Biometric steering wheel

• US 8,171,820 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2009
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Song, Kidong
• Primary Examiner(s): Pilkington, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Diaz, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US12/618,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20110048163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 744/84.R, 745/52, 745/58, 745/585, 298/941, 600/372, 600/393, 482/8, 200/61.54, 340/575, 340/576, 219/204
• US Class Current: 74/552
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6893 Cars
• 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 biometric steering wheel, may include sensing members that are disposed along the circumferential direction of the steering wheel and exposed to the outside on a surface of the steering wheel, in at least two sectors of the steering wheel, wherein the sensing members have electric conductivity.

Claims

1. A biometric steering wheel comprising:

sensing members that are disposed along the circumferential direction of the steering wheel and exposed to the outside on a surface of the steering wheel, in at least two sectors of the steering wheel, wherein the sensing members have electric conductivity,

a core forming the structure of the steering wheel;

an insert that is disposed between the core and the sensing members and fixes the sensing members thereto, wherein the sensing members having a U-shape cross section and extend along the circumferential direction of the steering wheel, and an opening of the U-shaped cross section of the sensing member is fitted on the insert; and

at least a fixing pin that fixes the sensing members to the insert while passing through both the insert and the sensing members fitted on the insert,

wherein the at least a fixing pin and the insert are non-conductor.

2. The biometric steering wheel as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensing members are disposed along the exterior circumferential direction of the steering wheel.

3. The biometric steering wheel as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensing members include at least two or more sensing members disposed in parallel along the circumferential direction of the steering wheel in each of the at least two sectors.

4. The biometric steering wheel as defined in claim 3, wherein two pairs of sensing members are disposed in two sectors at left and right sides of the steering wheel, respectively, with respect to the forward direction of a vehicle.

5. The biometric steering wheel as defined in claim 1, wherein a length of each of the at least two sectors is longer than half of the entire circumference of the steering wheel.

6. The biometric steering wheel as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

at least a clip coupled to the insert by passing therethrough and fixing the insert to the core by enclosing the core therein; and

at least a clip-fixing member that allows the at least a clip to enclose the core therein in a closed curve, by fixing both distal ends of the clip to the core.

7. The biometric steering wheel as defined in claim 6, wherein the at least a clip-fixing member includes a bolt that is connected to the core by passing through a portion of the clip where the both distal ends of the clip overlap.

8. The biometric steering wheel as defined in claim 7, wherein the core having a U-shaped cross section extends along the circumferential direction of the steering wheel,

the both distal ends of the clip overlap at an opening of the U-shape cross section of the core,

a filler member is inserted in a space between the overlapping portion of the clip and the U-shaped cross section of the core to fill the space, and

the bolt is screwed in the filler member through the overlapping portion of the clip.

9. The biometric steering wheel as defined in claim 1, wherein a body is formed such that the outer side of the core and the insert is covered by the body and a connecting portion of the U-shaped cross section of the sensing member is exposed to the outside through the body.