Patents by Inventor Christopher J. Ploch

Christopher J. Ploch has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Steering wheel skin deformation display
    Patent number: 10933808
    Abstract: A haptic feedback device for a vehicle is provided that has a ring member disposed circumferentially on the steering wheel as the moving element. This allows the system to be used with a wide variety of driver hand positions on the steering wheel, as opposed to requiring the driver to grip the steering wheel only in specific locations. A linear actuator is used, and accommodating the difference between the linear actuator motion and the rotational motion of the ring member is done via elastic compliance in the system (as opposed to providing pivots, rotary joints etc.). Such elastic compliance can only accommodate a limited range of angular motion (e.g., +/?1 degree), but this small range of motion has been found to be sufficient for this haptic display application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Christopher J. Ploch, Jung Hwa Bae, Mark R. Cutkosky
  • Steering Wheel Skin Deformation Display
    Publication number: 20190210523
    Abstract: A haptic feedback device for a vehicle is provided that has a ring member disposed circumferentially on the steering wheel as the moving element. This allows the system to be used with a wide variety of driver hand positions on the steering wheel, as opposed to requiring the driver to grip the steering wheel only in specific locations. A linear actuator is used, and accommodating the difference between the linear actuator motion and the rotational motion of the ring member is done via elastic compliance in the system (as opposed to providing pivots, rotary joints etc.). Such elastic compliance can only accommodate a limited range of angular motion (e.g., +/?1 degree), but this small range of motion has been found to be sufficient for this haptic display application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher J. Ploch, Jung Hwa Bae, Mark R. Cutkosky