Steering wheel for a motor vehicle
First Claim
1. A steering wheel for a motor vehicle having a plurality of operating assemblies including a music system, an air-conditioning system, a navigation system, or a hands-free phone system, the steering wheel comprising:
- a hub element;
a steering wheel rim;
at least one steering wheel spoke for attaching the steering wheel rim to the hub element; and
at least one activation device which is arranged on the hub element, on the steering wheel rim or on the steering wheel spoke and having the purpose of actively controlling or regulating a predetermined one of the plurality of motor vehicle operating assemblies,wherein the activation device is embodied as an optical reflection sensor device, the steering wheel has a plurality or sensor devices with optical reflection functional faces which are arranged on the steering wheel rim, the steering wheel spoke, or the hub element, and the functional face of at least one sensor device is arranged in a depression in the steering wheel,the functional face has a recessed region arranged in the lowest region of the depression and a first limb adjoining the recessed region on one side thereof and a second limb adjoining the recessed region on the other side thereof, the sensor device is embodied in such a way that a driver of a vehicle actuates a control function or regulating function of a motor vehicle assembly by tapping the functional face in the recessed region with a fingertip, the sensor device is embodied in such a way that the driver of the vehicle generates a first control signal or first regulating signal of an assembly of the motor vehicle by moving his fingertip onto the first limb from the recessed region, and the sensor device is embodied in such a way that the driver of the vehicle generates a second control signal or second regulating signal of an assembly of the motor vehicle by moving his fingertip onto the second limb from the recessed region.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A steering wheel for a motor vehicle is provided having a hub element, a steering wheel rim, at least one steering wheel spoke for attaching the steering wheel rim to the hub element and at least one activation device which is arranged on the hub element, the steering wheel rim or the steering wheel spoke for controlling and/or regulating an assembly of a motor vehicle. The activation device is preferably embodied as an optical reflection sensor device with a functional face. Such a sensor device operates without mechanically moving parts and during the service life of the steering wheel it is independent of general scratching and soiling of its functional faces. In addition, the functionality of the measurement of distances and/or speeds of the objects located above the functional faces of the sensor device permits further functions to be integrated without requiring further separate devices in order to do so.
36 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A steering wheel for a motor vehicle having a plurality of operating assemblies including a music system, an air-conditioning system, a navigation system, or a hands-free phone system, the steering wheel comprising:
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a hub element; a steering wheel rim; at least one steering wheel spoke for attaching the steering wheel rim to the hub element; and at least one activation device which is arranged on the hub element, on the steering wheel rim or on the steering wheel spoke and having the purpose of actively controlling or regulating a predetermined one of the plurality of motor vehicle operating assemblies, wherein the activation device is embodied as an optical reflection sensor device, the steering wheel has a plurality or sensor devices with optical reflection functional faces which are arranged on the steering wheel rim, the steering wheel spoke, or the hub element, and the functional face of at least one sensor device is arranged in a depression in the steering wheel, the functional face has a recessed region arranged in the lowest region of the depression and a first limb adjoining the recessed region on one side thereof and a second limb adjoining the recessed region on the other side thereof, the sensor device is embodied in such a way that a driver of a vehicle actuates a control function or regulating function of a motor vehicle assembly by tapping the functional face in the recessed region with a fingertip, the sensor device is embodied in such a way that the driver of the vehicle generates a first control signal or first regulating signal of an assembly of the motor vehicle by moving his fingertip onto the first limb from the recessed region, and the sensor device is embodied in such a way that the driver of the vehicle generates a second control signal or second regulating signal of an assembly of the motor vehicle by moving his fingertip onto the second limb from the recessed region. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A steering wheel for a motor vehicle having a plurality of operating assemblies including a music system, an air-conditioning system, a navigation system, or a hands-free phone system, the steering wheel comprising:
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a hub element, a steering wheel rim, at least one steering wheel spoke for attaching the steering wheel rim to the hub element; and at least one activation device which is arranged on the hub element, on the steering wheel rim or on the steering wheel spoke and has the purpose of actively controlling or regulating a predetermined one of the plurality of motor vehicle operating assemblies, wherein the activation device is embodied as an optical reflection sensor device that is configured for optically detecting a user'"'"'s fingertip and the fingertip'"'"'s movements relative thereto for actively controlling or regulating the predetermined motor vehicle operating assembly, the steering wheel having a plurality of sensor devices with optical reflection functional faces which are arranged on the steering wheel rim, the steering wheel spoke, or the hub element, at least one sensor device has a functional face which is extended along an axis (EA) of extent and is arranged on the steering wheel spoke or on the steering wheel hub, with the extent of the extended functional face being formed transversely with respect to the axis (EA) of extend in such a way that no significant movement of a fingertip of a driver of a vehicle transversely with respect to the direction (EA) of extent is possible, and a regulating function for an assigned parameter of the predetermined one of the motor vehicle operating assemblies is actuated by the user of a vehicle causing his fingertip to approach or touch the extended functional face. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification