The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 07, 2021
Filed:
Jul. 06, 2017
Trw Automotive Safety Systems Gmbh, Aschaffenburg, DE;
Guido Hirzmann, Sailauf, DE;
Alexander Lammers, Mühltal, DE;
Heinz Lefringhausen, Mainhausen, DE;
Volker Stegmann, Aschafffenburg, DE;
TRW AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS GMBH, Aschaffenburg, DE;
Abstract
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.