Patent ID: 6114949
Filing Date: 2000-09-05
Classification: B60R,B62D

Abstract:
A steering wheel (10), in particular for controlling a motor vehicle, having a steering wheel ring (11) extending at least part of the way around, which ring is connected to a steering wheel hub (13) by at least one steering wheel spoke (12) extending substantially radially to the steering wheel ring (11), the steering wheel (10) comprising a fiber-optical sensor with at least one optical fiber (14), on the first end of which a light-emitting transmitter (16) transmits a light signal (16.1), which a light-sensitive pickup (18) on the opposite, second end receives; that the pickup (18) directs a response signal (18.1) corresponding to the received light signal (16.2) to an evaluation circuit (15); and that the evaluation circuit (15), on the basis of the modulation between the transmitted light signal (16.1) and the received light signal (16.2) that takes place in the event of the imposition of force or pressure on the optical fiber (14), generates a driver signal (20.x), which serves to control at least one vehicle-specific device.