Steering wheel light bar

• US 9,821,703 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2016
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition, LLC
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lisseman, Jason Carl, Gardner, Valerie Dawn, Van'tZelfde, Dwayne, Staszak, Erick Paul, Mueller, Norbert Hubert, Andrews, David William
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US15/075,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20160200343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 3408154, 3404571, 3404255, 3405731, 340576, 34042631, 701 41, 701 42, 74552, 74558
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/178 Warnings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/33 Illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/336 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/782 on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/178 Warnings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/33 Illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/336 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/782 on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/00 Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor for lighting vehicle interior B60Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/283 Steering wheels; Gear levers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/04 Hand wheels
• 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

The present invention is directed to a steering apparatus for a vehicle having a including a light element providing indication and warning light signals to the user of the vehicle. The light element can be associated with a PCB mounted to the steering wheel grip for controlling the operation of the light element.

Claims

1. A steering apparatus of a vehicle, the steering apparatus comprising:

a steering grip;

one or more infrared light emitting diodes disposed on the steering grip, wherein the infrared light emitting diodes emit infrared light in a direction toward an operator of the vehicle; and

a processor in electrical communication with the one or more infrared light emitting diodes and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor, wherein the instructions cause the processor to direct operation of the one or more infrared light emitting diodes,

wherein the instructions cause the processor to vary the intensity of the one or more infrared light emitting diodes to control an amount of heat transferred from the infrared light emitting diodes to an external surface of the steering grip.

2. The steering apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more infrared light emitting diodes comprise a first set of infrared light emitting diodes and a second set of infrared light emitting diodes, wherein the first set and the second set are spaced apart from each other.

3. The steering apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first set is disposed adjacent a front, left side of the steering grip, and the second set is disposed adjacent a front, right side of the steering grip, wherein the front side of the steering grip faces toward the operator.

4. The steering apparatus of claim 1, wherein the infrared light emitting diodes illuminate the operator'"'"'s face, and an infrared camera-based monitoring system receives the infrared light reflected from the operator'"'"'s face.

5. The steering apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more infrared light emitting diodes are disposed on a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board being coupled to the steering grip.

6. The steering apparatus of claim 5, further comprising one or more visible light emitting diodes disposed on the printed circuit board.

7. The steering apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more infrared light emitting diodes comprises a first set of infrared light emitting diodes and a second set of infrared light emitting diodes, and the visible light emitting diodes are disposed between the first set and the second set.

8. The steering apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a lens disposed adjacent the one or more infrared light emitting diodes, the lens comprising an infrared transmissive material to allow infrared light to pass through the lens.

9. A steering apparatus of a vehicle, the steering apparatus comprising:

a steering grip;

one or more infrared light emitting diodes disposed on the steering grip, wherein the infrared light emitting diodes emit infrared light in a direction toward an operator of the vehicle; and

a processor in electrical communication with the one or more infrared light emitting diodes and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor, wherein the instructions cause the processor to direct operation of the one or more infrared light emitting diodes.

wherein the infrared light emitting diodes are thermally coupled to a heat exchange component that is thermally coupled to a frame of the steering grip, and the heat exchange component comprises a thermally conductive material configured for transferring heat away from the infrared light emitting diodes to the frame of the steering grip.

10. The steering apparatus of claim 9, wherein the infrared light emitting diodes are physically coupled to a printed circuit board, and the heat exchange component is disposed between the printed circuit board and the frame.

11. The steering apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more infrared light emitting diodes comprise a first set of infrared light emitting diodes and a second set of infrared light emitting diodes, wherein the first set and the second set are spaced apart from each other.

12. The steering apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first set is disposed adjacent a front, left side of the steering grip, and the second set is disposed adjacent a front, right side of the steering grip, wherein the front side of the steering grip faces toward the operator.

13. The steering apparatus of claim 9, wherein the infrared light emitting diodes illuminate the operator'"'"'s face, and an infrared camera-based monitoring system receives the infrared light reflected from the operator'"'"'s face.

14. The steering apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more infrared light emitting diodes are disposed on a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board being coupled to the steering grip.

15. The steering apparatus of claim 14, further comprising one or more visible light emitting diodes disposed on the printed circuit board.

16. The steering apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more infrared light emitting diodes comprises a first set of infrared light emitting diodes and a second set of infrared light emitting diodes, and the visible light emitting diodes are disposed between the first set and the second set.

17. The steering apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a lens disposed adjacent the one or more infrared light emitting diodes, the lens comprising an infrared transmissive material to allow infrared light to pass through the lens.

18. The steering apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions cause the processor to vary the intensity of the one or more infrared light emitting diodes to control an amount of heat transferred from the infrared light emitting diodes to an external surface of the steering grip.