Steering Wheel Electrode Structure for Accurate Grip Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrode structures for steering wheels often erroneously detect contact between a driver's lower limb and the wheel, leading to inaccurate gripping detection.
Innovation Solution
An electrode structure is designed to be wound around a steering wheel, featuring a base material with distinct regions on the front and back surfaces, where sensor electrodes are strategically placed to avoid the lower-limb facing area, using notches and protrusions to create detection and insensitive regions, and conductive layers to enhance sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensor electrodes are disposed around the entire circumference of the steering wheel, then gripping detection coverage is improved, but erroneous detection of lower limb contact occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes sensor electrodes from the lower-limb facing portion of the steering wheel circumference. Specifically, the first sensor electrode does not extend into the lower-limb facing portion, and the second sensor electrode is disposed only in the back surface region, creating an electrode-free zone that prevents erroneous detection while maintaining gripping detection capability in the hand-contact regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different electrode configurations to different regions of the steering wheel. The front surface has sensor electrodes for hand detection, the back surface has sensor electrodes for additional detection angles, and the lower-limb facing portion has no electrodes to avoid false detection. This localized differentiation optimizes detection accuracy for each specific function.
2Measurement precision
If sensor electrodes are disposed on both front and back surfaces, then detection sensitivity is improved, but complexity of electrode structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the first sensor electrode on the front surface with the second sensor electrode on the back surface into a unified electrode structure. Both electrodes are electrically connected and function together as an integrated sensing system, reducing the need for separate independent electrode systems while maintaining enhanced detection sensitivity through multi-surface coverage.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrode structure is an electrode structure that is wound around a rim of a steering wheel and includes: a base material including a first region disposed on a front surface side of the rim and a second region disposed on a back surface side of the rim; a first sensor electrode disposed in the first region; and a second sensor electrode disposed in the second region. When the steering wheel is in a neutral position, in a lower-limb facing portion of the rim that faces a lower limb of a driver, neither the first sensor electrode nor the second sensor electrode is disposed, or only one of the first sensor electrode or the second sensor electrode is disposed.