Trw Automotive Safety Systems Gmbh

Trw Automotive Safety Systems Gmbh & Co. Kg

Zf Automotive Safety Germany Gmbh

Trw Automotive Gmbh

Rinspeed Ag

Guido Hirzmann

Volker Stegmann

Matthias Helmstetter

Norbert Staudt

Alexander Lammers

Michael Schillinger

Heinz Lefringhausen

Martin Kreuzer

Martin Seyffert

Stefan Bachmann

Michael Schneider

Raymond Glocker

Dieter Rumpf

Stefan Sapountzis

Klaus Freudenberger

Klaus Weigand

Heinz-Joerg Lefringhausen

Stefan Hepp

Swen Schaub

Hendrik Dietrich

Hans-Juergen Bossler

Andreas Kurbos

Peter Kägi

Frank M Rinderknecht

Christian Muecke

Michael Kunkel

Timm Herold

Christian Bollinger

Hans-Jürgen Bossler

Lars Wuschik

Andreas Heil

Helga Heist

Michael Christ

Manfred Schrammek

Chunnan Chen

Marc Schledorn

The invention relates to a steering device sensor comprising an electrically insulating support, which can be integrated in a steering device for a vehicle, and an electric conductor, which is connected to the support, characterised in that the conductor forms multiple measurement zones of different measuring sensitivity on the support. The invention also relates to a measurement system comprising two steering device sensors. The invention also relates to an operator control system using a measurement system comprising two steering device sensors. The measurement system and the operator control system can be used in a steering device such as a steering wheel.

Steering device sensor, measurement system, operator control system, and steering device

A method for detecting contact with a manually activated steering or control device, in particular a vehicle steering wheel, comprises the following steps: applying an alternating voltage to at least one conductor arrangement () which is arranged on the steering or control device, and has at least one conductor line with a significant ohmic resistance; determining the current profile in the conductor arrangement (); determining the real component and the virtual component of the instantaneous alternating current resistance of the conductor arrangement (); determining the capacitance or the change in capacitance of the conductor arrangement (); determining the phase shift; and evaluating the determined values. A device for carrying out the method comprises a steering or control device, in particular a vehicle steering wheel, a conductor arrangement () which is arranged on the steering or control device and which has at least one conductor line with a significant ohmic resistance, and a control and evaluation device which is configured to apply an alternating voltage to the conductor arrangement (), to measure the current profile in the conductor arrangement () and to evaluate the determined values.

Method for detecting contact with a manually activated steering device, in particular a vehicle steering wheel, and a device for carrying out the method

An apparatus for heating a steering wheel and for detecting a steering wheel contact comprises a steering wheel armature () made from electrically conductive material and an electric heating conductor () arranged outside of the steering wheel armature (). The apparatus further comprises a control and evaluation device () connected to the steering wheel armature () and the electric heating conductor () by means of which control and evaluation device the electric heating conductor () is repeatedly operated temporarily during a heating operation as a heating element for heating the steering wheel and temporarily during a measuring operation as a sensor element for detecting a steering wheel contact. The control and evaluation device () is configured so as to maintain the steering wheel armature () on a predetermined and especially constant potential at least during each measuring operation.

Apparatus and method for heating a steering wheel and for sensing contact with the steering wheel

A device for detecting steering wheel contact comprises at least a first electrode () which is provided in a steering wheel () and which forms, together with a human body acting as a second electrode and a dielectric situated therebetween, at least one sensor capacitor (). The device also comprises an evaluation circuit () having a reference capacitor () of known capacitance which can be connected parallel to the sensor capacitor (), a direct current voltage source () which can be connected to the reference capacitor (), and a measuring device for measuring the voltage at the reference capacitor (). A method for detecting steering wheel contact using such a device comprises the following successive steps: charging the reference capacitor () by applying a known reference voltage, or charging the reference capacitor () and subsequently measuring a first voltage at the reference capacitor (); connecting, in parallel, the sensor capacitor () to the reference capacitor () so that a portion of the charge of the reference capacitor () is transmitted to the sensor capacitor (); measuring a second voltage at the reference capacitor (); end determining the capacitance of the sensor capacitor () from the known capacitance of the reference capacitor (), the reference voltage or the first voltage and the second voltage.

Method and device for detecting steering wheel contact

Vehicle steering wheel

The invention relates to a vehicle operating element () comprising a sensor () for non-invasive measurement of biomolecules in the blood of an operator of a vehicle operating element () by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, comprising at least one antenna () which includes at least a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer and an insulating layer being sandwiched between the two conductive layers. By means of the second conductive layer an excitation signal can be coupled out and an off-resonance excitation signal can be coupled into the antenna (). Furthermore, a method of non-invasive measurement of biomolecules and a method of operating a vehicle are described.

Vehicle operating element and method for noninvasively measuring biomolecules

In a vehicle safety system with a vehicle steering wheel, which has a steering wheel rim, and with at least one capacitive sensor which detects an alteration to an electric or electromagnetic field, the sensor is arranged in or on the steering wheel rim.

Vehicle safety system

An assembly for the illuminated display of a logo () in a motor vehicle includes a support () and at least one light source () which is arranged behind or adjacent to the support (). The logo () can be represented by means of an emblem (), particularly an opaque emblem.

Assembly for the illuminated display of a logo

A vehicle steering wheel () includes a movable airbag module () which can be depressed by a limited axial stroke for generating a horn signal. The vehicle steering wheel () further includes a sensor system () operating in a contactless manner for determining the stroke.

Vehicle steering wheel with an airbag module

A vehicle steering wheel includes a steering wheel body having a hub, a separate functional unit fastened to the hub, in particular a gas bag module, and a microphone. The microphone is arranged in a lateral gap between the steering wheel body and the functional unit.

A device for determining an absolute angle of rotation of a rotational axis has a first measuring device for measuring an angle of rotation in a limited first measuring range and a second measuring device for determining an absolute angle range. The second measuring device transforms a rotation of the rotational axis into a linear shift.

Device for determining an absolute angle of rotation

A Gas bag module for use in a vehicle occupant restraint device has a plastic generator support. On the generator support a printed circuit is formed by metal deposition. For activating an electrical function element, the printed circuit cooperates with a switching element that is arranged on a section of the generator support.

Gas bag module

A steering wheel comprises a steering wheel body, an airbag module movably mounted on the steering wheel body and at least one guide that is connected to the airbag module as well as to the steering wheel body, the airbag module being adapted to be moved over a displacement path relative to the steering wheel body for purposes of actuating a horn. The guide has at least two carriers that are arranged transversely to the direction of the displacement path and parallel to each other as well as offset in the direction of the displacement path. Further, the guide has a first end that is connected to the airbag module and a second end that is connected to the steering wheel body.

Steering wheel with movable airbag module

A method of adjusting an electrical switch arrangement comprising a pair of electrical contact members to a predetermined contact spacing is suggested. A first one of the contact members is associated with a first contact carrier and a second one of the contact members is associated with a second contact carrier. The first and second contact members are normally spaced from each other by the predetermined contact distance and are movable relative to each other across the contact distance. At least one of the contact members is displaceably held on the associated contact carrier. The contact carriers are moved towards each other across the predetermined contact distance. The one of the contact members is displaced relative to the associated contact carrier into physical contact with the other of the contact members. The one contact member is fixed in position on the associated contact member while physically contacting the other of the contact members.

Method of adjusting an electrical switch arrangement

The invention relates to an assembly consisting of a steering shaft and a steering wheel secured thereto. The steering shaft is provided with a groove at an end associated with the steering wheel, and the steering wheel is provided with a holding part which may engage into the groove in order to secure the steering wheel to the steering shaft in an axial direction. The holding part is movable between a release position in which it does not engage the groove, and a holding position in which it engages into the groove. A blocking element is provided, adapted to hold the holding part in the release position, and an indicator element is provided, which is connected with the holding part and is adapted to display at an outside of the steering wheel whether the holding part is in its holding position.

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Sailauf, Germany

Guido Hirzmann