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US-20260125101-A1 - CONDUCTIVE CLOTH, STEERING WHEEL ON WHICH THE CONDUCTIVE CLOTH IS MOUNTED, AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF THE STEERING WHEEL

US20260125101A1US 20260125101 A1US20260125101 A1US 20260125101A1US-20260125101-A1

Abstract

A conductive cloth is used for a steering wheel mounted on a moving body. The conductive cloth has a fabric having conductivity and made of yarn including crimped yarn. In a state where the conductive cloth is attached to a rim body of the steering wheel, a density of the fabric at a position corresponding to a seam portion of a skin of the steering wheel is higher than a density of the fabric at a position corresponding to a portion of the skin excluding the seam portion.

Inventors

  • Masaaki IEDA
  • Shintaro Nakamura
  • Junichi Ieda
  • Arata NAKAYAMA
  • Toshinori Sasaji

Assignees

  • TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
  • SEIREN CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251106
Priority Date
20241107

Claims (4)

  1. 1 . A conductive cloth used for a steering wheel mounted on a moving body, the conductive cloth comprising: a fabric having conductivity and made of yarn including crimped yarn, wherein in a state where the conductive cloth is attached to a rim body of the steering wheel, a density of the fabric at a position corresponding to a seam portion of a skin of the steering wheel is higher than a density of the fabric at a position corresponding to a portion of the skin excluding the seam portion.
  2. 2 . A steering wheel on which the conductive cloth according to claim 1 is mounted.
  3. 3 . A manufacturing method of a steering wheel having a rim portion to be gripped by an occupant of a moving body, the method comprising: preparing a rim body of the rim portion and a conductive cloth that includes a fabric having conductivity and made of yarn including crimped yarn; and covering the rim body with the conductive cloth such that a density of the fabric at a planned position corresponding to a seam portion of a skin that covers the conductive cloth in the steering wheel is higher than a density of the fabric at a position corresponding to a portion of the skin excluding the seam portion.
  4. 4 . The manufacturing method according to claim 3 , wherein the seam portion is provided along an inner circumference of the rim portion in a front view of the steering wheel, and the covering of the rim body with the conductive cloth includes: arranging the conductive cloth along an outer circumferential surface of the rim body; and stretching the conductive cloth arranged on the outer circumferential surface toward the inner circumference such that both end portions of the conductive cloth are arranged at the planned position of the rim body corresponding to the seam portion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Applications No. 2024-194887 filed on Nov. 7, 2024 and No. 2025-184189 filed on Oct. 31, 2025, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a conductive cloth, a steering wheel on which the conductive cloth is mounted, and a manufacturing method of the steering wheel. BACKGROUND ART Various types of steering devices equipped with a sensor for detecting a grip by an occupant have been proposed. For example, JP2022-026032A discloses a steering wheel including a sensor layer including a conductive knitted material. The sensor layer is covered with a skin. The skin is fixed by sewing together end portions of the skin member and covers the sensor layer. The seam portion is thicker than other portions of the skin in order to secure the seam allowance. Therefore, it is concerned that the sensitivity of the sensor for gripping detection in the seam portion may decrease. SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention can be implemented as the following aspects. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a conductive cloth used for a steering wheel mounted on a moving body is provided. The conductive cloth includes a fabric that has conductivity and is made of yarn including crimped yarn. In a state where the conductive cloth is attached to a rim body of the steering wheel, a density of the fabric at a position corresponding to a seam portion of a skin of the steering wheel is higher than a density of the fabric at a position corresponding to a portion of the skin excluding the seam portion. According to the conductive fabric of the aspect, since the density of the fabric at the position corresponding to the seam portion is higher than the density of the fabric at the position corresponding to the skin portion excluding the seam portion, it is possible to suppress a decrease in sensor sensitivity at the seam portion. In addition, since the fabric is made of the yarn including the crimped yarn, the fabric is likely to expand and contract as compared with a configuration in which the yarn does not include the crimped yarn. Accordingly, the density difference of the fabric in the conductive fabric can be easily provided, and the density of the fabric at the position corresponding to the seam portion can be easily increased. In addition, since the conductive cloth includes the fabric, it is possible to suppress the conductive cloth from losing its shape as compared with a configuration in which the conductive cloth does not include the fabric and is formed of a knitted material only. The present disclosure can be implemented in various aspects. For example, the present disclosure is realized in forms such as a steering wheel on which the conductive cloth is mounted, a moving body on which the steering wheel is mounted, and a manufacturing method of the steering wheel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein: FIG. 1 is a front view of a steering wheel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a rim portion taken along line II-II in FIG. 1; and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a manufacturing method of the steering wheel. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS A. Embodiment (A1. Device Configuration) FIG. 1 is a front view of a steering wheel 100 according to an aspect of the present disclosure. An X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 are axes indicating directions intersecting each other at 90-degree angle. In the present embodiment, the Y axis is parallel to the left-right direction of a vehicle, and the Z axis is parallel to a rotation shaft 101. The steering wheel 100 in the present embodiment is mounted on the vehicle and is used to indicate a traveling direction of the vehicle. The steering wheel 100 includes a hub portion 110, a rim portion 120, and a spoke portion 130. The hub portion 110 is located at the center of the steering wheel 100 in a front view thereof, and is connected to the rotation shaft 101 of the vehicle. The rim portion 120 is provided to surround the hub portion 110. The rim portion 120 is gripped by an occupant who steers the vehicle. The rim portion 120 in the present embodiment has an annular external shape. The spoke portion 130 connects the hub portion 110 and the rim portion 120 to each other. The spoke portion 130 is provided with a functional member such as a switch. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the rim portion 120 taken along line II-II in FIG. 1. The rim portion 120 includes a rim body 200, a conductive cloth 300, and a skin 400. The rim body 200 includes a rim core metal 210 and a cushion portion 220. The rim core metal 210 is a framework of the rim portion 120. The rim core metal 210 has a U shape protruding