Rotating signal transducer
AssigneeMethode Electronics, Inc.
InventorDavid Cripe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wireless rotating signal transducer. A control circuit is provided for transferring power and communication signals through a wireless coupling device in a vehicle steering column. A squib firing circuit transforms a high energy power signal suitable for firing an air-bag from the column side to the wheel side. A low-energy power circuit generates a signal from the column side to the wheel side suitable for operating isolated wheel side electronics, such as cruise control and the like. A pulse-encoder circuit communicates low-level control signals suitable for signaling wheel-side commands from the wheel side to the column side. The low-energy power circuit and pulse encoder circuit operate simultaneously and continuously without signal debilitating interaction.
Claims21
An inductive power and airbag firing circuit for a vehicle steering column, comprising:
- a first loop antenna to be placed around a vehicle side of a steering column;
- a second loop antenna to be placed around a steering wheel side of the steering column, parallel to the first loop antenna, wherein a gap is to be present between the first and second loop antennas;
- an oscillating signal generator circuit to be located on the vehicle side of a steering column for transmitting squib firing signal via the first loop antenna at a predetermined frequency for firing a squib of an airbag;
- a timer to be located on the vehicle side of a steering column for transmitting a timer signal via the first loop antenna at a predetermined frequency for proving power to a power receiving circuit;
- a power receiving circuit to be located on the steering wheel side of the steering column for inductively receiving the timer signal via the second loop antenna, and converting the received oscillating signal into power for control circuits on the steering wheel side of the steering column;
- and
- a squib firing circuit to be located on the steering wheel side of the steering column for firing an airbag squib in response to a received squib firing signal inductively received via the second loop antenna.
An inductive clockspring to be located on the steering column of a vehicle for powering steering wheel controls and firing an airbag during a crash, comprising:
- a first loop antenna to be placed around a vehicle side of a steering column;
- a second loop antenna to be placed around a steering wheel side of the steering column, parallel to the first loop antenna, wherein a gap is to be present between the first and second loop antennas;
- an oscillating signal generator circuit to be located on the vehicle side of a steering column for transmitting squib firing signal via the first loop antenna at a predetermined frequency for firing a squib of an airbag;
- a timer to be located on the vehicle side of a steering column for transmitting a pulsed timer signal via the first loop antenna at a predetermined frequency for proving power to a power receiving circuit;
- a power receiving circuit to be located on the steering wheel side of the steering column for inductively receiving the timer signal via the second loop antenna, and converting the received oscillating signal into power for control circuits on the steering wheel side of the steering column;
- and
- a squib firing circuit to be located on the steering wheel side of the steering column for firing an airbag squib in response to a received squib firing signal inductively received via the second loop antenna.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.