Vehicle signals incorporated into steering wheel rim
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicle steering wheel comprising:
- a hub and a rim surrounding said hub, at least one spoke connecting said hub and said rim;
a control receiving an indication of an upcoming turn; and
a display mounted on said rim, said display communicating with said control such that said display provides a turn signal on said rim.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved display for steering wheels places display elements on the rim of the steering wheel. In this way, an operator of a vehicle is less likely to ignore display elements such as turn signals or warning lights. In one embodiment, lights are utilized to display the informational element. In a second embodiment a reconfigurable thin display, such as an LED, an LCD or an electro-luminescent display, is utilized. In either embodiment, the displayed information may change with rotation of the steering wheel.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A vehicle steering wheel comprising:
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a hub and a rim surrounding said hub, at least one spoke connecting said hub and said rim; a control receiving an indication of an upcoming turn; and a display mounted on said rim, said display communicating with said control such that said display provides a turn signal on said rim. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of displaying information on a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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(1) providing a steering wheel, and display on a rim of said steering wheel; (2) providing a control sensing an indication from the operator of an upcoming turn, said control controlling the display on said display on said rim; and (3) displaying a turn signal on said rim of said steering wheel when an operator has indicated an upcoming turn. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A vehicle steering wheel comprising:
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a hub and a rim surrounding said hub, at least one spoke connecting said hub and said rim; a control receiving an indication of an upcoming turn; a sensor for sensing rotation of said wheel, said sensor providing a signal of amount of turn of said wheel to said control; and a reconfigurable thin display mounted on said rim, said display communicating with said control such that said display provides an indication of turn signals on said rim. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification