Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Elements
Patent
1984-10-25
1987-01-06
Cohan, Alan
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Elements
B62D 104
Patent
active
046337342
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a steering wheel, and more particularly, to a steering wheel made of reinforced plastics.
BACKGROUND ART
A steering wheel for an automobile usually comprises an annular rim defining a grip, a boss connected to a steering shaft and spokes connecting the rim and the boss. It has been usual to form all of the rim, boss and spokes from carbon steel, weld the rim to the spokes and the spokes to the boss, and enclose the rim in an ornamental rubber or plastic mold. The lightest steering wheel has a weight of 2 kg, since it consists mainly of steel. It vibrates when the automobile runs at a high speed or on a bad road. The vibration of the steering wheel brings about a reduction in the stability of its operation, a discomfort to the driver and an increase in fuel consumption.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
This invention has been made to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art as hereinabove pointed out, and is characterized by comprising a rim having a unidirectionally fiber-reinforced plastic layer surrounding a core of lightweight material, such as a foam, and a metal spoke having one end secured to a metal boss, while the other end thereof is secured to the rim by a unidirectionally fiber-reinforced plastic layer.
This arrangement provides a lightweight and yet sufficiently strong steering wheel which has a high degree of stability in operation without vibrating when the automobile is running, and enables a reduction in fuel consumption. The steering wheel of this invention also ensures a high degree of safety, since no knife edge is formed on the spoke or boss by an impact arising from the collision of the automobile, but the impact energy is absorbed by the plastic deformation of the spoke.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 and 2 are a side elevational view and a front elevational view, respectively, of wheel embodying this invention, FIGS. 3 to 5 are sectional views taken along the lines A--A, B--B and C--C, respectively, of FIG. 2, FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate another embodiment of this invention, FIG. 6 being a view corresponding to the sectional view taken along the line B--B of FIG. 2, while FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to the sectional view taken along the line D--D of FIG. 2, FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line E--E of FIG. 10 showing still another embodiment of this invention and FIGS. 9 and 10 show an example of connecting the steering wheel of the present invention to the steering column of an automobile.
BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of this invention will be described with reference to the drawings. A streeing wheel comprises an annular rim 1 forming a grip for the driver, a boss 3 for connection to a steering shaft, and a number of spokes 2 connecting the rim 1 and the boss 3, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. The boss 3 has a serrated portion 5 engaged about the steering shaft 4, and the shaft 4 is secured to the boss 3 by a nut 6. The rim 1 comprises a core 8 of lightweight material, such as foamed plastics or rubber, and a reinforced plastic layer 9 surrounding the core 8 and containing unidirectional fiber having a high degree of elasticity and a high degree of strength to withstand the bending and twisting moments acting on the steering wheel, such as carbon, aramid or alumina fiber, as shown in FIG. 3. The spoke 2 comprises a hollow pipe of carbon steel, aluminum, duralumin or stainless steel having a rectangular cross section as shown in FIG. 4, and has an inner end to which the boss 3, which is made of carbon steel or aluminum, is connected rigidly by welding or otherwise. The outer end of the spoke 2 is secured to the rim 1 by a reinforced plastic layer 10 containing highly elastic and strong unidirectional fiber, such as carbon fiber, as shown in FIG. 5. An ornamental mold 11 covers the rim 1 and the joint between the rim 1 and the spoke 2. The ornamental mold 11 surrounds the reinforced plastic 10 at the joint between the rim 1 and the spoke 2.
It is usually sufficient for the steering wheel to withsta
REFERENCES:
patent: 1825392 (1931-09-01), Geyer
patent: 2017681 (1935-10-01), Burgess
patent: 2144000 (1939-01-01), Seaman
patent: 2146703 (1939-02-01), Husted
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patent: 2810301 (1957-10-01), Mathues
patent: 3613476 (1971-10-01), Cunningham
patent: 3726152 (1973-04-01), Tsuneizumi
patent: 4118455 (1978-10-01), Byrn
patent: 4201830 (1980-05-01), Wollen
patent: 4468978 (1984-09-01), Takahara et al.
Fujita Ryoji
Kitakoga Hidetoshi
Yano Isamu
Cohan Alan
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
Rivell John A.
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