A vehicle steering wheel is provided that includes a rim having a core structure, a plurality of heating zones surrounding at least a portion of the core structure, each heating zone having conductive circuitry to define a heater and a capacitive sensor for sensing location of a user's hand on the steering wheel, and a controller controlling the conductive circuitry in each heating zone to operate as the capacitive sensor to sense a presence of the user's hand in at least one heating zone and to switch to operate as the heater to heat the at least one heating zone when the hand is sensed in the at least one heating zone.

A wireless charging steering wheel device is described herein. The wireless charging steering wheel device is coupled to a power source via a clockspring included in the steering wheel. Also disclosed herein is an integrated wireless charging/heating system. Also disclosed herein are multiple coil placements for implementing the wireless charging steering wheel device.

A method for introducing electric conductors into an overmolding of a steering wheel frame is provided. The electric conductors are used for heating and shielding purposes and for sensing contact on a steering wheel. In a first step, at least one cut is introduced into the overmolding using a cutting tool. In a second step, both a first layer of an electric conductor and a second layer of an electric conductor are simultaneously introduced into the cut that has been created. The first layer forms both a heating layer for heating the steering wheel and a guard layer which, together with the second layer acting as a sensor layer, allows the capacitive sensing of hand contact.

A steering wheel is provided with a heater element on the rim. The heater element is mounted at least on a part of a core of the rim, and a cladding layer formed from synthetic resin foam covers an outer circumference of the heater element. The heater element includes a cord-shaped heater and a base material. The base material includes an insulation sheet that is formed from synthetic resin foam and disposed to face towards the core and a permeable sheet that is formed from non-metal which allows permeation of the cladding layer. The insulation sheet and permeable sheet are bonded together and sandwich and support the cord-shaped heater there between.

A steering device 10 mounted on a vehicle includes: a steering body 12 having left and right sensors 22L and 22R installed in a rim 16 gripped by a driver to detect a driver's condition; and a detection circuit 14 configured to detect a driver's condition on the basis of a detection signal from at least the left and right sensors 22L and 22R, wherein a wire length Ll of a left harness 30L from the detection circuit 14 to the left sensor 22L is substantially equal to a wire length Lr of a right harness 30R from the detection circuit 14 to the right sensor 22R.

Grip sensor includes base material, sensor wire formed on base material, and sensor circuit electrically connected to an end of sensor wire. Sensor wire includes first wire portion on a side of sensor end, and a second wire portion on a side of power source end. In a state where base material is attached on a rim, second wire portion is disposed at an outer peripheral surface of the rim that is a site opposing a knee or thigh of a driver operating a steering wheel, and first wire portion is disposed at a front side and a rear side of the rim.

An electric heating device, in particular for automotive application, includes at least one heating member and electric terminals that are provided as electric connections connectable to an electric power supply. The heating member includes at least one dielectric, planar, flexible carrier formed as a textile carrier or as a polymeric foam carrier and having an upper surface and an opposite lower surface arranged in parallel to the upper surface, wherein at least one out of the upper surface and the lower surface is equipped with an attached continuous layer of electrically conductive material, which extends over a major part of an area of the respective surface of the at least one flexible carrier. At least one electric terminal is arranged at and electrically connected to each end of the electrically conductive material layer of each heating member.

A cord-shaped heater 1, having: a conductive wires 5a; an inner-layer covering 7 formed on the outer periphery of the conductive wires 5a; and an outer-layer covering 9 formed on the outer periphery of the inner-layer covering 7, wherein the melting temperature of the inner-layer covering 7 is higher than the melting temperature of the outer-layer covering 9, the inner-layer covering 7 and the outer-layer covering 9 are made of same type of polymer material, and the inner-layer covering 7 and the outer-layer covering 9 are adhered to each other. The cord-shaped heater 1, wherein the conductive wire 5a includes a plurality of conductive wires, and the conductive wires 5a is covered with an insulating film 5b. A sheet-shaped heater, wherein the cord-shaped heater is arranged on a substrate, the substrate has a gap, at least a part of the outer-layer covering is penetrated into the gap of the substrate, and the inner-layer covering is not penetrated into the gap of the substrate.

A vehicle steering wheel is provided that includes a core structure, a heater mat surrounding a portion of the core structure to define a heated portion, a gap in the heater mat defining an unheated portion, a cover wrap surrounding the heater mat and having first and second edges stitched together at a seam, and a thermally conductive polymer thermally coupled to the heater mat and extending across the gap below the first and second edges of the cover wrap for conducting thermal energy.

A temperature control device for temperature control of a steering device, characterized in that the temperature control device has at least one heat-conducting device, at least one thermoelectric device, and at least one fluid transport apparatus.