with the ethanol sensor and in adjacency to the outer surface of the outer wheel portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the ethanol and the contact sensors are positioned on a rearwardly facing portion of the outer surface of the steering wheel.

9. A vapor sensing system comprising:

a steering wheel of a vehicle, wherein the steering wheel has a structural skeleton forming a core within an outer covering, the covering and skeleton forming (a) a hub portion having at least (b) one arm interconnecting the hub portion with an (c) outer wheel portion;

the skeleton within the outer wheel portion having a U-shaped cross sectional conformation;

a wire harness positioned within the U-shaped conformation of the outer wheel portion;

a plurality of ethanol detectors mounted in spaced apart relationship within the outer wheel portion and adjacent to an outer surface thereof, the ethanol detectors communicating with the wire harness; and

an electrical circuit, the circuit engaged with the hub portion of the skeleton;

the circuit in communication with the wire harness for receiving electrical signals from the ethanol detectors for sensing ethanol vapors in proximity to at least one of the ethanol detectors.

8. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the contact sensors are enabled for sensing contact with a skin surface of a hand and for thereby enabling an electrical signal of the ethanol sensor to be processed by the circuit.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a plurality of contact sensors mounted in spaced apart relationship with the ethanol detectors and in adjacency to the outer surface of the outer wheel portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the ethanol and the contact sensors are positioned on a rearwardly facing portion of the outer surface of the steering wheel.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the contact sensors are enabled for sensing contact with a skin surface of a hand and for thereby enabling an electrical signal of a corresponding one of the ethanol detectors to be processed by the circuit.

13. A method of preparing a vapor sensing system comprising the step of:

providing a steering wheel for a vehicle including a structural skeleton forming a core within an outer covering;

configuring the steering wheel as (a) a hub portion having at least (b) one arm interconnecting the hub portion with an (c) outer wheel portion;

configuring the skeleton within the outer wheel portion with a U-shaped cross sectional conformation;

placing a wire harness within the U-shaped conformation of the outer wheel portion;

placing a plurality of ethanol detectors in cavities in the outer wheel portion in spaced apart relationship and adjacent to an outer surface thereof, interconnecting the ethanol detectors for communicating with an electrical circuit through the wire harness; and

engaging the circuit with the hub portion of the skeleton for sensing ethanol vapors in proximity to at least one of the ethanol detectors.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of placing a plurality of contact sensors in spaced apart relationship with the ethanol detectors in adjacency to the outer surface of the outer wheel portion.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising the step of positioning the ethanol and the contact sensors in a rearwardly facing portion of the outer surface of the steering wheel.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising the step of enabling the contact sensors for sensing contact with a skin surface of a hand and for thereby enabling an electrical signal of a corresponding one of the ethanol detectors to be processed by the circuit.

17. An apparatus for processing signals generated by a vapor detector comprising:

a vapor detector mounted in a steering wheel;

an activation electrical circuit stage enabled for receiving signals from the vapor detector when a touch contact signal is received by the activation stage;

a clock electrical circuit stage initiated by a signal from the activation stage and programmed for a specific delay time;

a trigger electrical circuit stage switching to an “

on”

state when the activation signal is present;

an acquire electrical circuit stage providing a signal to an output stage when the trigger stage is in the “

on”

state, the output stage providing a digital signal to a microprocessor functional as an ignition interlock device and enable for calculating a blood alcohol level percentage corresponding to a signal magnitude of the signals from the vapor detector, and an output display for presenting a visual image of said calculated percentage.