Spiral flex-circuit system for steering wheels
First Claim
1. A conductor assembly for conveying electrical signals between a vehicle steering wheel member and steering column member, said wheel member being rotatable with respect to said column member a predetermined number of rotations between clockwise and counter clockwise limits, comprising:
- means for defining an enclosure carried on one of said wheel and said column members, said enclosure defining an inner circumferential dimension;
a hub centrally disposed within said enclosure and rotatable with respect to said enclosure defining means and defining an outer circumferential dimension; and
an elongated and flexible ribbon-like cable having at least one conductive course and being disposed within said enclosure, one end of said cable being stationary relative to said enclosure defining means and the other end of said cable being stationary relative to said hub;
said cable having a length generally equal to one half said predetermined number of rotations times said outer circumferential dimension plus the radial spacing between the inner and outer circumferential dimensions;
said cable being substantially wound about said hub with a first sense of rotation when said wheel member is rotated to said clockwise limit and said cable being substantially wound about said hub with a second sense of rotation when said wheel member is rotated to said counter clockwise limit.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A conductor assembly for conveying signals between steering wheel and column to permit control of multiple functions (headlights, wipers, cruise control, etc.) from the steering wheel. Electrical connection is established through a multiple conductor ribbon-like cable which is wound about a central hub within the conductor assembly enclosure. When the wheel is turned from lock to lock, the cable doubles back upon itself so that a minimum cable length is required. To facilitate installation, the enclosure includes a self locking mechanism to insure that the cable cannot be wound or unwound until the assembly is installed on the vehicle.
26 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A conductor assembly for conveying electrical signals between a vehicle steering wheel member and steering column member, said wheel member being rotatable with respect to said column member a predetermined number of rotations between clockwise and counter clockwise limits, comprising:
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means for defining an enclosure carried on one of said wheel and said column members, said enclosure defining an inner circumferential dimension; a hub centrally disposed within said enclosure and rotatable with respect to said enclosure defining means and defining an outer circumferential dimension; and an elongated and flexible ribbon-like cable having at least one conductive course and being disposed within said enclosure, one end of said cable being stationary relative to said enclosure defining means and the other end of said cable being stationary relative to said hub; said cable having a length generally equal to one half said predetermined number of rotations times said outer circumferential dimension plus the radial spacing between the inner and outer circumferential dimensions; said cable being substantially wound about said hub with a first sense of rotation when said wheel member is rotated to said clockwise limit and said cable being substantially wound about said hub with a second sense of rotation when said wheel member is rotated to said counter clockwise limit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A conductor assembly for conveying electrical signals between a vehicle steering wheel member and a steering column member, said wheel member being rotatable with respect to said column member through a centered position and rotatable between clockise and counter clockwise limits, comprising:
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a shell member having first and second mating halves, said shell member defining an outer hub and a central hub concentric with said outer hub and defining an annular space between said hubs; an elongated and flexible ribbon-like conductive cable disposed within said annular space, one end of said cable being stationary relative to said central hub and the other end of said cable being stationary relative to said outer hub; said first and second mating halves of said shell member having integral concentric means for telescopically holding said halves together for axial movement between a first axial position and a second axial position; locking means on said concentric means for permitting rotational movement of one of said mating halves relative to the other when in said first axial position and for preventing rotational movement of one of said mating halves relative to the other when in said second axial position; and means for biasing said concentric means in said second position. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification