Electronic steering wheel with touch controls

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic steering wheel (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a steering wheel body (2) designed to be mounted on the vehicle rotatable about an axis, the steering wheel body (2) comprising all of the steering wheel (1) gripping means (3) so as to allow the steering wheel (1) to be gripped by the driver of the vehicle, the steering wheel body (2) forming a plate (4) defined by a contour (5) inscribed within a rectangular perimeter (6), the gripping means (3) comprising at least one gripping hole (8) extending through the steering wheel body (2), dimensioned and positioned to allow the driver to pass a thumb (9) therethrough, the steering wheel (1) comprising at least one control (10) that can be manipulated with a thumb (9), simply by moving the thumb (9) from the gripping hole (8) when the driver is holding the gripping means (3).

Description

Description Title of the invention: Electronic steering wheel with touch controls.

[0001] The present invention claims priority from French application 2300053 filed on January 4, 2023, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is 5 herein incorporated by reference. The technical field concerns electronic steering wheels as well as motor vehicles equipped with such electronic steering wheels.

[0002] The ergonomics of a car's driving position are of crucial importance to car manufacturers, since they contribute to 10 first and foremost to the driving experience felt by the driver. Thus, the layout of the different elements of the driving position is evolving to offer ever more easily accessible information to the driver. The different elements of the driving position are obviously distributed around the steering wheel in the central position. Traditionally, most steering wheels are equipped with a 15 circular rim, allowing a grip on the steering wheel, the rim being linked to a central block allowing the steering wheel to be joined to the steering column. The rim usually fits within a square perimeter whose sides have a significant dimension of around 350 mm. Some vehicles have a steering wheel whose rim has one or more flat areas in the lower and / or 20 upper surfaces giving the vehicle a more luxurious and / or sporty appearance. Despite these flat spots, the dimensions of conventional steering wheel rims make them a significant visual obstacle for the installation of information elements on the vehicle's dashboard.

[0003] Sports vehicles developed for motor racing, such as 25 Formula 1 cars use technology without a steering column, using angle sensors and motors that are referred to as an electric steering wheel. An electric steering wheel has the advantage of allowing it to be configured as required to adapt the force and response of the steering to the actions on the electric steering wheel. Thus, depending on the speed of the vehicle, the ratio 30 of gear ratio between the steering wheel and the wheels can be modified to facilitate the maneuvers of the vehicle. This type of electric steering wheel is however not suitable for a conventional motor vehicle designed for circulation on the roads, in particular because of the delicate grip of these steering wheels.

[0004] Furthermore, there are many driving situations in which the driver is required to remove one of his hands from the steering wheel to operate an actuator to control a safety or comfort function generally located on a dashboard or central console of the vehicle. Each 5 of these situations are likely to represent a risk of driver distraction.

[0005] Thus, there is a need for a solution that can improve steering wheel ergonomics while reducing unnecessary driver gestures to control all of today's complex driving systems. [0(M6] The present invention aims to overcome the problems set out above. In this technical context, one aim of the present invention is to provide an electronic steering wheel that can respond to all the different physiognomies of drivers with a maximum number of controls that can be manipulated without letting go of the electronic steering wheel. [OOK57] To this end, the present invention relates to an electronic steering wheel for a motor vehicle comprising a steering wheel body designed to be mounted in rotation around an axis on the vehicle, the steering wheel body comprising all of the means for gripping the steering wheel to allow the steering wheel to be held by a driver of the vehicle, the steering wheel body forming a delimited plate 20 by an outline inscribed in a rectangular perimeter, the gripping means comprising at least one gripping hole passing through the body of the steering wheel, sized and positioned to allow the passage of a driver's thumb, the steering wheel comprising at least one control operable with a thumb, by moving only the thumb from the gripping hole when the 25 driver takes control of the gripping means.

[0008] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle equipped with an electronic steering wheel according to the invention.

[0009] Thus, the electronic steering wheel according to the invention has all the advantages associated with electronic steering wheels. Firstly, the means for gripping the steering wheel, thanks to each gripping hole, allow easy gripping of the steering wheel and easy handling, without the risk of the steering wheel slipping from the driver's hands. Then, the outline of the steering wheel according to the invention, inscribed within a rectangular perimeter, makes it possible to free up space above the electronic steering wheel to arrange information elements easily visible to the driver. driver, thus allowing new arrangements of the dashboard of the vehicle according to the invention. Finally, the presence of a control that can be operated with a thumb inserted into a gripping hole, without moving the hand, improves safety: several controls are thus placed under the ergonomic sphere 5 of the thumb, which makes it possible to act on the functions linked to driving without letting go of the steering wheel according to the invention.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the invention, each control is arranged around a perimeter of a gripping orifice.

[0011] Advantageously, each control is formed from a touch zone having a crown section shape.

[0012] According to one possibility, each command is programmable.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the electronic steering wheel according to the invention, it comprises a plurality of controls divided into two sets, a first set whose controls are intended to control driving assistance functions of the vehicle equipped with the steering wheel, and a second set whose controls are intended to control a multimedia system of the vehicle and / or functions relating to the comfort of the vehicle.

[0014] Advantageously, the first assembly is arranged in the upper part of the steering wheel, the second assembly being arranged in the lower part of the steering wheel, when the steering wheel is installed on the vehicle.

[0015] According to one possibility, the steering wheel comprises at least one actuator arranged on a rear face of the steering wheel, intended to be arranged opposite a dashboard of the vehicle.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the electronic steering wheel comprises an interface 25 display panel provided on the plate and designed to display driving information and / or information relating to each control.

[0017] Advantageously, the display interface is designed to, when the steering wheel is rotated around the axis, impart a rotation in the opposite direction to compensate for the rotation of the display interface. [0ŒE8] The invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0019] [Fig. 1] Figure 1 represents a perspective view of an electronic steering wheel according to the invention taken in hand by a driver in a driving situation;

[0020] [Fig. 2] Figure 2 represents a perspective view of the rear face of the electronic steering wheel of Figure 1;

[0021] [Fig. 3] Figure 3, represents a perspective view of the electronic steering wheel of Figure 1 showing the display interface.

[0252] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0023] An electronic steering wheel 1 according to the invention, illustrated in the figures, is intended to equip a motor vehicle according to the invention. The steering wheel 1 is designed to be connected to the steering of the vehicle by electronic means, in particular angle sensors and motors. The steering wheel 1 therefore makes it possible to do without a steering column.

[0024] Advantageously, thanks to the implementation of the electronic steering wheel 1 according to the invention, the force and the response of the steering of the vehicle, in particular the gear ratio between the electronic steering wheel 1 and the wheels, can be adapted in particular as a function of the speed of movement of the vehicle according to the invention. The steering wheel 1 illustrated in the figures comprises a steering wheel body 2 designed to be mounted in rotation about an axis on the vehicle. Advantageously, the steering wheel 1 is adapted to a rotation less than or equal to 180° around the axis of rotation when the driver takes it in hand, preferably to a rotation less than or equal to 90°.

[0025] The steering wheel body 2 comprises all of the gripping means 3 of the steering wheel 1 to allow the steering wheel 1 to be held by a driver of the vehicle. Unlike the state of the art, the steering wheel 1 has no rim. Indeed, the body of the steering wheel 2 forms a plate 4 delimited by a contour 5, illustrated in the figures, 25 inscribed in a rectangular perimeter 6, illustrated in figure 1. In the example illustrated in the figures, the rectangular perimeter 6 has a width L1 less than 200 mm, so that the height of the steering wheel 1 installed on the vehicle, corresponding to the width L1, is small and less than 200 mm. In the example illustrated in the figures, the plate 4 has a rectangular shape with rounded corners 7.

[0026] The gripping means 3 comprise at least one gripping hole 8, in this case four gripping holes 8. Each gripping hole 8 passes through the body of the steering wheel 2 and is sized and positioned to allow the passage of a thumb 9 of the driver when the latter takes hold of the steering wheels. gripping means 3. Each gripping hole 8 has dimensions of the order of 50 mm. The dimensions of each gripping hole 8 are preferably reduced so that the introduction of the driver's hand through the gripping hole 8 is impossible. The steering wheel 1 thus has four gripping holes 8 each arranged near the corners 7 so that the driver can insert his thumbs into said gripping holes 8, when he holds the plate 4 with his other fingers, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0027] As illustrated in the figures, each gripping orifice 8 has, for example, a truncated or hyperbolic shape.

[0028] The steering wheel 1 according to the invention comprises at least one control 10, illustrated in FIG. 1, which can be manipulated with a thumb 9, by moving only the thumb 9 from the gripping hole 8 when the driver takes hold of the gripping means 3. Advantageously, each control 10 is programmable and thus each control 10 can be associated with a function chosen from several functions.

[0029] According to an advantageous possibility, the steering wheel 1 comprises a plurality of controls 10 divided into two sets 11 a, 11 b, a first set 11 a whose controls 10 are intended to control driving assistance functions 20 of the vehicle equipped with the steering wheel 1, and a second set 11 b whose controls 10 are intended to control a multimedia system of the vehicle and / or functions relating to the comfort of the vehicle.

[0030] The controls 10 of the first set 11 a are, for example, arranged in the upper part of the electronic steering wheel 1, when the latter is installed on the vehicle, and are thus easily accessible to the driver in a driving situation by holding the steering wheel 1 in the upper part. The controls 10 of the second set 11 b are then arranged in the lower part of the steering wheel 1 when the latter is mounted on the vehicle. Thus, when the vehicle is stationary or when it is traveling on a road requiring little rotation of the steering wheel 1, the driver has the possibility of holding the steering wheel 1 comfortably, using the gripping holes 8 located in the lower part, and is able to easily control the functions relating to the comfort and / or the multimedia system of the vehicle.

[0031] As illustrated in the figures, each control 10 is arranged on a periphery 12 of a gripping orifice 8. In the example illustrated in the figures, each gripping orifice 8 has at least one control 10 arranged on its periphery 12.

[0052] In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, each control 10 is formed of a touch-sensitive area 13 having a crown section shape. Advantageously, on each periphery 12 of a predetermined gripping orifice is thus arranged at least one touch-sensitive area 13, preferably two touch-sensitive areas 13. When two touch-sensitive areas 13 are arranged on the same 10 around 12, these advantageously make it possible to control the same function but to obtain inverse effects on said functions: for example, incrementing or decrementing a function, starting or stopping a function.

[0033] In order to make the controls 10 easily accessible, these are advantageously arranged on one half 14 of each perimeter 12 located at 15 opposite the side edges 15 of the electronic steering wheel 1.

[0034] In order to increase the number of functions that can be controlled from the electronic steering wheel 1, the latter has, for example, at least one actuator 16, in this case two pairs of actuators 16 illustrated in FIG. 2, arranged on a rear face 17 of the steering wheel 1 intended to be arranged opposite a panel 20 of the vehicle, not shown in the figures. Each pair of actuators 16 is associated with a function of the vehicle, for example a function linked to the windshield wipers and / or the headlights of the vehicle.

[0035] As illustrated in Figure 3, the electronic steering wheel 1 comprises a display interface 18 arranged on the plate 4 and designed to display driving information 25 and / or information relating to each control 10. In the example illustrated in Figure 3, the display interface 18 displays the speed 19 of the vehicle and / or a pictogram 20 representative of the function associated with a control 10.

[0036] Advantageously, the display interface 18 is designed to, when the steering wheel 1 undergoes a rotation around the axis by an angle A illustrated in FIG. 3, print a rotation in the opposite direction, by an angle A, to compensate for the rotation of the display interface 18.

[0037] Thus, the electronic steering wheel 1 according to the invention is easy to hold thanks to these gripping holes 8. In addition, each of the gripping holes 8 places under the ergonomic sphere of a thumb 9 one or more controls 10 allowing to control several functions. In addition, the electronic steering wheel 1 according to the invention allows a simplified arrangement of the controls 10 by separating them into two sets 11a, 11b, one dedicated to the driving assistance functions and the other dedicated to the comfort functions. [OO3E8] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the electronic steering wheel described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments can be designed by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Electronic steering wheel (1) for a motor vehicle comprising a steering wheel body (2) designed to be mounted in rotation about an axis on the vehicle, the steering wheel body (2) comprising all of the gripping means (3) of the steering wheel (1) to allow the steering wheel (1) to be held by a driver of the vehicle, the steering wheel body (2) forming a plate (4) delimited by a contour (5) inscribed in a rectangular perimeter (6), the gripping means (3) comprising at least one gripping orifice (8) passing through the steering wheel body (2), sized and positioned to allow the passage of a thumb (9) of the driver, the steering wheel (1) comprising at least one control (10) operable with a thumb (9), by moving only the thumb (9) from the gripping hole (8) when the driver takes hold of the gripping means (3).

2. Electronic steering wheel (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each control (10) is arranged on a periphery (12) of a gripping orifice (8).

3. Electronic steering wheel (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that each control (10) is formed from a touch zone (13) having a crown section shape.

4. Electronic steering wheel (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each control (10) is programmable.

5. Electronic steering wheel (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of controls (10) distributed in two sets (11a, 11b), a first set (11a) whose controls (10) are intended to control driving assistance functions of the vehicle equipped with the steering wheel (1), and a second set (11b) whose controls (10) are intended to control a multimedia system of the vehicle and / or functions relating to the comfort of the vehicle.

6. Electronic steering wheel (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the first assembly (11 a) is arranged in the upper part of the steering wheel (1), the second assembly (11 b) being arranged in the lower part of the steering wheel (1), when the steering wheel (1) is installed on the vehicle.

7. Electronic steering wheel (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises at least one actuator (16) arranged on a rear face (17) of the steering wheel (1), intended to be arranged opposite a dashboard of the vehicle.

8. Electronic steering wheel (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a display interface (18) arranged on the plate (4) and designed to display driving information and / or information relating to each control (10).

9. Electronic steering wheel (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the display interface (18) is designed to, when the steering wheel (1) is rotated around the axis, impart a rotation in the opposite direction to compensate for the rotation of the display interface (18).

10. Motor vehicle equipped with an electronic steering wheel according to one of claims 1 to 9.

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