IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,820,429
Granted Patent B2
US 11,820,429 · App. 18/160,708 · Granted Nov 21, 2023

Steering wheel

Inventors: Fumiyasu Kojima (Aichi-ken, JP); Takanori Yamada (Aichi-ken, JP); Sayaka Miyata (Aichi-ken, JP)
Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
B62D15/029B62D1/04B62D15/021G02B6/0068
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,820,429
App. No.
18/160,708
Granted
Nov 21, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

The light guide body includes a light source side portion located on the visible light sources side, which is the back surface side of the substrate, and an opening side portion disposed to extend from the back surface side to the front surface side of the substrate while intersecting the light source side portion. The light guide body has a substantially L-shaped cross section. The light guide body is partitioned such that at least regions of the opening side portion are separated from each other at least at one location between the visible light sources with a light shielding member interposed therebetween.

Claims (21)

1. A steering wheel comprising,

a light bar disposed at a predetermined position which is capable of being visually recognized by a driver,

wherein the light bar includes:

a substrate held by a holding member; and

a plurality of visible light sources attached to be arranged side by side substantially along a longitudinal direction of the substrate and configured to emit visible light when turned on,

the light bar is configured to emit the visible light during operation from a radiation opening formed by opening a part of the holding member,

wherein the substrate is held by the holding member to be substantially along an opening surface of the radiation opening,

wherein the visible light sources are arranged side by side substantially along the longitudinal direction of the substrate on a back surface side of the substrate away from the radiation opening, and visible light emitted by the visible light sources is deflected toward the radiation opening side via a light guide body disposed to extend from the back surface side to a front surface side of the substrate,

wherein the light guide body includes:

a light source side portion located on the visible light sources side, which is the back surface side of the substrate; and

an opening side portion disposed to extend from the back surface side to the front surface side of the substrate while intersecting the light source side portion,

the light guide body has a substantially L-shaped cross section, and

wherein the light guide body is partitioned such that at least regions of the opening side portion are separated from each other at least at one location between the visible light sources with a light shielding member interposed therebetween.

2. The steering wheel according to claim 1 ,

wherein the light guide body is configured such that only the regions of the opening side portion are partitioned and the light source side portion is integrated.

3. The steering wheel according to claim 1 ,

wherein the light bar is curved such that a longitudinal direction thereof is substantially along a circumferential direction of a ring portion to be gripped by the driver, and the light bar is disposed in a front region at a time of straight traveling steering on an upper surface side of the ring portion, and

wherein an odd number of the visible light sources are arranged substantially along the circumferential direction of the ring portion, and a center-side visible light source located on a center side is disposed at a position on a front side of a steering center of the ring portion at the time of straight traveling steering.

4. The steering wheel according to claim 1 ,

wherein the light bar is curved such that a longitudinal direction thereof is substantially along a circumferential direction of a ring portion to be gripped by the driver, and the light bar is disposed in a front region at a time of straight traveling steering on an upper surface side of the ring portion, and

wherein a plurality of the visible light sources are arranged substantially along the circumferential direction of the ring portion, and the plurality of the visible light sources are set such that one or a plurality of the visible light sources are turned on as a steering angle shortage notification mode when a steering angle shortage is detected during traveling by being controlled by a control device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 27, 2023
From: KOJIMA, FUMIYASU; YAMADA, TAKANORI; MIYATA, SAYAKA
To: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062515/0195 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-013761 · Jan 31, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230242180A1 · Aug 3, 2023
Cited By (1)
US 12,304,550