Steering Wheel Haptic Feedback for Vehicle Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Operators of agricultural or industrial utility vehicles lack effective feedback on critical or non-optimal operating states, leading to potential engine damage and increased downtime due to the inability to perceive excessive engine speed or other unsafe conditions acoustically or visually in soundproofed cabs.
Innovation Solution
An operating device with a steering wheel, actuating device, and control system that applies variable forces to the steering wheel based on sensor data, providing tactile and visual feedback to the operator about unsafe operating states, thereby enhancing awareness and preventing accidents or component overload.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cab is soundproofed to reduce noise, then operator comfort is improved, but the operator cannot acoustically perceive excessive engine speed or unsafe conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary feedback system that translates acoustic information (engine speed, unsafe conditions) into tactile sensations through the steering wheel. The actuating device serves as a mediator between the engine's operational state and the operator's perception, converting auditory feedback into haptic feedback that can be felt through the steering wheel, thus resolving the contradiction between soundproofing and acoustic perception.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces acoustic feedback (mechanical sound waves) with mechanical-tactile feedback through the actuating device. Instead of relying on sound waves to convey engine status information, the system uses controlled mechanical forces applied to the steering wheel to communicate the same information, substituting one sensory modality for another.
2Loss of information
If visual warning displays are used to indicate critical conditions, then information delivery is improved, but operator awareness and immediate reaction are not sufficiently enhanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback loop where the actuating device continuously monitors engine parameters and provides real-time tactile feedback to the operator through the steering wheel. When critical conditions are detected, the system applies specific force patterns to the steering wheel, creating an immediate sensory response that directly correlates with the operational state, thereby enhancing operator awareness and enabling faster reaction times compared to passive visual displays.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a tactile dimension to the feedback mechanism. Instead of relying solely on visual information displayed on screens or panels, the system incorporates haptic feedback through the steering wheel, creating a multi-sensory information delivery system that engages the operator's sense of touch in addition to sight, thereby improving awareness and reaction.
3Reliability
If continuous monitoring of engine parameters is implemented, then safety is improved, but operator burden and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the steering wheel multi-functional by combining its primary steering function with a secondary feedback function. The same steering wheel that the operator uses to control vehicle direction also serves as a feedback interface for conveying engine status information. This eliminates the need for separate monitoring devices or interfaces, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining continuous safety monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The steering wheel serves itself by performing dual functions: steering control and information feedback. Instead of requiring additional dedicated components for monitoring and alerting, the system utilizes the existing steering wheel infrastructure to provide both mechanical steering and haptic feedback, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining comprehensive safety monitoring.
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
The solution simplifies and optimizes vehicle operation by making non-optimal states more perceivable to the operator, reducing the risk of engine damage and downtime through enhanced tactile and visual feedback mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
The steering wheel can be subjected to a force with the adjusting device or an actuator... Depending on the current operating state of the commercial vehicle, the adjusting device can be controlled with the control device in such a way that the steering wheel can be subjected to a predetermined changed force
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The device (10) has a steering wheel (12) adjusting a driving direction of a commercial vehicle. A control device (14) determines a state variable of a current operating condition of the commercial vehicle. A servo device (22) is controlled by the control device independent of the operating condition of the vehicle such that the steering wheel is subjected with changing predetermined force to observe an insecure operating condition of the vehicle or an insecure operating condition of an operating function by an operator. An independent claim is also included for a method for controlling a state variable of an agricultural or industrial commercial vehicle.