Steering Wheel Rim Force Detection via Divided Sensor Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current steering operation force detecting apparatuses fail to accurately measure the force and moment applied to a steering wheel rim by a driver during steering, limiting the ability to evaluate driving performance effectively.
Innovation Solution
A steering operation force detecting apparatus that uses force sensors and contact sensors to detect forces and moments on divided portions of the steering wheel rim, calculates the force applied point, and outputs the data, enabling detailed measurement of forces and moments applied during steering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If pressure sensors are fixed to the grip portions of the steering wheel rim, then the sensors can detect pull or push forces exerted by the driver hands, but the sensors cannot detect forces applied to other positions on the steering wheel rim
Solution Approach 1:
The steering wheel rim is divided into multiple detection regions (e.g., left grip portion, right grip portion, and other positions). Multiple pressure sensors are distributedly arranged at these different positions to independently detect forces applied to each region. This segmentation allows the system to comprehensively detect forces at various positions on the steering wheel rim rather than being limited to fixed grip portions only.
2Measurement precision
If sensors are arranged distributed over the entire periphery of the steering wheel rim, then the position of hands on the steering wheel can be detected, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly distributing sensors across the entire steering wheel rim periphery, pressure sensors are strategically arranged only at specific local positions where forces are most likely to be applied (e.g., left grip portion, right grip portion, and other critical positions). This localized sensor arrangement reduces the total number of sensors needed while still achieving accurate hand position and force detection, thereby reducing device complexity.
3Power
If only torque sensor in steering wheel hub is provided, then torque during steering can be measured, but detailed force and moment information at the steering wheel rim cannot be obtained
Solution Approach 1:
Pressure sensors are introduced as intermediary detection devices between the driver's hands and the steering wheel rim. These sensors directly contact the steering wheel rim at multiple positions to detect local force applications. The detected force information from these intermediary sensors is then used to calculate the moment about the steering axis, providing detailed force and moment information that complements the torque measurement from the hub sensor.
Data Source
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AI summary
A steering operation force detecting apparatus enabling to know in detail a force or a moment applied to a steering wheel rim (steering wheel) gripped by a driver during steering is provided. A force and a moment applied to each divided portion 11A and 11B of a steering wheel rim 11 are detected by force sensors 21A and 21B. Force applied points FP1 and FP2 of driver' s hands which grip the divided portions 11A and 11B of the steering wheel rim 11 are detected by contact sensors 22 and an arithmetic processing section. Also, forces and moments at the force applied points FP1 and FP2 are calculated based on the detection results, and the calculation results are output to a higher-level device. Accordingly, it is possible to know in detail how much force or moment is applied to the force applied points FP1 and FP2 on the steering wheel rim 11 during a steering operation.