Steering wheel cover

Abstract

This steering wheel cover provides the same user experience as when the steering wheel cover is not installed, while allowing the use of a capacitive grip detection function. [Solution] A handle cover (10) to be attached to a handle (H) equipped with a capacitive grip detection function on which a capacitive sensor is installed, comprising a handle cover body (12) made of an insulating material that covers the outer surface of the handle (H), and a covering member (14) that covers the surface of the handle cover body (12), wherein the covering member (14) includes a conductive part (22) made of a conductive material that is aligned with the capacitive sensor (S) and arranged via the handle cover body (12) so as not to contact the handle (H).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a handle cover that can be attached to a handle having a capacitive gripping detection function.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, automobiles equipped with an inter-vehicle distance control function (Adaptive Cruise Control function; ACC function) that automatically performs both accelerator operation and brake operation to assist driving have been increasingly popular.

[0003] ACC function-equipped vehicles are provided with a gripping detection function that detects whether the driver is holding the steering wheel and emits a warning sound to prompt the driver to hold the steering wheel when the state of releasing both hands from the steering wheel continues for a predetermined time. As an example of such a gripping detection function, one using a capacitive sensor is known (Patent Document 1).

[0004] An example of a gripping detection function using a capacitive sensor will be briefly described. A capacitive sensor S (hereinafter simply referred to as "sensor S") is incorporated inside the steering wheel H, and the end of the wiring L led out from the sensor S is electrically connected to a control unit CU inside the dashboard (see FIG. 9).

[0005] The sensor S is arranged so as to cover the portion where the driver holds the steering wheel H during driving. The position and range where the sensor S is arranged vary depending on the vehicle type, and there are those provided around the entire circumference of the steering wheel H, those provided independently in a range of about 120° from the upper part to the right side of the steering wheel H and a range of about 120° to the left side as in Patent Document 1, etc.

[0006] The control unit CU detects the capacitance of a sensor S built into the steering wheel H to determine whether the driver is holding the steering wheel H. If the detected capacitance value is below a threshold, it determines that "the driver has taken their hands off the steering wheel H," and if this condition continues for a predetermined time, a signal is sent to an alarm device (not shown) to sound a warning. On the other hand, if the detected capacitance value is above the threshold, it determines that "the driver is holding the steering wheel H," and a signal is sent to an alarm device (not shown) to cancel the warning sound.

[0007] In an alarm system not shown in the diagram, two types of signals are received from the control unit CU: a signal to sound a warning and a signal to deactivate the warning. The warning sound is then switched on or off according to the content of these signals.

[0008] If the driver does not hold the steering wheel and the warning sound does not stop for a certain period of time, the ACC function will automatically turn off, and depending on the vehicle model, the car will automatically slow down and pull over to the side of the road, or a management center will be notified.

[0009] The method of detection in the control unit CU will be explained further. When the ACC function is activated, the control unit CU detects the capacitance of sensor S. If sensors S are provided independently on the left and right sides of the steering wheel H, the capacitance of each sensor is detected.

[0010] When the driver has taken their hands off the steering wheel H, the control unit CU detects the capacitance (stray capacitance) Cp of the sensor S (Figure 9). The stray capacitance Cp of the sensor S is minute.

[0011] When the driver touches the handle H, a pseudo-capacitor is newly formed between the conductor, the hand X, and the sensor S, and this is connected in series with the sensor S (Figure 10). Charges accumulated on the human body flow into this pseudo-capacitor.

[0012] In the control unit CU, the total capacitance is detected as Cp·Cf / (Cp+Cf), which is the reciprocal of the sum of the reciprocals of the stray capacitance Cp of the sensor S and the capacitance Cf of the pseudo-capacitor newly formed between the sensor S and the hand X.

[0013] Here, the capacitance of a capacitor is generally expressed as ε × A / d···(Equation 1) (ε: dielectric constant of the insulator between electrode plates, A: electrode area, d: distance between electrodes), and it is known to be proportional to the electrode area A and inversely proportional to the distance between electrodes d. In the pseudo-capacitor newly formed on the handle H, the conductor, the hand X, and the sensor S correspond to electrodes, and its capacitance Cf is proportional to the area of ​​the hand X touching the handle H and inversely proportional to the distance d between the hand X and the sensor S.

[0014] The threshold used to determine whether or not the driver is holding the steering wheel H varies depending on the vehicle model. As an example, it is set to be greater than the capacitance of sensor S when the hands are off the steering wheel H (the minute stray capacitance Cp of sensor S), and less than the total capacitance Cp·Cf / (Cp+Cf) of sensor S when about two fingers are touching the steering wheel H (in other words, the threshold is set so that the warning can be canceled when about two fingers are touching the steering wheel H). Of course, depending on the vehicle model, the threshold may be set so that the warning can be canceled with just one finger touching the steering wheel H, or it may be set so that the warning cannot be canceled unless three fingers or more are touching the steering wheel H. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0015] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2014 / 123222 (Figure 2) [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0016] The steering wheels that come standard in cars sometimes have thin rims that make steering difficult, or their design may not suit the driver's preferences. In such cases, it is common practice to install a steering wheel cover. Steering wheel covers are typically made of insulating materials such as leather or polyester.

[0017] However, when a handle cover made of insulating material was attached to a handle H equipped with a capacitive grip detection function and a capacitive sensor S, there was a problem in that the grip detection function would not operate even if the handle cover was gripped when the ACC function warning sounded, preventing the ACC function from being fully utilized.

[0018] In other words, when a conventional handle cover 100 is installed, gripping the handle H over the handle cover 100, which is made of an insulating material, a pseudo-capacitor is newly formed between the conductive hand X and the sensor S, as described above (Figure 11).

[0019] The capacitance of the sensor S detected by the control unit CU is the equivalent capacitance obtained by connecting the stray capacitance Cp of the sensor S and the capacitance Cf of the newly formed pseudo-capacitor in series. Therefore, it is calculated as the reciprocal of the sum of the reciprocals of both capacitances, Cp·Cf / (Cp+Cf).

[0020] The capacitance Cf of the pseudo-capacitor is proportional to the area of ​​the hand X touching the handle cover 100 and inversely proportional to the distance d between the hand X and the sensor S, as shown in (Equation 1) above.

[0021] Here, when the conventional handle cover 100 is installed, the distance d between the electrodes of the pseudo-capacitor is larger by the thickness of the handle cover 100 compared to when the handle cover 100 is not installed (when the handle H is gripped directly), and the distance d between the electrodes becomes larger.

[0022] Then, even if the handle cover 100 is touched with the same area (for example, about two fingers) as when directly grasping the handle H, the capacitance Cf of the pseudo-capacitor becomes smaller compared to the case where the handle cover 100 is not attached. Therefore, the total capacitance Cp·Cf / (Cp + Cf) of the sensor S cannot exceed the threshold value, and the warning cannot be canceled.

[0023] Of course, if the area of the hand X contacting the handle cover 100 is increased to a degree that can compensate for the decrease in capacitance due to the increase in the electrode distance d, it is also possible to cancel the warning. In fact, there are some vehicle models in which the warning can be canceled by firmly grasping the handle cover 100 with the entire palm. However, if the warning cannot be canceled unless the handle H is always firmly grasped with the entire palm during driving, it will rather hinder driving and is not practical.

[0024] The main object of the present invention is to provide a handle cover that can utilize the capacitance-type gripping detection function with the same feeling of use as when the handle cover is not attached. Another object is to provide a handle cover that can be uniformly attached and used for handles having a plurality of types of capacitance-type gripping detection functions with different threshold values.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0025] The invention according to claim 1 is a handle cover 10 that is mounted and used on a handle H provided with a capacitance-type sensor S and having a capacitance-type gripping detection function, The handle cover 10 has a handle cover body 12 made of an insulating material that covers the outer surface of the handle H, and a covering member 14 that covers the surface of the handle cover body 12. The covering member 14 is characterized by including a conductive portion 22 made of a conductive material that is arranged via the handle cover body 12 so as to match the installation position of the capacitance-type sensor S and be non-contact with the capacitance-type sensor S.

[0026] The invention according to claim 2 relates to the area of the conductive portion 22 provided on the covering member 14 of the handle cover 10 according to claim 1. The area of the conductive portion 22 in the covering member 14 is set to a size that can at least compensate for the decrease in capacitance due to the thickness of the handle cover 10 in a pseudo capacitor formed between the capacitance-type sensor S of the handle H and the conductive portion 22, which is characterized.

[0027] The invention according to claim 3 is the handle cover 10 according to claim 1 or 2, The conductive portion 22 is characterized in that it is separated and arranged on both the left and right sides with respect to the dividing line M that passes through its center and divides the handle cover 10 into left and right parts.

Effect of the Invention

[0028] In this invention, when the handle cover 10 is attached to the handle H, a pseudo capacitor is formed between the conductive portion 22 provided on the surface of the handle cover body 12 and the sensor S of the handle H.

[0029] As can be seen from Equation 1 and FIG. 5, the capacitance of the pseudo capacitor is proportional to the area of the conductive portion 22 serving as an electrode and inversely proportional to the distance between the electrodes, that is, the distance d between the sensor S and the conductive portion 22. Since the area of the conductive portion 22 is set to a size that can compensate for the decrease in capacitance due to the thickness of the handle cover 10, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the capacitance of the pseudo capacitor due to the attachment of the handle cover. Therefore, even when the handle cover 10 is attached, the capacitance-type gripping detection function can be utilized with the same feeling of use as when the handle cover is not attached.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0030] [Figure 1] It is a front view showing a handle cover of an embodiment of this invention. [Figure 2] It is a rear view of the handle cover of the present invention. [Figure 3]This is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A' in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a magnified view of the main part of the covering material. [Figure 5] This figure shows the usage state. [Figure 6] This diagram shows the spacer installed. [Figure 7] This diagram shows the attachment in place. [Figure 8] This figure shows a handle cover according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a diagram illustrating a capacitive handle. [Figure 10] This diagram shows the state when gripping a capacitive handle. [Figure 11] This diagram shows the state when gripping a capacitive steering wheel with a conventional steering wheel cover installed. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0031] The present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a front view showing a handle cover 10 according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a rear view thereof, and Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' in Figure 1.

[0032] As these figures show, the handle cover 10 of the present invention is particularly suitable for mounting on a handle (hereinafter simply referred to as "handle") H equipped with a capacitive grip detection function on which a capacitive sensor S is installed, and is generally composed of a handle cover body 12 and a covering member 14.

[0033] The steering wheel cover body 12 is a hollow, annular member that covers the outer surface of the steering wheel H when viewed from the front. A cutout portion 16 of a certain width is formed on the inner circumference of the steering wheel cover body 12, extending around its entire circumference (see Figure 3). As a result, the cross-sectional shape of the steering wheel cover body 12 perpendicular to the circumferential direction is approximately C-shaped.

[0034] Of the pair of opening edges 16a and 16b facing the incision 16, one of the opening edges 16a (the instrument panel side) has a resection portion 18 formed to enlarge the opening (see Figure 2).

[0035] The cut portion 18 is a cut-off portion of the opening edge 16a provided to facilitate the attachment of the handle cover 10 to the handle H. As shown in Figure 2, when the side on which the cut portion 18 is formed is facing outwards, the starting end P of the cut portion 18 is located past the 3 o'clock position, passes through the 6 o'clock position, and the ending end Q is located just before the 9 o'clock position. In this embodiment, the side on which the cut portion 18 is formed is the back side of the handle cover 10, and the opposite side on which the cut portion 18 is not formed is the front side.

[0036] The thickness of the steering wheel cover body 12 is preferably set within the range of 2.8 mm to 3.0 mm. If the thickness of the steering wheel cover body 12 is less than the above range, there is a problem that deformation will occur during use, making it prone to slipping. On the other hand, if the thickness of the steering wheel cover body 12 is greater than the above range, there is a problem that when it is attached to the steering wheel H, the rim becomes too thick, making it difficult to grip.

[0037] The steering wheel cover body 12 is required to have the following functions: it is less likely to slip between itself and the steering wheel during use; it is less likely to deform or stretch due to aging; and the steering wheel cover body 12 alone does not form a pseudo-capacitor between itself and the capacitive sensor S provided inside the steering wheel H (described later). From these viewpoints, it is preferable to select an insulating material with rubber elasticity and a high coefficient of friction, such as an elastomer, as the material for the steering wheel cover body 12. In this embodiment, TPU resin (Thermoplastic Polyurethane resin; thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer) is used.

[0038] The covering member 14 covers the surface of the handle cover body 12 and provides the handle cover 10 with various functions such as aesthetic appeal, cushioning, and conductivity. It is formed as a ring-shaped structure of elongated strip-shaped sheet material, and in this embodiment, it is configured as a two-layer structure consisting of a surface layer 14a and a back layer 14b.

[0039] The surface layer 14a provides the handle cover 10 with various functions such as aesthetic appeal and conductivity, and is formed by sewing together an insulating fabric and a conductive fabric. Of the surface layer 14a, the part made of insulating fabric is the insulating part 20, and the part made of conductive fabric is the conductive part 22. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the insulating part 20 is made up of multiple parts, but of course, it can also be made up of a single part.

[0040] The insulating part 20, made of insulating fabric, is primarily responsible for aesthetics and cushioning, and in this embodiment, polyvinyl chloride, an insulating material, is used as its material. In this embodiment, the insulating part 20 is configured to have a smooth, unpatterned surface, but it may also be treated with a textured finish resembling genuine leather or printed with a floral pattern.

[0041] The conductive part 22, made of conductive fabric, functions as an electrode for forming a pseudo-capacitor in cooperation with the capacitive sensor S installed on the handle H when the handle cover 10 is attached to the handle H. It is preferable to use a sheet-like material that possesses both conductivity and flexibility. In this embodiment, a sheet-like conductive resin with a highly conductive filler added is used.

[0042] Each conductive part 22, which serves as the electrode of a pseudo-capacitor, is positioned in a pair, separated on both sides of the dividing line M that passes through the center of the steering wheel cover 10 and divides the steering wheel cover 10 into left and right halves, so as to be located where both hands are placed when driving, in other words, in a location that matches the capacitive sensor S of the steering wheel H. In this embodiment, each conductive part 22 is positioned in the range from just before 3 o'clock to past 5 o'clock, and in the range from just before 7 o'clock to past 9 o'clock, respectively.

[0043] The shape of each conductive part 22 is determined considering aesthetics and ease of operation (ease of touch) during operation, and in this embodiment, it is formed in an elongated parallelogram shape (see Figure 4).

[0044] The area of ​​each conductive part 22 is set to a size that can compensate for the decrease in capacitance due to the thickness of the steering wheel cover 10, which is the amount of capacitance of the pseudo-capacitor formed between the capacitive sensor S and the conductive part 22 when the steering wheel cover 10 is attached to the steering wheel H. In this embodiment, an area of ​​at least 40 mm x 40 mm of conductive part 22 is sufficient to compensate for the decrease in capacitance due to the thickness of the steering wheel cover 10. However, this would make the conductive part 22 too small, requiring the driver to visually search for its location while driving, which is extremely dangerous. Therefore, in this embodiment, the width of each conductive part 22 is set to approximately 40 mm, and the distance between the hypotenuses (circumferential length) is set to approximately 250 mm, so that the driver can naturally touch the conductive part 22 by placing their hand X on the steering wheel cover 10 without having to visually search for it while driving.

[0045] Each conductive part 22 is surrounded by an insulating part 20, and the insulating part 20 and the conductive part 22 must be positioned such that the conductive part 22 does not come into direct contact with the handle H when the handle cover 10 is attached to the handle H.

[0046] When the conductive part 22 comes into direct contact with the steering wheel H, a pseudo-capacitor is formed between the conductive part 22 in contact with the surface of the steering wheel H and the sensor S. The distance d between the electrodes at this time is the same as when the steering wheel cover 10 is not installed, while the area of ​​the conductive part 22 is large. As a result, the capacitance Cf of the pseudo-capacitor becomes very large, and depending on the vehicle model, even if the conductive part 22 is not touched by a hand X, the total capacitance Cp·Cf / (Cp+Cf) of the sensor S may exceed the threshold simply by charges floating in the air flowing into the conductive part 22, causing the warning to be deactivated.

[0047] The back layer 14b provides cushioning to the handle cover 10, and in this embodiment, foamed polyurethane, which is an insulating material, is used as its material.

[0048] The covering member 14, configured as described above, is attached to the surface of the steering wheel cover body 12 so as to cover it, and its edges 14c and 14d on both sides in the width direction (both ends in the left and right directions in Figure 4) are folded back to wrap around the opening edges 16a and 16b of the steering wheel cover body 12 (see Figure 3). The steering wheel cover body 12 and the covering member 14 are then integrated by sewing these folded-back portions. As mentioned above, the opening edges 16a and 16b of the steering wheel cover body 12 are covered by the folded-back edges 14c and 14d of the covering member 14 and are therefore not visible from the outside.

[0049] Next, we will explain how to use the steering wheel cover 10. When attaching the steering wheel cover 10 to the steering wheel H, face the surface of the steering wheel cover 10 (the side without the cutout portion 18) towards you, and adjust the angle of the steering wheel cover 10 so that the cutout portion 18 is located on the lower half of the steering wheel H. In this state, align the top of the steering wheel cover 10 with the top of the steering wheel H and place it over from above, and the top of the steering wheel H will fit inside the steering wheel cover 10.

[0050] With one hand, firmly grasp the handle cover 10 that is placed over the top of the handle H, and with the other hand, alternately pull both sides of the handle cover 10 toward you, lifting up the opening edges 16a and 16b, and gradually cover the handle H from the top downwards. This makes it easy to attach the handle cover 10 to the handle H.

[0051] When the handle cover 10 is attached to the handle H, a pseudo-capacitor is formed between the capacitive sensor S and the conductive part 22 (see Figure 5). The total capacitance of the capacitive sensor S is calculated as the equivalent capacitance Cp·Cf / (Cp+Cf), which is the series connection of the stray capacitance Cp of the capacitive sensor S and the capacitance Cf of the pseudo-capacitor formed between the capacitive sensor S and the conductive part 22.

[0052] When the handle cover 10 is not being touched, charges floating in the air come into contact with the conductive part 22, and charges accumulate in the pseudo-capacitor, but its capacitance Cf is minute.

[0053] While the ACC function is active, if the driver takes both hands off the steering wheel H fitted with the steering wheel cover 10, the total capacitance Cp·Cf / (Cp+Cf) of the capacitive sensor S is smaller than the threshold, so an alarm sounds after a predetermined time prompting the driver to grip the steering wheel H.

[0054] In this state, when the driver's hand X touches the conductive part 22, the charge on the driver's hand is transferred to the conductive part 22, which becomes the electrode of the pseudo-capacitor, and the capacitance Cf of the pseudo-capacitor increases significantly.

[0055] Here, the capacitance Cf of the pseudo-capacitor is proportional to the area of ​​the conductive part 22 which serves as the electrode of the pseudo-capacitor, as shown in (Equation 1), and inversely proportional to the distance between electrodes (d between the sensor S and the conductive part 22). The area of ​​the conductive part 22 is set to a size that can compensate for the decrease in the capacitance Cf of the pseudo-capacitor due to the thickness of the handle cover 10.

[0056] Therefore, even with the steering wheel cover 10 installed, simply touching the steering wheel with your hand X (in this embodiment, just touching it with about two fingers) will cause the total capacitance Cp·Cf / (Cp+Cf) of the capacitive sensor S to exceed the threshold and the alarm will be deactivated. This allows you to use the capacitive grip detection function with the same ease of use as if the steering wheel cover were not installed.

[0057] Furthermore, in the steering wheel cover 10 of this embodiment, the conductive portion 22, which serves as the electrode of a pseudo-capacitor, passes through the center of the steering wheel cover 10 and is positioned separately on both the left and right sides of the dividing line M that divides the steering wheel cover 10 into left and right halves. Therefore, it can also accommodate cases where capacitive sensors S are independently provided on the left and right sides of the steering wheel H, and the control unit CU detects the left and right capacitive sensors S individually.

[0058] Note that the threshold value varies depending on the vehicle model. Therefore, depending on the vehicle model, the grip detection function may be too sensitive or, conversely, too insensitive when the steering wheel cover 10 of this embodiment is installed, and the grip detection function may not function properly. In such cases, the steering wheel cover 10 of this embodiment can be used by taking the following measures.

[0059] First, in vehicle models where the lower limit of the threshold is set low, the warning may be deactivated even if the hand X is not touching the steering wheel H with the steering wheel cover 10 installed. This is because the combined capacitance Cp·Cf / (Cp+Cf) of the pseudo-capacitor Cf when the charge suspended in the air comes into contact with the conductive part 22 and the stray capacitance Cp of the capacitive sensor S exceeds the lower limit of the threshold.

[0060] In this case, the problem can be solved by increasing the distance d between the electrodes of the pseudo-capacitive sensor S and the conductive part 22, thereby lowering the capacitance Cf of the pseudo-capacitive.

[0061] Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, a spacer 30 made of an insulating material can be attached to the back side of the handle cover body 12 at a position that matches the conductive part 22 using adhesive tape or the like. In this embodiment, foamed urethane is used as the material for the spacer 30.

[0062] In this way, by increasing the distance between the electrodes of the pseudo-capacitive capacitor, that is, the distance d between the capacitive sensor S and the conductive part 22, the capacitance Cf of the pseudo-capacitive capacitor decreases, and the total capacitance Cp·Cf / (Cp+Cf) of the sensor S can be set lower than the lower limit of the threshold. This prevents the warning from being deactivated even when the handle cover 10 is not being touched.

[0063] On the other hand, in vehicle models where the upper threshold is set higher, the warning may not be deactivated even if the conductive part 22 is touched with a hand X while the warning is sounding. This is because the total capacitance Cp·Cf / (Cp+Cf) of the capacitive sensor S when the conductive part 22 is touched with a hand X does not exceed the upper threshold.

[0064] In this case, the area of ​​the conductive part 22, which is the electrode of the pseudo-capacitor, can be increased to raise the capacitance Cf of the pseudo-capacitor.

[0065] Specifically, as shown in Figure 7, for example, an attachment 40 having a second conductive portion 42 with a larger area than the conductive portion 22 can be attached to the surface of the conductive portion 22.

[0066] The attachment 40 has a second conductive part 42 made of a conductive material and a fastening member 44. The second conductive part 42 is a sheet made of a conductive material, and in this embodiment, the same material as the conductive part 22 is used. The area of ​​the second conductive part 42 is set to be larger than that of the conductive part 22.

[0067] The fastening member 44 is a string-like component made of an insulating material, provided to secure the second conductive part 42 to the handle cover 10, and has a hook-and-loop fastener (not shown) attached to its tip.

[0068] When using the attachment 40, the second conductive part 42 is positioned to cover the conductive part 22 and is attached to the handle cover 10 by the fastening member 44.

[0069] In this embodiment, a pseudo-capacitor is formed between the second conductive part 42 and the sensor S, and the area of ​​the second conductive part 42 is set to be larger than that of the conductive part 22. Therefore, the capacitance Cf of the pseudo-capacitor can be made larger than when the attachment 40 is not used, and the total capacitance Cp·Cf / (Cp+Cf) of the capacitive sensor S can exceed the threshold and the alarm can be canceled.

[0070] In this way, by attaching the spacer 30 (Figure 6) or attachment 40 (Figure 7) to the steering wheel cover 10 as needed, the steering wheel cover 10 can be used uniformly for multiple types of vehicles with different thresholds.

[0071] Although the handle cover 10 in the above embodiment is configured to be attached to the steering wheel H of an automobile that has a capacitive grip detection function, it is not limited to automobiles and can be applied to any steering wheel with a capacitive grip function, such as those for ships or aircraft.

[0072] Furthermore, the shape of the handle cover 10 is not limited to annular shapes; it can be any shape as long as its surface is surrounded by an insulating fabric around a conductive fabric, and the conductive fabric is positioned so as not to come into direct contact with the handle. For example, in a second embodiment, it is also possible to configure it as a separate type handle cover 10' as shown in Figure 8. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0073] 10,10': Handle cover, 12: Handle cover body, 14: Covering member, 14a: Surface layer, 14b: Back layer, 14c,14d: Edges (on both sides in the width direction of the covering member), 16: Cutting part, 16a,16b: Opening edge, 18: Cutting part, 20: Insulating part, 22: Conductive part, 30: Spacer, 40: Attachment, 42: Second conductive part, 44: Fastening member, 100: (Conventional) handle cover, CU: Control unit, Cp: Stray capacitance of sensor, Cf: Capacitance of pseudo-capacitor, H: Handle with capacitive grip detection function, L: Wiring, M: Dividing line, P: Start of cut part, Q: End of cut part, S: Capacitive sensor, X: Hand

Claims

1. A handle cover used to be attached to a handle equipped with a capacitive grip detection function and a capacitive sensor, The handle cover comprises a handle cover body made of an insulating material that covers the outer surface of the handle, and a covering member that covers the surface of the handle cover body. The handle cover is characterized in that the covering member includes a conductive portion made of a conductive material, which is arranged via the handle cover body so as to match the installation position of the capacitive sensor and not come into contact with the handle.

2. The handle cover according to claim 1, characterized in that the area of ​​the conductive portion in the covering member is set to a size that can at least compensate for the decrease in capacitance due to the thickness of the handle cover in the pseudo-capacitor formed between the capacitive sensor of the handle and the conductive portion.

3. The handle cover according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the conductive portion is arranged separately on both the left and right sides with respect to a dividing line that passes through its center and divides the handle cover into left and right halves.

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