# US 10,246,012 B2 · Steering wheel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,012 B2 - Document ID: US10246012B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/373,543 - Filed: 2016-12-09 - Published: 2017-06-15 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-14 - Assignees: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Renge Asakawa; Atsushi Nagata; Yasushi Hibino; Shinichi Takeda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246012B2 ## CPC - B60Q 3/283: Steering wheels; Gear levers - B60K 35/21: using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays - B60K 35/26: using acoustic output - B60K 35/28: characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver - B60K 35/60: Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) - B60K 35/80: Arrangements for controlling instruments - B60Q 3/64: for a single lighting device - B60Q 3/80: Circuits; Control arrangements (for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47) - B60Q 9/002: {for parking purposes, e.g. for warning the driver that his vehicle has contacted or is about to contact an obstacle (warning arrangements in garages E04H6/42)} - B60Q 9/008: {for anti-collision purposes} - B62D 1/046: {Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches} - B62D 1/06: Rims, e.g. with heating means; Rim covers (B62D1/11 takes precedence) - B60K 2360/33: Illumination features - B60K 2360/332: Light emitting diodes - B60K 2360/336: Light guides - B60K 2360/338: Light strips - B60K 2360/782: on the steering wheel - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A steering wheel includes an indicator. The indicator includes a light source that emits light and a light guide. The light guide includes an outer surface and an end opposing the light source. The light emitted from the light source enters the end of the light guide, and some of the light is emitted from the outer surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A steering wheel comprising an indicator, the indicator including: a light source that emits light; and a light guide including an outer surface and an end opposing the light source, wherein the light from the light source enters the end of the light guide, and some of the light is emitted from the outer surface, wherein the light guide includes a driver seat side surface, part of the driver seat side surface includes a recess, which is shaped so that light entering the end is emitted from the light guide, the recess is one of a plurality of recesses, part of the driver seat side surface of the light guide includes the recesses, which are spaced apart from one another by a predetermined interval, the recesses have surface areas that differ from one another and increase as the light source becomes more distant, and a light emission region is set based on a virtual line connecting eyes of the driver, when properly sitting in a driver's seat, and a center of the light guide. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to emit different colors of light. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the end of the light guide is one of two ends of the light guide; the light source includes a first light source opposing one of the two ends of the light guide and a second light source opposing another one of the two ends of the light guide, and the first light source and the second light source are configured to emit different colors of light. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The steering wheel according to claim 1, further comprising a control circuit that controls a light emission mode of the light emitted from the light source and changes the light emitted from the light guide in color and an illuminated region of the light guide. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The steering wheel according to claim 1, further comprising: a ring held for steering; a boss located at a central part of the ring; a spoke that couples the ring and the boss; and an assisting portion arranged on the ring and bulged toward the boss, wherein the assisting portion is located at a part of the ring upward from the boss, wherein the light source is arranged in the assisting portion, and the light guide is formed by a rod extending in a circumferential direction of the ring. ### Claim 6 A steering wheel comprising a ring metal core and an indicator, the indicator including: a light source that emits light; a light guide that extends in a circumferential direction of the steering wheel, the light guide including an outer surface and an end opposing the light source in the circumferential direction, wherein the light from the light source enters the end of the light guide, and some of the light is emitted from the outer surface; and a holding member that holds the light source and the light guide, wherein an outer surface of the holding member includes an accommodation portion that is curved and recessed toward the ring metal core, the light guide is arranged in the accommodation portion and a light emission region is set based on a virtual line connecting eyes of the driver, when properly sitting in a driver's seat, and a center of the light guide. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The steering wheel according to claim 6, wherein the holding member is elongated in a circumferential direction of the steering wheel, the holding member has an inner surface facing toward the ring metal core of the steering wheel and an outer surface facing toward an opposite side of the inner surface, and the light guide is held by the outer surface of the holding member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The steering wheel according to claim 6, wherein the light source, the light guide, and the holding member are unitized to form the indicator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The steering wheel according to claim 6, wherein the circumferential direction of the steering wheel corresponds to a circumferential direction around an axis of a steering shaft. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The steering wheel according to claim 6, wherein the holding member includes two ends, longitudinally, and two through holes, the two through holes extend through the holding member at portions near the two ends, respectively, the light guide extending through the two through holes, and the light guide is arranged in the accommodation portion between the two through holes. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The steering wheel according to claim 10, wherein the light source is arranged on the inner surface of the holding member.