A lever operation device includes an operation lever which rotates integrally with a steering wheel of a vehicle and receives operations at least in upward and downward directions and around which a predetermined region is set so as to prevent the operation lever from contacting with a leg of a user seated in a driver's seat when the steering wheel is rotated to a maximum steering angle, and an operation portion that is arranged on the operation lever so as not to be located out of the region and includes plural operating positions each assigned an executable function.

A steering column assembly module having an operating device for setting an operating parameter of a motor vehicle comprises a static central element that annularly surrounds a steering axis, and a recess, and has an elongated rotary element with a longitudinal axis, and comprises a grip section, and a bearing section that is fixedly connected to the grip section. In this context, the bearing section of the rotary element is disposed in the recess of the central element at least sectionally, and is mounted in the central element rotatably about the longitudinal axis, wherein a rotation sensor is configured to detect a rotational position of the rotary element, and in dependence upon the detected rotational position, to generate a control signal for setting the operating parameter.

A switch cap for a switch device that can reduce a pressing error of a switch is provided. A three-dimensional first cap main body moves by a force applied to a first abutting portion from a finger which is an operator. A first sensor is disposed in the first cap main body, and detects abutting or approach of the finger to the first abutting portion. A first transmission member is fixed to the inside of the first cap main body, and moves together with the first cap main body for first switching to transmit movement of the first cap main body to a push button which is a predetermined location of a switch device. A first sensor is formed in a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) disposed in the first cap main body, and the FPC is fixed by the first transmission member and the first cap main body.

A switch device includes a switch body, which is arranged at the back side of a steering unit, and a lever unit, which is attached to the switch body to allow for switching by a pivotal operation about a first axis, which extends in the axial direction of a steering shaft. The lever unit includes a lever shaft, which extends in a direction intersecting the first axis of the pivotal operation, a lever head, which is arranged at the distal end of the lever shaft and has a larger dimension than the diameter of the lever shaft, and a push operation unit, which allows for switching by a push operation. The push operation unit is arranged so that the operation direction of the push operation is directed toward the first axis.

A steering switch device, which is mounted on a steering wheel, includes a linear switch that includes a hollow insulator having restorability and two electrode wires arranged spirally along an inner surface of a hollow part in the hollow insulator while being kept not in contact with each other, wherein a winding pitch coiling spirally the electrode wires is at least not more than 10 mm, and a detecting device that detects a press of the linear switch by sensing a contact of the electrode wires. The linear switch is arranged so as to be along at least part of a surface of the steering wheel.

The present invention relates to automotive interface systems and methods. In one embodiment, an automotive interface system includes a steering wheel and an integrated interpolated variable impedance array that comprises a grid of sensing elements. The sensing elements are configured to power on simultaneously and to simultaneously generate multiple currents along multiple current paths in response to sensing a touch wherein the amount of current generated by a sensing element of the grid is directly proportional to the force applied by the touch. The automotive interface system also includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a processor communicatively coupled to the interpolated variable impedance array that are configured to receive the multiple currents along multiple current paths and determine a location, a duration, an area, and a force of the touch from the multiple currents along multiple current paths.

The present invention relates to automotive interface systems and methods. In one embodiment, an automotive interface system includes a steering wheel and an integrated interpolated variable impedance array that comprises a grid of sensing elements. The sensing elements are configured to power on simultaneously and to simultaneously generate multiple currents along multiple current paths in response to sensing a touch wherein the amount of current generated by a sensing element of the grid is directly proportional to the force applied by the touch. The automotive interface system also includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a processor communicatively coupled to the interpolated variable impedance array that are configured to receive the multiple currents along multiple current paths and determine a location, a duration, an area, and a force of the touch from the multiple currents along multiple current paths.

The present invention relates to automotive interface systems and methods. In one embodiment, an automotive interface system includes a steering wheel and an integrated interpolated variable impedance array that comprises a grid of sensing elements. The sensing elements are configured to power on simultaneously and to simultaneously generate multiple currents along multiple current paths in response to sensing a touch wherein the amount of current generated by a sensing element of the grid is directly proportional to the force applied by the touch. The automotive interface system also includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a processor communicatively coupled to the interpolated variable impedance array that are configured to receive the multiple currents along multiple current paths and determine a location, a duration, an area, and a force of the touch from the multiple currents along multiple current paths.

The present invention relates to automotive interface systems and methods. In one embodiment, an automotive interface system includes a steering wheel and an integrated interpolated variable impedance array that comprises a grid of sensing elements. The sensing elements are configured to power on simultaneously and to simultaneously generate multiple currents along multiple current paths in response to sensing a touch wherein the amount of current generated by a sensing element of the grid is directly proportional to the force applied by the touch. The automotive interface system also includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a processor communicatively coupled to the interpolated variable impedance array that are configured to receive the multiple currents along multiple current paths and determine a location, a duration, an area, and a force of the touch from the multiple currents along multiple current paths.

A switch device includes a switch body, which is arranged at the back side of a steering unit, and a lever unit, which is attached to the switch body to allow for switching by a pivotal operation about a first axis, which extends in the axial direction of a steering shaft. The lever unit includes a lever shaft, which extends in a direction intersecting the first axis of the pivotal operation, a lever head, which is arranged at the distal end of the lever shaft and has a larger dimension than the diameter of the lever shaft, and a push operation unit, which allows for switching by a push operation. The push operation unit is arranged so that the operation direction of the push operation is directed toward the first axis.