Sensor system for a steering wheel of a motor vehicle

• US 8,011,234 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2007
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Germany GmbH (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
• Inventors: Kandler, Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): McCall; Eric S
• Application Number:
  US12/306,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20090199676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 731/170.1, 731/170.2
• US Class Current: 73/117.02
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01332 by frequency or waveform analysis
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01552 detecting position of specific human body parts, e.g. face, eyes or hands
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/06 Rims, e.g. with heating means; Rim covers B62D1/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20834 Hand wheels

Abstract

A sensor system for a steering wheel of a motor vehicle is provided, characterized in that, in one form, in and/or on a steering wheel rim at least one sensor device for recording the effects of an acceleration is arranged. Rapid and effective reactions can thus be made to impact events, for example.

Claims

1. A sensor system for a steering wheel of a motor vehicle, characterized in that at least one acceleration sensor for sensing acceleration acting on the vehicle is mounted to a rim of the steering wheel, and the steering wheel rim has at least one electrical outer conductor and at least one electrical inner conductor for forming a coaxial arrangement.

2. The sensor system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the acceleration sensor senses the field effect, the force effect and/or the resulting deformation of part of the steering wheel relative to the at least one outer conductor and/or to the at least one inner conductor.

3. The sensor system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the acceleration sensor senses a distance between two parts of the steering wheel rim.

4. The sensor system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a skeleton of the steering wheel rim is embodied at least partially as the inner conductor.

5. The sensor system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that an electrically conductive material is embodied in the steering wheel rim, at least partially as the outer conductor.

6. The sensor system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the electrically conductive material comprises a steering wheel heating device.

7. The sensor system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that at least one dielectric element is arranged in the steering wheel rim.

8. The sensor system as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the dielectric element is arranged as a foamed material jacket and/or liquid container in the steering wheel rim.

9. The sensor system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the steering wheel rim is electrically insulated with respect to a steering wheel plate.

10. The sensor system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a triggering signal which is generated by sensor means fires an airbag and/or triggers passive or active safety systems.

11. The sensor system as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the triggering signal is not output by the acceleration sensor until the acceleration exceeds a predetermined value.

12. A sensor system for a steering wheel of a motor vehicle, characterized in that at least one acceleration sensor for sensing acceleration acting on the vehicle is mounted to a rim of the steering wheel, and the at least one acceleration sensor has a capacitive and/or an inductive sensor unit or is coupled to a capacitive and/or inductive sensor unit, wherein the sensor unit is configured to receive a frequency-independent signal or a frequency-dependent signal.

13. The sensor system as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the capacitive and/or inductive sensor unit are coupled to parts of the steering wheel.

14. The sensor system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the parts to which the capacitive and/or inductive sensor unit is coupled comprise the at least one outer conductor and the at least one inner conductor, with different masses, rigidities and/or densities to permit a signal for sensing the acceleration to be generated from the deformation of the parts.

15. A sensor system for a steering wheel of a motor vehicle, characterized in that at least one acceleration sensor for sensing acceleration acting on the vehicle is mounted to a rim of the steering wheel, and the acceleration sensor comprises a transmitting means has at least one antenna loop for emitting a coaxial wave, a TE wave, a TM wave, a TEM wave and/or a wave, and a sensor for detecting a reflection of the coaxial wave, of the TE wave, of the TM wave, of the TEM wave and/or of the wave.

16. The sensor system as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that at least two conductor loops are arranged in the steering wheel rim.

17. The sensor system as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that four conductor loops are arranged symmetrically in the steering wheel rim, each in a quadrant.

18. The sensor system as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that at least one antenna loop and/or a conductor loop is configured to be used for direction-indicating detection of a force effect.

19. The sensor system as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that a receiver means senses a reflection factor.

20. The sensor system as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that a receiver means senses a change in a property of the coaxial wave.

21. The sensor system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the property of the coaxial wave sensed by the receiver means comprises a field line change and/or attenuation as a function of a relative movement of parts of the steering wheel.

22. A steering wheel for a motor vehicle, the steering wheel comprising:

a rim;

at least one acceleration sensor mounted to the rim for sensing acceleration acting on the rim; and

at least one electrical outer conductor and at least one electrical inner conductor of the at least one acceleration sensor that form a coaxial relationship.