WIRELESS CHARGING STEERING WHEEL

• US 20170310144A1
• Filed: 04/25/2016
• Published: 10/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dinu Petre Madau, Myron Lemecha, Upton Beall Bowden, Whikehart J. William
• Inventors: MADAU, Dinu Petre, BOWDEN, Upton Beall, LEMECHA, Myron, WHIKEHART, J. William
• Granted Patent: US 10,396,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• 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: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0236 for vehicles

Abstract

A wireless charging steering wheel device is described herein. The wireless charging steering wheel device is coupled to a power source via a clockspring included in the steering wheel. Also disclosed herein is an integrated wireless charging/heating system. Also disclosed herein are multiple coil placements for implementing the wireless charging steering wheel device.

Claims

1. A wireless charging steering wheel, comprising:

a center portion pivot-able and attached to a vehicle;

a connection portion coupled to the center portion;

a handle portion that circumscribes the center portion, and is connected to the connecting portion;

a clockspring installed in the center portion, the clockspring electrically connecting an electronic component unit (ECU) of the vehicle with actuators installed on the steering wheel;

an upholstery layer covering the center portion, the connection portion, and the handle portion;

at least one coil wrapped around the handle portion and coupled to the clockspring, and covered by the upholstery layer,

wherein the coil is electrically charged to provide wireless charge to a wearable device worn by a driver of the vehicle in a proximity of the steering wheel.

2. The wireless charging steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the coil is wrapped around the handle portion.

3. The wireless charging steering wheel according to claim 2, further comprising multiple coils wrapped around the handle portion, and the multiple coils are placed at a predetermined distance from each other.

4. The wireless charging steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the coil is wrapped circumferentially around the steering wheel.

5. The wireless charging steering wheel according to claim 1, further coupled to a processor configured to determine whether the coil is in a heating mode, a wireless charging mode, both the heating mode and the wireless charging mode, or neither the heating mode and the wireless charging mode.

6. The wireless charging steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the coils are further configured to electrically and wirelessly communicate data to and from the wearable device.

7. A system for implementing a wireless charging steering wheel, comprising:

a processor configured to receive an indication of an assertion of one of the following modes;

a wireless charging mode, and

a heating mode;

the processor being electrically coupled to a power source and at least one coil in a handle portion of the wireless charging steering wheel,

wherein in response to the processor receiving the indication, the processor drives the at least one coil with a predetermined electricity corresponding to one of the above-listed modes.

8. A handle portion of a wireless charging steering wheel device, comprising:

an upholstery layer, the upholstery layer visible to a driver of a vehicle;

at least one coil wrapped around the handle portion, the coil being electrically couple-able to a power source, the at least one coil being covered by the upholstery layer.

9. The handle portion according to claim 8, wherein the at least one coil is wrapped around the handle portion.

10. The handle portion according to claim 9, further comprising at least two coils wrapped around the handle portion, and the at least two coils are placed at a predetermined distance from each other.

11. The handle portion according to claim 8, wherein the coil is wrapped circumferentially around the steering wheel.