F1 Steering Wheel electrical connections

[pitlaneimmigrant]

I´m not sure that I can see the benefit of using slip rings with a steering wheel as the steering wheel is only rotating +/- 180 degrees, has low power and low bandwidth requirements, as well as the current connector systems providing a light weight, robust and proven solution. Not to mention that the steering wheel isn´t rotating relative to the steering column so the slip ring would be providing a rotating connection between steering column and main harness .

Having had a quick read up on slip rings, they are certainly some clever pieces of kit, but I´m not sure I expect to see them on an F1 car.

Have you seen this used before in F1, or any motorsports category?

[Caito]

Is not as "Low power" as I thought it would be.

The PCU-6D you posted, with leds ON is rated as 0.6A 13.8V typical. That's 8,3 watt, which is a cent of a horsepower.

[ESPImperium]

Usually two copper contacts or "slip rings". One being ground the other being usually 12v.
Data is passed through the DC lines digitally. They'll probably eventually become radio connected, if not already :wink:

BMW tested a steering wheel with a BlueTooth connection in early 2008 and found that the BT reciver under the drivers seat was fair game for vibrations to knock it off. However someone pointed out it could have been due to the fact that BT is very dependant on mass between revivers, and the mass of a Carbon Seat and the drivers legs and lower torso was just a little too much.

The weight saved with a BT connection was an alleged 3 Kilos, but the connection to get solid data and function between car and wheel is more important than weight.

The next generation of steering wheels will probably have WiFi connections in them, however i think a wireless wheel will be banned by the FIA before it even hits a car in anger again. Better with a wired connection for safety, as you dont want to be going down to Ascari at 300Km/h plus and the car selects neutral or it alters a diff setting that spits the car off into the gravel.

[pitlaneimmigrant]

The reliability of the connection would be paramount. at the very least you would lose clutch and shift paddles if you lost connection.

Not sure I believe a 3kg weight saving though, a steering wheel is less than 1.5kg (http://www.f1technical.net/articles/30) and the whole chassis harness is only a few kg. Even if there was a weight saving I wouldn´t trust a wireless connection. Can you imagine the carnage if someone flooded the circuit with RF in the right range and disabled all the steering wheel connections? Not to mention the weight of the battery in the steering wheel

Just saying....

[srikanth977]

@pitlaneimmigrant:

We are looking for something like that you mentioned in the document.

But I am not still convinced. I got a doubt.

1) with the steering wheel rotating left and right frequently, will the connector will handle it?( the wires should not get twisted)
2) Can this be mounted into any steering (motorsport) wheel?
3) How to mount it so that there will be no misalignment of the wires?

Please help

[piast9]

Are you sure about these sliprings etc? In my opinion it's unnecessary complication of a quite simple task. Take the receiver of your stationary phone. Now try to rotate it few times left and right. Does the coiled cord handle it? Yes it does. If such cable in a car would run down the steering column and exit it at its bottom then it didn't even have to be coiled.

[marcush.]

whoa ...the mclaren electronic units are not really high temp resistant ,are they ..and dash display just water splash proof ...I
I ´m not sure if that was what I was specifying for a harsh environment like a formula1 car...it is 50°C ambient and it´s black...so very well possible to get you into trouble with radiated heat (sunlight!) on the grid..

[pitlaneimmigrant]

Marcush, the steering wheel and display tend to get a nice breeze going over them, so I haven't seen temperature issues and IP66 (or is it IP67) which should be fine even in a malaysian monsoon.

Piast9, good example, that pretty much sums it up.

srikanth, the two halves of the connector pair a fixed in position, one in the column, the other in the wheel. The wheel only fits the column in one orientation so the connectors always go together correctly. The connector doesn't take any of the load, the quick release does that.
Google 'lifeline quick release boss' to see some examples of an 'off the shelf' version

[speedsense]

This is what Jersey Tom is speaking of. This one built by SPA, is in use by a lot teams. You cannot see the male pins of the quick release that plug into the steering column female fitting..

The silver connector on the upper right can be 6 or 12 pin and is built into the steering column, with the wires exiting out the steering column at the end nearest the rack.. The yellow one (steering wheel mount) connects to the dash and contains the male counterpart on the end you can't see.... the black piece mounts the steering wheel..