Steering wheel

• US 6,626,062 B1
• Filed: 08/11/2000
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Otsuka, Hirofumi, Kamiya, Hiroyuki, Yoshitake, Kazumiki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannon, Thomas R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Johnson, Vicky A.
• Application Number:
  US09/635,773
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 745/52, 744/84.R, 744/85, 200/52.R, 200/61.54, 200/61.55, 200/61.56, 200/61.57, 200/61.58 R, 200/61.85
• US Class Current: 74/552
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0082 mounted on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/04 Hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20834 Hand wheels

Abstract

Operation switches 9 are mounted on a steering wheel for operating control apparatuses installed in an automotive vehicle. A supporting body 8 is provided which is disposed inwardly of a wheel rim 2 and substantially concentrically with the wheel rim 2 and having a cross-section partially constituted by an arc 15. The operation switches 9 are disposed on the supporting body 8 and are capable of moving in a circumferential direction of the supporting body 8. By using the operation switches 9 capable of moving in the circumferential direction of the supporting body 8, the direction in which the switches move becomes radial relative to the steering wheel, whereby a number of operation switches can be disposed on the steering wheel in a collective fashion. The direction in which a single switch is operated becomes two ways, and therefore two control functions for a control apparatus can be controlled with a single switch, thus making it possible to make an individual switch multifunctional.

Claims

1. A steering wheel, comprising:

a wheel rim;

a pad and spokes;

a window portion defined by said pad, wheel rim and spokes;

a supporting body disposed projectedly within said window portion and substantially concentrically with said wheel rim, said supporting body being at least partially formed in an arc shape in cross-section, said supporting body being arranged in a front side of a vehicle with respect to said wheel rim; and

at least one operation switch operating a control apparatus installed in an automotive vehicle, said operation switch being disposed on said supporting body and being movable in a circumferential direction of said arc shape of said supporting body, wherein said circumferential direction of said arc shape is a curve having a component in a radial direction of said wheel rim with respect to a center axis of said wheel rim,

wherein said at least one operation switch includes a front end and a rear end separated from each other by a predetermined distance, said front and rear ends serving as operation segments capable of engaging, respectively, with a thumb and index finger of an operator.

2. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein a space between said adjacent operation switches controlling different apparatuses is wider than a space between said adjacent operation switches controlling the same apparatus.

3. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein said at least one of operation switches is movable in a radial direction of said arc shape of said supporting body.

4. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein said supporting body is disposed forward of said wheel rim so as to project from a side of said wheel rim that faces the front of said vehicle.

5. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance between the front end and the rear end is approximately 60°

, as measured along the arc-shaped cross section of the supporting body.

6. A steering wheel, comprising:

a wheel rim;

a pad and spokes;

a window portion defined by said pad, said wheel rim and said spokes;

a supporting body disposed projectedly within said window portion and substantially concentrically with said wheel rim, said supporting body being at least partially formed in an arc shape in cross-section, said supporting body being arranged in a front side of a vehicle with respect to said wheel rim; and

at least one operation switch operating a control apparatus installed in an automotive vehicle, said operation switch being disposed on said supporting body and being movable in a circumferential direction of said arc shape of said supporting body, wherein said circumferential direction of said arc shape is a curve having a component in a radial direction of said wheel rim with respect to a center axis of said wheel rim,

wherein said at least one operation switch is disposed between adjacent spokes of the steering wheel,

wherein said at least one operation switch includes a front end and a rear end separated from each other by a predetermined distance, said front end and said rear end serving as operation segments capable of engaging, respectively, with a thumb and an index finger of an operator.

7. A steering wheel, comprising:

a wheel rim;

a pad and spokes;

a window portion defined by said pad, said wheel rim and said spokes;

a supporting body disposed projectedly within said window portion and substantially concentrically with said wheel rim, said supporting body being at least partially formed in an arc shape in cross-section, said cross-section being taken along a plane on which a rotational center axis of said wheel rim lies, said supporting body being arranged in a front side of a vehicle with respect to said wheel rim; and

at least one operation switch operating a control apparatus installed in an automotive vehicle, said operation switch being disposed on said supporting body,

wherein the arc shape of said supporting body in cross-section is a curve having a component in a radial direction of said wheel rim, and said at least one operation switch moves along the curve,

wherein said at least one operation switch includes a front end and a rear end separated from each other by a predetermined distance, said front end and said rear end serving as operation segments capable of engaging, respectively, with a thumb and an index finger of an operator.

8. A steering wheel, comprising:

a wheel rim;

a pad and spokes;

a window portion defined by said pad, said wheel rim and said spokes;

a supporting body disposed within said window portion and substantially concentrically with said wheel rim, said supporting body being at least partially formed in an arc shape in cross-section, said supporting body being arranged in a front side of a vehicle with respect to said wheel rim; and

at least one operation switch operating a control apparatus installed in an automotive vehicle, said operation switch being disposed on said supporting body and being movable in a circumferential direction of said arc shape of said supporting body,

wherein an operation direction of said operation switch substantially coincides with a radial direction of said wheel rim,

wherein said at least one operation switch includes a front end and a rear end separated from each other by a predetermined distance, said front end and said rear end serving as operation segments capable of engaging with a thumb and an index finger, respectively, of an operator.