Steering handle of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11952031-B2
Application number	US-201917292150-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2019
Priority date	Nov 9, 2018
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

A steering handle of a vehicle includes a support structure, which is mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation and at each end of which an angled gripping element for a hand of a driver is provided such that the gripping element can be rotated relative to the support structure. In at least one defined driving state of the vehicle, the two gripping elements are or have been positioned by way of an actuating device in such a way that portions of the gripping elements that are provided for grasping with the hands of the driver lie on a line, the free ends of the portions facing one another.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A steering handle of a vehicle, comprising:
a supporting structure which is mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation of the steering handle; and
two angled gripping elements, wherein each angled gripping element is provided at a respective end of the supporting structure for a respective hand of a driver in a first driving state of the vehicle in which the driver is controlling the vehicle, such that each angled gripping element is rotatable relative to the supporting structure,
wherein in a second driving state of the vehicle which is an autonomous driving state, the two angled gripping elements are or have been positioned such that portions of the two angled gripping elements that are provided for grasping with the hands of the driver in the first state of the vehicle lie on a common line, free ends of the portions facing one another along the common line,
wherein the free ends of the portions of the two angled gripping elements overlap the support structure in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the steering handle in the second driving state of the vehicle.

2. The steering handle according to claim 1 , wherein
the two angled gripping elements are L-shaped,
a leg of each angled gripping element oriented horizontally in a neutral position of the steering handle is rotatably fastened, by way of an end portion of the leg closer to the steering handle axis of rotation, to the supporting structure,
the supporting structure is also oriented horizontally in the neutral position of the steering handle, and
a vertically oriented leg of each angled gripping element is connected to the other end of the horizontal leg and is configured as the portion for grasping with the respective hand of the driver in the first driving state of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Eichhorn Julian
• Franz Gunnar
• Froemel Christian
• Major Zoltan
• Wiesinger Martin

Classifications

• B62D1/04 Primary

  Hand wheels · CPC title

• B60W50/12

  Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation · CPC title

• B62D1/14 Primary

  Tillers, i.e. hand levers operating on steering columns · CPC title