Autoliv Development Ab

Paul Lebarbier

Sylvain Leforestier

Laurent Groleau

Gilles Garret

Jean Bernard Tessier

A steering wheel having a steering wheel body () having a first force transmitting component, and a horn actuation element. The horn actuation element having a horn actuation surface () and having a second force transmitting component. A load cell () is provided having a sensitive element that changes at least one of its electrical properties in response to a compression force. The sensitive element placed between the first and second force transmitting components. At least one elastically deformable element is provided between the steering wheel body () and the horn actuation element. When a pushing force is applied to the horn actuation surface () the force applied to the sensitive element changes. In a resting state of the steering wheel a compression force is applied to the sensitive element by the first and second force transmitting components by a preload and in that the compression force applied to the sensitive element is reduced when a pushing force is applied to the horn actuation surface ().

Steering wheel

A method and an apparatus for generating a horn actuation signal. A load cell is placed inside a steering wheel, which changes its resistance when being stressed or deformed by a force transmitting part of the steering wheel. An actual voltage (V) depending on the resistance of the load cell is measured and the horn actuation signal is generated based on the measurement of the actual voltage (V). The actual voltage (V) depends additionally to the resistance of the load cell and on an adjustable voltage (V) generated by an adjustable voltage generation unit. Additionally, the result of the measurement of the actual voltage (V) is permanently compared to a defined value, and the adjustable voltage (V) is adjusted in response to the difference between the result of the measurement of the actual voltage (V) and the defined value at least as long as no horn actuation signal is generated, such that closed circuit for controlling the actual voltage (V) is provided.

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Sotteville-les-Rouen, France

Paul Lebarbier