DE3410776A1 - IMPROVED STEERING WHEEL FOR VEHICLES WITH A WOODEN HANDLE - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to an improved steering wheel for vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, motor boats and the like.

The steering wheels for motor vehicles essentially have a ring-shaped metallic upper part or a core on with radially directed spokes that converge towards the center of the steering wheel, the spokes being attached to the hub and the latter in turn being attached to the vehicle's steering column is. The metallic steering wheel core has a casing

10 'material that- the real one. Handling part of the steering wheel forms. For years wood has been the preferred material for "cladding" of this type, particularly because of its valuable properties aesthetic properties and due to the fact that this material does not get dirty easily, in combination with the fact that this material is suitable for handling in the presence of sweat, dust or the like.

Although synthetic materials are ultimately used, wood continues to be used as a cladding material for this reason Steering wheels used by vehicles. However, wood has the major disadvantage that in the event of breakage it has a forms a large number of splinters and thus allows splintered and sharp surfaces.

.25 These splinters are particularly undesirable if, as in this case, the vehicle passengers as a result of the breakage of the wooden parts can be taken, especially those parts of the steering wheel, for example as a result of a Traffic accident arise.

There is therefore a need for a steering wheel for vehicles with a 'wooden handle' which, if broken, does not unwanted splinters generated.

It is the object of the invention to provide a steering wheel as described above Kind of creating for vehicles, where the above mentioned Problems do not arise.

Another object of the present invention is to further improve the LO steering wheels of the type described above, the general purpose of these improvements is to increase the strength of the steering wheel structure.

It goes without saying that the present invention also relates to steering wheels for motor vehicles whose handle does not is made of wooden material, but of a material that can also splinter.

The steering wheel according to the present invention with a wooden handle is characterized by the fact that a number of areas of weakness is arranged along the handle, whereby preferred breakage positions are provided without splinters are.

According to further features of the invention, these areas of weakness formed either by parts of reduced size of the steering wheel handle, or by subdivisions of the wooden handle, whereby the latter consists of sections or subsectors that are attached to the metal core.

According to a further feature of the invention, the metal core is formed by a tubular body, according to FIG the ring-shaped profile of the steering wheel is shaped and the ends of which are connected to one another, a cantilever connection

at the connection positions between the spokes and the Metal core, the corresponding end of the spoke having a lower support against which the metal core rests.

Further features and usefulnesses of the invention emerge from the description of exemplary embodiments on the basis of the figures. From the figures show: Γ

Fig. 1 - I a general perspective view >'of an embodiment of the invention

♦ ■ steering wheel;

Fig. 2 ♦ on an enlarged scale a partially transverse

'}. Sectional view of a modified execution

. _ I embodiment of the invention;

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Fig. 3 and 4. Cross-sectional views of the steering wheel according to

I Fig. 1 viewed along the lines III-III j and IV-IV;

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Fig. 5 and 6 cross-sectional views of the steering wheel according to

J. Figure 2, viewed along lines V-V and I 'VI-VI; and

Fig. 7 shows a further embodiment of the invention. · Long the line VII-VII of Fig. 1.

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. In the figures, the steering wheel according to the invention for vehicles is denoted by the reference number 1 (FIG. 1) and has a ring-shaped (Fig. 3, 4) metal upper part or core with Speiehen 3, which are also made of metal and for Converge connecting flange 9, which is locked to the driving steering column, not shown, on.

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The metal core 2 is a metal structure of U-shaped or ring-shaped cross section.

The handle of the steering wheel 1 consists of a cover wit a number of sub-sectors or areas 5 made of wood.

These areas are essentially made up of hollow cylindrical ones Elements formed with a profile of a circumferential arc.

LO The sectors 5 are attached to the metal core 2 by gluing. For this purpose, the sectors are previously cut into two shells or halves along their longitudinal axis, the are then connected again and glued to the metal core 2. . ■ '

The handle of the steering wheel 1 thus consists of an annular body with a plurality of wooden sectors 5, the completely cover the metal core body 2 as an envelope. At the connection areas between adjacent sectors 5,

the grooves 7 formed (Fig. A). ■ ·

Each groove represents a portion of reduced thickness of the wooden Handle, the groove being defined on both sides by rounded edges 8 of the wooden sectors 5.

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The sectors 5 can be continuous on the metal core 2 attached one after the other so that the core 2 is completely covered; other than shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, can the sectors form a one-piece body with one another, the wooden handle thus being made of a wooden integral Element with grooves 7 consists.

The embodiment described above can undoubtedly be so modified that it produces the same effects.

In the first case, i.e. with a single handle from individual sector, ren, are the weakening points through the cuts that cut through the entire thickness of the handle down to the metal core 2, Are defined. In the second embodiment, which is an integral handle structure, the depth of the weakening points such as those of the grooves 7.

These grooves or weakening points 7 thus represent weakening positions in which the steering wheel handle is likely to break. occasionally occurs. Such a break, for example, as a result a collision occurs, occurs at 'predetermined Points corresponding to the weakening points 7 without causing splinters, and a regular fracture pattern is created through the cross-sections of the weakening points.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 2, 5 and 6, the individual wooden sectors 5 are spaced apart from one another on the core 2 attached; in this case the weakening points of the steering wheel are caused by the free spaces between adjacent ones Sectors formed.

In any case, the areas of weakness or free spaces can be filled with plastic or generally synthetic material screens so that a continuous surface of the wooden handle is formed.

Experimental studies have shown that the steering wheel according to the invention has the best breaking behavior without splinters is achieved by providing weakening points along • 30 the handle, a steering wheel of 37 cm in diameter, the so are distributed so that at least ten sectors 5 are defined.

In the modified embodiment of FIG. 7, the metal core is 2 a tubular metal structure with circular Cross-section.

The end 4 of the spokes 3 adjacent to the metal core 2 has a relieved area 10 with respect to the spoke plane.

The corresponding area of the core 2 rests against the relieved area 10 of the spoke end and is welded to it (Fig. 7).

A reinforcing member or sheath of plastic material 6 is provided on the arc of the core 2 which is the greatest distance LO between adjacent spokes .3 corresponds to (upper part of Steering wheel according to Fig. 1).

The relieved end of the spokes 3 of the embodiment according to FIG. 7 is formed by a support plate 10 which is attached to the spoke 3 by means of a rivet connection 12.

However, other similar solutions, such as bending the spoke end area and the like, are possible.

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Claims (6)

PATENT ADVOCATE DIPL.-PHYS. LUTZ H. PRÜFER · D-8OOO MUNICH 9O DM 13-3023 P / M / so Personal S.p.A., Abbiate Guazzone / Italy Improved steering wheel for vehicles with a wooden handle PATENT CLAIMS / 1.! Improved steering wheel for vehicles with one hand movement Miolz or other material that tends to splinter, the Handle is attached to an annular supporting metal core (2), characterized by a plurality of areas of weakness (7) along the handle to form preferred fracture areas of the wooden Handle without splinters. PATENT ADVOCATE DIPL.-PHYS. LUTZ H. PRÜFER · D-ÖOOO MUNICH OO · WILLROIDERSTR. 8 · TEL .. (OF) O) 040040 2. Improved steering wheel according to claim 1, characterized , that · · the handle made of a plurality of wooden and molded Sectors (B) are made on the metal core (2) of the steering wheel are attached, the weakened areas (7) by rounded Edges (8) of the sectors (5) which are adjacent to each other are defined. 3. Improved steering wheel according to claim 1, characterized in-1-0 net, that the areas of weakness (7) reduced by grooves or areas Thickness of the wooden handle of the steering wheel are defined. 4. Improved steering wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that · the metal core is a tubular body shaped according to the annular profile of the steering wheel, with the ends of the tubular Bodies are connected to each other. ■. 5. Improved steering wheel according to claim 4, characterized in that that the end (4) of the spokes (3) that corresponds to the corresponding area of the core (2) can be brought into engagement, has a relieved area (10). 6. Improved steering wheel according to claim 1, characterized , that at least one reinforcement element (6) on the metal core area is provided which corresponds to the greatest distance between adjacent spokes (3).