Electronic steering wheel box.

Abstract

The invention relates to a steering wheel housing (1) designed to form, with a cover, a body of an electronic steering wheel intended to be mounted in rotation on a vehicle, the body being of the type delimited by a rectangular contour (6) and comprising all of the means for gripping the electronic steering wheel to allow a driver to hold the steering wheel, the housing (1), a single piece, forming a receiving volume (8) designed to accommodate the attachment of at least one electronic card (9) intended to control at least one control interface (5) that can be manipulated by a hand of the driver holding the steering wheel, the housing (1) further delimiting a passage space (15) designed to allow the passage of an airbag. (Figure 2)

Description

Title of the invention: Electronic steering wheel housing.

[0001] The technical field concerns electronic steering wheel boxes, electronic steering wheels and vehicles equipped with such an electronic steering wheel.

[0002] The ergonomics of a driving position of a motor vehicle is of crucial importance for automobile manufacturers, since it contributes primarily to the driving experience felt by the driver. Thus, the arrangement of the different elements of the driving position is evolving to offer ever more information easily accessible to the driver. The different elements of the driving position are obviously distributed around the steering wheel in a central position. Traditionally, most steering wheels are provided with a circular rim, allowing a grip on the steering wheel, the rim being linked to a central block allowing the junction of the steering wheel to the steering column. The rim is usually within a square perimeter whose sides have a significant dimension of the order of 350 mm.

[0003] Sports vehicles developed for motor racing, such as Formula 1, use technology without a steering column, implementing 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 gear ratio between the steering wheel and the wheels can be modified to facilitate vehicle maneuvers.

[0004] Furthermore, drivers are accustomed to having access to a plurality of controls directly available on their steering wheel. Therefore, in order to equip a motor vehicle intended to be driven on the roads with an electronic steering wheel, it is appropriate to equip the electronic steering wheel with such controls. Traditionally, steering wheel controls are installed on a steering wheel using two control modules, left and right, fixed to the rear face of the steering wheel, on either side of the volume intended for the airbag. These modules are generally fixed to an intermediate hubcap, itself clipped onto the rim during assembly of the steering wheel. The absence of a rim on an electronic steering wheel therefore makes the integration of the control modules difficult.

[0005] Furthermore, customers are generally sensitive to adjustments in the assemblies of the elements of the passenger compartment and particular care must be taken with the clearances of the various constituent elements of the steering wheel. Also, for an electronic steering wheel with a flat front face and no clearance line, the integration of the control modules is even more complex.

[0006] Thus, there is a need for a solution making it possible to have an electronic steering wheel, without a rim and having a flat front face and / or without a play line, which integrates controls.

[0007] The present invention aims to overcome the problems set out above. In this technical context, one aim of the present invention is to provide a steering wheel housing making it possible to form, with a cover, an electronic steering wheel having a flat front face and without a play line with at least one control interface.

[0008] For this purpose, the present invention relates to a steering wheel housing designed to form, with a cover, a body of an electronic steering wheel without a rim and intended to be mounted in rotation on a vehicle, the body being of the type delimited by a rectangular-shaped contour and comprising all of the means for gripping the electronic steering wheel to allow a driver to hold the steering wheel, the housing, in one piece, forming a receiving volume designed to accommodate the attachment of at least one electronic card intended to control at least one control interface that can be manipulated by a hand of the driver holding the steering wheel, the housing further delimiting a passage space designed to allow the passage of an airbag.

[0009] The invention also relates to an electronic steering wheel comprising at least one housing according to the invention, at least one control interface designed to be manipulated by a hand of the driver holding the steering wheel, the steering wheel further comprising a cover fixed to the housing so as to close the receiving volume to form a body comprising all of the gripping means of the electronic steering wheel to allow the steering wheel to be held by a driver, the body being delimited by a rectangular-shaped contour, the cover being designed to allow the manipulation of each control interface by the hand holding the steering wheel, when the cover is fixed to the housing.

[0010] The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle having an electronic steering wheel according to the invention.

[0011] Thus, the housing according to the invention makes it possible to produce, with the cover, an electronic steering wheel without a rim. Thanks to the receiving volume, the integration of an electronic card makes it possible to provide the electronic steering wheel according to the invention with at least one control interface controlled by the card. The cover thus covers the electronic card(s) while allowing the control interfaces to be manipulated. Thus, the electronic steering wheel according to the invention has a flat front face and / or one without a play line.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention, the housing constitutes a rectangular-shaped plate having a plurality of gripping holes each designed to allow the passage of at least one inch of the conductor through the body.

[0013] According to one possibility of the housing, the passage space forms a central cavity of rectangular shape.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the electronic steering wheel comprises at least one electronic card fixed in the receiving volume of the housing on which at least one control interface is fixed.

[0015] Advantageously, when the housing constitutes a rectangular-shaped plate having a plurality of gripping holes each designed to allow the passage of at least one thumb of the driver through the body, the steering wheel has four gripping holes, each comprising at least one control interface arranged on a part of its periphery.

[0016] 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:

[0017] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] represents a perspective view of a housing according to the invention;

[0018] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a perspective view of the housing of [Fig.l] ac picking up an electronic card and two control interfaces;

[0019] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a perspective view of a steering wheel formed from the box of figures 1 and 2.

[0020] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0021] A steering wheel housing 1 according to the invention, illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, is designed to form, with a cover 2, illustrated in [Fig. 3], a body 3 of an electronic steering wheel 4 intended to be mounted in rotation on a vehicle. The electronic steering wheel 4 according to the invention comprises at least one control interface 5 allowing each to activate at least one function of the vehicle. In the example illustrated in the figures, the steering wheel 4 comprises four control interfaces 5.

[0022] As illustrated in [Fig.3], the body 3 is delimited by a rectangular contour 6 and comprising all of the gripping means 7 of the electronic steering wheel 4 to allow the steering wheel 4 to be held by a driver.

[0023] As illustrated in [Fig.l], the housing 1, a single piece, forms a receiving volume 8 designed to accommodate the attachment of at least one electronic card 9, illustrated in [Fig.2] and intended to control a control interface 5 that can be manipulated by the hand of the driver holding the steering wheel 4. For this purpose, the housing 1 constitutes a plate 10 of rectangular shape in which a plurality of gripping orifices 11 are provided. The plate 10 further has a rim 12a extending over the contour 6 of the housing 1 and delimiting the receiving volume 8.

[0024] In the embodiment described, each control interface 5 is provided on at least part of a periphery 13 of a gripping orifice 11 passing through the body. 3 of the steering wheel 4. In this embodiment, an electronic card 9 controls two adjacent control interfaces 5.

[0025] Each gripping orifice 11 is formed by a wall 14 projecting from the plate 10. In the example illustrated in [Fig. 1], each wall 14 forms a hyperboloidal sheet. In the example illustrated, the steering wheel 4 has four gripping orifices 11, each formed in a corner of the plate 10.

[0026] The gripping means 7 comprise, for example, the body 3 and each gripping orifice 7.

[0027] The housing 1 further delimits a passage space 15, illustrated in [Fig.l], designed to allow the passage of an airbag, not illustrated in the figures. In the embodiment illustrated in [Fig.l], the passage space 15 forms a central cavity 16 of rectangular shape. The central cavity 16 is also delimited by a rim 12b projecting from the plate 10.

[0028] The electronic steering wheel 4 is therefore formed from the housing 1 and the cover 2 closing the receiving volume 8 to form the body 3. The cover 2 is designed to allow the manipulation of each control interface 5 by the hand holding the steering wheel 4, when the cover 2 is fixed on the housing 1. In this case, the cover 2 has cutouts 17 allowing the perimeter 13 of each gripping orifice 11 to be cleared. Once the cover 2 is fixed on the housing 1, each electronic card 9 is hidden and only each control interface 5 is accessible from outside the receiving volume 8.

[0029] Thus, the housing 1 makes it possible to produce, with the cover 2, the electronic steering wheel 4 without a rim. Thanks to the reception volume 8, the integration of each electronic card 9 makes it possible to provide the electronic steering wheel 4 with at least one control interface 5 controlled by an electronic card 9. The cover 2 thus covers the electronic card(s) 9 while allowing the manipulation of the control interfaces 5. Thus, the electronic steering wheel 4 has a flat front face and / or one without a play line.

[0030] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the steering wheel housing 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. Steering wheel housing (1) designed to form, with a cover (2), a body (3) of an electronic steering wheel (4) without a rim and intended to be mounted in rotation on a vehicle, the body (3) being of the type delimited by a contour (6) of rectangular shape and comprising all of the gripping means (7) of the electronic steering wheel (4) to allow the steering wheel (4) to be held by a driver, the housing (1), in one piece, forming a reception volume (8) designed to accommodate the attachment of at least one electronic card (9) intended to control at least one control interface (5) that can be manipulated by a hand of the driver holding the steering wheel (4), the housing (1) further delimiting a passage space (15) designed to allow the passage of an airbag.

2. Housing (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it constitutes a plate (10) of rectangular shape having a plurality of gripping orifices (11) each designed to allow the passage of at least one inch of the conductor through the body (3).

3. Housing (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the passage space (15) forms a central cavity (16) of rectangular shape.

4. Electronic steering wheel (4) comprising at least one housing (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, at least one control interface (5) designed to be manipulated by a hand of the driver holding the steering wheel (4), the steering wheel (4) further comprising a cover (2) fixed on the housing (1) so as to close the receiving volume (8) to form a body (3) comprising all of the gripping means (7) of the electronic steering wheel (4) to allow the steering wheel (4) to be held by a driver, the body (3) being delimited by a rectangular contour (6), the cover (2) being designed to allow the manipulation of each control interface (5) by the hand holding the steering wheel (4), when the cover (2) is fixed on the housing (1).

5. Electronic steering wheel (4) according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises at least one electronic card (9) fixed in the reception volume (8) of the housing (1) on which is fixed at least one control interface (5).

6. Electronic steering wheel (4) according to claim 4 or 5, in combination with claim 2, characterized in that it has four gripping holes (11), each comprising at least one control interface (5) arranged on a part of its periphery (13).

7. Motor vehicle having an electronic steering wheel (4) according to one of claims 4 to 6.

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