IP Library › Granted Patent US 12663324
Granted Patent B2
US 12663324 · App. 18/627,007 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Electrode structure

Inventors: Takumi Yamada (Kyoto, JP); Takateru Sawada (Osaka, JP); Hiroshi Naitou (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: Panasonic Automotive System Co., Ltd.
G01L1/142B62D1/046B62D1/065G01L5/221
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12663324
App. No.
18/627,007
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electrode structure is an electrode structure to be wound around a rim of a steering wheel provided in a vehicle, the electrode structure including: a base material; a first sensor electrode disposed on one surface of the base material; a second sensor electrode disposed on the one surface of the base material to be aligned with the first sensor electrode; a first harness extended from the first sensor electrode; a second harness extended from the second sensor electrode; a connector to which the first harness and the second harness are connected; and a relay connector including a male connector and a female connector that is connected to the male connector. At least one of the first harness or the second harness is provided with the relay connector.

Claims (30)

1 . An electrode structure to be wound around a rim of a steering wheel provided in a vehicle, the electrode structure comprising:

a base material;

a first sensor electrode disposed on one surface of the base material;

a second sensor electrode disposed on the one surface of the base material to be aligned with the first sensor electrode;

a first harness extended from the first sensor electrode;

a second harness extended from the second sensor electrode;

a connector to which the first harness and the second harness are connected; and

a relay connector including a male connector and a female connector that is connected to the male connector,

wherein at least one of the first harness or the second harness is provided with the relay connector.

2 . The electrode structure according to claim 1 ,

wherein in a state where the base material is disposed on the rim, the first sensor electrode is disposed on a side of the rim facing a rear side of the vehicle, and

the second sensor electrode is disposed on a side of the rim facing a front side of the vehicle.

3 . The electrode structure according to claim 1 ,

wherein the relay connector includes a first relay connector provided at the first harness and a second relay connector provided at the second harness,

the first relay connector includes a first male connector and a first female connector that is connected to the first male connector, and

the second relay connector includes a second male connector and a second female connector that is connected to the second male connector.

4 . The electrode structure according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a ground electrode disposed on an other surface of the base material; and

a third harness extended from the ground electrode,

wherein the third harness is further connected to the connector.

5 . The electrode structure according to claim 3 ,

wherein the first harness includes a first electrode-side harness on a side of the first sensor electrode, and a first connector-side harness on a side of the connector,

the second harness includes a second electrode-side harness on a side of the second sensor electrode, and a second connector-side harness on the side of the connector, and

the first male connector is disposed at the first electrode-side harness on the side of the first sensor electrode, the first female connector is disposed at the first connector-side harness on the side of the connector, the second female connector is disposed at the second electrode-side harness on the side of the second sensor electrode, and the second male connector is disposed at the second connector-side harness on the side of the connector, or

the first female connector is disposed at the first electrode-side harness on the side of the first sensor electrode, the first male connector is disposed at the first connector-side harness on the side of the connector, the second male connector is disposed at the second electrode-side harness on the side of the second sensor electrode, and the second female connector is disposed at the second connector-side harness on the side of the connector.

6 . The electrode structure according to claim 5 ,

wherein the first male connector and the second female connector are connectable to each other, and

the second male connector and the first female connector are connectable to each other.

7 . The electrode structure according to claim 1 ,

wherein a length of at least one of the first harness or the second harness is a length that enables the relay connector to be disposed in a central region of the steering wheel and near a shaft of the steering wheel.