Invention Grant
US07726972B1 Liquid metal rotary connector apparatus for a vehicle steering wheel and column
有权
用于车辆方向盘和立柱的液体金属旋转连接器装置
- Patent Title: Liquid metal rotary connector apparatus for a vehicle steering wheel and column
- Patent Title (中): 用于车辆方向盘和立柱的液体金属旋转连接器装置
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Application No.: US12505088Application Date: 2009-07-17
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Publication No.: US07726972B1Publication Date: 2010-06-01
- Inventor: Scott D. Brandenburg , Shing Yeh , Mark W. Gose
- Applicant: Scott D. Brandenburg , Shing Yeh , Mark W. Gose
- Applicant Address: US MI Troy
- Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
- Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US MI Troy
- Agent Jimmy L. Funke
- Main IPC: H01R39/00
- IPC: H01R39/00

Abstract:
A liquid metal rotary connector for a vehicle steering mechanism utilizes a conductive alloy comprising Gallium, Indium, Tin and Zinc to electrically couple stationary and rotary terminals of the connector. The alloy is a liquid at ambient temperatures, and has a melting point of −36° C., though testing has shown that it operates satisfactorily at temperatures as low as −40° C. In a preferred arrangement, the rotary connector provides a two-wire connection through which power is supplied from the steering column to the steering wheel, and electronic modules located in the steering column and the steering wheel support bi-directional data communication through voltage and current modulation of the supplied power.
Information query