IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,319,141
Granted Patent B2
US 12,319,141 · App. 18/607,779 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Steering wheel and vehicle control device

Inventors: Bunpei Morita (Kiyosu, JP); Kenji Fujimura (Kiyosu, JP); Yuki Miyasaka (Kiyosu, JP); Akitoshi Naganawa (Kiyosu, JP)
Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
B60K28/02B60K28/06B60W50/12B62D1/04B62D1/183
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,319,141
App. No.
18/607,779
Granted
Jun 3, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A steering wheel includes a control unit that executes an acceleration control or a deceleration control of a vehicle based on results of detections by a first contact detecting portion, a second contact detecting portion, a first operation detecting portion, and a second operation detecting portion. The control unit does not execute the acceleration control or the deceleration control based on an operation of a first operating portion when the first operating portion is operated in a state in which the first contact detecting portion is not detecting contact by a driver with a first gripping portion, and does not execute the acceleration control or the deceleration control based on an operation of a second operating portion when the second operating portion is operated in a state in which the second contact detecting portion is not detecting contact by the driver with a second gripping portion.

Claims (33)

1. A steering wheel mounted in a vehicle, comprising:

a first gripping portion configured to be gripped by a driver;

a first contact detecting portion configured to detect contact by the driver with the first gripping portion;

a first operating portion that is disposed in a vicinity of the first gripping portion and is configured to be operated by the driver in order to cause the vehicle to accelerate or decelerate;

a first operation detecting portion that detects that the first operating portion has been operated;

a second gripping portion that is disposed in a position differing from that of the first gripping portion and is configured to be gripped by the driver;

a second contact detecting portion configured to detect contact by the driver with the second gripping portion;

a second operating portion that is disposed in a vicinity of the second gripping portion and is configured to be operated by the driver in order to cause the vehicle to accelerate or decelerate;

a second operation detecting portion that detects that the second operating portion has been operated; and

a control unit configured to execute an acceleration control or a deceleration control of the vehicle based on results of detections by the first contact detecting portion, the second contact detecting portion, the first operation detecting portion, and the second operation detecting portion,

wherein the control unit is configured not to execute the acceleration control or the deceleration control of the vehicle based on an operation of the first operating portion when the first contact detecting portion does not detect contact by the driver with the first gripping portion, and

wherein the control unit is configured not to execute the acceleration control or the deceleration control of the vehicle based on an operation of the second operating portion when the second contact detecting portion does not detect contact by the driver with the second gripping portion.

2. The steering wheel according to claim 1 , wherein

the control unit is configured to execute the acceleration control or the deceleration control of the vehicle based on an operation of the first operating portion when the first contact detecting portion detects contact by the driver with the first gripping portion, and is configured to execute the acceleration control or the deceleration control of the vehicle based on an operation of the second operating portion when the second contact detecting portion detects contact by the driver with the second gripping portion.

3. The steering wheel according to claim 2 , wherein

the control unit is configured to execute the acceleration control or the deceleration control of the vehicle in accordance with an operation amount of the first operating portion when the first contact detecting portion detects contact by the driver with the first gripping portion, and is configured to execute the acceleration control or the deceleration control of the vehicle in accordance with an operation amount of the second operating portion when the second contact detecting portion detects contact by the driver with the second gripping portion.

4. A vehicle control device mounted in a vehicle, comprising:

a steering wheel including

a first gripping portion configured to be gripped by a driver,

a first contact detecting portion configured to detect contact by the driver with the first gripping portion,

a first operating portion that is disposed in a vicinity of the first gripping portion and is configured to be operated by the driver in order to cause the vehicle to accelerate or decelerate,

a first operation detecting portion that detects that the first operating portion has been operated,

a second gripping portion that is disposed in a position differing from that of the first gripping portion and is configured to be gripped by the driver,

a second contact detecting portion configured to detect contact by the driver with the second gripping portion,

a second operating portion that is disposed in a vicinity of the second gripping portion and is configured to be operated by the driver in order to cause the vehicle to accelerate or decelerate, and

a second operation detecting portion that detects that the second operating portion has been operated; and

a control unit configured to execute an acceleration control or a deceleration control of the vehicle based on results of detections by the first contact detecting portion, the second contact detecting portion, the first operation detecting portion, and the second operation detecting portion,

wherein the control unit is configured not to execute the acceleration control or the deceleration control of the vehicle based on an operation of the first operating portion when the first contact detecting portion does not detect contact by the driver with the first gripping portion, and

wherein the control unit is configured not to execute the acceleration control or the deceleration control of the vehicle based on an operation of the second operating portion when the second contact detecting portion does not detect contact by the driver with the second gripping portion.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 4 , wherein

the control unit is configured to execute the acceleration control or the deceleration control of the vehicle based on an operation of the first operating portion when the first contact detecting portion detects contact by the driver with the first gripping portion, and is configured to execute the acceleration control or the deceleration control of the vehicle based on an operation of the second operating portion when the second contact detecting portion detects contact by the driver with the second gripping portion.

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 5 , wherein

the control unit is configured to execute the acceleration control or the deceleration control of the vehicle in accordance with an operation amount of the first operating portion when the first contact detecting portion detects contact by the driver with the first gripping portion, and is configured to execute the acceleration control or the deceleration control of the vehicle in accordance with an operation amount of the second operating portion when the second contact detecting portion detects contact by the driver with the second gripping portion.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 18, 2024
From: MORITA, BUNPEI; FUJIMURA, KENJI; MIYASAKA, YUKI; NAGANAWA, AKITOSHI
To: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066807/0019 →
Priority Claims (3)
JP 2023-061729 · Apr 5, 2023 · national
JP 2023-061730 · Apr 5, 2023 · national
JP 2023-062801 · Apr 7, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240336132A1 · Oct 10, 2024
References Cited (13)
US 7806224B2 · Maeda · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 9393867B2 · Downey · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9505430B2 · Burcar · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 10322741B2 · Clochard · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20040108161A1 · Ohno · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 20210031823A1 · Watanabe et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210080949A1 · Takeda · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20230294678A1 · Oka · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20240025465A1 · Morita · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240025466A1 · Morita · 2024 [cited by examiner]
JP 2008014204A · 2008 [cited by applicant]
JP 2021020581A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
JP 2021046192A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
Cited By (1)
US 12,741,685