# US 11,993,207 B2 · Steering wheel assemblies having tactile feedback devices

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- Number: US 11,993,207 B2
- Document ID: US11993207B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/682,784
- Filed: 2022-02-28
- Published: 2023-08-31
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2022-02-28
- Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
- Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
- Inventors: Mikio David
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993207B2

## CPC

- B60Q 9/008: {for anti-collision purposes}
- B62D 1/06: Rims, e.g. with heating means; Rim covers (B62D1/11 takes precedence)
- G08B 6/00: Tactile signalling systems, e.g. tactile personal calling systems
- B62D 1/046: {Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches}
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- 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)
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS

## Abstract

A steering wheel assembly for a vehicle, the steering wheel assembly including a steering wheel frame and a tactile notification device coupled to the steering wheel frame. The tactile notification device includes a mounting frame, a first set of disks arranged around and coupled to the first mounting frame, and an actuator operatively coupled to the first set of disks. The actuator is configured to rotate the set of disks.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A steering wheel assembly for a vehicle, the steering wheel assembly comprising:
a steering wheel frame;
a first tactile notification device coupled to the steering wheel frame, the first tactile notification device comprising:
a first mounting frame;
a first set of disks arranged around and coupled to the first mounting frame; and
a first actuator operatively coupled to the first set of disks, the first actuator configured to rotate the first set of disks.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The steering wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein:
the first set of disks are concentrically arranged around the first mounting frame, and
each disk of the first set of disks comprise:
a body comprising an outer surface, the body concentrically arranged on the first mounting frame; and
a nodule coupled to the outer surface of the body.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The steering wheel assembly of claim 2, wherein:
each nodule is angularly offset from the nodule of an adjacent disk of the first set of disks.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The steering wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein:
the first set of disks is eccentrically arranged around the first mounting frame; and
each disk of the first set of disks is angularly offset from an adjacent disk of the first set of disks.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The steering wheel assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a controller communicatively coupled to the first actuator, the controller configured to actuate the first actuator to rotate the first set of disks when the controller detects an alert.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The steering wheel assembly of claim 5, further comprising:
a second tactile notification device coupled to the steering wheel frame, the second tactile notification device comprising:
a second mounting frame;
a second set of disks arranged around and coupled to the second mounting frame; and
a second actuator operatively coupled to the second mounting frame, the second actuator configured to rotate the second mounting frame and the second set of disks.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The steering wheel assembly of claim 6, wherein:
the controller determines a location of the alert relative to the vehicle, the location including a front of the vehicle, a left side of the vehicle, a right side of the vehicle, or a rear of the vehicle,
the controller actuates the first actuator when the location of the alert is one of the front of the vehicle, the left side of the vehicle, the right side of the vehicle, and the rear of the vehicle, and
the controller actuates the second actuator when the location of the alert is another of the front of the vehicle, the left side of the vehicle, the right side of the vehicle, and the rear of the vehicle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The steering wheel assembly of claim 6, further comprising:
a third tactile notification device coupled to the steering wheel frame and positioned adjacent the first tactile notification device, the third tactile notification device comprising:
a third mounting frame;
a third set of disks arranged around and coupled to the third mounting frame;
a third actuator operatively coupled to the third mounting frame, the third actuator configured to rotate the third mounting frame and the third set of disks;
a fourth tactile notification device coupled to the steering wheel frame and positioned adjacent the second tactile notification device, the fourth tactile notification device comprising:
a fourth mounting frame;
a fourth set of disks arranged around and coupled to the fourth mounting frame; and
a fourth actuator operatively coupled to the fourth mounting frame, the fourth actuator configured to rotate the fourth mounting frame and the fourth set of disks,
wherein the second tactile notification device is spaced apart from the first tactile notification device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The steering wheel assembly of claim 8, wherein:
the controller determines a location of the alert relative to the vehicle, the location including a front of the vehicle, a left side of the vehicle, a right side of the vehicle, or a rear of the vehicle,
the controller actuates the first actuator and the second actuator when the location of the alert is the front of the vehicle,
the controller actuates the first actuator when the location of the alert is the left side of the vehicle;
the controller actuates the second actuator when the location of the alert is the right side of the vehicle; and
the controller actuates the third actuator and the fourth actuator when the location of the alert is the rear of the vehicle.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The steering wheel assembly of claim 6, wherein the alert is a warning related to safety, including one of obstacle detection, advanced driver assistance, a precollision warning, and a blindspot warning.

### Claim 11

A steering wheel assembly for a vehicle, the steering wheel assembly comprising:
a steering wheel frame;
a first tactile notification device coupled to the steering wheel frame, the first tactile notification device comprising:
a first mounting frame;
a first set of disks arranged around and coupled to the first mounting frame; and
a first actuator operatively coupled to the first mounting frame, the first actuator configured to compress the first set of disks to expand the first set of disks radially outward from the first mounting frame.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The steering wheel assembly of claim 11, further comprising a first set of spacers arranged around and coupled to the first mounting frame, each spacer of the first set of spacers is positioned between a pair of adjacent disks of the first set of disks.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The steering wheel assembly of claim 12, further comprising a second set of spacers arranged around and coupled to the first mounting frame, each spacer of the second set of spacers is positioned between one of the spacers of the first set of spacers and one of the first set of disks of the first set of disks,
wherein the spacers of the first set of spacers includes a first thickness, the spacers of the second set of spacers includes a second thickness, and the second thickness is less than the first thickness.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The steering wheel assembly of claim 11, further comprising:
a controller communicatively coupled to the first actuator, the controller configured to actuate the first actuator to compress the first set of disks when the controller detects an alert related to safety, including one of obstacle detection, advanced driver assistance, a precollision warning, and a blindspot warning.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The steering wheel assembly of claim 14, further comprising:
a second tactile notification device coupled to the steering wheel frame, the second tactile notification device comprising:
a second mounting frame;
a second set of disks arranged around and coupled to the second mounting frame; and
a second actuator operatively coupled to the second mounting frame, the second actuator configured to compress the second set of disks to expand the first set of disks radially outward from the second mounting frame;
a third tactile notification device coupled to the steering wheel frame and positioned adjacent the first tactile notification device, the third tactile notification device comprising:
a third mounting frame;
a third set of disks arranged around and coupled to the third mounting frame;
a third actuator operatively coupled to the third mounting frame, the third actuator configured to compress the third set of disks to expand the first set of disks radially outward from the third mounting frame;
a fourth tactile notification device coupled to the steering wheel frame and positioned adjacent the second tactile notification device, the fourth tactile notification device comprising:
a fourth mounting frame;
a fourth set of disks arranged around and coupled to the fourth mounting frame; and
a fourth actuator operatively coupled to the fourth mounting frame, the fourth actuator configured to compress the fourth set of disks to expand the first set of disks radially outward from the fourth mounting frame,
wherein the second tactile notification device is spaced apart from the first tactile notification device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The steering wheel assembly of claim 15, wherein:
the controller determines a location of the alert relative to the vehicle, the location including a front of the vehicle, a left side of the vehicle, a right side of the vehicle, or a rear of the vehicle,
the controller actuates the first actuator and the second actuator when the location of the alert is the front of the vehicle,
the controller actuates the first actuator when the location of the alert is the left side of the vehicle;
the controller actuates the second actuator when the location of the alert is the right side of the vehicle; and
the controller actuates the third actuator and the fourth actuator when the location of the alert is the rear of the vehicle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The steering wheel assembly of claim 15, further comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a hand position of a driver on one of the first tactile notification device, the second tactile notification device, the third tactile notification device, and the fourth tactile notification device, wherein:
the sensor is communicatively coupled to the controller, and
the controller is configured to activate the first actuator when the hand position is detected on the first tactile notification device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The steering wheel assembly of claim 11, wherein the first actuator compresses the first set of disks to form an ergonomic grip.

### Claim 19

A method of providing a notification using a steering wheel assembly for a vehicle, the method comprising:
detecting an alert related to safety, including one of obstacle detection, advanced driver assistance, a precollision warning, and a blindspot warning;
actuating a first actuator of a first tactile notification device, the first tactile notification device comprising:
a first mounting frame;
a first set of disks arranged around and coupled to the first mounting frame; and
the first actuator operatively coupled to the first mounting frame, the first actuator configured to rotate the first mounting frame and the first set of disks.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising:
determining a location of the alert relative to the vehicle, the location including a front of the vehicle, a left side of the vehicle, a right side of the vehicle, or a rear of the vehicle;
actuating the first actuator when the location of the alert is one of the front of the vehicle, the left side of the vehicle, the right side of the vehicle, and the rear of the vehicle, and
actuating a second actuator of a second tactile notification device when the location of the alert is another of the front of the vehicle, the left side of the vehicle, the right side of the vehicle, and the rear of the vehicle, the second tactile notification device comprising:
a second mounting frame;
a second set of disks arranged around and coupled to the second mounting frame; and
the second actuator operatively coupled to the second mounting frame, the second actuator configured to rotate the second mounting frame and the second set of disks.