Steering Wheel Switch Illumination for Operability and Appearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steering devices face a challenge in balancing operability and appearance, as the constant illumination of operation switches affects the external appearance while switching them on and off can compromise operability.
Innovation Solution
A steering device with a rim unit and a wheel unit, featuring operation switches with individually controllable light emitting portions. The device includes an acquisition unit for gathering user and vehicle information, a determination unit to assess the likelihood of operation for each function, and a control unit to manage the illumination of operation switches based on this assessment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the light emitting portions are always on, then operability is improved, but the external appearance is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The design panel applies different optical properties to different regions: the first region transmits light from light emitting portions in the on-state to maintain visibility, while the second region reduces visibility in the off-state to improve appearance. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between operability and appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches the state of light emitting portions based on determined operation possibilities. The control unit activates only those light emitting portions associated with functions having high operation possibility, making the illumination state adaptive rather than static, thus maintaining appearance while preserving operability.
2Shape
If the light emitting portions are switched on and off, then the external appearance is improved, but operability is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The determination unit performs preliminary analysis to identify functions with high operation possibility before the user needs to operate them. The control unit pre-activates the corresponding light emitting portions, so when the user needs to operate a function, the relevant switches are already illuminated, maintaining operability despite selective switching.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the determination unit about operation possibilities to control the state of light emitting portions. This feedback mechanism ensures that illumination is provided exactly when and where needed, resolving the contradiction between appearance improvement through switching and operability maintenance.
3Ease of operation
If multiple light emitting portions are illuminated, then operability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit changes the operational parameter (illumination state) of light emitting portions based on the determined operation possibility of associated functions. Only light emitting portions for functions with high operation possibility are activated, optimizing the balance between visibility and energy consumption by adjusting the illumination parameter selectively.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances operability by ensuring that only the operation switches associated with high-likelihood functions are illuminated, while maintaining a preferred appearance by minimizing the visibility of unactivated switches through a decorated design panel.
Implementation Method 1
each of the operation switches including a light emitting portion capable of being individually switched on and off
Implementation Method 2
the design panel includes a design surface that transmits light of the light emitting portion in an on-state
Data Source
AI summary
In a steering device that enhances operability while ensuring a preferred appearance, a plurality of operation switches that include light emitting portions that can be switched on and off individually, and are used for operating functions installed in a vehicle are disposed on a wheel unit of the steering device. The operation switches can be individually operated through the design panel. The design panel includes a design surface that transmits light of the switched-on light emitting portions and makes the visibility of the switched-off light emitting portions lower than that in an on-state. A function having a high operation possibility is determined based on at least one piece of information among user's operation information, environment information, driving information, and vehicle position information, and the light emitting portions associated with the determined function having a high operation possibility are switched on.