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. 18, 1990
Filed:
Oct. 06, 1989
Tohru Futami, Kanagawa, JP;
Naoki Yuzuriha, Kanagawa, JP;
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Yokohama, JP;
Abstract
A system and method for controlling a posture of a steering wheel for a vehicle are disclosed in which a steering wheel is so structured that a posture of the steering wheel can be changed between a driving position at which the vehicle driver (occupant) can appropriately handle the steering wheel to drive the vehicle and an escape position at which the steering wheel is jumped up to facilitate getting on and off the vehicle according to situations in which an ignition key is inserted or removed into or from a corresponding key switch hole, an uppermost stage position taken for the driving position is set at an angle of the steering wheel between the escape position and a lowest limit of the driving position, the steering wheel is automatically returned to the uppermost stage position when the ignition key is inserted into the key switch hole, and the steering wheel is manually adjustable only when the steering wheel is placed between the uppermost stage position and the lowest limit of the driving position. Therefore, the system and method according to the present invention can achieve both of easiness in the driver's getting on and off the vehicle when the steering wheel is placed at the escape position and an ensured operation of an air bag installed in the steering wheel for preventing driver's body (head) from impinging on the steering wheel when the vehicle collides with an obstacle present in front of the vehicle.