Steering device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017282956-A1
Application number	US-201715472470-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 29, 2017
Priority date	Mar 31, 2016
Publication date	Oct 5, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A steering device 10 mounted on a vehicle includes: a steering body 12 having left and right sensors 22 L and 22 R installed in a rim 16 gripped by a driver to detect a driver's condition; and a detection circuit 14 configured to detect a driver's condition on the basis of a detection signal from at least the left and right sensors 22 L and 22 R, wherein a wire length Ll of a left harness 30 L from the detection circuit 14 to the left sensor 22 L is substantially equal to a wire length Lr of a right harness 30 R from the detection circuit 14 to the right sensor 22 R.

First claim

1 . A steering device mounted on a vehicle, comprising:
a steering body having a rim to be gripped by a driver, left and right sensors installed in left and right portions of the rim, respectively, each of the left and right sensors being configured to detect a signal relating to a driver's condition; a left harness and a right harness connected to the left and right sensors, respectively, to transmit the respective signals therefrom; and a detection circuit connected to the left and right harnesses and configured to detect the driver's condition on a basis of the detected signals from at least said left and right sensors, wherein a wire length of the left harness from said detection circuit to said left sensor is substantially equal to a wire length of the right harness from said detection circuit to said right sensor.

2 . The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein said left and right harnesses have the same electric property as each other.

3 . The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein said steering body has a central spoke, a left spoke, and a right spoke,
said left and right spokes are arranged axially symmetrically with respect to said central spoke, said detection circuit is installed in said central spoke, said left harness and said left sensor are connected to each other in a vicinity of a connecting portion between said left spoke and said rim, and said right harness and said right sensor are connected to each other in a vicinity of a connecting portion between said right spoke and said rim.

4 . The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein the steering body has
a core metal installed in a center portion of the steering body, on which a substrate and a leather member are provided, and an electroconductive film for left sensor and an electroconductive film for right sensor each stacked on said core metal by interposing the substrate and the leather member between each electroconductive film and the said core metal, said left harness extending from said detection circuit is soldered to said left sensor in a direct or indirect manner, said right harness extending from said detection circuit is soldered to said right sensor in a direct or indirect manner, and a hard member harder than said substrate is provided between said soldered portion and said substrate.

5 . The steering device according to claim 4 , further comprising a heater portion configured to heat said steering body,
wherein said heater portion comprises an electroconductive film which is a heater, and said electroconductive film is provided between said right and left sensors and said substrate.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Odate Shotaro
• Fujimaki Takeshi

Classifications

• B60K28/06

  responsive to incapacity of driver · CPC title

• B62D1/065 Primary

  Steering wheels with heating and ventilating means (heating and ventilation of steering wheel when connected to vehicle HVAC B60H1/00292) · CPC title

• H05B2203/013

  Heaters using resistive films or coatings · CPC title

• H05B3/146

  Conductive polymers, e.g. polyethylene, thermoplastics · CPC title

• B62D1/046

  Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches · CPC title