Electronic steering wheel with pivoting touch controls

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic steering wheel (1) for a motor vehicle comprising a steering wheel body designed to be rotatably mounted on the vehicle, the body comprising all the gripping means to allow the steering wheel (1) to be grasped by a driver, the body of the steering wheel (1) forming a plate (4) delimited by a contour inscribed within a rectangular perimeter, the plate (4) comprising at least one control interface (7) having a control surface (8) provided with a plurality of touch-sensitive zones (9) each making it possible to select a specific function selectable by contact with the driver, the surface (8) being movably mounted on the plate (4) and cooperating with activation means (14) designed to detect a movement of the surface (8) with respect to the plate (4) in order to allow the execution of at least one function selected using the zones (9).

Description

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

[0001] The present invention claims priority from French application 2401012 filed on February 1, 2024, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference. The technical field relates to electronic steering wheels comprising controls as well as motor vehicles equipped with such steering wheels.

[0002] The ergonomics of a car's driving position are of crucial importance to car manufacturers, as they primarily contribute to the driving experience felt by the driver. Thus, the layout of the various elements of the driving position is evolving to provide ever more easily accessible information to the driver. The various elements of the driving position are obviously distributed around the steering wheel in the central position. Traditionally, most steering wheels have a circular rim, allowing a good 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 is usually within a square perimeter whose sides have a significant dimension of around 350 mm.Some vehicles have a steering wheel with a rim that has one or more flat spots in the lower and / or upper areas, giving the vehicle a more luxurious and / or sporty appearance. Despite these flat spots, the rims of conventional steering wheels, due to their size, constitute a significant visual obstacle for the installation of information elements on the vehicle's dashboard.

[0003] Sports vehicles developed for motor racing, such as Formula 1, use technology without a steering column, implementing angle sensors and motors that are called electric steering wheels. An electric steering wheel has the advantage of allowing it to be configured as required to adapt the steering force and response to the actions on the electric steering wheel. Thus, depending on the vehicle speed, the gear ratio between the steering wheel and the wheels can be modified to facilitate vehicle maneuvers.

[0004] Furthermore, drivers are used to having access to a multitude of functions directly available on their steering wheel. Therefore, in order to equip a motor vehicle intended for use on roads with an electronic steering wheel, it is advisable to equip the electronic steering wheel with such functions. However, unlike the electronic steering wheels used in Formula 1 cars, the electronic steering wheel of a vehicle intended for road use must have a safety airbag located in the center of the electronic steering wheel. Also, the housing of such an airbag makes it impossible to install functions on the electronic steering wheel, due to lack of space, using conventional solutions.

[0005] Finally, drivers are generally sensitive to adjustments in the assemblies of the passenger compartment elements and particular care should be taken with the clearances of the various moving elements.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need for a solution that allows an electronic steering wheel to be equipped with functions in a compact manner while presenting neat assemblies and play lines.

[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 an electronic steering wheel provided with at least one control interface that can be easily manipulated by the driver and which can be easily integrated into the restricted volume of the electronic steering wheel.

[0008] To this end, the present invention relates to an electronic steering wheel for a motor vehicle, without a rim, comprising a steering wheel body designed to be rotatably mounted 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 plate delimited by a contour inscribed in a rectangular perimeter, the plate comprising at least one control interface each having a control surface provided with a plurality of touch-sensitive zones, each making it possible to select a specific function selectable by contact with the driver, the surface being mounted movably on the plate and cooperating with activation means designed to detect a movement of the surface relative to the plate in order to allow the execution of at least one function selected using the touch-sensitive zones.

[0009] The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle comprising a steering wheel according to the invention.

[0010] Thus, the electronic steering wheel according to the invention makes it possible to provide the driver with at least one control interface offering a plurality of functions thanks to the plurality of touch zones. Thus, depending on the touch zones in contact with the driver's hand, for example his thumb, a specific function, from a plurality of functions, is selectable. Then the driver can implement the function by a movement of the control surface, for example by pressing on the control surface, to activate the activation means. The use of a single control surface for several functions makes the assembly compact and limits the play lines. Thus, the electronic steering wheel according to the invention complies with the approval standards, namely the presence of an airbag, while presenting adjustments free from visual defects.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the invention, each control surface is mounted to move around an activation axis allowing the control surface and the plate to be brought closer together.

[0012] According to a possibility of the steering wheel, the activation axis is mounted mobile relative to the plate.

[0013] Advantageously, the activation axis is formed by a C-shaped articulation bar mounted to rotate on the plate.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the steering wheel, each touch zone is delimited by a detection film designed to detect a move closer or contact with the driver's hand.

[0015] According to one possibility, the activation means comprise at least one contactor implemented when the control surface and the plate are brought together.

[0016] According to one embodiment, each control surface is provided around the perimeter of a gripping hole passing through the body of the steering wheel, sized and positioned to allow the passage of a driver's thumb.

[0017] Alternatively, each control interface has backlighting.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the steering wheel comprises four control interfaces.

[0019] The invention will be better understood upon reading the detailed description which follows, given solely as a non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0020] [Fig. 1] Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a steering wheel according to the invention;

[0021] [Fig. 2] Figure 2 shows a detail view of a steering wheel control interface of Figure 1;

[0022] [Fig. 3] Figure 3 shows a detail view of a hinge bar of the control surface of the control interface of Figure 2;

[0023] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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 rotatably mounted on the vehicle.

[0026] The steering wheel body 2 comprises all of the gripping means 3 of the steering wheel to allow the steering wheel 1 to be held by a driver of the vehicle.

[0027] Unlike the state of the art, the steering wheel 1 has no rim. In fact, the body 2 of the steering wheel forms a plate 4 delimited by a contour 5 inscribed in a rectangular perimeter 6, as illustrated in figure 1.

[0028] As illustrated in Figure 1, the board 4 comprises at least one control interface 7 each having a control surface 8 provided with a plurality of touch zones 9, illustrated in Figure 2.

[0029] As illustrated in Figure 1, the steering wheel 1 has four control interfaces 7.

[0030] In the example described in Figure 2, each control surface 8 is provided on the periphery 10 of a gripping hole 11 passing through the body 2 of the steering wheel 1, each sized and positioned to allow the passage of a thumb 12 of the driver. The gripping holes 11 and the body 2 form the means gripping 3. Each gripping orifice 11 is delimited by a hyperboloidal sheet passing through the body 2.

[0031] Advantageously, each control interface 7 has backlighting.

[0032] Each touch-sensitive zone 9 makes it possible to select a specific function, selectable by contact with the driver's hand, in particular with the thumb 12. As illustrated in FIG. 2, each touch-sensitive zone 9 has, for example, a rectangular shape covering a part of the periphery 10 of the gripping orifice 11. For this purpose, each touch-sensitive zone 9 is, for example, delimited by a detection film 13 designed to detect a coming closer or a contact with the driver's hand.

[0033] The control surface 8 is mounted movably on the plate 4 and cooperates with activation means 14 designed to detect a movement of the surface 8 relative to the plate 4, in order to allow the execution of at least one function selected using the touch zones 9.

[0034] In the example illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, each control surface 8 has a crown shape. Advantageously, an icon 15 is arranged on the control surface 8 in order to illustrate each function associated with each touch zone 9.

[0035] As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, each control surface 8 is mounted to move around an activation axis A1 allowing the control surface 8 and the plate 4 to move closer together. The activation axis A1 is advantageously mounted to move relative to the plate 4. Thus, when the driver presses on the control surface 8, the surface 8 moves closer to the plate 4. In order to obtain such an activation axis A1, the latter is formed by a C-shaped articulation bar 16 mounted to move in rotation on the plate 4, around a second axis A2. As illustrated in Figure 2, the first A1 and second A2 axes are parallel to each other.

[0036] Finally, the activation means 14 comprise at least one contactor 17 projecting from the plate 4 and arranged so as to be activated when the control surface 8 is brought closer to the plate 4 by the driver pressing on the control surface 8.

[0037] Thus, the electronic steering wheel 1 according to the invention makes it possible to provide the driver with at least one control interface 7 offering a plurality of functions thanks to the plurality of touch zones 9. Thus, depending on the touch zone(s) 9 in contact with the driver's hand, for example his thumb 12, a specific function, from a plurality of functions, is selected. Then the driver can implement the selected function by a movement of the control surface 8: pressing on the control surface 8 then causes a rotation of the surface 8 around the activation axis A1 and a rotation of the articulation bar 16 around the second axis A2. Thus, the control surface 8 approaches the plate 4 and activates the switch 17. The use of a single control surface 8 for several functions makes the assembly compact and limits the play lines.Thus, the electronic steering wheel 1 according to the invention complies with the approval standards, namely the presence of a housing 18 to accommodate an airbag, not shown in FIG. 1, while presenting adjustments free from visual defects.

[0038] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the 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, without a rim, comprising a steering wheel body (2) designed to be rotatably mounted 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 body (2) of the steering wheel (1) forming a plate (4) delimited by a contour (5) inscribed in a rectangular perimeter (6), the plate (4) comprising at least one control interface (7) each having a control surface (8) provided with a plurality of touch-sensitive zones (9), each making it possible to select a specific function selectable by contact with the driver, the surface (8) being movably mounted on the plate (4) and cooperating with activation means (14) designed to detect a movement of the surface (8) relative to the plate (4) in order to allow the execution of at least one function selected using the touch-sensitive zones (9).

2. Steering wheel (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each control surface (8) is mounted to move around an activation axis (A1) allowing the control surface (8) and the plate (4) to be brought closer together.

3. Steering wheel (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the activation axis (A1) is mounted to move relative to the plate (4).

4. Steering wheel (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the activation axis (A1) is formed by a C-shaped articulation bar (16) mounted to rotate on the plate (4).

5. Steering wheel (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each touch zone (9) is delimited by a detection film (13) designed to detect a coming closer or contact with the driver's hand.

6. Steering wheel (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the activation means (14) comprise at least one contactor (17) implemented when the control surface (8) and the plate (4) come together.

7. Steering wheel (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that each control surface (8) is provided on the periphery (10) of a gripping orifice (11) passing through the body (2) of the steering wheel, sized and positioned to allow the passage of a thumb (12) of the driver.

8. Steering wheel (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each control interface (7) has backlighting.

9. Steering wheel (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises four control interfaces (7).

10. Motor vehicle comprising a steering wheel (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9.

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