Method of making a unitary composite steering wheel and air bag

Details Method of making a unitary composite steering wheel and air bag Method of making a unitary composite steering wheel and air bag

1998-02-05

2000-01-25

Ortiz, Angela

Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes

Mechanical shaping or molding to form or reform shaped article

To produce composite, plural part or multilayered article

264250, 2642711, B28B 722

Patent

active

060174811

ABSTRACT:
A unitary composite steering wheel and air bag cover assembly includes a one-piece plastic body having an air bag cover portion, a one-piece rear rim portion molded from a plastic material compatible with the plastic of the body and a one-piece skeletal frame structure including a rim portion encapsulated therebetween. The plastic may be either a thermoplastic or a thermosetting plastic. In one embodiment, circular front contact surfaces of the rear rim portion bond with circular back contact surfaces of a front rim portion of the body by diffusion between the contact surfaces thereof with the frame structure therebetween. The resulting assembly is hardened so that a molecular concentration gradient is formed at an interface between the plastics to bond the plastics by diffusion. In another embodiment, the rear rim portion and the body are molded from the same plastic material in a single mold cavity with the rim portion of the frame structure encapsulated therebetween and an air bag aperture of the frame structure covered by and aligned with the air bag cover portion at its predetermined tear seam design.

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