Electronic steering wheel control unit.

Abstract

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

Description

Title of the invention: Electronic steering wheel housing.

[0001] The technical field relates to electronic steering wheel housings, electronic steering wheels and vehicles equipped with such an electronic steering wheel.

[0002] The ergonomics of a driver's seat in a motor vehicle are of crucial importance to car manufacturers, as they primarily contribute to the driver's perceived driving experience. Therefore, the arrangement of the various elements of the driver's seat is constantly evolving to offer the driver ever more easily accessible information. These various elements are obviously arranged around the centrally positioned steering wheel. Traditionally, most steering wheels have a circular rim, allowing for a secure grip. The rim is connected to a central block that links the steering wheel to the steering column. The rim is usually inscribed within a square perimeter with sides of a significant dimension, on the order of 350 mm.

[0003] Sports vehicles developed for motor racing, such as Formula 1 cars, use column-free technology that employs angle sensors and motors, known as electric steering wheels. An electric steering wheel offers the advantage of allowing for customizable settings to adapt the steering force and response to inputs on the wheel. Thus, depending on the vehicle's speed, the steering ratio between the wheel and the wheels can be adjusted to facilitate vehicle maneuvers.

[0004] Furthermore, drivers are accustomed to having access to a variety of controls directly on their steering wheel. Therefore, in order to equip a motor vehicle intended for road use with an electronic steering wheel, it is necessary 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 back of the steering wheel, on either side of the airbag compartment. These modules are generally attached to an intermediate trim piece, which is itself clipped onto the rim during steering wheel assembly. The absence of a rim on an electronic steering wheel thus makes the integration of the control modules difficult.

[0005] Furthermore, customers are generally sensitive to the fit and finish of the interior components, and particular attention must be paid to the clearances of the various steering wheel components. Therefore, for an electronic steering wheel with a flat front face and no clearance lines, the integration of the control modules is even more complex.

[0006] Thus, there is a need for a solution that provides an electronic steering wheel, without a rim and with a flat front face and / or without play lines, which integrates controls.

[0007] The present invention aims to overcome the problems described above. In this technical context, one objective of the present invention is to provide a steering wheel housing that, with a cover, forms an electronic steering wheel having a flat front face free of play lines and with at least one control interface.

[0008] To this end, 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 contour and comprising all the means of gripping the electronic steering wheel to allow the steering wheel to be taken by a driver, the housing, a single piece, forming a reception volume designed to accommodate the attachment of at least one electronic card intended to control at least one control interface manipulable 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 on the housing so as to close the receiving volume to form a body comprising all the means of gripping the electronic steering wheel to allow the steering wheel to be taken by a driver, the body being delimited by a rectangular 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 on 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, with its cover, allows for the creation of an electronic steering wheel without a rim. Thanks to the available space, the integration of an electronic board enables the electronic steering wheel according to the invention to be equipped with at least one control interface driven by the board. The cover thus protects the electronic board(s) while allowing the control interfaces to be manipulated. Therefore, the electronic steering wheel according to the invention has a flat front face and / or one without play lines.

[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 housing volume 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 disposed on a part of its periphery.

[0016] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

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

[0018] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a perspective view of the casing of [Fig.1] ac picking up an electronic board and two control interfaces;

[0019] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a perspective view of a steering wheel formed from the case 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 for rotation on a vehicle. The electronic steering wheel 4 according to the invention comprises at least one control interface 5, each of which can 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 includes all the means of gripping the electronic steering wheel 4 to allow the steering wheel 4 to be gripped by a driver.

[0023] As illustrated in [Fig. 1], the one-piece housing 1 forms a receptacle 8 designed to accommodate the mounting of at least one electronic board 9, illustrated in [Fig. 2], intended to control a control interface 5 that can be operated by the driver's hand holding the steering wheel 4. To this end, the housing 1 constitutes a rectangular plate 10 in which a plurality of gripping holes 11 are provided. The plate 10 also has a rim 12a extending along the contour 6 of the housing 1 and delimiting the receptacle 8.

[0024] In the described embodiment, each control interface 5 is provided on at least a 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 hole 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 illustrated example, the handwheel 4 has four gripping holes 11, each provided in a corner of the plate 10.

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

[0027] The housing 1 further defines a passageway 15, illustrated in [Fig. 1], designed to allow the passage of an inflatable cushion, not shown in the figures. In the embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 1], the passageway 15 forms a central rectangular cavity 16. The central cavity 16 is also defined by a rim 12b projecting from the plate 10.

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

[0029] Thus, the housing 1, together with the cover 2, allows for the creation of the rimless electronic steering wheel 4. Thanks to the housing volume 8, the integration of each electronic board 9 allows the electronic steering wheel 4 to be equipped with at least one control interface 5 driven by an electronic board 9. The cover 2 thus covers the electronic board(s) 9 while allowing the manipulation of the control interfaces 5. Therefore, the electronic steering wheel 4 has a flat front face and / or one without play lines.

[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 a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope and extent of the present invention.

Claims

Demands

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 for rotation on a vehicle, the body (3) being of the type delimited by a contour (6) of rectangular shape and comprising all the means of gripping (7) the electronic steering wheel (4) to allow the steering wheel (4) to be held by a driver, the housing (1), monobloc, 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) manipulable 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 rectangular-shaped plate (10) having a plurality of gripping holes (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 any 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 to the housing (1) so as to close the housing volume (8) to form a body (3) comprising all 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 to 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 housing volume (8) of the casing (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) disposed on a part of its periphery (13).

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

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