Steering wheel with opto-electronic sensor

US6114949A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Robert Bosch GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Stephan Schmitz · Stuttgart, DE
• Achim Pruksch · Neudenau, DE
• Alain Gaillard · Karlsruhe, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 25, 1998
• Grant date: Sep 5, 2000
• Expiry date: Mar 25, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B62D1/046
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A steering wheel (10) is proposed, especially for controlling a motor vehicle, which is provided with a device that detects the elastic deformation of the sheath of the steering wheel (10) caused by its being gripped by the driver, and which controls vehicle-specific functions on the basis of this deformation. To that end, a fiber-optical sensor is mounted on the steering wheel (10). This sensor has an optical fiber (14), into which a transmitter (16) injects a light signal (16.1), which is received by a pickup (18). Exertions of pressure or force on the optical fiber (14) cause a change in polarization of the light signal (16.1), which is evaluated by an evaluation circuit (15) to form a driver signal (20.x).