Steering wheel and control method of steering wheel

Abstract

The present invention provides a steering wheel (1) and a method for controlling the steering wheel, the steering wheel (1) comprising: an inflation handle (2) for a driver to perform a turning operation; and a steering wheel bracket (3) that supports the inflatable handle (2) on the vehicle, the inflatable handle (2) comprising: a first airbag (4) that can be inflated into a ring shape or contracted by inflation and deflation, the first airbag (4) being provided with a recess (41) that is recessed in the radial direction; and a second bladder (5) which is disposed in the recess (41) and which can be inflated or deflated by inflation and deflation. By arranging the first air bag (4) and the second air bag (5), the massage function of the steering wheel (1) can be achieved through a simple structure, the control performance during intense driving is improved, and under the condition that the massage function is not needed and the control performance does not need to be improved, the second air bag (5) can be made to be flush with the concave part (41) in the first air bag (4), so that the appearance of the steering wheel (1) is not abrupt.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of transportation vehicles, and particularly to a steering wheel and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] In various transportation vehicles, a steering wheel is usually used as a component for controlling the traveling direction. The steering wheel is connected to a steering shaft to transmit the steering operation force of a driver to the steering shaft, thereby realizing the steering of the transportation vehicle.

[0003] In the prior art, there is a steer-by-wire technology, that is, the steering wheel is not directly connected to a steering mechanism, but measures the rotation amount and torque applied by the driver to the steering wheel, and transmits the rotation amount and torque to a power mechanism such as a motor through a steer-by-wire method, and the power mechanism applies power for steering to the steering mechanism.

[0004] In addition, with the development of autonomous driving technology, in a high-level autonomous driving state such as L5-level autonomous driving, the driver no longer needs to operate the steering wheel. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Technical Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In the prior art, the functions of the steering wheel are single. Therefore, it is desired to provide a steering wheel and a control method thereof with more functions. In addition, it is desired to provide a steering wheel that can be folded and stored, so as to save space when the steering wheel does not need to be operated.

[0007] Technical Solutions for Solving the Technical Problems

[0008] The present invention provides a steering wheel, comprising:

[0009] An inflatable handle for the driver to perform a rotation operation; and

[0010] A steering wheel bracket for supporting the inflatable handle on a transportation vehicle,

[0011] The inflatable handle comprises:

[0012] A first airbag that can be inflated into a ring shape or contracted by inflation and deflation, and the first airbag is provided with a concave portion that is recessed in the radial direction; and

[0013] A second airbag disposed in the concave portion and capable of being inflated or contracted by inflation and deflation.

[0014] By providing a first airbag and a second airbag in the steering wheel of the present invention, the massage function of the steering wheel can be realized with a simple structure, the handling performance during intense driving can be improved, and when the massage function is not required and the handling performance does not need to be improved, the second airbag can also fill the concave portion in the first airbag, making the appearance of the steering wheel not obtrusive.

[0015] In the above-mentioned steering wheel, preferably,

[0016] The first airbag is provided with two sets of concave portions corresponding to the driver's fingers respectively. Each set of concave portions includes four outer concave portions provided on the radially outer side of the first airbag and one inner concave portion provided on the radially inner side of the first airbag.

[0017] The second airbag provided in the outer concave portion can be inflated and expanded in such a way that it protrudes from the outer surface of the first airbag, that is, the distance from the outer surface of the second airbag to the center of the inflation handle is greater than the distance from the outer surface of the first airbag to the center.

[0018] Thus, by separately providing the inner concave portion and the outer concave portion, more precise control can be performed on the steering wheel having the inner concave portion and the outer concave portion, making the experience of the steering wheel better.

[0019] In the above-mentioned steering wheel, preferably, the steering wheel bracket includes:

[0020] A steering shaft that rotates according to the driver's rotational operation of the inflation handle;

[0021] A sliding member that can slide axially relative to the steering shaft; and

[0022] A connecting rod, one end of which is connected to the sliding member and the other end is connected to the inflation handle, and the connecting rod can swing relative to the steering shaft to approach or move away from the steering shaft.

[0023] Thus, in the case where the steering wheel is not needed, such as in autonomous driving, the steering wheel bracket can be folded and stored, thereby saving space.

[0024] In the above-mentioned steering wheel, preferably, the inflation handle and the steering wheel bracket are locked by a detachable locking structure.

[0025] Thus, by removing the inflation handle first when folding and storing the steering wheel bracket, it can be avoided that the inflation handle is worn by the steering wheel bracket. In addition, even when the steering wheel bracket does not need to be folded and stored, in critical situations such as when the vehicle falls into water, the inflation handle can also be conveniently removed for use as a life-saving device described later.

[0026] In the above-mentioned steering wheel, preferably, the locking structure includes:

[0027] A fixing recess provided on the inflatable grip; and

[0028] A protrusion provided on the steering wheel bracket and capable of popping out or retracting from the steering wheel bracket,

[0029] The protrusion engages with the fixing recess when popped out, and exits from the fixing recess when retracted.

[0030] Thus, the locking and unlocking between the steering wheel bracket and the steering wheel can be achieved through a relatively simple structure.

[0031] In the above-mentioned steering wheel, preferably, the steering wheel further has a third airbag capable of expanding radially outward from the first airbag by inflation.

[0032] Thus, by providing the third airbag, the volume of the inflatable grip can be increased by the third airbag, and the buoyancy provided by the inflatable grip can be improved, so that the inflatable grip with the third airbag can be used as a life jacket when falling into water.

[0033] In the above-mentioned steering wheel, preferably, a receiving recess is provided in the first airbag, and the third airbag is wound and received in the receiving recess.

[0034] The third airbag can change from the state of being wound and received in the receiving recess to the state of expanding radially outward from the first airbag by inflation.

[0035] By providing the receiving recess, the third airbag can be wound and received in the receiving recess, so that the third airbag will not be protrudingly provided on the outer surface of the first airbag, thereby making the appearance of the steering wheel good.

[0036] In the above-mentioned steering wheel, preferably, the third airbag is provided at two diametrically opposed portions of the first airbag and is in the form of a sheet provided with hole portions.

[0037] Thus, the expanded third airbag and the first airbag can be used together for the life jacket function, and the volume of the airbag can be increased to increase the buoyancy. The hole portions can be used for inserting the driver's arms, so the third airbag has better fit with the human body and is not easily detached.

[0038] The present invention also provides a control method for a steering wheel, which is a control method for controlling the above-mentioned steering wheel.

[0039] In a state where the first airbag is inflated and expanded into a ring shape, the controller of the vehicle controls to change the inflation state of the second airbag.

[0040] The inflation states of the second airbag include:

[0041] The non-inflated state, in which the second airbag is closely attached to the bottom of the concave portion;

[0042] The semi-inflated state, in which the second airbag and the first airbag form a state with a smooth and continuous outer surface; and

[0043] The fully inflated state, in which the second airbag protrudes from the first airbag, that is, the distance from the outer surface of the second airbag to the center of the inflation handle is greater than the distance from the outer surface of the first airbag to the center.

[0044] Thus, it is possible to conveniently control the steering wheel to achieve the massage function, the intense driving function, and the appearance improvement function.

[0045] In the above control method of the steering wheel, preferably,

[0046] Two groups of concave portions corresponding to human fingers are provided on the first airbag, and each group of concave portions includes four outer concave portions provided on the radially outer side of the first airbag and one inner concave portion provided on the radially inner side of the first airbag.

[0047] The controller controls the inflation state of the second airbag according to the state of the vehicle, and the state of the vehicle includes the massage state, the intense driving state, and the normal driving state.

[0048] In the massage state, the controller controls all the second airbags to be in the non-inflated state.

[0049] In the intense driving state, the controller controls the second airbags provided in the outer concave portions to be in the fully inflated state, and controls the second airbags provided in the inner concave portions to be in the non-inflated state.

[0050] In the normal driving state, the controller controls all the second airbags to be in the semi-inflated state.

[0051] Thus, the controller can automatically and appropriately change the states of the second airbags, and can perform more precise control on the steering wheel having the inner concave portions and the outer concave portions, increasing the diameter of the steering wheel without causing discomfort to the driver's thumb. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the steering wheel of the present invention, where (a) is a top view and (b) is a side view;

[0053] Figure 2Schematic diagram of the inflatable handle in the massage state of the present invention. Among them, (a) is a top view, and (b) is a sectional view taken along line A-A in (a);

[0054] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the inflatable handle in the normal driving state of the present invention. Among them, (a) is a top view, and (b) is a sectional view taken along line B-B in (a);

[0055] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the inflatable handle in the intense driving state of the present invention. Among them, (a) is a top view, and (b) is a sectional view taken along line C-C in (a);

[0056] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the folding and storage of the steering wheel bracket of the present invention. (a) is a schematic diagram of the process of folding and storing, and (b) is a schematic diagram of the state after folding and storing;

[0057] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the locking mechanism;

[0058] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the inflatable handle provided with a third airbag. Among them, (a) is a top view, (b) is a sectional view of the inflatable handle corresponding to the D-D section in (a), and (c) is a schematic diagram of the state after the third airbag is deployed. Detailed implementation manners

[0059] The following describes exemplary embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Various details of the embodiments of the present invention are included to facilitate understanding, and they should be considered merely exemplary. Therefore, those of ordinary skill in the art should recognize that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. Similarly, for clarity and conciseness, descriptions of well-known functions and structures are omitted below.

[0060] It should be noted that, without conflict, the embodiments of the present invention and the technical features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0061] The vehicle involved in the embodiments of the present invention is taken as an example of an automobile. However, as long as a steering wheel is used to control the direction, the vehicle can of course also be a vehicle such as a ship or an aircraft.

[0062] As Figure 1 shown in (a) and (b) of Figure 5 and (a) and (b) of the steering wheel 1 of the present invention includes an inflatable handle 2 and a steering wheel bracket 3. The inflatable handle 2 is for the driver to perform a rotating operation, and the steering wheel bracket 3 supports the inflatable handle 2 in an automobile (or other vehicle). Specifically, the steering wheel bracket 3 supports the inflatable handle 2 in front of the driver's seat inside the automobile.

[0063] The inflatable grip 2 is composed of an inflatable airbag, including a first airbag 4. The first airbag 4 has a hollow structure and can be inflated to expand into a ring shape or deflated to contract. The inflation and deflation of the first airbag 4 can be carried out by an air pump. In order for the first airbag 4 to be inflated or deflated to expand into a ring shape or contract, the material of the first airbag 4 needs to contain a flexible material. By appropriately setting the hardness and thickness of the material of the first airbag 4, etc., the first airbag 4 can maintain a certain shape after being filled with air, and the first airbag 4 can contract to reduce the space it occupies after being deflated.

[0064] As Figure 1 shown in (a) of [], the first airbag 4 can maintain a circular ring shape after being filled with air, but the first airbag 4 can also be other common steering wheel shapes, such as an approximately rectangular ring shape, or a ring shape with a notch provided in the circumferential direction. The specific shape of the first airbag 4 only needs to be able to perform the function of the steering wheel grip.

[0065] As Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown, a recess 41 that is recessed in the radial direction is provided in the first airbag 4. The recess 41 has a shape and size corresponding to the driver's finger F. In the recess 41, a second airbag 5 is provided. The second airbag 5 also contains a flexible material and can be inflated or deflated to expand or contract. That is, the second airbag 5 has a state of being deflated and contracted (refer to Figure 2 , the "deflated state" described later) and a state of being inflated and expanded (refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , including Figure 3 the "semi-inflated state" shown in [] and Figure 4 the "fully inflated state" shown in [].

[0066] By making the inflatable grip 2 of the steering wheel 1 of the present invention include the first airbag 4 and providing the recess 41 in the first airbag 4, the steering wheel 1 can provide a massage function for the driver's finger F.

[0067] As Figure 2 shown in (b) of [], during driving, when the driver feels fatigued, the steering wheel 1 can be held in such a way that the finger F is placed in the recess 41. At this time, by further inflating the first airbag 4, the first airbag 4 is further expanded in the direction of making the recess 41 smaller ( Figure 2 the direction indicated by the arrow in (b) of []), thereby squeezing the finger F placed in the recess 41 and performing squeezing massage on the finger F.

[0068] In addition, by providing the second airbag 5 in the recess 41 of the first airbag 4, the steering wheel 1 of the present invention can use the second airbag 5 to fill the recess 41 of the first airbag 4 and can further increase the diameter of the steering wheel 1 to be more suitable for intense driving.

[0069] Specifically, as Figure 2 shown, when massaging with the steering wheel 1, the second airbag 5 is in a non-inflated state, and at this time, the second airbag 5 contracts to the bottom of the recess 41. However, when the second airbag 5 is inflated to, for example, fifty percent (the semi-inflated state described later), as Figure 3 shown, the second airbag 5 becomes a state where the outer surface is smooth and continuous with respect to the first airbag 4.

[0070] "The second airbag 5 becomes a state where the outer surface is smooth and continuous with respect to the first airbag 4" means that when the second airbag 5 is inflated to the semi-inflated state, the volume of the second airbag 5 just makes up for the defect formed by the recess 41 in the first airbag 4. Specifically, when the first airbag 4 is annular, "the second airbag 5 becomes a state where the outer surface is smooth and continuous with respect to the first airbag 4" means that the volume of the second airbag 5 just makes up for the defect formed by the recess 41 in the annular first airbag 4, so that as Figure 3 shown in (a) of Figure 3 , the cross-section of the steering wheel 1 orthogonal to the axial direction makes up for the notch formed by the recess 41 and becomes annular, and as Figure 3 shown in (b) of

[0071] , the cross-section of the steering wheel 1 orthogonal to the circumferential direction also makes up for the notch formed by the recess 41 and becomes, for example, circular (the cross-section of the steering wheel 1 orthogonal to the circumferential direction can also be other common shapes).

[0071] Thus, in the present invention, since the second airbag 5 is provided in the recess 41 of the first airbag 4 of the steering wheel 1, when the massage function is not needed, the second airbag 5 can be used to make up for the recess 41, so that the steering wheel 1 becomes a state with a smooth outer surface. Therefore, the appearance of the steering wheel 1 is more beautiful.

[0072] In addition, the second airbag 5 can be further inflated on the basis of the semi-inflated state to become a fully inflated state. As Figure 4 shown, in the fully inflated state, the second airbag 5 not only completely fills the recess 41, but also protrudes further radially outward from the recess 41. At this time, the distance L1 from the outer surface of the second airbag 5 to the center O (which is also the center of the first airbag 4 in this example) of the inflation handle 2 is greater than the distance L2 from the outer surface of the first airbag 4 to the center O.

[0073] Here, the distance L1 from the outer surface of the second airbag 5 to the center O refers to the distance L1 from the outer surface of the second airbag 5 exposed from the recess 41 to the center O, and the distance L2 from the outer surface of the first airbag 4 to the center O refers to the distance from the outer surface of the part near the recess 41 of the first airbag 4 to the center O. When the first airbag 4 is annular, for any part of the first airbag 4, the length of the distance L2 is equal.

[0074] Thus, by making the second airbag 5 fully inflated, the operating diameter of the steering wheel 1 can be increased. As a result, during intense driving at high speeds or in complex road conditions, the driver can operate the steering wheel 1 with a larger diameter, improving the handling performance.

[0075] The second airbag 5 shares, for example, the same air pump with the first airbag 4, but independent air pumps can also be prepared for the first airbag 4 and the second airbag 5 respectively.

[0076] By providing the first airbag 4 and the second airbag 5 in the steering wheel 1 of the present invention, the massage function of the steering wheel 1 can be realized with a simple structure, improving the handling performance during intense driving. Moreover, when neither the massage function nor the improvement of handling performance is required, the second airbag 5 can fill the recess 41 in the first airbag 4, making the appearance of the steering wheel 1 unobtrusive.

[0077] In the present invention, two sets of recesses 41 corresponding to the driver's fingers F are provided in the first airbag 4. As Figures 1 to 4 shown, for example, one set of recesses 41 is provided at two circumferential positions symmetric about the left and right of the first airbag 4 respectively. As the recesses 41 corresponding to the driver's fingers F, each set of recesses 41 includes one inner recess 412 corresponding to the thumb and four outer recesses 411 corresponding to the other fingers. One inner recess 412 is provided on the radially inner side of the first airbag 4, and the four outer recesses 411 are provided on the radially outer side of the first airbag 4.

[0078] As described above, in order to increase the operating radius of the steering wheel 1, the second airbag 5 provided in the outer recess 411 can be inflated and expanded in a manner that protrudes from the outer surface of the first airbag 4, that is, the distance L1 from the outer surface of the second airbag 5 to the center O of the inflation handle 2 is greater than the distance L2 from the outer surface of the first airbag 4 to the center O. That is, the second airbag 5 provided in the outer recess 411 is configured to be able to be in a fully inflated state.

[0079] In contrast, the second airbag 5 provided in the inner recess 412 can be configured to be only inflated to a semi-inflated state, that is, the second airbag 5 provided in the inner recess 412 is configured to be able to be inflated to a state where the outer surface is smoothly continuous with respect to the first airbag 4, and cannot be inflated to a fully inflated state.

[0080] However, the second airbag 5 provided in the inner recess 412 can also be configured to be able to be inflated to a fully inflated state. But at this time, even when the second airbag 5 provided in the outer recess 411 is in a fully inflated state during intense driving, the inflation of the air pump can be controlled to keep the second airbag 5 provided in the inner recess 412 in an uninflated state.

[0081] By making the second airbag 5 on the radially outer side fully inflated and the second airbag 5 on the radially inner side non-inflated in a state of aggressive driving, when the driver's palm contacts the second airbag 5 protruding radially outward, the driver's thumb can fall into the inner concave portion 412.

[0082] Thus, although the operating diameter of the steering wheel 1 becomes larger, since the protruding amount of the second airbag 5 on the radially outer side is offset by the recessed amount of the inner concave portion 412 on the radially inner side, the gripping diameter of the driver (i.e., the distance between the driver's thumb and palm) does not become larger. Therefore, the gripping feel of the driver can be improved.

[0083] By providing the inner concave portion 412 and the outer concave portion 411 respectively, more precise control can be performed on the steering wheel 1 having the inner concave portion 412 and the outer concave portion 411, making the experience of the steering wheel 1 better.

[0084] The above-mentioned second airbag 5 being configured to be inflatable to a fully inflated state or a semi-inflated state means that by selecting the material constituting the second airbag 5 or changing the thickness of the second airbag 5, etc., the elasticity and deformation limit of the second airbag 5 are changed, so that the second airbag 5 is configured to be inflatable to a semi-inflated state or to be inflatable to a fully inflated state.

[0085] In addition, the steering wheel 1 of the present invention adopts, for example, a by-wire system. The steering wheel 1 is not directly connected to the steering mechanism, and the steering wheel bracket 3 can be folded and stored in the vehicle body.

[0086] As Figure 1 and Figure 5 shown, the steering wheel bracket 3 includes a steering shaft 31, a sliding member 32, and a connecting rod 33.

[0087] The steering shaft 31 is a member that rotates according to the rotational operation of the inflation handle 2 by the driver. The sliding member 32 is sleeved on the steering shaft 31, for example, and can slide axially relative to the steering shaft 31. The sliding member 32 can also be arranged on the steering shaft 31 so as to be able to slide axially relative to the steering shaft 31 in other ways. For example, a groove extending axially can be provided on the steering shaft 31, and the sliding member 32 passes through the groove and can slide axially relative to the steering shaft 31.

[0088] The connecting rod 33 is a member for fixing the inflation handle 2 to the steering wheel bracket 3. One end of the connecting rod 33 is connected to the sliding member 32, and the other end is connected to the inflation handle 2 of the steering wheel 1. The connecting rod 33 can swing relative to the steering shaft 31 with the end connected to the sliding member 32 as the center and approach or move away from the steering shaft 31. As Figure 1As shown in (a) of [reference], four link rods 33 are circumferentially arranged at equal intervals (90 degrees) around the steering shaft 31, and each link rod 33 can swing relative to the steering shaft 31 to approach or move away from the steering shaft 31.

[0089] Refer to Figure 1 and Figure 5 to describe the operations of the slider 32 and the link rod 3.

[0090] When the steering wheel 1 changes from the use state ( Figure 1 the state shown) to the folded and stored state ( Figure 5 the state shown in (b) of [reference]), the state of the steering wheel changes from Figure 1 via Figure 5 (a) of [reference] to Figure 5 (b) of [reference]. Specifically, in the use state of Figure 1 (a) of [reference], the first airbag 4 is inflated and fixed to the slider 32 by the link rod 33, and the slider 32 is locked to the steering shaft 31. At this time, the first airbag 4 becomes an unfolded circular ring shape, and the user can operate the steering wheel 1 by manually rotating the first airbag 4.

[0091] Before changing from the state shown in Figure 1 via Figure 5 (a) of [reference] to the state shown in Figure 5 (b) of [reference], first, the first airbag 4 is deflated so that the first airbag 4 becomes a shape that is easily contractible and deformable. Then, the link rod 33 swings in a direction approaching the steering shaft 31 with the end connected to the slider 32 as the center. At the same time, or before (after) this, the locking of the slider 32 relative to the steering shaft 31 is released, and the slider 32 slides axially relative to the steering shaft 31 toward one end ( Figure 5 the lower left end in [reference]). Figure 5 (b) of [reference] shows the process of sliding the slider 32 while rotating the link rod 33.

[0092] When the steering wheel bracket 3 is unfolded from the folded and stored state to the use state, the process is opposite to the above. It suffices to change from the state shown in Figure 5 (b) of [reference] via Figure 5 (a) of [reference] to the state shown in Figure 1 (a) of [reference].

[0093] By providing the above structure, when the steering wheel 1 is not needed in autonomous driving or the like, the steering wheel bracket 3 can be folded and stored, thus saving space.

[0094] Figure 1 and Figure 5Shows the state in which when the steering wheel bracket 3 is folded and stored, the inflated handle 2 is not removed, but the deflated (non-inflated) inflated handle 2 is folded and stored together with the steering wheel bracket 3.

[0095] However, the inflated handle 2 of the present invention and the steering wheel bracket 3 can also be locked by a detachable locking structure 6, so that before the steering wheel bracket 3 is folded and stored, the inflated handle 2 can be removed from the steering wheel bracket 3 through the locking structure 6. Thus, by removing the inflated handle 2 first when folding and storing the steering wheel bracket 3, wear of the inflated handle 2 by the steering wheel bracket 3 can be avoided.

[0096] In addition, even when it is not necessary to fold and store the steering wheel bracket 3, the inflated handle 2 can be conveniently removed for use as a life-saving means described later. Thus, in critical situations such as when the vehicle falls into the water, the steering wheel 1 can be removed from the steering wheel bracket 3 for use as a life buoy.

[0097] In addition, in the above description, a structure in which the steering wheel bracket 3 is connected to the inflated handle 2 only through the link 33 is described. However, the steering shaft 3 of the steering wheel bracket 3 can also be connected to the inflated handle 2. For example, the first airbag 4 can further include a portion extending in the radial direction (radius direction), one end of the portion extending in the radial direction is connected to the circular portion of the first airbag 4, and the other end is connected to the steering shaft. Even with such a structure, folding and storage of the steering wheel bracket 3 can be achieved.

[0098] In addition, the steering shaft 31 can also be of a telescopic or foldable structure, so that after the link 33 is swung relative to the steering shaft 31 and folded and stored, the steering shaft 31 can also be folded and stored. The folded steering wheel bracket 3 can be housed in a preset housing space.

[0099] As Figure 6 shown, the steering wheel bracket 3 and the inflated handle 2 are locked by a detachable locking structure 6. In this embodiment, the locking structure 6 includes a fixing recess 61 and a protrusion 62. The fixing recess 61 is provided on the inflated handle 2 (the first airbag 4), and the protrusion 62 is provided on the steering wheel bracket 3 (the link 33). The protrusion 62 can pop out or retract from the link 33. The protrusion 62 can be popped out or retracted, for example, by electromagnetic action. A structure in which the link 33 is locked to the first airbag 4 is shown here, but it can also be a structure in which other components of the steering wheel bracket 3 (the steering shaft 31) are locked to other components of the inflated handle 2 (the portion extending in the radial direction of the first airbag 4).

[0100] As Figure 6 shown by the dashed line in, when the protrusion 62 pops out from the link 33, it engages with the fixing recess 61 provided on the first airbag 4, thereby fixing the link 33 (the steering wheel bracket 3) to the first airbag 4 (the inflated handle 2). As Figure 6As shown by the black square, when the bump 62 retracts, it exits from the fixing recess 61, thereby releasing the locking of the link 33 (steering wheel bracket 3) and the first airbag 4 (inflatable handle 2).

[0101] Thus, the locking and unlocking of the steering wheel bracket 3 and the steering wheel 1 can be achieved with a relatively simple structure.

[0102] Furthermore, as shown in (c) of Figure 7 , the steering wheel 1 further has a third airbag 7, and the third airbag 7 can expand radially outward from the first airbag 4 by inflation.

[0103] Thus, by providing the third airbag 7, the volume of the inflatable handle 2 can be increased by using the third airbag 7, thereby increasing the buoyancy that the inflatable handle 2 can provide. By detaching the inflatable handle 2 from the steering wheel bracket 3 when falling into the water, the inflatable handle 2 having the third airbag 7 can be used as a life jacket.

[0104] As shown in (a) of Figure 7 , in the non-inflated state, the third airbag 7 can be directly wound around the portion of the first airbag 4 where the recess 41 and the fixing recess 61 are not provided in the circumferential direction. However, in this embodiment, as shown in (b) of Figure 7 , a receiving recess 42 is provided in the portion of the first airbag 4 where the recess 41 and the fixing recess 61 are not provided in the circumferential direction, and the third airbag 7 is wound and received in the receiving recess 42. The third airbag 7 wound and received in the receiving recess 42 can be inflated from the state of being wound and received in the receiving recess 42 to a state of expanding radially outward from the first airbag 4.

[0105] Here, Figure 7 , (b) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the cross-section at the E-E position in (a) of Figure 7 , but Figure 7 , (a) shows an embodiment in which the third airbag 7 is wound around the first airbag 4, Figure 7 , (b) shows an embodiment in which the third airbag 7 is wound and received in the receiving recess 42. That is, although Figure 7 , (b) corresponds to the cross-section at the E-E position in (a) of Figure 7 , their specific structures do not correspond.

[0106] As shown in (b) of Figure 7 , the receiving recess 42 can be a recess formed with a concave surface that is recessed into the interior of the first airbag 4, but it can also be a recess with a flat bottom. The specific shape of the receiving recess 42 can be achieved by selecting an appropriate material and designing an appropriate thickness, and it is not limited thereto.

[0107] It should be noted that as long as there is no conflict with the recess 41 and the fixing recess 61, the receiving recess 42 can also be provided in the first airbag 4 at a position having the same phase as the recess 41 and the fixing recess 61 in the circumferential direction.

[0108] By providing the receiving recess 42, the third airbag 7 can be wound and housed in the receiving recess 42, so that the third airbag 7 is not abruptly provided on the outer surface of the first airbag 4, thereby improving the appearance of the steering wheel 1.

[0109] The receiving recesses 42 are provided at two positions opposed to each other in the radial direction in the first airbag 4, that is, at two positions separated by 180 degrees in the circumferential direction in the first airbag 4, and one third airbag 7 is wound and provided in each receiving recess 42. However, as shown in (a) of Figure 7 , the third airbag 2 is wound around the outer surface of the first airbag 4 at two positions opposed to each other in the radial direction of the first airbag 4. That is, the third airbag 7 is provided at two positions opposed to each other in the radial direction of the first airbag 4. In addition, after the third airbag 7 is deployed, it is in a sheet shape provided with the hole portions 71.

[0110] Thus, the deployed third airbag 7 and the first airbag 4 can be used together as a life jacket, and the volume of the airbag can be increased to increase the buoyancy. The hole portions 71 can be used for inserting the driver's arms, so that the third airbag 7 has better adhesion to the human body and is not easily detached.

[0111] The third airbag 7 can be inflated and deflated by an independent air pump, but it can also be inflated and deflated using the same air pump as the first airbag 4 (or the second airbag 5). Alternatively, the first airbag 4, the second airbag 5, and the third airbag 7 can use the same air pump to inflate and deflate together. In this case, the first airbag 4, the second airbag 5, and the third airbag 7 are respectively connected from the air pump through three pipes, so as to inflate and deflate the first airbag 4, the second airbag 5, and the third airbag 7 respectively.

[0112] Another embodiment of the present invention also provides a control method for the steering wheel 1, which is to control the control method of the steering wheel 1 described above.

[0113] According to the control method of the steering wheel 1, when the first airbag 4 is inflated and expanded into a ring-shaped steering wheel use state, the controller of the vehicle (or other means of transportation) controls to change the inflation state of the second airbag 5.

[0114] The inflated states of the second airbag 5 include the uninflated state, semi-inflated state, and fully inflated state described above. In the uninflated state, the second airbag 5 is closely attached to the bottom of the recess 41; in the semi-inflated state, the second airbag 5 and the first airbag 4 form a state with a smooth and continuous outer surface; in the fully inflated state, the second airbag 5 protrudes from the first airbag 4, that is, the distance from the outer surface of the second airbag 5 to the center O of the inflation handle 2 is greater than the distance L1 from the outer surface of the first airbag 4 to the center O.

[0115] Thereby, it is possible to conveniently control the steering wheel 1 to achieve the massage function, intense driving function, and appearance improvement function.

[0116] In addition, in the control method of the steering wheel 1 of the present invention, the controller of the vehicle (or other means of transportation) controls the inflated state of the second airbag 5 according to the state of the means of transportation, and the state of the means of transportation includes the massage state ( Figure 2 ), intense driving state ( Figure 4 ), and normal driving state ( Figure 3 ).

[0117] The controller judges the state of the means of transportation according to various in-vehicle sensors, for example. For example, when the speed and acceleration detected by the speed sensor and the acceleration sensor are greater than a preset threshold, the controller judges that the vehicle is in the intense driving state; when the massage button of the vehicle is turned on, the controller judges that the vehicle is in the massage state; in other cases, the controller judges that the vehicle is in the normal driving state.

[0118] When two groups of recesses 41 corresponding to the human finger F are provided in the first airbag 4, and each group of recesses 41 includes four outer recesses 411 provided on the radially outer side of the first airbag 4 and one inner recess 412 provided on the radially inner side of the first airbag 4, the control method of the steering wheel 1 further includes: in the massage state, the controller controls all the second airbags 5 to be in the uninflated state; in the intense driving state, the controller controls the second airbags 5 provided in the outer recesses 411 to be in the fully inflated state, and controls the second airbags 5 provided in the inner recesses 412 to be in the uninflated state; in the normal driving state, the controller controls all the second airbags 5 to be in the semi-inflated state.

[0119] Thereby, the controller can automatically and appropriately change the state of each second airbag 5, and can perform more precise control on the steering wheel 1 having the inner recess 412 and the outer recess 411, increasing the diameter of the steering wheel 1 without causing discomfort to the driver's thumb.

[0120] That is, by making the second airbag 5 on the radially outer side fully inflated and the second airbag 5 on the radially inner side non-inflated in a state of intense driving, when the driver's palm contacts the second airbag 5 protruding radially outward, the driver's thumb can fall into the inner concave portion 412. Thus, although the operating diameter of the steering wheel 1 becomes larger, since the protruding amount of the second airbag 5 on the radially outer side is offset by the recessed amount of the inner concave portion 412 on the radially inner side, the gripping diameter of the driver (i.e., the distance between the driver's thumb and palm) does not become larger. Therefore, the gripping feel of the driver can be improved.

[0121] In addition, the state of the vehicle also includes, for example, a distress state. For example, when the vehicle is a car, the car may fall into water due to a traffic accident. When the vehicle is a ship, the ship may have a leak.

[0122] In this case, the control method of the steering wheel 1 further includes using a controller to control the locking structure 6, releasing the lock between the inflation handle 2 and the steering wheel bracket 3, and at the same time controlling an air pump to inflate the third airbag 7 so that the third airbag 7 expands radially outward, thereby forming a life-saving component as shown in Figure 7 (c) of. Since the third airbag 7 is provided at two radially opposed portions of the first airbag 4 and is in the form of a sheet provided with a hole portion 71, the driver can pass an arm through the hole portion 71 and pass the head through the first airbag 4, so that the inflation handle 2 can be used as a simple life jacket. Thus, the steering wheel 1 integrates the function of a life jacket.

[0123] The above specific embodiments do not limit the protection scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can occur depending on design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, and improvements made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A steering wheel (1), characterized in that, Comprising: An inflatable handle (2) for rotational operation by a driver; And A steering wheel bracket (3) for supporting the inflatable handle (2) on a vehicle, The inflatable handle (2) comprising: A first airbag (4) capable of expanding into a ring or contracting by inflation and deflation, the first airbag (4) being provided with a recess (41) recessed in the radial direction; and A second airbag (5) disposed within the recess (41) and capable of expanding or contracting by inflation and deflation.

2. The steering wheel (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The first airbag (4) is provided with two sets of recesses (41) corresponding to the driver's fingers (F), each set of recesses (41) comprising four outer recesses (411) provided on the outer side in the radial direction of the first airbag (4) and one inner recess (412) provided on the inner side in the radial direction of the first airbag (4), The second airbag (5) disposed within the outer recess (411) can be inflated and expanded in such a way as to protrude from the outer surface of the first airbag (4), that is, the distance (L1) from the outer surface of the second airbag (5) to the center (O) of the inflatable handle (2) is greater than the distance (L2) from the outer surface of the first airbag (4) to the center (O).

3. The steering wheel (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The steering wheel bracket (3) comprises: A steering shaft (31) that rotates according to the rotational operation of the driver on the inflatable handle (2); A sliding member (32) capable of sliding axially relative to the steering shaft (31); and A connecting rod (33) having one end connected to the sliding member (32) and the other end connected to the inflatable handle (2), the connecting rod (33) being capable of swinging relative to the steering shaft (31) to approach or move away from the steering shaft (31).

4. The steering wheel (1) according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that The inflatable handle (2) and the steering wheel bracket (3) are locked by a detachable locking structure (6).

5. The steering wheel (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that The locking structure (6) comprises: A fixing recess (61) provided on the inflatable handle (2); and A protrusion (62) provided on the steering wheel bracket (3) and capable of popping out or retracting from the steering wheel bracket (3), The protrusion (62) engages with the fixing recess (61) when popped out and exits from the fixing recess (61) when retracted.

6. The steering wheel (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that The steering wheel (1) further has a third airbag (7) capable of expanding radially outward from the first airbag (4) by inflation.

7. The steering wheel (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that The first airbag (4) is provided with a receiving recess (42), and the third airbag (7) is wound and received in the receiving recess (42). The third airbag (7) can be inflated from the state of being wound and received in the receiving recess (42) to a state of being unfolded radially outward from the first airbag (4).

8. The steering wheel (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that The third airbag (7) is provided at two diametrically opposed portions of the first airbag (4) and is in the form of a sheet provided with a hole portion (71).

9. A control method for a steering wheel (1), characterized in that, It is a control method for controlling the steering wheel (1) according to any one of claims 1-8, When the first airbag (4) is inflated and expanded into a ring shape, the controller of the vehicle controls to change the inflation state of the second airbag (5). The inflation state of the second airbag (5) includes: An uninflated state, in which the second airbag (5) is in close contact with the bottom of the recess (41). A semi-inflated state, in which the second airbag (5) and the first airbag (4) are in a state of having a smooth and continuous outer surface; and A fully inflated state, in which the second airbag (5) protrudes from the first airbag (4), that is, the distance (L1) from the outer surface of the second airbag (5) to the center (O) of the inflation handle (2) is greater than the distance (L2) from the outer surface of the first airbag (4) to the center (O).

10. The control method of the steering wheel (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that The first airbag (4) is provided with two sets of the recesses (41) corresponding to human fingers (F), and each set of the recesses (41) includes four outer recesses (411) provided on the radially outer side of the first airbag (4) and one inner recess (412) provided on the radially inner side of the first airbag (4). The controller controls the inflation state of the second airbag (5) according to the state of the vehicle, and the state of the vehicle includes a massage state, an aggressive driving state, and a normal driving state. In the massage state, the controller controls all of the second airbags (5) to be in an uninflated state. In the aggressive driving state, the controller controls the second airbags (5) provided in the outer recesses (411) to be in a fully inflated state and controls the second airbags (5) provided in the inner recesses (412) to be in an uninflated state. In the normal driving state, the controller controls all of the second airbags (5) to be in a semi-inflated state.

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