Optical switch having light source and receiver positioned stationary relative to steering wheel
US4672214A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 3, 1985 |
| Grant date | Jun 9, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 3, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/3552
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A steering switch device (200) for a vehicle having a vehicle body (1), a steering wheel (100) rotatably attached to the vehicle body, and an electrical load mounted on the vehicle body. The steering switch device (200) comprises a control means (3, 23, 24, 25, 26) for providing the electrical load with a drive control signal, the control means (3, 23, 24, 25, 26) being secured to the vehicle body (1) and constituted with a light source means (23, 24) for providing an optical signal and a light-receiving means (25, 26), and a switch means (13, 19, 20, 27) for providing the control means (3, 23, 24, 25, 26) with an operational signal, the switch means (13, 19, 20, 27) being arranged in the vicinity of the steering wheel (100) and constituted with a light-conductive path (27) for conducting the optical signal from the light source means (23, 24) to the light-receiving means (25, 26) and an optical switch (19, 20) provided in the light-conductive path (27). The switch means (13, 19, 20, 27) is adapted to be stationary relative to the vehicle body (1) irrespective of rotation of the steering wheel (100).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.