Patent ID: 8875596

Claim:
A steering wheel configuration, comprising: a steering wheel; at least one shift paddle coupled to said steering wheel, said shift paddle being configured to move relative to said steering wheel so as to trigger a shifting operation, the shifting operation being triggered by actuation of a sensor that is triggered in a contactless manner; and a slotted guide mechanism that interacts with a slide that is prestressed against said slotted guide mechanism, the slotted guide mechanism including at least one initial bevel that is divided into first and second bevel sections and a central bevel that is angled away from the at least one initial bevel, wherein the first bevel section is arranged substantially at an angle of 50 degrees with respect to an axis of movement of said slide in an unactuated state of the shift paddle so that an initial resistance is imparted to the shift paddle through the slide against the first bevel section when starting an actuation of the shift paddle, wherein the second bevel section is arranged substantially at an angle of 70 degrees to the axis of movement of the slide in the unactuated state of the shift paddle, wherein a kink at an intersection between the first and second bevels sections causes a change in the resistance imparted to the shift paddle, and wherein the central bevel imparts a resistance to further movement of the shift paddle as the slide comes to bear against the central bevel.