Steering apparatus
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorShotaro Odate
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering apparatus includes: a steering wheel including a hub portion, a grip portion, and spoke portions; a steering angle detection unit configured to detect a steering angle of the steering wheel; a sensor unit configured to detect contact or proximity of a human body to the grip portion; and a microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to perform: setting a grip detection range along the grip portion, and determining whether gripping has been detected in the grip detection range, based on a detection value of the sensor unit. The microprocessor is configured to perform the setting including setting the grip detection range based on the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor.
Claims8
A steering apparatus comprising:
- a steering wheel including a hub portion, a grip portion, and spoke portions, the grip portion including a pair of left and right vertical portions respectively extending substantially in an up-down direction on a left side and on a right side of the hub portion and a horizontal portion extending substantially in a left-right direction below the hub portion and connecting the pair of left and right vertical portions, the spoke portions respectively connecting the pair of left and right vertical portions with the hub portion;
- a steering angle detection unit configured to detect a steering angle of the steering wheel;
- a sensor unit configured to detect contact or proximity of a human body to the grip portion;
- and
- a microprocessor, wherein
- the microprocessor is configured to perform:
- setting a grip detection range along the grip portion;
- and
- determining whether gripping has been detected in the grip detection range, based on a detection value of the sensor unit, wherein
- the microprocessor is configured to perform
- the setting including setting the grip detection range, based on the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor.
A steering apparatus comprising:
- a steering wheel including a hub portion, a grip portion, and spoke portions, the grip portion including a pair of left and right vertical portions respectively extending substantially in an up-down direction on a left side and on a right side of the hub portion and a horizontal portion extending substantially in a left-right direction below the hub portion and connecting the pair of left and right vertical portions, the spoke portions connecting the grip portion with the hub portion;
- a steering angle detection unit configured to detect a steering angle of the steering wheel;
- a sensor unit configured to detect contact or proximity of a human body to the grip portion;
- and
- a microprocessor, wherein
- the microprocessor is configured to perform:
- comparing a detection value of the sensor unit with a first predetermined threshold;
- and
- determining whether the grip portion is gripped, based on a result of the comparing, and end portions of the grip portion are provided to protrude upward relative to the spoke portions, wherein
- the microprocessor is configured to perform:
- the comparing including, in a case where the steering angle detected by the steering angle detection unit is equal to or larger than a predetermined value and a position where the contact or the proximity of the human body is detected by the sensor unit is included in the end portions, comparing the detection value of the sensor unit with a second predetermined threshold different from the first predetermined threshold;
- and
- the determining including determining whether the grip portion is gripped, based on the result of the comparing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.