The steering wheel cover and the automobile steering wheel with heating and health monitoring functions

Abstract

The application relates to a steering wheel cover and a car steering wheel which simultaneously provide heating and health monitoring functions, comprising conductive leather covering an operation area of a steering wheel framework, the conductive leather comprising a low-impedance area, a high-impedance area and two insulation areas, the low-impedance area and the high-impedance area being located between the two insulation areas, and further comprising a heating circuit arranged in the low-impedance area and a detection circuit arranged in the high-impedance area. The steering wheel cover and the car steering wheel disclosed by the application simultaneously provide the heating and health monitoring functions, the heating function and the health monitoring function are simultaneously realized by using different impedance partition modes, so that the driving personnel can be simultaneously monitored while the driving comfort is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automotive parts technology, and in particular to a steering wheel cover and automotive steering wheel that simultaneously provide heating and health monitoring functions. Background Technology

[0002] Heated steering wheels use an electric heating element installed inside the steering wheel to quickly heat the wheel rim to a comfortable temperature in cold weather, effectively improving the driving experience. Steering wheel health monitoring functions mainly include physiological parameter monitoring and behavioral and attention monitoring. Their primary purpose is to analyze driver fatigue, tension, distraction, and drunk driving, ultimately ensuring driving safety.

[0003] During vehicle operation, it is necessary for both of the aforementioned steering wheel functions to operate simultaneously. When implementing the heating function, the conductive leather is used as a power device, requiring the leather itself to withstand a current of 1-10A. When implementing the health monitoring function, the conductive leather is used as an electrode, requiring the leather itself to withstand a current in the mA range. The current requirements for these two functions differ significantly, and further research is needed to address the compatibility issues between them. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides a steering wheel cover and a car steering wheel that simultaneously provide heating and health monitoring functions. By using different impedance partitions, the heating and health monitoring functions can be achieved simultaneously, thereby improving driving comfort while simultaneously monitoring the safety of the driver.

[0005] The above-mentioned objective of this application is achieved through the following technical solution: In a first aspect, this application provides a steering wheel cover that simultaneously provides heating and health monitoring functions, including: Conductive leather covers the operating area of ​​the steering wheel frame. The conductive leather includes a low-impedance area, a high-impedance area, and two insulating areas, with the low-impedance and high-impedance areas located between the two insulating areas. The heating circuit is located in a low-impedance region; The detection circuit is located in the high impedance region.

[0006] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, there are two low-impedance regions and one high-impedance region.

[0007] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the heating circuit includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode, both of which are located on conductive leather. There is a distance between the positive and negative electrodes.

[0008] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, a temperature sensor disposed on the conductive leather is also included, which is electrically connected to the control circuit and is used to return temperature data to the control circuit.

[0009] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the detection circuit includes electrocardiogram sensing electrodes located on conductive leather.

[0010] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, there are two ECG sensing electrodes located on the steering wheel frame at positions corresponding to the steering wheel frame operating area.

[0011] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, an insulating barrier is provided between the low-impedance region and the high-impedance region.

[0012] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the heating circuit and the detection circuit operate alternately.

[0013] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, a control circuit is also included, which is electrically connected to the heating circuit and the detection circuit.

[0014] Secondly, this application provides an automobile steering wheel, including a steering wheel cover that provides heating and health monitoring functions as described in the first aspect and any implementation thereof. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of a steering wheel cover provided in this application.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the location of an operating area provided in this application.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the division of a low-impedance region and a high-impedance region provided in this application.

[0018] Figure 4 This is another schematic diagram illustrating the division of low-impedance and high-impedance regions provided in this application.

[0019] Figure 5 This is a schematic block diagram of the connection of a control circuit provided in this application.

[0020] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the control principle of a heating circuit and a detection circuit provided in this application.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the control principle of another heating circuit and detection circuit provided in this application.

[0022] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram showing the location of an insulating isolation strip provided in this application.

[0023] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing the location of another insulating isolation strip provided in this application.

[0024] In the diagram, 1 is the steering wheel frame, 2 is the conductive leather, 3 is the control circuit, 21 is the low impedance area, 22 is the high impedance area, 23 is the heating circuit, 24 is the detection circuit, 25 is the insulating strip, 26 is the insulating area, 231 is the positive electrode, 232 is the negative electrode, 233 is the temperature sensor, and 241 is the ECG sensing electrode. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions in this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] This application discloses a steering wheel cover that simultaneously provides heating and health monitoring functions. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1 In some examples, the steering wheel cover disclosed in this application, which simultaneously provides heating and health monitoring functions, includes conductive leather 2, heating circuit 23, and detection circuit 24.

[0027] First, let's introduce the conductive leather 2. In some examples, the conductive leather 2 is mainly composed of conductive materials and leather substrate. The conductive materials usually include conductive polymers, carbon nanotubes, metal nanowires, etc., and the leather substrate can be natural leather or synthetic leather.

[0028] The principle of conductivity is to embed electronically conductive materials such as metal fibers, metal nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and graphene into leather to form an electronic conduction path, thereby achieving conductivity.

[0029] Preparation methods include: The first type: Using one or more transition metal ion complexes of Fe3+, Al3+, Cr3+, Ti4+ or Co2+ as bridging agents, highly conductive graphene oxide is modified to obtain highly conductive graphene oxide with surface-modified transition metal ions. The highly conductive graphene oxide is obtained by electrochemical exfoliation. Highly conductive graphene oxide with surface-modified transition metal ions is configured into a dispersion and then filtered into leather by ultrasonication. This allows the dispersion to come into full contact with the leather collagen fibers, enabling the highly conductive graphene oxide with surface-modified transition metal ions to coordinate and bond with the active groups in the leather collagen fibers. The self-assembly of highly conductive graphene oxide with surface-modified transition metal ions in leather was achieved by hot pressing. The surface-active groups -COOH of highly conductive graphene oxide were bridged with the surface-active groups -COOH of leather collagen fibers through the coordination bonding of transition metal ions. Polyurethane fills the gaps in leather and crosslinks the collagen fiber residues at multiple sites to construct an elastic, resilient, and stable conductive leather. The second type: 1) Buffing: Place the leather on a buffing machine to buff and remove damaged parts from both the top and bottom surfaces of the leather. At the same time, use a dust removal machine to remove debris and lint from the surface of the leather. 2) Preliminary tanning: Place the leather obtained in step 1) in a drum, add conductive material, and start the drum to preliminarily tan the conductive material and fill it into the pores of the leather. The preliminary tanning and filling time is 1h~3h. The conductive material is one or more of the following: metal and metal oxide nanomaterials, non-metallic nano-conductive materials, conductive carbon-based materials, and conductive ink. 3) Secondary tanning: Organic raw materials, penetrants, softeners, and deodorizers are added to the drum in step 2) at a certain volume ratio. Tanning is carried out for 1 to 2 hours at 0°C to 10°C. Then, a catalyst solution at 0°C to 10°C is added to the drum, and tanning continues for 3 to 6 hours to carry out the polymerization reaction. After the polymerization reaction is completed, flame retardant is added to the drum, and tanning continues for 1 to 3 hours. The leather after secondary tanning is then washed, ultrasonicated, dried, vibrated, and ironed on the front to obtain conductive leather with a smooth surface. The organic raw materials include one or more of pyrrole and its derivatives, aniline and its derivatives, thiophene and its derivatives, and acetylene and its derivatives. The third type: (1) Prepare an ethanol solution of the reaction monomer to obtain solution A, then introduce solution A into a drum, put the leather into the drum, and tan for 20-90 min; (2) Prepare catalyst solution B for the reaction monomer and cool it to 2-4°C for later use; (3) Pour the cooled solution B into the drum, and then put the tanned leather into the drum containing solution B. Tanning is carried out for 2-4 hours to carry out the polymerization reaction. (4) Take out the conductive polymer leather after polymerization, clean it, put it into an ultrasonic machine for ultrasonication, then put it into an oven for drying and cutting, and finally connect it with snap fasteners to obtain the dry electrode; wherein, the reaction monomer is pyrrole monomer, and the catalyst solution is ferric chloride solution or a mixed solution of ferric chloride and p-toluenesulfonic acid in a molar ratio of 1:1.

[0030] It should be noted that the above preparation methods are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute a limitation of this application.

[0031] Conductive leather 2 covers the operating area of ​​the steering wheel frame 1, such as Figure 2 As shown, the operating area here refers to the area that the driver holds with their hands while driving.

[0032] The conductive leather 2 is divided into a low-impedance region 21, a high-impedance region 22, and an insulating region 26. The difference between the low-impedance region 21 and the high-impedance region 22 is that their impedance values ​​are different. There are two insulating regions 26, and the low-impedance region 21 and the high-impedance region 22 are located between the two insulating regions 26.

[0033] In some examples, there are two low-impedance regions 21 and one high-impedance region 22, with the high-impedance region 22 located between the two low-impedance regions 21. This structure is designed to optimize heating and signal acquisition.

[0034] Here, the driver's hand is divided into three areas: the thumb, the palm, and the other four fingers. Generally, when holding the steering wheel, the palm contacts the outside of the steering wheel, the thumb is on the steering wheel closer to the driver, and the other four fingers are on the steering wheel further away from the driver.

[0035] Two low-impedance regions 21 heat the area where the thumb is located and the areas where the other four fingers are located, respectively. During the continuous heating process, the heat gradually spreads to the area where the palm is located. The palm has a large contact area with the steering wheel and is basically always in contact, which facilitates signal acquisition by the detection circuit 24.

[0036] The specific implementation methods of conductive leather with different regional impedances are as follows: like Figure 3 As shown, the dotted line is a dividing line. The conductive leather 2 is made of three pieces of leather, including two low-resistance leathers and one high-resistance leather. They can be made by directly sewing them together or by gluing them together.

[0037] like Figure 4 As shown, the main body of conductive leather 2 is a piece of high-resistance leather. Holes are cut into the high-resistance leather, and the shape of the holes is the same as that of the low-resistance leather. Then, the low-resistance leather is inlaid into the hole position on the high-resistance leather, which can be fixed by adhesive or sewing.

[0038] It should be noted here that the conductive leather 2 is usually sewn onto the steering wheel. Therefore, two high-resistance leather strips can be added to the sewn positions along the edges of the conductive leather 2.

[0039] In some possible implementations, high-resistance leather and low-resistance leather can also be arranged according to... Figure 3 and Figure 4 After placing it in the correct position as described, it is adhered to the outer decorative layer. The outer decorative layer not only provides a fixing function but also serves to cover the connection point.

[0040] In some possible implementations, an insulating strip 25 can be added between the low-impedance region 21 and the high-impedance region 22. The insulating strip 25 is made of insulating material and is bonded to the low-impedance region 21 and the high-impedance region 22, such as... Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown.

[0041] The heating circuit 23 is disposed on the low impedance region 21 of the conductive leather 2. The heating circuit 23 includes a positive electrode 231 and a negative electrode 232, and there is a distance between the positive electrode 231 and the negative electrode 232. The main function of this distance is to make the conductive leather between the positive electrode 231 and the negative electrode 232 form a resistance, thereby converting electrical energy into heat energy and forming a heating area on the conductive leather 2.

[0042] In some examples, please refer to Figure 5 The positive electrode 231 and the negative electrode 232 are printed on the conductive leather 2 using conductive silver paste. The heating circuit 23 used in conjunction with the positive electrode 231 and the negative electrode 232 includes wires located in slots on the steering wheel, and the wires are connected to the positive electrode 231 and the negative electrode 232 by soldering and adhesive tape.

[0043] In some possible implementations, the two positive electrodes 231 are placed as close as possible to the upper and lower edges of the conductive leather 2, respectively, and the two negative electrodes 232 are placed as close as possible to the low-resistance region 21. This increases the distance between the positive electrodes 231 and the corresponding negative electrodes 232, effectively expanding the coverage area of ​​the heating region.

[0044] In some possible implementations, the connection point between the wire and the positive electrode 231 is located at the middle position of the positive electrode 231, and the two ends of the negative electrode 232 are electrically connected to the control circuit 3 through a wire.

[0045] In some examples, please refer to Figure 5 A temperature sensor 233 is added to the conductive leather 2. The temperature sensor 233 is either attached to or embedded in the conductive leather 2. The temperature sensor 233 is electrically connected to the control circuit 3 and is used to return temperature data to the control circuit 3.

[0046] The main function of temperature sensor 233 is to help achieve constant temperature. For example, if the driver sets the temperature to 25 degrees Celsius, when the temperature sensor 233 detects a temperature below 25 degrees Celsius, the heating mode is used. When the temperature sensor 233 detects a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, the mode is switched to heat preservation mode.

[0047] The detection circuit 24 is located on the high-impedance region 22, for example, it can be fixed to the conductive leather 2 by adhesive bonding, or it can be embedded in the conductive leather 2. The detection circuit 24 is electrically connected to the control circuit 3 via a wire (located in a slot on the steering wheel).

[0048] In some possible implementations, the detection circuit 24 includes an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensing electrode 241 located on the conductive leather 2, which is fixed by adhesive or embedding.

[0049] In some examples, there are two ECG sensing electrodes 241. The two ECG sensing electrodes 241 are located on the steering wheel frame 1 at positions corresponding to the operating area of ​​the steering wheel frame 1. The two ECG sensing electrodes 241 are used to correspond to the user's left hand position and right hand position respectively, so that data can be collected even when the user operates with one hand.

[0050] The high-impedance leather (high-impedance area 22) where the detection circuit 24 is located may be thicker than the low-impedance leather (low-impedance area 21). The solution is to cut a groove in the steering wheel to reserve an installation area for the high-impedance leather (high-impedance area 22).

[0051] Please see Figure 6 and Figure 7 The control circuit 3 is electrically connected to the heating circuit 23 and the detection circuit 24. For the control circuit 3, the central controller (ECU) of the car can be used directly, or an independent module can be integrated into the steering wheel, or it can be placed in other locations according to the design scheme.

[0052] When the control circuit 3 is used as an independent module, its specific components include an MCU (STM32F0, TLF35584) to control the heating, an ECG analog front end (ADS1292R, ADS1293, AD8233) to collect signals from the detection circuit 2, and the MCU and ECG analog front end to communicate with the vehicle's central controller (ECU).

[0053] If the control circuit 3 needs to analyze the acquired data from the ECG analog front end, it needs to add a MCU with processing logic, such as the STM32L4 series and LPC55Sxx series.

[0054] In some examples, the heating circuit 23 and the detection circuit 24 operate alternately. It should be understood that the normal operation of the detection circuit 24 requires high resistance, for the following reasons: Signal integrity: High resistance ensures that the tiny current from the skin flows primarily to the ECG detection circuitry, rather than being consumed by the leather itself; Safety isolation: Although the voltage is very low, from an electrical safety perspective, the higher resistance also provides a certain degree of isolation. Reduce interference: It can reduce noise interference from other electrical systems in the vehicle.

[0055] The heating circuit 23 requires low resistance to operate, for the following reasons: High power requirements: To generate sufficient heat (e.g., 20-50 watts) under a car's 12V or 24V voltage, according to the formula P=V² / R, the resistance R must be small enough to generate a sufficiently large power P. If the resistance is too large, the generated heat will be negligible. Efficiency: Low resistance allows a larger current to pass through, thus generating more heat per unit time, resulting in high heating efficiency.

[0056] As can be seen from the above description, the normal operation of the detection circuit 24 is affected by environmental noise, while the heating circuit 23 generates electromagnetic interference during operation. Furthermore, the two circuits are located close to each other. Therefore, this application provides a method of alternating operation to solve this problem.

[0057] Of course, with the addition of the insulating isolation strip 25, the detection circuit 24 and the heating circuit 23 can also work simultaneously. The insulating isolation strip is formed by coating the conductive leather surface with insulating material (such as leather edge oil) and fixing it in the groove by bonding or molding, thereby achieving reliable isolation between the circuits and avoiding mutual interference between the detection circuit 24 and the heating circuit 23.

[0058] If interference still exists on the basis of the above, a sheet-like or molded conductive shielding layer (materials such as silver, silver-plated copper, nickel, or carbon) can be embedded in the insulating isolation strip (usually made of flexible insulating materials such as silicone or rubber) to further enhance the shielding effect and ensure that the heating and detection circuits can work stably at the same time.

[0059] To further explain, the conductive leather 2 is typically fixed to the steering wheel by sewing. To prevent the two high-resistance areas 22 from making contact and conducting during heating due to directional current flow, an insulating material (such as leather edge paint) can be coated on the upper and lower edge surfaces of the conductive leather 2 to form an insulating area 26. This insulating area can effectively block the current path between the high-resistance areas when the conductive leather is fixed by sewing or gluing, ensuring that current does not flow between them.

[0060] This application also discloses an automotive steering wheel, including a steering wheel cover with heating and health monitoring functions as described above.

[0061] The embodiments described in this specific implementation are preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A steering wheel cover that simultaneously provides heating and health monitoring functions, characterized in that, include: Conductive leather (2) covers the operating area on the steering wheel frame. The conductive leather (2) includes a low-impedance area (21) and a high-impedance area (22) and two insulating areas (26). The low-impedance area (21) and the high-impedance area (22) are located between the two insulating areas (26). The heating circuit (23) is located in the low impedance region (21); The detection circuit (24) is located in the high impedance region (22).

2. The steering wheel cover that simultaneously provides heating and health monitoring functions according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are two low-impedance regions (21) and one high-impedance region (22).

3. The steering wheel cover that simultaneously provides heating and health monitoring functions according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The heating circuit (23) includes a positive electrode (231) and a negative electrode (232), both of which are located on the conductive leather (2); A distance is provided between the positive electrode (231) and the negative electrode (232) to form a heating area on the conductive leather (2).

4. The steering wheel cover that simultaneously provides heating and health monitoring functions according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes a temperature sensor (233) disposed on conductive leather (2), which is electrically connected to the control circuit (3) and is used to return temperature data to the control circuit (3).

5. The steering wheel cover that simultaneously provides heating and health monitoring functions according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The detection circuit (24) includes electrocardiogram sensing electrodes (241) located on the conductive leather (2).

6. The steering wheel cover that simultaneously provides heating and health monitoring functions according to claim 5, characterized in that, There are two ECG sensing electrodes (241), which are located on the steering wheel frame at positions corresponding to the steering wheel frame operation area.

7. The steering wheel cover that simultaneously provides heating and health monitoring functions according to claim 1, characterized in that, An insulating barrier (25) is provided between the low impedance region (21) and the high impedance region (22).

8. The steering wheel cover that simultaneously provides heating and health monitoring functions according to claim 1 or 7, characterized in that, The heating circuit (23) and the detection circuit (24) are configured to operate alternately or simultaneously.

9. The steering wheel cover that simultaneously provides heating and health monitoring functions according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a control circuit (3), which is electrically connected to the heating circuit (23) and the detection circuit (24).

10. A car steering wheel, characterized in that, Including a steering wheel cover that simultaneously provides heating and health monitoring functions as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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