Wheel position indicator

• US 7,142,100 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2003
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kapteyn, Jeffrey S., Brown, Gregory P., Turner, Marcus, Hulme, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie Bichngoc
• Application Number:
  US10/694,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20050087121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/686.1, 340/686.3, 701 70- 72, 701/82, 701/41
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/02 Steering position indicators ; Steering position determination; Steering aids
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0205 Mechanical indicators, e.g. in or near steering wheel

Abstract

A wheel position indication system for a vehicle comprising a steerable wheel, a wheel position indicator and a controller. The wheel position indicator has an on state and an off state. The wheel position indicator provides a visual indication of the position of the steerable wheel when the wheel position indicator is in the on state. The wheel position indicator does not provide a visual indication of the position of the steerable wheel when the wheel position indicator is in the off state. The controller selectively alters the wheel position indicator between the on state and the off state. The controller places the wheel position indicator into the on state when the vehicle is in a predetermined driving condition and places the wheel position indicator into the off state when the vehicle is not in the predetermined driving condition.

Claims

1. A method of indicating a steered position of a steerable wheel of a vehicle comprising:

providing a wheel position indicator having an on state and an off state, the wheel position indicator providing a visual indication of the steered position of the steerable wheel when the wheel position indicator is in the on state, the wheel position indicator not providing the visual indication of the steered position of the steerable wheel when the wheel position indicator is in the off state;

placing the wheel position indicator into the on state when the vehicle is in a predetermined driving condition; and

placing the wheel position indicator into the off state when the vehicle is not in the predetermined driving condition.

2. The method of indicating the steered position of the steerable wheel of the vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined driving condition is an off road driving condition.

3. The method of indicating the steered position of the steerable wheel of the vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined driving condition occurs when the steerable wheel has a slip angle above or equal to a predetermined amount.

4. The method of indicating the steered position of the steerable wheel of the vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the visual indication of the steered position of the steerable wheel includes a display mechanically connected to a steering column of the vehicle.

5. The method of indicating the steered position of the steerable wheel of the vehicle of claim 1, further including:

determining a position of the steering column.

6. The method of indicating the steered position of the steerable wheel of the vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the visual indication includes a digital display.

7. The method of indicating the steered position of the steerable wheel of the vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the steered position of the steerable wheel includes an angle of the steerable wheel relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

8. The method of indicating the steered position of the steerable wheel of the vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the steered position of the steerable wheel includes a left or a right steered position of the steerable wheel relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

9. A wheel position indication system for a vehicle, comprising:

a steerable wheel;

a wheel position indicator having an on state and an off state, the wheel position indicator providing a visual indication of a steered position of the steerable wheel when the wheel position indicator is in the on state, the wheel position indicator not providing the visual indication of the steered position of the steerable wheel when the wheel position indicator is in the off state;

a controller selectively altering the wheel position indicator between the on state and the off state;

wherein the controller places the wheel position indicator into the on state when the vehicle is in an off road condition and places the wheel position indicator into the off state when the vehicle is not in the off road condition.

10. The wheel position indication system for the vehicle of claim 9, wherein:

the visual indication of the steered position of the steerable wheel includes a display mechanically connected to a steering column of the vehicle.

11. The wheel position indication system for the vehicle of claim 9, further including:

a shutter wheel having apertures adjacent a periphery of the shutter wheel, the shutter wheel being adapted to be connected to a steering column;

wherein the controller communicates with sensors reading light emitted through the apertures of the shutter wheel to determine the steered position of the steerable wheel.

12. The wheel position indication system for the vehicle of claim 9, wherein:

the visual indication includes a digital display.

13. The wheel position indication system for the vehicle of claim 9, wherein:

the steered position of the steerable wheel includes an angle of the steerable wheel relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

14. The wheel position indication system for the vehicle of claim 9, wherein:

the steered position of the steerable wheel includes a left or a right steered position of the steerable wheel relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

15. A wheel position indication system for a vehicle, comprising:

a steerable wheel;

a wheel position indicator having an on state and an off state, the wheel position indicator providing a visual indication of a steered position of the steerable wheel when the wheel position indicator is in the on state, the wheel position indicator not providing the visual indication of the steered position of the steerable wheel when the wheel position indicator is in the off state;

a controller selectively altering the wheel position indicator between the on state and the off state;

wherein the controller places the wheel position indicator into the on state when the steerable wheel has a slip angle above or equal to a predetermined amount and places the wheel position indicator into the off state when the steerable wheel has a slip angle below the predetermined amount.

16. The wheel position indication system for the vehicle of claim 15, wherein:

the visual indication of the steered position of the steerable wheel includes a display mechanically connected to a steering column of the vehicle.

17. The wheel position indication system for the vehicle of claim 15, further including:

a shutter wheel having apertures adjacent a periphery of the shutter wheel, the shutter wheel being adapted to be connected to a steering column;

wherein the controller communicates with sensors reading light emitted through the apertures of the shutter wheel to determine the steered position of the steerable wheel.

18. The wheel position indication system for the vehicle of claim 15, wherein:

the visual indication includes a digital display.

19. The wheel position indication system for the vehicle of claim 15, wherein:

the steered position of the steerable wheel includes an angle of the steerable wheel relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

20. The wheel position indication system for the vehicle of claim 15, wherein:

the steered position of the steerable wheel includes a left or a right steered position of the steerable wheel relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

21. A method of indicating a steered position of a steerable wheel of a vehicle comprising:

providing a wheel position indicator having a wheel angle indication state and a wheel angle non-indication state, the wheel position indicator providing a visual indication of the steered position of the steerable wheel when the wheel position indicator is in the wheel angle indication state, the wheel position indicator not providing the visual indication of the steered position of the steerable wheel when the wheel position indicator is in the wheel angle non-indication state;

placing the wheel position indicator into the wheel angle indication state in response to a mode being selected by a driver of the vehicle; and

placing the wheel position indicator into the wheel angle non-indication state when the mode is not selected by the driver of the vehicle;

wherein the wheel position indicator is configured to be in either the wheel angle indication state or the wheel angle non-indication state while the vehicle is running.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the mode is a driving condition mode.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the driving condition mode is an off-road driving condition.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the wheel position indicator is able to indicate a plurality of angles of the steerable wheel relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

25. A wheel position indication system for a vehicle, comprising:

a steerable wheel;

a wheel position indicator having a wheel angle indication state and a wheel angle non-indication state, the wheel position indicator providing a visual indication of a steered position of the steerable wheel when the wheel position indicator is in the wheel angle indication state, the wheel position indicator not providing the visual indication of the steered position of the steerable wheel when the wheel position indicator is in the wheel angle non-indication state; and

a controller selectively altering the wheel position indicator between the wheel angle indication state and the wheel angle non-indication state;

wherein the controller places the wheel position indicator into the wheel angle indication state in response to a mode selected by a driver of the vehicle and places the wheel position indicator into the wheel angle non-indication state when the mode is not selected by the driver of the vehicle; and

wherein the wheel position indicator is configured to be in either the wheel angle indication state or the wheel angle non-indication state while the vehicle is running.

26. The wheel position indication system for a vehicle of claim 25, wherein:

the mode is a driving condition mode.

27. The wheel position indication system for a vehicle of claim 26, wherein:

the driving condition mode is an off-road driving condition.

28. The wheel position indication system for a vehicle of claim 25, wherein:

the wheel position indicator is able to indicate a plurality of angles of the steerable wheel relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.