SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SHIELDING A HAND SENSOR SYSTEM IN A STEERING WHEEL

• US 20150336601A1
• Filed: 05/22/2015
• Published: 11/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition, LLC (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Van'tZelfde, Dwayne, Maguire, Phillip Bernard, McCurdy, Justin Richard
• Granted Patent: US 10,124,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/06 Rims, e.g. with heating means; Rim covers B62D1/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/065 Steering wheels with heating and ventilating means heating and ventilation of steering wheel when connected to vehicle HVAC B60H1/00292
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960765 Details of shielding arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0071 Active shielding

Abstract

Systems and methods of shielding a hand sensor system in a steering wheel are disclosed herein. An exemplary hand sensor system includes a sensor mat and a heater mat that is disposed between the sensor mat and a frame of the steering wheel. A power source selectively provides a heating current to the heater mat to provide heat to the steering wheel and a shielding voltage signal to the heater mat to provide electrical shielding for the sensor mat when heating is not needed or when sensing takes priority over heating. Alternatively, the system may include a shield mat that is separate from the heater mat and is disposed between the sensor mat and the heater mat. In addition, to isolate the signal carried by individual sensor return wires, a metallic or insulating covering or conduit may be provided around the wires or portions thereof.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A system for shielding a hand sensor system in a steering wheel comprising:

a sensor mat comprising one or more sensing loops, each of the sensing loops defining a sensing zone;

a heater mat disposed between a steering wheel frame and the sensor mat, the heater mat comprising one or more conductive loops, each of the conductive loops defining a conductive zone; and

an electronic control unit in communication with the heater mat, the electronic control unit comprising a power source configured for selectively generating an electrical current configured for heating at least a portion of the steering wheel and a voltage signal configured for shielding the sensor mat from interference from the steering wheel frame, wherein the electrical current for heating is larger than an electrical current for shielding.

11. The system of claim 39, wherein the power source is further configured for generating the shielding voltage signal in response to receiving an override signal indicating that sensing takes priority over heating.

12. The system of claim 39, wherein the power source is further configured for generating the shielding voltage signal in response to a temperature of the sensor mat reaching a set temperature.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the power source is configured for alternately generating the heating current and the shielding voltage signal periodically.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the power source is configured for alternately generating the heating current for about 10 to about 50 milliseconds and the shielding voltage signal for about 10 to about 50 milliseconds.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the heating current is between about 4 amperes and about 8 amperes.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the current for the shielding voltage signal is less than about 200 microamperes.

17. The system of claim 9, further comprising a metallic shield disposed around at least a portion of one or more wires connected to the sensor mat, the metallic shield configured for substantially isolating an electrical signal carried by the shielded wire from another conductive element adjacent the shielded wire.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the one or more sensing loops comprises a first sensing loop and a second sensing loop,

a first wire extends from the first sensing loop and a second wire extends from the second sensing loop and a portion of the second wire crosses over the first sensing loop; and

the metallic shield extends around at least the portion of the second wire that crosses over the first sensing loop.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the metallic shield extends around substantially all of the second wire that extends from the second sensing loop.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a conduit comprising a dielectric material, wherein at least a portion of the first or second wires are disposed within the conduit.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the conduit comprises a first conduit for at least a portion of the first wire and a second conduit for at least a portion of the second wire.

22. The system of claim 9, further comprising a conduit comprising dielectric material, wherein at least a portion of one or more wires connected to each sensor loop are disposed within the conduit.

39. The system of claim 9, wherein the power source is configured for generating the heating current for at least one of the one or more the conductive loops of the heater mat in response to receiving an on signal for the heater mat.

10. (canceled)

23. A system for shielding a hand sensor system in a steering wheel comprising:

a sensor mat comprising one or more sensing loops, and each of the sensing loops defines a sensing zone;

a shield mat disposed between a steering wheel frame and the sensor mat, the shield mat comprising one or more conductive loops, each of the conductive loops defining a conductive zone, and

an electronic control unit, the electronic control unit being in communication with the shield mat and comprising a power source configured for generating a voltage signal configured for shielding a signal passing through the sensor mat from interference from the steering wheel frame.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein an electrical current for shielding may be less than about 200 microamperes.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the electrical current is about 10 microamperes.

26. The system of claim 23, further comprising a heater mat disposed between the shield mat and the steering wheel frame.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the heater mat is in communication with the electronic control unit, and the power source is configured for selectively generating a heating current configured for heating the steering wheel.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the heating current generated is between about 4 amperes and about 8 amperes.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the heating current is about 7 amperes.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the electronic control unit is a first electronic control unit, the power source is a first power source, and the heater mat is in communication with a second electronic control unit comprising a second power source configured for generating a heating current configured for heating the steering wheel.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the heating current generated is between about 4 amperes and about 8 amperes.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the heating current is about 7 amperes.

33. The system of claim 26, wherein:

the power source is a first power source, and the electronic control unit further comprises a second power source configured for generating a heating current, and

the heater mat is in communication with the electronic control unit and the heating current is configured for heating the steering wheel.

34. The system of claim 26, wherein:

the power source is a first power source, and the electronic control unit is a first electronic control unit,

the system further comprises a second electronic control unit, the second electronic control unit comprising a second power source configured for generating a heating current, the heater mat being in communication with the second electronic control unit and the heating current being configured for heating the steering wheel.

35-38. -38. (canceled)