Wireless steering column switch levers

• US 7,495,584 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fred Sorensen
• Original Assignee: Fred Sorensen
• Inventors: Sorensen, Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US11/306,316
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: 341/20, 341/22, 341/176, 340/870.72, 340/870.69, 340/467, 340/479, 340/453, 340/456, 701/36, 701/45, 701/51
• US Class Current: 341/20
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1476 comprising switch controlling means located near the free end of the lever, e.g. press buttons, rotatable rings
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 11/24 using analogue means , e.g. by coding the states of multiple switches into a single multi-level analogue signal or by indicating the type of a device using the voltage level at a specific tap of a resistive divider

Abstract

A switch-equipped lever of the type mounted on a vehicle steering column and having an end knob with a switch mechanism for controlling a remote vehicle system, in which the knob is provided with a wireless signal transmitter, the wireless transmitter controlled by the switch mechanism in the knob to control the remote vehicle system with a wireless signal.

Claims

1. In a steering-column mounted lever comprising the existing combination of a lever arm operable to control a first vehicle system and a knob portion defining an outer end of the lever arm, the knob portion comprising an existing switch mechanism that is independently operable of the lever arm and dedicated to control a second vehicle system different and independent from the first vehicle system operated by the lever arm, the knob portion switch mechanism normally being wired through the lever arm to control the second vehicle system, the improvement comprising a wireless control connection from the existing switch mechanism in the knob portion to control the second vehicle system by wireless signal transmitted from the knob portion in response to the existing switch mechanism.

2. The lever of claim 1, wherein the knob portion is a separately formed portion attached to the end of the lever arm.

3. The lever of claim 1, wherein the knob portion is an integrally formed part of the lever arm.

4. The lever of claim 1, wherein the lever is a gear shift lever.

5. The lever of claim 1, wherein the lever is a turn signal lever.

6. The lever of claim 1, wherein the lever arm has a solid core.

7. A method for operating a remote vehicle system using a switch-equipped knob portion defining an outer end of an existing lever and knob portion combination mounted on a steering column, the lever operable to control a first vehicle system, an existing switch on the knob portion being operable independently of the lever and dedicated to operate a remote second vehicle system different and independent from the first vehicle system operated by the lever, the knob portion switch mechanism normally being wired through the lever arm to control the second vehicle system, comprising the step of using the existing switch in the switch knob portion to control the remote second vehicle system with a wireless signal transmitted from the knob portion.

8. In a vehicle comprising existing first and second independent vehicle systems controlled from a steering-column mounted lever, the steering column-mounted lever comprising an existing combination of a lever arm operable to control the first vehicle system and a knob portion defining an outer end of the lever arm and including an existing switch mechanism independently operable of the lever arm and dedicated to control the second remote vehicle system, the knob portion switch mechanism normally being wired through the lever arm to control the second vehicle system, the improvement comprising a wireless control connection from the existing switch mechanism to control the second remote vehicle system by wireless signal transmitted from the knob end in response to the switch mechanism, and the second remote vehicle system including a wireless signal receiver for receiving the wireless signal from the wireless transmitter in the knob portion.