Steering wheel

Abstract

A steering wheel (100), comprising: a framework (10), the framework being circular; a foam (20) wrapping the surface of the framework, the foam being provided with foam channels (21); and electric conductors (30), the electric conductors being fixed in the foam channels, the depth of the foam channels being larger than the diameter of the electric conductors, the electric conductors being used for heating and hand-off detection, and the foam channels being circular grooves extending in the circumferential direction of the framework or spiral grooves wound on the framework.

Description

steering wheel Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of steering wheels, and in particular to a steering wheel with heating and hands-off detection functions. Background Art

[0002] The foam padding of a vehicle's steering wheel often contains an electrical conductor, which typically performs heating and hands-off detection functions. To achieve effective and efficient heating performance or hands-off detection, the conductor must be placed at an appropriate and consistent depth within the foam padding. Furthermore, the conductor must be securely retained within the foam padding to prevent slippage. In the prior art, introducing the conductor uniformly and at a consistent depth into the foam padding of the steering wheel frame is a complex and time-consuming process.

[0003] Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome the problems existing in the related art, the present disclosure provides a steering wheel.

[0005] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides a steering wheel, comprising: a frame, which is ring-shaped; a foam pad, wrapped around the surface of the frame, and the foam pad is provided with a foam channel; an electric conductor, the electric conductor is fixed in the foam channel, and the depth of the foam channel is greater than the diameter of the electric conductor, and is used for heating and hand-off detection, wherein the foam channel is an annular groove extending along the circumferential direction of the frame, or a spiral groove wrapped around the frame.

[0006] In some embodiments, the foam channel is directly formed on the foam pad by molding; or the foam channel is cut on the foam pad by laser.

[0007] In some embodiments, the electrical conductor is fixed to the foam channel of the foam pad by its own tension or adhesive.

[0008] In some embodiments, the depth of the foam channel is 0.5 to 3 mm; and the width of the foam channel is 0.5 to 1.0 mm.

[0009] In some embodiments, the foam channels are melted and formed on the foam pad by a heat gun needle or a soldering iron.

[0010] In some embodiments, the electrical conductor is embedded in the foam channel, and the electrical conductor is fixed in the foam channel after the melted foam pad cools.

[0011] In some embodiments, the foam channel has a depth of 0 to 0.5 mm.

[0012] In some embodiments, the electrical conductor is arranged on the surface of the foam pad, and the foam channel is formed by heating the electrical conductor by a heating cover pad or a melting fixture to melt the foam pad, and then fixing the electrical conductor in the foam channel after the foam pad cools.

[0013] In some embodiments, the electrical conductor is arranged on the surface of the foam pad, the foam channel is formed by secondary foaming of the foam pad, and the electrical conductor is fixed in the foam channel after the foam pad is cooled.

[0014] In some embodiments, the foam channel has a depth of 0 to 0.5 mm.

[0015] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure may include the following beneficial effects: the foam pad of the steering wheel in the present invention has an electrical conductor, and a foam channel is set in the foam pad to introduce the electrical conductor, so that the method of introducing the electrical conductor into the foam pad is simple, and the complexity of the introduction tool, the process steps and the process difficulty are simplified. At the same time, the introduction depth of the referenced electrical conductor is moderate, avoiding the electrical conductor protruding or sinking into the foam pad, meeting the requirements of beautiful appearance, and at the same time, the introduction depth of the electrical conductor makes the steering wheel comfortable to hold, and the hands-off detection and heating effects are good. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG1 is a perspective schematic diagram showing a winding method of an electrical conductor of a steering wheel according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0018] FIG2 is a perspective schematic diagram showing a winding method of an electrical conductor of a steering wheel according to another exemplary embodiment;

[0019] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a foam channel formed in the steering wheel of FIG1 according to the first embodiment;

[0020] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of a foam channel formed in the steering wheel of FIG2 according to the first embodiment;

[0021] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the steering wheel in FIG1 in which foam channels are formed in a manner according to a second embodiment;

[0022] 6 is a transverse sectional view of the foam channel formed in the steering wheel of FIG. 1 according to the second embodiment;

[0023] 7 is a schematic diagram of the steering wheel in FIG. 2 in which foam channels are formed and electrical conductors are fixed according to a third embodiment;

[0024] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the steering wheel in FIG. 2 in which foam channels are formed and electrical conductors are fixed according to a fourth embodiment.

[0025] FIG. 9 shows a winding method of the electrical conductor of the steering wheel in FIG. 2 without the need for foam channels. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, with examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, when referring to the drawings, identical numerals in different figures represent identical or similar elements, unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments are not intended to represent all possible embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatus and methods consistent with certain aspects of the present disclosure, as detailed in the appended claims.

[0027] The present disclosure provides a steering wheel 100 . As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , the steering wheel 100 includes a frame 10 , a foam pad 20 , and an electrical conductor 30 .

[0028] The frame 10 is annular and forms the basic shape of the steering wheel 100. It can be made of an alloy material, providing support and allowing the driver to grip it to adjust the vehicle's direction. A foam pad 20 is wrapped around the surface of the frame 10. The foam pad 20 is typically made using a polyurethane (PUR) foaming process and provides the driver with enhanced comfort when gripping the steering wheel 100.

[0029] Furthermore, to further enhance the driver's comfort and experience when gripping the steering wheel 100, a conductor 30 is typically provided in the foam pad 20. The conductor 30 can implement a heating function and a hands-off detection function. The hands-off detection function can include time-division multiplexing technology and mutual capacitance technology.

[0030] In this embodiment, a foam channel 21 is provided in the foam pad 20, and an electrical conductor 30 is fixed in the foam channel 21. The depth of the foam channel 21 is greater than the diameter of the electrical conductor 30. As shown in FIG1 , the foam channel 21 is an annular groove extending along the circumference of the frame, or as shown in FIG2 , the foam channel 21 is a spiral groove wrapped around the frame.

[0031] The following will introduce the sizes and forming methods of different foam channels 21 and the fixing methods of the electrical conductors 30 with examples.

[0032] In the first embodiment, as shown in Figures 3 and 4 , the foam channel 21 is directly formed by molding the foam pad 20, or the foam channel 21 is laser cut into the foam pad 20. In the first embodiment, the depth of the foam channel 21 is 0.5 to 3 mm, and the width of the foam channel 21 is 0.5 to 1.0 mm. In the first embodiment, the electrical conductor 30 is fixed to the foam channel 21 of the foam pad 20 by its own tension or adhesive.

[0033] In the first embodiment, by pre-setting an annular or spiral foam channel 21 within the foam pad 20, the depth of the foam channel 21 can be preset according to design requirements. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the embedding depth of the electrical conductor 30 can be controlled, and the electrical conductor 30 can be embedded at a consistent depth within the foam channel 21. This ensures excellent and efficient heating efficiency while also ensuring optimal hand-off detection. Furthermore, by pre-setting the depth of the foam channel 21, which is typically greater than the diameter of the electrical conductor 30, the electrical conductor 30 is prevented from protruding or sinking into the foam pad 20 after being secured therein, thus satisfying aesthetic requirements and enhancing grip comfort for the driver.

[0034] Among them, the depth and width of the above-mentioned foam channel 21 are only exemplary preferred options and are not used to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure. Similarly, the embedding depth of the conductor 30 can also be changed according to the requirements of the heating efficiency, grip comfort and hand-off detection function of different steering wheels 100, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0035] In a second embodiment, as shown in FIG5 , the foam channel 21 is melted and formed on the foam pad 20 by a heat gun needle 40 or an electric soldering iron. In a second embodiment, as shown in FIG6 , the electrical conductor 30 is embedded in the foam channel 21 and fixed in place after the melted foam pad 20 cools.

[0036] Specifically, in the second embodiment, a heat gun needle 40 or a soldering iron is inserted into the foam pad 20 at a fixed depth and moved along the annular direction of the frame 10. The high temperature of the heat gun needle 40 or the soldering iron causes the foam pad 20 to melt, forming the foam channel 21. Then, the electrical conductor 30 is inserted along the annular direction of the frame 10 and behind the moving heat gun needle 40 or the soldering iron, so that the electrical conductor 30 is embedded in the foam channel 21. At this time, the foam pad 20 in the foam channel 21 is still molten and has not solidified. Because the melting point of the foam pad 20 is much lower than that of the electrical conductor 30, the melted foam pad 20 does not melt the electrical conductor 30. After the temperature cools, the solidified foam pad 20 wraps around the electrical conductor 30 and fixes it in the foam channel 21.

[0037] In the second embodiment, the depth of the foam channel 21 can be 0 to 0.5 mm. After the conductor 30 is secured in the foam channel 21, the solidified foam pad 20 can completely wrap around the outer wall of the conductor 30, so that the width of the foam channel 21 is the same as the diameter of the conductor 30 (as shown in FIG. 6 ). When the depth of the foam channel 21 is 0 mm, the radially outer end of the conductor 30 can be flush with the foam pad 20.

[0038] By melting the foam pad 20 with a hot gun needle 40 or an electric soldering iron, the manufacturing process and difficulty of the foam channel 21 are simplified. The method of introducing and fixing the electrical conductor 30 is not only simple, but also simplifies the complexity of the introduction tool, while also reducing the process steps and lowering the process difficulty. In addition, the introduction depth of the electrical conductor 30 is moderate and equal, avoiding protrusions or depressions, meeting the requirements of aesthetic appearance. At the same time, the introduction depth of the electrical conductor 30 makes the steering wheel 100 comfortable to hold, and has good hand-off detection and heating effects.

[0039] In the third embodiment, the electrical conductor 30 is arranged on the surface of the foam pad 20, as shown in Figure 7, and the foam channel 21 is formed by heating the cover pad 50 or a melting fixture to heat the electrical conductor 30 to melt the foam pad 20, and the electrical conductor 30 is fixed in the foam channel 21 after the foam pad 20 cools.

[0040] Specifically, in the third embodiment, as shown in FIG2 , the electrical conductor 30 is pre-fixed to the outer wall of the foam pad 20 in a spirally wound manner. The electrical conductor 30 on the entire foam pad 20 can be formed by winding a single metal wire. The steering wheel 100 frame 10 is provided with an intermediate frame 70 in the middle for mounting devices such as a horn button and an airbag. Once the electrical conductor 30 is wound around the intermediate frame 70, it can be secured using fasteners.

[0041] The conductor 30 is pre-fixed on the foam pad 20 by spirally winding a metal wire. The winding method is simple and can achieve uniform arrangement. The process difficulty is low. In addition, the conductor 30 is composed of a metal wire, which reduces the process steps when introducing the conductor 30.

[0042] Furthermore, after the electric conductor 30 is pre-fixed, as shown in Figure 7, a heating cover pad 50 or a melting clamp is respectively placed above and below the foam pad 20. The heating cover pad 50 or the melting clamp is powered on to heat up and transfer heat to the electric conductor 30. The melting point of the electric conductor 30 is higher than the melting point of the foam pad 20. Therefore, the electric conductor 30 at a higher temperature melts the foam pad 20 and sinks into the foam pad 20 to form a foam channel 21 and cannot protrude from the outer surface of the foam pad 20. After the melted foam pad 20 cools down, the electric conductor 30 is fixed in the foam channel 21 of the foam pad 20. The depth of the foam channel 21 can be 0 to 0.5 mm.

[0043] Among them, the orientation or position relationship indicated by "above" and "below" of the foam pad 20 is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in Figure 7, which is only for the convenience of describing the third embodiment and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the foam pad 20 must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation.

[0044] In the third embodiment, there's no need to separately introduce the electrical conductor 30, and no insertion tools are required. Instead, a heating pad 50 or a melting fixture is used to heat the electrical conductor 30 to form the foam channel 21 within the foam pad 20 and secure the electrical conductor 30. This simplifies the process and eliminates the need for adhesive to secure the electrical conductor 30. The heating pad 50 or melting fixture uniformly heats the electrical conductor 30, ensuring a consistent depth of the foam channel 21 formed when the electrical conductor 30 melts through the foam pad 20. This prevents the electrical conductor 30 from protruding or sinking within the foam pad 20, and avoids issues such as inconsistent depths of the electrical conductor 30 within the foam pad 20, which can lead to poor grip comfort, unsatisfactory hand-off detection, and poor heating performance.

[0045] In the fourth embodiment, the electrical conductor 30 is arranged on the surface of the foam pad 20, as shown in FIG8. The foam channel 21 is formed by secondary foaming of the foam pad 20, and the electrical conductor 30 is fixed in the foam channel 21 after the foam pad 20 cools.

[0046] Specifically, in the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG2 , the electrical conductor 30 can also be pre-fixed on the surface of the foam pad 20 by a whole metal wire in the form of spiral winding. After the electrical conductor 30 is pre-fixed on the surface of the foam pad 20, as shown in FIG8 , secondary foaming can be performed on the outer surface of the foam pad 20 to form a second foam pad 60. After the secondary foamed second foam pad 60 cools down, the electrical conductor 30 is wrapped and fixed. It can be seen that in the fourth embodiment, the foam channel 21 is formed by secondary foaming of the second foam pad 60, and the depth of the foam channel 21 can be 0 to 0.5 mm.

[0047] The fourth embodiment, similar to the third embodiment, does not require the separate introduction of the conductor 30, and the introduction tool is omitted. Instead, a secondary foaming process is used to form the foam channel 21 and secure the conductor 30. This simplifies the process and eliminates the need for adhesives and other process steps to secure the conductor 30. The second foam pad 60 formed by the secondary foaming wraps around the outer wall of the conductor 30. The foam channel 21 and the conductor 30 have the same diameter, and the conductor 30 maintains a consistent thickness from the outer surface of the second foam pad 60. This prevents the conductor 30 from protruding or sinking into the foam pad 20, and avoids issues such as inconsistent depth of the conductor 30 within the second foam pad 60, which can lead to poor grip comfort, unsatisfactory hand-off detection, and poor heating performance.

[0048] It should be noted that in the third and fourth embodiments, when the electrical conductor 30 is pre-fixed to the outer surface of the foam pad 20, as shown in FIG9 , the electrical conductor 30 can be directly wound around the outer wall of the foam pad 20, in which case the electrical conductor 30 protrudes from the outer surface of the foam pad 20. In other embodiments, as shown in FIG4 , the outer wall of the foam pad 20 can also be pre-defined with a foam channel 21, that is, directly formed by molding or laser cutting, and the electrical conductor 30 is directly wound into the pre-defined spiral foam channel 21, so that the electrical conductor 30 does not protrude from the outer surface of the foam pad 20.

[0049] In summary, the steering wheel 100 in the present invention has a foam pad 20 with an electrical conductor 30. By providing a foam channel 21 in the foam pad 20 to introduce the electrical conductor 30, the method of introducing the electrical conductor 30 in the foam pad 20 can be simplified, thereby simplifying the complexity of the introduction tool, the number of process steps, and the process difficulty. At the same time, the introduction depth of the electrical conductor 30 is moderate, avoiding protrusion or depression of the electrical conductor 60, meeting the requirements of aesthetic appearance. At the same time, the introduction depth of the electrical conductor 30 makes the steering wheel 100 comfortable to hold, and has good hand-off detection and heating effects.

[0050] It is understood that in this disclosure, "plurality" refers to two or more than two, and other quantifiers are similar. "And / or" describes the association relationship of related objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. The singular forms "a", "the" and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0051] It will be further understood that the terms "first," "second," and the like are used to describe various structures, but these structures should not be limited to these terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish structures of the same type from one another and do not indicate a particular order or degree of importance. In fact, the expressions "first," "second," and the like are fully interchangeable. For example, a first structure could also be referred to as a second structure, and similarly, a second structure could also be referred to as a first structure without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0052] It is further understood that although operations are described in a particular order in the drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure, this should not be construed as requiring that the operations be performed in the particular order shown or in a serial order, or that all of the operations shown be performed to obtain the desired results. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

[0053] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other embodiments of the present disclosure after considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present disclosure that follow the general principles of the present disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The description and examples are to be considered merely as exemplary, and the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0054] It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the exact structures described above and shown in the drawings, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present disclosure is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A steering wheel (100), characterized in that: include: A skeleton (10), wherein the skeleton (10) is ring-shaped; A foam pad (20) wrapped around the surface of the frame (10), wherein the foam pad (20) is provided with a foam channel (21); An electric conductor (30), wherein the electric conductor (30) is fixed in the foam channel (21), and the depth of the foam channel (21) is greater than the diameter of the electric conductor (30), and is used for heating and hand-off detection. Wherein, the foam channel (21) is an annular groove extending along the circumferential direction of the skeleton (10), or a spiral groove winding around the skeleton (10).

2. The steering wheel (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The foam channel (21) is directly formed by the foam pad (20) through molding; or The foam channel (21) is cut and formed on the foam pad (20) by laser.

3. The steering wheel (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The electrical conductor (30) is fixed to the foam channel (21) of the foam pad (20) by its own tension force or adhesive.

4. The steering wheel (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The depth of the foam channel (21) is 0.5 to 3 mm; and The width of the foam channel (21) is 0.5-1.0 mm.

5. The steering wheel (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The foam channel (21) is melted and formed on the foam pad (20) by a heat gun needle (40) or an electric soldering iron.

6. The steering wheel (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that: The electric conductor (30) is embedded in the foam channel (21), and the electric conductor (30) is fixed in the foam channel (21) after the melted foam pad (20) cools down.

7. The steering wheel (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that: The depth of the foam channel (21) is 0 to 0.5 mm.

8. The steering wheel (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electric conductor (30) is arranged on the surface of the foam pad (20), and the foam channel (21) is formed by heating the electric conductor (30) with a heating cover pad (50) or a melting fixture to melt the foam pad (20), and the electric conductor (30) is fixed in the foam channel (21) after the foam pad (20) is cooled.

9. The steering wheel (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electric conductor (30) is arranged on the surface of the foam pad (20), the foam channel (21) is formed by secondary foaming of the foam pad (20), and the electric conductor (30) is fixed in the foam channel (21) after the foam pad (20) is cooled.

10. The steering wheel (100) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: The depth of the foam channel (21) is 0 to 0.5 mm.

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