# US 12,600,399 B2 · Steering apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,600,399 B2 - Document ID: US12600399B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 19/017,726 - Filed: 2025-01-12 - Published: 2025-07-17 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2024-01-17 - Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Shotaro Odate - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12600399B2 ## CPC - 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) - B60W 50/085: {Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input} - G01D 5/241: by relative movement of capacitor electrodes - G01R 27/2605: {Measuring capacitance (capacitive sensors G01D5/24)} - 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) - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein end portions of the grip portion are provided to protrude upward relative to the spoke portions, and the microprocessor is configured to perform the setting including setting beforehand a first region including the end portions as the grip detection range, in a case where the steering angle detected by the steering angle detection unit is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, changing the grip detection range from the first region to a second region in which the end portions are excluded. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The steering apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined value is the steering angle detected by the steering angle detection unit, when the steering wheel is steered clockwise and counterclockwise by 30 degrees from a neutral position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is configured to further perform outputting information including a result of the determining to an external device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The steering apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the microprocessor is configured to perform the determining including determining whether a grip of a left hand has been detected in the grip detection range corresponding to the left hand, and determining whether a grip of a right hand has been detected in the grip detection range corresponding to the right hand, and the outputting including outputting, to the external device, gripping state information indicating a gripping state based on a first determination result corresponding to the left hand and a second determination result corresponding to the right hand. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The steering apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the microprocessor is configured to perform the outputting including outputting the gripping state information indicating that the steering wheel is properly gripped, in a case where it is determined that the steering wheel is gripped by both hands, based on the first determination result and the second determination result, and outputting the gripping state information indicating that the steering wheel is not properly gripped, in a case where it is determined that the steering wheel is gripped by any one of the hands. ### Claim 7 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. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The steering apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the microprocessor is configured to perform the determining including determining that the grip portion is gripped when the detection value of the sensor unit is equal to or larger than a first predetermined threshold value, and in the case where the steering angle is equal to or larger than the predetermined value and the position where the contact or the proximity of the human body is detected by the sensor unit is included in the end portions, determining that the grip portion is gripped when the detection value of the sensor unit is equal to or larger than a second predetermined threshold value larger than the first predetermined threshold value.