A steering wheel

Abstract

The utility model relates to a kind of steering wheel, comprising: steering wheel body, decorative part is set on steering wheel body, decorative part forms decorative surface on the spoke of steering wheel body, decorative surface includes light emitting area, it is equipped with PCB board with light source between decorative surface and steering wheel body, light source is close to light emitting area setting, the back side of decorative surface is also equipped with pressure detection device, for detecting the approach and / or contact of user's limbs and decorative surface.The above-mentioned steering wheel of the utility model, by integrating light emitting area and pressure detection device, the synchronous perception of user's limbs approach state and contact pressure is realized, effectively solve the problem that traditional capacitive technology cannot distinguish pressure gradient and lack approach detection capability, with can simultaneously detect the approach and contact state of user's limbs, and support the diversified interaction application based on pressure gradient, improve steering wheel interaction reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of steering wheel technology, and in particular to a steering wheel. Background Technology

[0002] In automotive human-machine interaction systems, the steering wheel serves as the core interface for driver operation, and the demand for its functional integration continues to increase.

[0003] While traditional capacitive sensing technology is widely used on steering wheel surfaces to identify driver hand contact, it can only acquire a single-dimensional capacitance change signal and cannot distinguish between gradient differences in pressure intensity or subtle changes in the surface as the limb approaches. This limitation restricts steering wheel functionality to basic contact detection, making it difficult to support diverse applications based on pressure levels, such as pressure feedback-based interactive decompression functions combined with a display system, or dynamically adjusting horn volume based on pressure levels.

[0004] In addition, capacitive solutions are susceptible to environmental humidity, temperature fluctuations and electromagnetic interference, resulting in insufficient reliability and an inability to provide a continuous pressure data stream to expand intelligent interaction scenarios. Utility Model Content

[0005] Therefore, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a steering wheel that can simultaneously detect the user's limb approach and contact status, and supports diverse interactive applications based on pressure gradients, thereby improving the reliability of steering wheel interaction.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides a steering wheel, including: a steering wheel body and a decorative component disposed on the steering wheel body. The decorative component forms a decorative surface on the spokes of the steering wheel body. The decorative surface includes a light-emitting area, and a PCB board with a light source is disposed between the decorative surface and the steering wheel body. The light source is disposed adjacent to the light-emitting area. A pressure detection device is also provided on the back side of the decorative surface for detecting the proximity and / or contact between the user's limb and the decorative surface.

[0007] In one embodiment of this utility model, a plurality of fixed points are formed between the PCB board and the decorative part, and the pressure detection device is set at a position between the PCB board and the decorative part other than the fixed points, which can detect the gap change between the PCB board and the decorative part and output an electrical signal.

[0008] In one embodiment of this utility model, the pressure detection device includes an elastic column with its two ends respectively disposed on a PCB board and a decorative part, and a pressure sensing device disposed on the PCB board and capable of sensing the deformation of the elastic column. The elastic column is used to transmit the pressure deformation of the decorative part to the pressure sensing device, and the pressure sensing device is used to convert the pressure deformation into an electrical signal.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the inner side of the decorative component opposite to the PCB board is provided with a limiting groove for defining the elastic post. The length of the elastic post is configured to be greater than the distance from the PCB board to the bottom surface of the limiting groove, so as to define the elastic post between the decorative component and the PCB board.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the decorative element includes a first spoke portion and a second spoke portion extending from the hub to the handlebars at intervals, and a connecting spoke portion connecting the first spoke portion and the second spoke portion and covering part of the handlebars. One of the first spoke portion and the second spoke portion has a first light-emitting area facing the driver or facing the other, and the connecting spoke portion has a second light-emitting area facing the handlebars or radially outward of the handlebars.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, a first PCB board is provided between the back side of the first light-emitting area and the steering wheel body. The first PCB board is provided with a first light-emitting part of a plurality of linearly arranged light-emitting units. A first light guide is provided between the first light-emitting part and the first light-emitting area. The first light guide is a single component that covers the first light-emitting part in the length direction and is adjacent to the first light-emitting area and the first light-emitting part in the width direction.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first light guide is positioned between any two light-emitting units to form a notch, and the surface or interior of the notch is coated with a light-shielding layer.

[0013] In one embodiment of this utility model, the connecting spoke portion includes a front decorative portion facing the passenger and a side decorative portion facing the steering wheel rim. The second light-emitting area is disposed on the side decorative portion. A second PCB board is disposed between the front decorative portion and the steering wheel body. A second light-emitting portion with at least one light-emitting unit is disposed on the second PCB board. A second light guide is disposed between the second light-emitting portion and the second light-emitting area. The second light guide is a single component, with one end adjacent to the second light-emitting portion in the width direction and one end adjacent to the second light-emitting area in the length direction.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the second light guide has a wedge-shaped portion at one end away from the second light-emitting part in the width direction. The wedge-shaped portion is configured to refract light toward the light source irradiation direction of the second light-emitting part and toward the second light-emitting area. The wedge-shaped portion is coated with a light-shielding layer.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, both the first spoke portion and the second spoke portion are provided with a first light-emitting area, the connecting spoke portion is disposed between the bottom of the first spoke portion and the second spoke portion, and the first spoke portion, the second spoke portion and the connecting spoke portion are arranged in a "U" shape.

[0016] The steering wheel of this utility model has the following advantages compared with the prior art: By integrating the light-emitting area with the pressure detection device, the system achieves simultaneous perception of the user's limb approach and contact pressure, effectively solving the problems of traditional capacitive technology being unable to distinguish pressure gradients and lacking proximity detection capabilities. It can simultaneously detect the user's limb approach and contact status, and supports diverse interactive applications based on pressure gradients, thus improving the reliability of steering wheel interaction. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the steering wheel of this utility model; Figure 2 This is the assembly of the steering wheel of this utility model. Figure 1 ; Figure 3 This is the assembly of the steering wheel of this utility model. Figure 2 ; Figure 4 This is a side view of the steering wheel of this utility model; Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the pressure detection device of this utility model; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the pressure detection device of this utility model; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first and second optical guides of this utility model; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second optical guide of this utility model; Figure 9 This is a partially enlarged view of the first optical guide of this utility model; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the light-shielding layer of this utility model; Figure 11 This is an overall outline drawing of the steering wheel of this utility model.

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the accompanying drawings: Elastic column 3, pressure sensing device 5, decorative part 9, first spoke part 92, second spoke part 93, connecting spoke part 94, PCB board 10, first PCB board 101, first light-emitting part 102, second PCB board 103, first light guide 11, first light-emitting area 12, pressure detection device 13, second light guide 14, wedge-shaped part 141, second light-emitting part 15, second light-emitting area 17, light shielding layer 20, steering wheel body 22. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. This application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this application. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0022] It should be noted that the following description covers various aspects of embodiments within the scope of the appended claims. It will be apparent that the aspects described herein can be embodied in a wide variety of forms, and any particular structure and / or function described herein is merely illustrative. Based on this application, those skilled in the art will understand that one aspect described herein can be implemented independently of any other aspect, and two or more of these aspects can be combined in various ways. For example, any number and aspects set forth herein can be used to implement the device and / or practice the method. Additionally, this device and / or method can be implemented using structures and / or functionalities other than one or more of the aspects set forth herein.

[0023] It should also be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this application. The drawings only show the components related to this application and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0024] Additionally, specific details are provided in the following description to facilitate a thorough understanding of the examples. However, those skilled in the art will understand that practice can be carried out without these specific details.

[0025] With the iterative development of automotive steering wheels, the application of capacitive sensing technology has become very mature. However, capacitive technology is limited to collecting only single capacitance information, thus limiting its potential applications and reaching a certain bottleneck. Therefore, this paper proposes a pressure-based approach instead of capacitive sensing. The driver can collect different pressure information by contacting different pressure levels of the output. The specific scheme is as follows.

[0026] Reference Figure 1-4 As shown, the steering wheel of this utility model includes: a steering wheel body 22 and a decorative component 9 disposed on the steering wheel body 22. The decorative component 9 forms a decorative surface on the spokes of the steering wheel body 22. The decorative surface includes a light-emitting area, and a PCB board 10 with a light source is disposed between the decorative component and the steering wheel body 22. The light source is disposed near the light-emitting area. A pressure detection device 13 is also disposed on the back side of the decorative surface for detecting the proximity and / or contact between the user's limb and the decorative surface. The decorative component 9 can be specifically understood as a functional component installed on the steering wheel body 22, whose main function is to provide visual and tactile interaction. Further, the light-emitting area can be designed as a transparent or semi-transparent structure, and its shape and size can be adjusted according to specific needs, such as circular, strip, or other geometric shapes, the purpose of which is to provide a propagation path for the light emitted by the light source. The PCB board 10, as the carrier of the light source, can be installed on the steering wheel body 22 by means of bolt fixing or snap-fit ​​connection, and its position must ensure that the light source can efficiently transmit light to the light-emitting area. The design of the pressure detection device 13 must ensure that it can accurately sense changes in the pressure of the user's limb.

[0027] In the above structure, the steering wheel body 22 serves as the supporting foundation of the overall structure. The decorative element 9 is set on the spokes of the steering wheel body 22 and forms a decorative surface. This decorative surface not only serves an aesthetic purpose but also functions as the main interface for user interaction. A light-emitting area is provided in the decorative surface, and a PCB board 10 with a light source is arranged between it and the steering wheel body 22. The light source is positioned close to the light-emitting area to ensure efficient light transmission to the light-emitting area, thereby achieving visual feedback functionality. Simultaneously, a pressure detection device 13 is provided on the back side of the decorative surface to sense the user's limb approach or contact state and collect corresponding pressure information. When the user's hand applies different levels of pressure, the pressure detection device 13 converts these pressure changes into electrical signals for output, thereby achieving multi-level pressure detection functionality.

[0028] This invention integrates the pressure detection device 13 onto the back side of the decorative surface, combining it with a light-emitting area and a light source to achieve multi-level detection and feedback of the user's limb pressure, thus overcoming the limitation of traditional capacitive sensing technology that can only collect single pieces of information. Therefore, the steering wheel body 22 can not only respond to different pressure levels but also support diverse application functions, such as outputting different horn sounds based on pressure intensity or enabling interactive games. This design provides the driver with a richer interactive experience while expanding the functional application scenarios of the steering wheel.

[0029] In one embodiment, several fixed points are formed between the PCB board 10 and the decorative part 9. A pressure detection device 13 is positioned between the PCB board 10 and the decorative part 9 at locations other than the fixed points. This device can detect changes in the gap between the PCB board 10 and the decorative part 9 and output an electrical signal. Fixed points refer to rigid connection areas used to constrain the relative movement between the PCB board 10 and the decorative part 9, which can be achieved through bolting, welding, or bonding. The presence of these fixed points provides a stable reference for the pressure detection device 13. The pressure detection device 13 is a component capable of sensing mechanical deformation and converting it into an electrical signal; it can be implemented using piezoelectric sensors, strain gauges, or other forms of pressure sensing devices. The purpose of introducing this pressure detection device 13 is to accurately capture local pressure changes.

[0030] By setting fixed points between the PCB board 10 and the decorative element 9, when a user's limb contacts the decorative surface, the structure will not undergo global displacement due to the presence of the fixed points, but will only produce local deformation in the non-fixed areas. This design allows the pressure detection device 13 to focus on capturing local pressure effects, rather than irrelevant overall movement. Furthermore, the coordinated design of the fixed points and non-fixed areas significantly improves the sensitivity of pressure detection, reliably capturing even minute pressure changes and converting them into electrical signals. Preferably, the steering wheel also includes a controller configured to activate or deactivate the light source and / or change the light frequency or intensity upon receiving the electrical signal.

[0031] Reference Figure 5 , 6As shown, the pressure detection device 13 includes an elastic column 3 with its two ends respectively disposed on the PCB board 10 and the decorative part 9, and a pressure sensing device 5 disposed on the PCB board 10 and capable of sensing the deformation of the elastic column 3. The elastic column 3 is used to transmit the pressure deformation of the decorative part 9 to the pressure sensing device 5, and the pressure sensing device 5 is used to convert the pressure deformation into an electrical signal. The elastic column 3 refers to a flexible connecting component, which can be made of rubber or silicone materials, etc., and its purpose is to transmit the pressure change of the decorative part 9 to the pressure sensing device 5 through its own deformation characteristics. The pressure sensing device 5 can be understood as a sensor that can sense physical deformation and convert it into an electrical signal. It can be made of strain gauges, piezoelectric sensors, or capacitive pressure sensors, etc., and its purpose is to convert small deformation signals into processable electrical signals.

[0032] Specifically, the elastic column 3 is directly connected to the PCB board 10 and the decorative part 9 at both ends. This direct connection ensures accurate pressure transmission and avoids signal attenuation that may occur due to intermediate links. When the user applies pressure to the decorative part 9, the elastic column 3 deforms accordingly, and this deformation is sensed by the pressure sensing device 5. The pressure sensing device 5 detects the deformation of the elastic column 3 and converts it into a corresponding electrical signal output. Since the deformation of the elastic column 3 is linearly related to the applied pressure, it can accurately distinguish between different pressure levels. In addition, the pressure sensing device 5 is directly mounted on the PCB board 10. This integrated design not only simplifies the overall structure but also improves the stability of signal transmission. This achieves accurate detection of pressure changes on the steering wheel surface, providing a reliable technical foundation for subsequent functional expansion.

[0033] In one embodiment, the inner side of the decorative element 9 opposite to the PCB board 10 is provided with a limiting groove for defining the elastic post 3. The length of the elastic post 3 is configured to be greater than the distance from the PCB board 10 to the bottom surface of the limiting groove, thereby defining the elastic post 3 between the decorative element 9 and the PCB board 10. The limiting groove refers to a structure with physical constraint function formed on the inner side of the decorative element, which can be implemented by using a recessed slot, an annular barrier, or other structures that can achieve spatial restriction. The length configuration of the elastic post 3 refers to the precise design of the initial compression state of the elastic post 3 based on the geometric relationship between the PCB board 10 and the bottom surface of the limiting groove. This can be achieved by adjusting the original length of the elastic post 3 or by selecting materials with different elastic coefficients. The purpose is to eliminate the initial gap and form a preload, thereby ensuring the immediacy and reliability of pressure transmission.

[0034] Specifically, the combined length configuration of the limiting groove and the elastic column 3 forms a stable positioning system. The limiting groove physically constrains one end of the elastic column 3 to a designated position, preventing lateral displacement when the user operates the steering wheel. Simultaneously, the length of the elastic column 3 is designed to be greater than the distance from the PCB board 10 to the bottom surface of the limiting groove, ensuring that the elastic column 3 is in a slightly compressed state even when not under pressure. This pre-compression configuration not only eliminates initial gaps but also ensures that pressure is instantly transmitted to the pressure sensing device 5 when the user presses the decorative surface. Furthermore, the above solution, combined with the aforementioned function of the elastic column 3 in transmitting pressure deformation, further improves the accuracy and reliability of pressure detection, solves the pressure signal transmission problem caused by the unstable positioning of the elastic column 3, and lays the structural foundation for the reliable acquisition of different pressure levels by the steering wheel.

[0035] Reference Figure 1-4 As shown in Figure 7, the trim piece 9 includes a first spoke portion 92 and a second spoke portion 93 extending from the hub to the handlebars at intervals, and a connecting spoke portion 94 connecting the first spoke portion 92 and the second spoke portion 93 and covering part of the handlebars. One of the first spoke portion 92 and the second spoke portion 93 has a first light-emitting area 12 facing the driver and / or facing the other, and the connecting spoke portion 94 has a second light-emitting area 17 facing the handlebars. The first spoke portion 92 and the second spoke portion 93 refer to two independent structural components extending outward from the center hub of the steering wheel to the handlebars. The connecting spoke portion 94 can be understood as a structure for connecting the first spoke portion 92 and the second spoke portion 93 and covering part of the handlebars. The first light-emitting area 12 refers to a light-emitting area provided on the first spoke portion 92 and / or the second spoke portion 93, intended to provide light signal feedback from the passenger's perspective. The second light-emitting area 17 may be a light-emitting area located on the connecting spoke portion 94 and facing or radially outward from the handlebars, intended to provide auxiliary lighting for the steering wheel grip area.

[0036] This invention, through the spaced arrangement of the first spoke portion 92 and the second spoke portion 93, ensures that each light-emitting area can operate independently, avoiding the problem of mutual interference of light. The positioning of the first light-emitting area 12 converts pressure detection information into intuitive light signal feedback. The connecting spoke portion 94, through the physical characteristics of covering part of the handlebar, uniformly guides the light from the second light-emitting area 17 to the surface of the handlebar. This structural design not only achieves dual coverage of the driver's field of vision and the handlebar area, meeting the need for coordinated layout of multi-directional light-emitting areas, but also expands the diverse application scenarios of combining pressure detection and light signals.

[0037] In one embodiment, a first PCB board 101 is provided between the back side of the first light-emitting region 12 and the steering wheel body 22. The first PCB board 101 has a first light-emitting part 102 consisting of a plurality of linearly arranged light-emitting units. A first light guide 11 is provided between the first light-emitting part 102 and the first light-emitting region 12. The first light guide 11 is a single component that covers the first light-emitting part 102 in the length direction and is adjacent to both the first light-emitting region 12 and the first light-emitting part 102 in the width direction. The first light guide 11 is an optical element used to guide the propagation path of light, aiming to achieve uniform transmission of light from the light source to the light-emitting surface. The first light-emitting part 102 is a linear light source array composed of multiple light-emitting units, which can be implemented using LED beads or other semiconductor light-emitting devices, aiming to provide a continuous and stable light source foundation. In practical applications, the first PCB board 101 serves as the substrate supporting the light-emitting units.

[0038] The design of the first light guide 11 achieves uniform light distribution along its length. As a single component, the first light guide 11 completely covers the first light-emitting part 102 along its length, thus avoiding the alternating light and dark phenomena caused by the intermittent arrangement of the light-emitting units. Simultaneously, in the width direction, the first light guide 11 is directly adjacent to both the first light-emitting part 102 and the first light-emitting area 12. This structural design reduces energy loss caused by light path detours, ensuring efficient light transmission from the light source to the light-emitting surface. The combination of the first light guide 11 and the first light-emitting part 102 effectively solves the problem of uneven light distribution, significantly improving visual indication and user experience. Furthermore, this design, in conjunction with the overall structure of the steering wheel body 22 and the decorative part 9, further enhances the functionality and aesthetics of the steering wheel.

[0039] Reference Figure 9 , 10 As shown, the first light guide 11 forms a gap between any two light-emitting units, and a light-shielding layer 20 is coated on the surface or inside of the gap. The gap refers to a physical interruption area introduced into the continuous structure of the first light guide 11. The light-shielding layer 20 can be a material coating capable of absorbing or reflecting light, such as matte black paint, metallic coating, or other composite materials with high light absorption rate, the purpose of which is to prevent light from leaking through the gap to adjacent units.

[0040] This invention effectively solves the problem of light crosstalk between light-emitting units by setting a notch in the first light guide 11 and combining it with the application of a light-shielding layer 20. The introduction of the notch creates a clear physical boundary between adjacent light-emitting units in the first light guide 11, structurally cutting off the possibility of light diffusion; while the light-shielding layer 20 further ensures that even if a small amount of stray light penetrates the notch, it will be absorbed or reflected, thereby significantly improving the purity of the light signal and the clarity of the area boundary. In addition, since the first light guide 11 itself is a single component and covers multiple light-emitting units along its length, this design achieves precise light path control while ensuring structural integrity, providing a reliable guarantee for high-precision light effect display on the steering wheel decorative surface. This not only improves the independence of the light signal and the display accuracy of the light-emitting area, but also lays the foundation for realizing diverse interactive functions on the steering wheel decorative surface.

[0041] Reference Figure 8 As shown, the connecting spoke portion 94 includes a front decorative portion facing the passenger and a side decorative portion facing the steering wheel rim. A second light-emitting area 17 is disposed on the side decorative portion. A second PCB board 103 is disposed between the front decorative portion and the steering wheel body 22. The second PCB board 103 has at least one second light-emitting unit 15. A second light guide 14 is disposed between the second light-emitting unit 15 and the second light-emitting area 17. The second light guide 14 is a single component, with one end adjacent to the second light-emitting unit 15 in the width direction and one end adjacent to the second light-emitting area 17 in the length direction. The second PCB board 103 can be understood as the core substrate carrying electronic components. The second light-emitting unit 15 disposed thereon can be selected from LEDs or other high-efficiency light sources as needed, with the aim of providing stable and controllable light source output. The second light guide 14, as a light transmission medium, avoids interface reflection losses that may be caused by splicing multiple components due to its single-component design, thereby significantly improving light transmission efficiency.

[0042] This invention achieves efficient light transmission and uniform distribution through the organic cooperation of its components. The partitioned design of the front and side decorative sections allows the second light-emitting area 17 to be precisely positioned on the side decorative section, ensuring that the light is directionally transmitted to the handle direction and preventing diffusion into irrelevant areas. The second PCB board 103 not only provides a stable mounting base for the second light-emitting part 15, but also ensures the reliability of electrical connections through optimized circuit layout. The adjacent relationship between the second light-emitting part 15 and the second light guide 14 allows the light source to couple into the light guide at the minimum angle, reducing initial incident loss; at the same time, the adjacent design of the second light guide 14 and the second light-emitting area 17 in the length direction ensures that the light is transmitted along the shortest path, avoiding attenuation midway. Through the above technical solution, the problem of light scattering and attenuation caused by the lack of targeted light guide structure design is effectively solved, achieving uniform brightness distribution in the second light-emitting area 17 and significantly improving the clarity and reliability of visual indication.

[0043] In one embodiment, the second light guide 14 has a wedge-shaped portion 141 at the end in the width direction away from the second light-emitting part 15. The wedge-shaped portion 141 is configured to refract light towards the light source illumination direction of the second light-emitting part 15 and towards the second light-emitting area 17. The wedge-shaped portion 141 is coated with a light-shielding layer. The wedge-shaped portion 141 refers to a structural design with an inclined surface, which can be implemented using a triangle, trapezoid, or other geometric shapes with light refraction functions. The purpose of this design is to change the light propagation path by changing the inclined surface at a specific angle, thereby optimizing the light distribution. The light-shielding layer 20 is a coating material that can block light transmission, designed to prevent light from escaping from non-target directions.

[0044] Specifically, the overall structural design of the second light guide 14 fully considers optical transmission characteristics. The wedge-shaped portion 141 is located at the end of the width direction. This layout is based on the physical phenomenon that light tends to diverge naturally after long-distance transmission. By placing the wedge-shaped portion 141 at this key position, the diverging light can be effectively captured and redirected. At the same time, the bidirectional refractive design of the wedge-shaped portion 141 ensures that the light can be actively guided to the target direction, rather than relying on the passive transmission of the overall structure of the light guide. In addition, the light-shielding layer 20 coated on the surface of the wedge-shaped portion 141 plays a role in forcibly constraining the light path, so that the light can only propagate in a preset direction. This design echoes the design of the notch in the first light guide 11 and the light-shielding layer 20, and together improves the efficiency and effect of the entire optical system. It not only solves the problems of light scattering and leakage during transmission, but also significantly improves the uniformity and intensity of light in the light-emitting area, thereby enhancing the user's visual experience.

[0045] In one embodiment, both the first spoke portion 92 and the second spoke portion 93 are provided with a first light-emitting area 12. A connecting spoke portion 94 is disposed between the bottoms of the first spoke portion 92 and the second spoke portion 93, and the first spoke portion 92, the second spoke portion 93, and the connecting spoke portion 94 are arranged in a "U" shape. The first spoke portion 92 and the second spoke portion 93 refer to two independent structural parts extending from the steering wheel hub to the handlebar, whose main function is to provide an operating interface for the user and to carry functional components. The arrangement of the first light-emitting area 12 enables these two spoke portions to have light interaction capabilities, thereby expanding the interaction range between the user and the steering wheel, with the aim of providing visual feedback and supporting diverse function triggers. The connecting spoke portion 94 serves as a transition structure between the first spoke portion 92 and the second spoke portion 93. The "U" shape arrangement is an optimized ergonomic layout, and by forming an enclosed frame structure, the pressure detection device can more accurately capture pressure changes at different locations.

[0046] The aforementioned technical solution effectively expands the interactive surface area of ​​the steering wheel, supporting multi-point pressure sensing and light interaction, thereby enhancing the steering wheel's functional versatility and user experience. Simultaneously, this design provides a physical basis for multi-zone function allocation, enabling the steering wheel to realize greater potential in scenarios such as vehicle control and user-interactive games.

[0047] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A steering wheel, comprising: A steering wheel body and a decorative element disposed on the steering wheel body, wherein the decorative element forms a decorative surface on the spokes of the steering wheel body, characterized in that, The decorative surface includes a light-emitting area, and a PCB board with a light source is provided between the decorative surface and the steering wheel body. The light source is located near the light-emitting area. A pressure detection device is also provided on the back side of the decorative surface to detect the proximity and / or contact between the user's limb and the decorative surface.

2. The steering wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that: Several fixed points are formed between the PCB board and the decorative part. The pressure detection device is set at a position between the PCB board and the decorative part other than the fixed points. It can detect the gap change between the PCB board and the decorative part and output an electrical signal.

3. The steering wheel according to claim 2, characterized in that: The pressure detection device includes an elastic column with its two ends respectively set on the PCB board and the decorative part, and a pressure sensing device set on the PCB board that can sense the deformation of the elastic column. The elastic column is used to transmit the pressure deformation of the decorative part to the pressure sensing device, and the pressure sensing device is used to convert the pressure deformation into an electrical signal.

4. The steering wheel according to claim 3, characterized in that: The decorative component has a limiting groove on its inner side opposite to the PCB board for defining the elastic post. The length of the elastic post is configured to be greater than the distance from the PCB board to the bottom surface of the limiting groove, so as to define the elastic post between the decorative component and the PCB board.

5. The steering wheel according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: The decorative element includes a first spoke portion and a second spoke portion that extend from the hub to the handlebars at intervals, and a connecting spoke portion that connects the first spoke portion and the second spoke portion and covers a portion of the handlebars. One of the first spoke portion and the second spoke portion has a first light-emitting area facing the driver or facing the other, and the connecting spoke portion has a second light-emitting area facing the handlebars or radially outward from the handlebars.

6. The steering wheel according to claim 5, characterized in that: A first PCB board is provided between the back side of the first light-emitting area and the steering wheel body. The first PCB board is provided with a first light-emitting part of a plurality of light-emitting units arranged linearly. A first light guide is provided between the first light-emitting part and the first light-emitting area. The first light guide is a single component that covers the first light-emitting part in the length direction and is adjacent to the first light-emitting area and the first light-emitting part in the width direction.

7. The steering wheel according to claim 6, characterized in that: The first light guide is positioned between any two light-emitting units to form a notch, and the surface or interior of the notch is coated with a light-shielding layer.

8. The steering wheel according to claim 5, characterized in that: The connecting spoke portion includes a front decorative portion facing the passenger and a side decorative portion facing the steering wheel. The second light-emitting area is disposed on the side decorative portion. A second PCB board is disposed between the front decorative portion and the steering wheel body. A second light-emitting portion with at least one light-emitting unit is disposed on the second PCB board. A second light guide is disposed between the second light-emitting portion and the second light-emitting area. The second light guide is a single component, with one end adjacent to the second light-emitting portion in the width direction and one end adjacent to the second light-emitting area in the length direction.

9. The steering wheel according to claim 8, characterized in that: The second light guide has a wedge-shaped portion at one end away from the second light-emitting part in the width direction. The wedge-shaped portion is configured to refract light in the direction of illumination of the second light-emitting part and in the direction of the second light-emitting area. The wedge-shaped portion is coated with a light-shielding layer.

10. The steering wheel according to claim 5, characterized in that: Both the first spoke portion and the second spoke portion are provided with a first light-emitting area. The connecting spoke portion is disposed between the bottom of the first spoke portion and the second spoke portion, and the first spoke portion, the second spoke portion and the connecting spoke portion are arranged in a "U" shape.

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