CA1102663A

CA1102663A - Motor vehicle steering wheel assembly

Info

Publication number: CA1102663A
Application number: CA292,566A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Walter Manning; Terry G. Bradley
Original assignee: Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd
Current assignee: Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd
Priority date: 1977-02-09
Filing date: 1977-12-07
Publication date: 1981-06-09
Also published as: DE7803329U1; GB1575566A; ES466828A1

Abstract

MOTOR VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A steering wheel assembly comprising a wheel rim and a tubular member for use as at least a part of a steering column. The tubular member has its longitudinal axis aligned with the center of the wheel rim. A plurality of spokes each has a first portion extending from the rim transversely of the tubular member axis to a location adjacent the axis and a second portion extending parallel to the axis. The second portions are secured within the tubular members.
The effect is that the upper steering shaft or tubular member is permanently fixed to the steering wheel resulting in re-duced manufacturing cost and reduced assembly time.

Description

This invention relates to a steering wheel assembly for use in motor vehicles.
The u~ual practice in vehicles is to employ a steering wheel having a rim and a hub joined by a number of spokes, the hub being removably secured to the upper end of a steering column. Commonly, this securement is by means of cooperating splines on the column and ~he hub for rotational coupling, and a nut bearing on the hub and engaging a screw thread on the column. Such arrangements are relatively complex and costly to produce.
The invention accordingly provides a steering wheel assembly comprising a wheel rim and a tubular member fox use as at least a part of a steering column. The tubular member has its longitudinal axis aligned with the center of the wheel rimO A plurality of spokes each has a first portion extending from the rLm transversely of said axis to a lo cation adjacent the axis and a second portion extending parallel to said axis, the second portions of the spokes being secured within the tubular member. The tubular mem~er is crimped around the second portions.
Such a steering wheel assembly is relatively simple and cheap to produce.
The invention is described further, by way of illustration, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a side elevation largely in cross-s2ction of an assembly embodying the invention;
Figure 2 is a view of part of the assembly, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a cross-section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 , .. . ~

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Referxing to Figure 1, a steering whee~ includes a nun~er, in this embodiment four, of steel rods ~OD Each rod 50 is bent to provide a part-circular portion 52, a generally radial portion 54, and an axial portion 56. The portions 52 together form a substantially closed rim, while the portions 54 form spokes extending from the r~n to the center of the assemblyO The ~our axial portions 56 nest together in a square formation.

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1 A steering column includes a tu~e 22 of generally 2 square section (see Fig D 3). The straight sides of the

3 tube 22 are joined by radii equal t:o the outer radius of the

4 rods 50O The nested axial portion~; 56 of the rods 50 ar~
received within the upper e~d of the tube 22, which is 6 crImped tightly around the portion~; 56, as seen in Figure 2.
7 A unitary plastics moulding 60 is formed around the rods 50 8 and the upper end o~ the tube 22 to provide an integral wheel 9 and column assembly~ The crLmping of the tube 22 and the plastics moulding 60 give a suitable connection between the 11 ~heel and the column.
12 A weld 62 may be made between the rods 50 at the 13 transition fxom the radial to the axial portio~s before the 14 moulding 60 is formed to hold the rods Ln the correct rela-tive positions during assembly and to impart additional 16 strength.
17 In the preferred embodiment of Figure 1, the integral 18 assembly of steering wheel and tube 22 is mounted in a truck 19 tilt cab as will now be described.
A steering box 10 is secured to a chassis member 12 21 of a truckO A cab, the floor of which is seen at 14, is 22 mo~nted on the:chassis to tilt about pivot axis 16. A
23 steering wheel 18 is drivingly connected by a steering 24 column assembly to be described and by a universal joint 20 to the steering box 10. Figure 1 shows these element in the 26 noxmal position of the cab. A rod 24 of compl~mentary section 27 is received within the lower end of the tube 22. A bracket 28 26 secured to the cab body.provides a part-spherical seat 28 6~i3 .

in which is received a part-spherical plastics body 30 which acts as a bearing for the tube 22 and accomodates not only rotation but also limited tilting mo~ement~ The tube 22 also carries a direction indicator cam 32 and a steering lock casting 34 for receiving the latch of a steering lock 36~ -A shroud 38 carried by the bracket 26 covers the upper part of the assembly, while the lower part is housed within a flared casing 40 fixed to the floor 14.
A length A of the tube 22 is formed to have a precisely dimensioned internal surface exactly interfitting with the rod 240 The top section of the rod 24 which is received in the length A in normal use, as seen in Figure 2, is coated with a low friction material such as a polytetrafluoroethylene compound, of which Dupont's Teflon*is an example.
Below this~ a length B of the tube is opened out to give a maximum clearance of 0.5 mm. In this way, the use of relatively expensive tube having an accurately-sized interior surface over the whole of its length is avoided t while still giving good coupling for steering.
The lengths A and B may be formed as described in our co-pending Canadi~n ~ppllcation Serial No ~2g3,5~0 to which attention is directed.
If necessary, the rod 24 may be machined accurately to size on only the corresponding lengthO
In Eigure l, the line C denotes the ~YiS of the rod 24 and tube 22 with t~e cab tilted, the position of the top of the rod 24 being indicated at D, while the line E ~hows the limit of movement of the members in the opposite direction during tilting.
* Trademark l ~., .i `.
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1 In a~sembly of the vehicle, the ~ube 2~ with 2 steering wheel 18 attached is assembled with the direction 3 indicator cam 32, the steering lock casting 34, and the 4 bracket 26 and bearing body 30a This assembly is then positio~ed with the tube 22 received on ~he rod ~4, ~nd ~he 6 brackPt 26 is bol~ed to the cab body.
7 It is of course possible to use the integral wheel 8 and column member of the present invention in applications 9 other than tha~ shown in Figure 1, For example, the column member could be attached to a lower column member ~ia a 11 coupling which ~hears on impact. A differing number of 12 spokes may be used, and the shape of the tube 22 altered 13 accordingly. Alter~atively, a plain circular-sectio~ kube 14 may be u~ed and the coupling of its lower end al~ered accordingly.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A steering wheel assembly comprising a wheel rim and a tubular member for use as at least part of a steering column, the tubular member having its longitudinal axis aligned with the center of the wheel rim, and a plurality of spokes each having a first portion extending from the rim transversely of said axis to a location adjacent the axis and a second portion extending parallel to said axis, the second portions of the spokes being secured within the tubular member, the tubular member being crimped around said second portions.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein a weld is made between the spokes at the transition between said first and second portions.