Apparatus and method for adjusting a steering wheel
AssigneeAutomotive Technologies International, Inc.
InventorsDavid S. Breed, Wilbur E. DuVall, Wendell C. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and method for adjusting a steering wheel extending from a front console of a vehicle in which at least one motor is coupled to the steering column or steering wheel and is at least automatically controllable without manual intervention to adjust the steering wheel relative to the front console. A system determines at least one morphological characteristic of a driver and a control circuit is coupled to the system and the motor(s) for automatically controlling the motor(s) based on the morphological characteristic(s). In this manner, the position of the steering wheel can be adjusted for each driver and can be changed when the driver of the vehicle varies between sequential uses.
Claims52
An apparatus for adjusting a steering wheel extending from a front console, comprising:
- at least one motor coupled to the steering column or steering wheel, said at least one motor being at least automatically controllable without manual intervention to adjust the steering wheel relative to the front console;
- determining means for determining at least one morphological characteristic of a driver;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to said determining means and said at least one motor for automatically controlling said at least one motor based on the at least one morphological characteristic determined by said determining means.
A vehicle, comprising:
- a front console;
- a steering column extending from said front console;
- a steering wheel arranged on said steering column;
- at least one motor automatically controllable without manual intervention to adjust said steering wheel relative to said front console;
- a system for determining at least one morphological characteristic of a driver;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to said system and said at least one motor for automatically controlling said at least one motor based on the at least one morphological characteristic determined by said system.
A method for adjusting a steering wheel mounted on a steering column extending from a front console of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one motor capable of adjusting the position of the steering wheel;
- determining at least one morphological characteristic of a driver;
- and
- automatically controlling the at least one motor based on the at least one morphological characteristic and without manual intervention to adjust the steering wheel relative to the front console.
An arrangement for automatically adjusting a steering wheel in a vehicle, comprising:
- a seated-state evaluating system for evaluating the seated-state of a driver's seat in the vehicle;
- a processor coupled to said evaluating system and including a table of settings for positions of the steering wheel based on seated-states of the driver's seat;
- and
- at least one motor for adjusting the steering wheel,
- whereby said evaluating system operatively determines the seated-state of the driver's seat, and said processor obtains a setting for the position of the steering wheel for the operatively determined seated-state of the driver and controls said at least one motor to adjust the steering wheel to the position setting.
A method for automatically adjusting a steering wheel in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- creating a table of settings for positions of the steering wheel based on seated-states of the driver's seat;
- determining the seated-state of a driver's seat in the vehicle;
- obtaining a setting for the position of the steering wheel from the table based on the determined seated-state of the driver's seat;
- providing at least one motor for adjusting the steering wheel;
- and
- controlling the at least one motor to adjust the steering wheel to the setting obtained from the table.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.