GB2435087A

GB2435087A - Steering wheel or steering wheel cover with burstable cavities

Info

Publication number: GB2435087A
Application number: GB0602601A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wayne Jefferson Westerman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-02-09
Filing date: 2006-02-09
Publication date: 2007-08-15
Also published as: GB0602601D0

Abstract

A steering wheel is described, comprising at least one burstable enclosed cavity to relieve the stress of driving a vehicle. To alleviate stress while driving or while sat in a stationary vehicle, a cover 2 comprising at least one burstable enclosed cavity, 12 may be squeezed until the cavity is eventually burst, ruptured or popped. The at least one burstable cavity may produce a popping sound upon bursting. In certain embodiments the burstable cavity contains gas, e.g. air, and the release of the gas creates the popping sound, or the cavity can contain coloured water or gel. Each cavity maybe surrounded by 2 flexible layers of plastic 10 heat-sealed together to form a bubble. The layers may be attached to the wheel with elastic, Velcro(TM), cord or string for easy replacement when all the bubbles have been burst.

Description

STEERING WHEEL COVER

The present invention relates to steering wheel covers, and particularly, to steering wheel covers for use in relieving vehicle-related stress symptoms.

Congested cities, traffic jams and other road users all contribute to increased stress levels for drivers of any vehicle, such as cars, vans, and lorries etc. Increased levels of stress in the driver can have serious detrimental effects on the quality of their driving, because they are unable to concentrate fully on the driving itself. This decrease in concentration on the driving can often result in road accidents, and crashes, with the risk of personal injury both to the driver and any passengers in the car causing the accident due to the stress experienced by the driver, but also to the driver and any passengers in any vehicles, which may be involved in the accident.

Furthermore, road rage is becoming increasingly common in people driving vehicles, with the majority of road rage cases being a direct result of stress and stress-related driving symptoms. Road rage can result in stressed drivers abusing fellow road users, which can cause accidents. In extreme cases, road rage can result in stressed drivers getting out of their car to confront drivers of other vehicles, sometimes with the view of causing actual physical harm to them. it will be appreciated that there is therefore a pressing need to provide some means for reducing, relieving, or minimising stress in individuals driving a vehicle.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate one or more of the problems of the prior art, whether identified herein or elsewhere, and to provide a steering wheel cover for relieving, or minimising stress in an individual driving a vehicle, and/or for minimising the risk of road-rage.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a steering wheel cover comprising at least one burstable enclosed cavity.

Advantageously, the steering wheel cover according to the invention provides a novel, effective, and fun way to relieve the stress of driving any vehicle fitted with a steering wheel due to the presence of the burstable enclosed cavity. To alleviate stress while driving a vehicle (or while sat in a stationary vehicle, for example when sat in a traffic jam or queue), the cover, which comprises at least one burstable enclosed cavity, may be squeezed until the cavity is eventually burst, ruptured or popped by an individual driving the vehicle at will.

It is preferred that the at least one burstable cavity is adapted to produce a popping sound upon bursting. While the inventors do not wish to be bound by any hypothesis, they believe that the act of popping or bursting an enclosed cavity has a very effective de-stressing effect on the individual doing the bursting, both due to the act of squeezing the cavity itself, and also due to the popping noise that is made.

Hence, by providing a vehicle steering wheel with the cover according to the invention, the individual driving the vehicle can alleviate stress when in the vehicle, thereby decreasing the risk of an accident or experiencing road-rage.

The at least one burstable cavity may contain fluid. The fluid may be released as the cavity is burst in use, thereby causing a popping sound. The fluid may be a liquid, which may be coloured. For example, the fluid may be water. The fluid may be age!.

However, it is preferred that the at least one burstable cavity contains gas, for example, air. Accordingly, preferably, the release of the gas creates the popping sound.

The cover may be single use, and disposed once all of the burstable cavities have been burst. However, the cover may be re-useab!e, in which case the cover may

be inflatable.

By the term "enclosed cavity", we mean a bubble or contained void in the steering wheel cover.

It will be appreciated that the shape and size of the at least one burstable cavity may vary depending on the shape and dimensions of the steering wheel to which the steering wheel cover is to be attached. Hence, the at least one burstable cavity may have a cross-section which is substantially circular, semi-circular, square, rectangular, or triangular, and so on. Preferably, the at least one burstable cavity is between about 1mm to 60mm in diameter at it's widest section, more preferably, between about 10mm to 50mm wide, and most preferably, between about 20mm to 40mm across at it's widest section. The at least one burstable cavity is preferably between about 1mm to 50mm deep, more preferably, about 5mm to 30mm deep, and even more preferably, about 8mm to 20mm deep. By the term "deep", we mean the dimension of the cavity in an axis perpendicular to the plane of the steering wheel cover.

The steering wheel cover may comprise at least two substantially flexible layers attached to each other such that the at least one burstable cavity is formed therebetween. Preferably, at least one of the flexible layers is substantially transparent, preferably, comprising a clear and colourless material. It is preferred that both flexible layers are substantially transparent.

Preferably, the at least one burstable enclosed cavity is defined by a region where the two flexible layers are unattached to each other. Preferably, the unattached region is surrounded by a margin or seam where the layers are attached to each other.

Preferably, the cover comprises a plurality of burstable enclosed cavities. Preferably, the two layers are attached to each other such that the plurality of burstable cavities are formed therebetween. Hence, preferably, the or each cavity is surrounded by a margin. Advantageously, and preferably, the margins between each burstable cavity are adapted to enable the steering wheel cover to be folded around a steering wheel of a vehicle without accidentally disrupting or bursting the individual cavities until required to do so. Preferably, the margin between each cavity is between about 1mm to S0nîm wide, more preferably between about 2mm to 30mm wide, and even more preferably, between about 3mm to 20mm wide.

The flexible layers may be attached to each other by adhesive. However, preferably, the flexible layers are heat-sealable, wherein the two layers are attached together upon the application of heat, preferably along the margins. The layers may therefore comprise thermoformable film. Alternatively, the flexible layers may be non-heat sealable. For example, the flexible layers may be sealed together by pressure, i.e. the two layers are compressed together with sufficient force such that they adhere to each other, preferably along the margins. Preferably, a laminate structure is formed upon sealing the two layers together.

Suitable materials for the steering wheel cover will be known to the skilled technician. Preferably, the cover comprises plastic material, for example, polypropylene, polyethylene, PVC, or acrylic. However, it is most preferred that the steering wheel cover comprises Bubblewrap (TM) material, which will be known to the skilled technician, and readily available.

Preferably, the steering wheel cover is adapted to be attached to a steering wheel of a vehicle. Preferably, the cover is substantially circular in shape, and forms a cylinder having an open section. Preferably, the open section is suitably sized to receive a steering wheel.

The steering wheel cover may comprise securing means arranged in use to secure the cover to a vehicle steering wheel. It will be appreciated that the securing means may comprise any suitable means for securing the cover around the steering wheel. For example, the securing means may comprise cord, string, or Velcro (TM), etc. It is preferred that the securing means is substantially resilient, and is preferably operable to change the configuration of the cover between a first configuration in which the cover is substantially contracted, and a second configuration in which the cover is substantially expanded. Preferably, the cover may be placed over the steering wheel when in the second configuration, and is secured in position on the wheel when in the first configuration.

Preferably, the securing means comprises elastic, which preferably extends along a side of the cover. It is preferred that the securing means comprises two pieces of elastic, each of which extends on mutually opposing sides of the cover. Hence, the elastic maintains the cover around the steering wheel.

It will be appreciated that the steering wheel cover may be attached to the steering wheel of any vehicle, for example, a car, van, lorry, bus, transit van, jeep, and so on.

Hence, according to a second aspect, there is provided a steering wheel fitted with a steering wheel cover according to the first aspect.

The steering wheel may be of any vehicle having a steering wheel, such as a car, van, lorry, bus, transit van, jeep.

However, the inventors believe that it may be possible to manufacture a steering wheel having at least one burstable enclosed cavity.

Hence, in a third aspect, there is provided a steering wheel comprising at least one burstable enclosed cavity.

The at least one burstable cavity in the steering wheel according to the third aspect may be as defined in accordance with the first aspect.

Furthermore, the inventors of the invention believe that by providing a vehicle steering wheel either with the cover according to the first aspect of the invention or with at least one burstable enclosed cavity, that the individual driving the vehicle can alleviate stress when in the vehicle by bursting the cavity, thereby decreasing the risk accidents and road-rage occurring.

Hence, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of minimising stress in an individual driving a vehicle, the method comprising providing a vehicle steering wheel with at least one burstable enclosed cavity, which vehicle is being driven by an individual in need of such treatment, and bursting a burstable enclosed cavity.

It should be appreciated that the act of bursting the enclosed cavity minimises stress in the individual. This reduces the risk of the individual causing an accident, or suffering from road-rage. Preferably, the enclosed cavity is burst at a time when the individual feels an increase in stress levels, which may be due to experiencing poor traffic conditions or poor third party driving.

The at least one burstable enclosed cavity may be integral with the steering wheel. However, preferably, the method of the fourth aspect comprises attaching the steering wheel cover according to the first aspect to the vehicle steering wheel. The step of attaching may be achieved by placing the cover over the vehicle steering wheel when the cover is in the second configuration, and then securing the cover in position on the wheel when the cover is in the first configuration.

All of the features described herein (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined with any of the above aspects in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:-Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a steering wheel cover according to the invention secured to a vehicle steering wheel; Figure 2 shows a schematic perspective view of the steering wheel cover; and Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the steering wheel cover.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a steering wheel cover 2 fitted to a steering wheel 4 of a vehicle 6. Examples of the vehicle 6 to which the cover 2 could be secured include cars, lorries, vans, etc, although it will be appreciated that the cover 2 can be used with any vehicle that has a steering wheel. In Figure 1, the cover 2 is shown being secured to the steering wheel 4 of a small car 6 having a dashboard 8.

Figures 2 and 3 show the steering wheel cover 2 and its components in more detail. The cover 2 consists of two sheets or films 10 of thin plastic material, which are attached together at corresponding positions to form a series of spaced apart pockets or bubbles 12 therebetween. Examples of a suitable plastic material with which the cover 2 may be made include polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, or acrylic.

Figure 3 shows the cover 2 as having four parallel rows of eighteen bubbles 12, i.e. 72 in total. The bubbles are shown in the Figures as being substantially circular in cross-section (i.e. semi-spherical) although they may be any shape, containing air. Each bubble 12 is about 2-3cm in diameter at its widest cross-section, and about 2-3cm deep (i.e. wide). Each bubble 12 is separated from it's neighbour by a 5mm wide margin, which extends therearound. The margins are sufficiently wide to give flexibility to the sheet 10 so that it can be wrapped around a steering wheel 4 without the bubbles 12 being burst accidentally.

Referring to Figure 3, the cover 2 is shown as including three key components.

The first component is the sheet or film 10 of plastic, which is rectangle in shape, having two mutually opposing long sides approximately 100cm in length, and two mutually opposing short sides approximately 10cm in length. The specific dimensions of the sheet 10 will depend on the dimensions of the steering wheel 4 to which the cover 2 will be attached. The second and third components of the cover 2 are two lengths of elastic 14 approximately 50cm in length, which are either attached to, or embedded within, each of the opposing long sides of the rectangular sheet 10. As shown in Figure 3, each piece of elastic 14 is slightly shorter than the corresponding long side of the sheet 10 to which it is attached. Therefore, attachment of the two pieces of elastic 14 to the sheet 10 causes each long side of the sheet to contract to the natural length of the elastic, i.e. 50cm. This causes the two long sides of the sheet 10 to "scrunch up" around each piece of elastic 14.

Referring to Figure 3, during manufacture of the cover 2, the two shorter sides of the sheet 10 are brought together and then joined in position end to end, for example, with adhesive or some other attachment means, such as Velcro (TM) or a cord or string. Insodoing, the steering wheel cover 2 is created in the shape of an open cylinder as shown in Figure 2, in which the cover 2 has exposed the bubbles 12 on its outer side, and the two pieces of elastic 14 form an inner opening. To place the steering wheel cover on to a vehicle steering wheel 4 as shown in Figure 1, a user takes the cover and positions an inner arc of the steering wheel cover 2 around the steering wheel 2 in the opening between the two pieces of elastic 14. The user then pulls the cover 2 against the resilient action of the elastic 14 such that the rest of the cover 2 becomes "unscrunched" or expanded, and fully covers the steering wheel 4.

The user then releases the cover 2, whereupon the two pieces of elastic 14 contract to their natural state around the steering wheel 4 of a vehicle 6, as shown in Figure 1. The resilient action of the elastic 14 ensures that the cover 2 is maintained in position on the steering wheel 4, with the bubbles 12 facing outwardly covering all sides of the steering wheel 4. Hence, the elastic 14 helps to create a tight fitting cover 2 when stretched over the rim of the steering wheel 4. It should be appreciated that the diameter of the steering wheel cover 2 governed by the length of the elastic 14 is such that it may be pulled open, placed over the steering wheel 4 and then released to form a tight fit so that it does not fall off the wheel 4 when in use.

In use, the steering wheel cover 2 is maintained on the steering wheel 4 while an individual drives the vehicle 6. However, in some embodiments of the invention, the cover 2 may be viewed as a novelty item, which is normally used when the vehicle 6 is stationary. When the individual feels an increase in stress levels due to poor traffic conditions (e.g. a traffic jam or queue), or due to experiencing or witnessing poor driving by a third party on the road, the driver can gently squeeze a bubble 12 on the cover 2 until it bursts. The cover 2 is made of a suitable material 10 so that the bubbles 12 can be squeezed and, hence, burst upon the application of a suitable amount of pressure, which can be applied thereto by the hand of the driver.

The effect of bursting the bubble 12 produces a short popping sound. Hence, by popping the bubble 12, the driver experiences a reduction in stress levels. This reduction in stress ensures that the driver does not experience a loss in concentration on his or her own driving and thereby avoids causing an accident. Furthermore, the reduction in stress helps to prevent road-rage. The cover 2 has many bubbles (the cover shown in Figure 3 has at least 72 bubbles 12), and so the steering wheel cover 2 can be used on numerous journeys until all of the bubbles 12 have been burst. Once all the bubbles 12 have been burst, the cover 2 can be replaced with a new one.

In summary, the invention presents a novelty steering wheel cover 2 developed to create a fun way of alleviating driving stress. The major component of the cover 2 is made from bubble wrap material 10. The bubbles 12 can be popped at will by the driver should he/she feel stressed while driving a vehicle.

In a most preferred embodiment, the steering wheel cover 2 is adapted to fit snugly over the steering wheel 4 of a passenger car 6 (e.g. a private light goods vehicle). It is most preferred that the cover 2 is manufactured from bubble wrap material, which allows the vehicle's driver to pop or burst the bubbles 12 during stressful driving conditions and thereby alleviate said stress.

The inventors also believe that that the inventive aspect of the invention, i.e. the burstable bubbles 12 could be made integrated in a steering wheel 4, and do not need to be provided as an additional cover 2. Hence, steering wheel 4 manufacturers would make steering wheels 4 covered in a plurality of bubbles 12.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A steering wheel cover comprising at least one burstable enclosed cavity.

2. A steering wheel cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one burstable cavity is adapted to produce a popping sound upon bursting. l0

3. A steering wheel cover as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one burstabic cavity contains fluid.

4. A steering wheel cover as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one burstable cavity contains gas 5. A steering wheel cover as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cover is single use, and disposed once all of the burstable cavities have been burst.

6. A steering wheel cover as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the at least one burstable cavity is between about 1mm to 60mm in diameter at it's widest sect i on.

7. A steering wheel cover as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a plurality of burstable enclosed cavities.

8. A steering wheel cover as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising at least two substantially flexible layers attached to each other such that the at least one burstable cavity is formed therebetween.

9. A steering wheel cover as claimed in claini 8, wherein the layers comprise thermoformable film 10. A steering wheel cover as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein at least one of the flexible layers is substantially transparent, 11. A steering wheel cover as claimed in claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein, the at least one burstable enclosed cavity is defined by a region where the two flexible layers are unattached to each other.

I
2. A steering wheel cover as claimed in claim 11, wherein the unattached region is surrounded by a margin or seam where the layers are attached to each other.

13. A steering wheel cover as claimed in claim 12, wherein the margin between each cavity is between about 1mm to 50mm 14. A steering wheel cover as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the steering wheel cover comprises Bubblewrap (TM) material 15. A steering wheel cover as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cover is substantially circular in shape, and forms a cylinder having an open section.

1 6. A steering wheel cover as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising securing means arranged in use to secure the cover to a vehicle steering wheel.

17. A steering wheel cover as claimed in claim 16, wherein the securing means is substantially resilient.

18. A steering wheel cover as claimed in claim 17, operable to change the configuration of the cover between a first configuration in which the cover is substantially contracted, and a second configuration in which the cover is substantially expanded.

19. A steering wheel cover as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein the securing means comprises elastic, which extends along a side of the cover.

20. A steering wheel fitted with a steering wheel cover according to any preceding cl ai in.

21. A steering wheel comprising at least one burstable enclosed cavity.

22. A method of minimising stress in an individual driving a vehicle, the method comprising providing a vehicle steering wheel with at least one burstable enclosed cavity, which vehicle is being driven by an individual in need of such treatment, and bursting a burstable enclosed cavity.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising attaching the steering wheel cover according to the any of claims I to 19.

24. A steering wheel cover substantially as described with reference to the

description and/or drawings.