WO2008114921A1

WO2008114921A1 - Steering wheel for automobile and method for fabricating the same

Info

Publication number: WO2008114921A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/005986
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ho-Il Kang
Original assignee: Jiyoungsa Co., Ltd
Priority date: 2007-03-21
Filing date: 2007-11-26
Publication date: 2008-09-25
Also published as: KR20080086065A

Abstract

The present invention relates a steering wheel having a grip portion of a curvature shape for the driver to safely take the steering wheel in an emergency and includes a steering wheel for an automobile includes a ring having a grip portion of an annular shape; a plurality of spokes connected to an inner side of the ring; a hub connected to the plurality of spokes; and a steering axis connected to the hub.

Description

STEERING WHEEL FOR AUTOMOBILE AND METHOD FOR

FABRICATING THE SAME

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a steering wheel for an automobile and a method for fabricating the same, and more particularly, to a steering wheel having a grip portion of a curvature shape for a driver to safely take the steering wheel in an emergency. Background Art

[2] Generally, a steering system controls a driving direction of an automobile and is broadly constituted of 3 parts such as an operating means, a gear part, and a linking means, etc.

[3] The operating means transfers an operating power of the driver to the gear part and the linking means, and includes a steering wheel, a steering axis and a column.

[4] In the steering system, when the driver operates the steering wheel along the circumference of the steering wheel for controlling the driving direction, the circumference motion of the steering wheel is transferred to a steering gear, and the steering gear moves a tire of the automobile by changing the circumference motion to a liner motion, thereby controlling the driving direction.

[5] The driver always takes and operates the steering wheel for controlling the driving direction while preparing or taking a drive. The steering wheel should not slip from the driver's hands and is manufactured elegantly with a good feeling. The steering wheel is preferred to have a cushion by which the impact is not strongly transferred to a man when a car comes in collision.

[6] In accordance with such requirements, a ring of a metal frame wrapped by a hard foaming polyurethane resin is used for the steering wheel. Recently, for grading up the elegance and classic mood, the steering wheel onto which a wood grain film having a veining pattern of tree is transcribed, is used.

[7] In the above prior art, although the slip of the steering wheel from the driver's hands is somewhat prevented by the foaming the polyurethane resin, the driver may not take the steering wheel or the steering wheel may slip into a region adjacent to a grip portion due to shake of the front tires in emergency because the structure of the steering wheel is a circle. Accordingly, the driver's safety may be threatened by such problems. In addition, it is difficult to find out a deterioration such as a bubble generated in fabricating process because all portions of the steering wheel are formed of an opaque material such as a foaming polyurethane resin. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[8] It is an object of the present invention to provide a steering wheel for an automobile which includes a grip portion of a curvature shape for the driver to safely take the steering wheel in an emergency and a method for fabricating the same.

[9] It is another object of the present invention to provide a steering wheel for an automobile where the radius of a grip portion is smaller than the radius of the other portion for reducing a rotating time and an upper portion is formed of transparent material for find out an deterioration such as a bubble and a method for fabricating the same.

[10]

Technical Solution

[11] To achieve these objects in accordance with the present invention, a steering wheel for an automobile includes a ring having a grip portion of an annular shape; a plurality of spokes connected to an inner side of the ring; a hub connected to the plurality of spokes; and a steering axis connected to the hub.

[12] In the above steering wheel according to the present invention, first and second grip portions are formed at the ring with bilateral symmetry alone a vertical line into which the steering wheel is vertically divided as a reference.

[13] In the above steering wheel according to the present invention, an angle among the first grip portion, the steering axis, and the second grip portion is 120 °.

[14] In the above steering wheel according to the present invention, first, second, third, and fourth grip portions are formed at the ring with symmetry from left to right and with symmetry from top to bottom alone a vertical line and a horizontal line into which the steering wheel is vertically and horizontally divided as references, respectively.

[15] In the above steering wheel according to the present invention, a first radius between the grip portion and the steering axis is smaller than a second radius between the ring excluding the grip portion and the steering wheel.

[16] In the above steering wheel according to the present invention, the upper portion of the ring is made of a translucent material and the grip portion is formed at left and right portions of the upper portions, respectively.

[17] In the above steering wheel according to the present invention, the upper portion is formed by injection-molding an ABS (acryloninitrile butadiene styrene) or a PC (poly carbonete).

[18] In another aspect, a method for manufacturing a steering wheel for auto mobile includes the steps of preparing a metal frame having an annular portion; forming an upper portion of a steering wheel by injection-molding after disposing the metal frame in a first metal mold; and forming a ring and a plurality of spokes of the steering wheel by injecting a foaming resin after disposing the metal frame having the upper portion and a hub having a plurality of hub connecting parts in a second metal mold. [19] In the above method for manufacturing the steering wheel according to the present invention, the upper portion has a connection part and the groove is formed at the connection part along a circumference thereof. [20] In the above method for manufacturing the steering wheel according to the present invention, further includes the step of assembling an airbag module or a top cover on the upper portion of the hub. [21] In the above method for manufacturing the steering wheel according to the present invention, further includes the step of installing a home plate at opposite sides of the hub for assembling an airbag module. [22] In the above method for manufacturing the steering wheel according to the present invention, the foaming resin is a polyurethane resin which is foamed by using a polyol, an isocynate and a coloring agent.

Advantageous Effects

[23] The steering wheel for an automobile and the method for fabricating the same according to an embodiment of the present invention have advantages as follows:

[24] The driver may safely take a steering wheel in an emergency by installing a grip portion having a curvature at the steering wheel. A time for rotating the steering wheel may be reduced because the radius of the grip portion of the steering wheel is smaller than the radius of the other portion. A deterioration such as a bubble may be easily detected because an upper portion of the steering wheel is of a transparent material.

[25]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[26] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a steering wheel according to the present invention.

[27] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a steering wheel without an airbag according to the present invention.

[28] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a steering wheel with a home plate according to the present invention.

[29] FIG. 4 is a view showing the radius of a grip portion and the radius of a ring according to the present invention.

[30] FIGS. 5 to 7 are flow views showing a fabricating process according to the present invention.

[31]

Mode for the Invention

[32] The embodiment according to the present invention is explained with reference in accompanying drawings in detail hereinafter.

[33] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a steering wheel according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a steering wheel without an airbag according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a steering wheel with a home plate according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a view showing the radius of a grip portion and the radius of a ring according to the present invention. FIGS. 5 to 7 are flow views showing a fabricating process according to the present invention.

[34] A steering wheel 100 includes a ring 107, an upper portion 108, and grip portions

109. The ring 107 is a body of the steering wheel 100 and is made of a foaming resin. The upper portion 108 is an upper part of the ring 107 and is formed by an injection molding. The grip portions 109 are symmetrically formed on right and left sides of the upper portion 108 and griped by a driver's hands. An airbag module 101 is assembled with a middle portion of the ring 107.

[35] A plurality of spokes 103, a hub 104, a lower cover 102, and a suspending part 110 are formed on an inner side of the ring 107. The plurality of spokes 103 are connected to a plurality of hub connecting parts 105, respectively, and a hub 104 is connected to the plurality of hub connecting parts 105 for fixing the airbag module 101. The lower cover 102 protects the airbag module 101. The suspending part 110 is formed at each of connecting parts of the plurality of spokes 103 and the plurality of hub connecting parts 105 for suspending the airbag module 101.

[36] A core ring 106 is formed in a center portion of the hub 104 for connecting with a steering axis (not shown in drawings) and an assisting part 112 of a wood grain is interposed in a space between the plurality of hub connecting parts 105 for a beautiful sight. Two home plates 111 are formed at both sides of the hub 104, respectively, adjacent to the plurality of the hub connecting parts 105 for assembling the airbag module 101.

[37] Also, the steering wheel 100 which does not have the airbag module 101 may be fabricated. The area of the hub 104 on which the airbag module 101 is not assembled is smaller than that of the hub 104 on which the airbag module 101 is assembled. A length of each spoke 103 in the hub 104 which the airbag module 101 is not assembled is longer than that of each spoke 103 in the hub 104 on which the airbag module 101 is assembled. A top cover (not shown in drawings) is assembled on an upper part of the hub 104.

[38] The upper portion 108 of the ring 107 is formed by injection-molding ABS

(acryloninitrile butadiene styrene) or PC (poly carbonete) and the ring 107 including the grip portions 109 excluding the upper portion 108 are formed of a polyure thane resin by foaming at room temperature, the polyurethane including a polyol, an isocynate, and a color agent. [39] A deterioration such as a bubble may be easily found out in fabricating process because the upper portion 108 includes an ABS (acryloninitrile butadiene styrene) or a PC (poly carbonete) of a translucent or a transparent material. The bubble generated in the upper portion 108 is not elegant. The upper portion 108 has brittleness due to the bubble and the strength of the upper portion 108 is reduced by the brittleness.

[40] The upper portion 108 is divided into left and right sides with a vertical line as reference and the two grip portions 109 installed at the ring 107 are symmetrically positioned at left and right sides of the upper portion 108 of the ring 107. Each of the grip portions 109 makes 60 °with the vertical line as a reference and an angle between each grip portion 109 and the steering axis is 120 °.

[41] The hands of the driver taking the grip portions 109 are positioned at ten hours ten minutes in an analogue watch. Each of the grip portions 109 is formed as an annular shape which has a gentle slope toward the inner side of the ring or this like and has a size such that the grip portions 109 are safely taken by the driver. If the driver takes the grip portions 109 safely, the dangerous situation occurring by the slip of the steering wheel 100 out of the driver's hands is decreased when shake of the front tires is transferred to the steering wheel in real emergency.

[42] Another grip portions (not shown in drawings) may be formed at left and right sides of a lower portion of the ring 107. Another grip portions are symmetrical to the grip portion 109 with a horizontal line which traverses the core ring of the hub 104 horizontally as a reference. Another grip portions are used when the driver takes the steering wheel 100 again after half-rotating the steering wheel 100.

[43] FIG. 4 is a view showing the radius of a grip portion and the radius of a ring according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, a radius Rl between the ring 107 and the steering axis is longer than a radius R2 between the grip portions 109 and the steering wheel 100. When the steering wheel 100 is rotated by the same angle and along the same direction, a rotation distance where the driver takes the grip portions 109 of the steering wheel 100 is shorter than a rotation distance where the driver takes the other portion. Accordingly, the driver may manipulate the steering wheel 100 more quickly.

[44] Also, because the steering wheel 100 according to the present invention may be designed so as to use the airbag module and remote controller accompanied with the steering wheel without abolition when the steering wheel having a circular shape of a conventional automobile is replaced with the steering wheel 100 having the grip portions 109, the replacement cost is reduced.

[45] FIGS. 5 to 7 are flow views showing a fabricating process according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, a metal frame 120 is prepared for maintaining a fundamental skeleton of the steering wheel 100. The metal frame 120 has an annular portion 121 corresponding to the grip portions 109 for having an identical shape with the steering wheel 100.

[46] As shown in FIG. 6, after disposing the metal frame 120 in a first metal mold (not shown in drawings), an ABS (acryloninitrile butadiene styrene) or a PC(poly carbonete) is injection-molded in the first mold for forming the upper portion 108 of the steering wheel 100. Connection parts 121, which have a cylinder shape and are thinner than the upper portion 108, are formed at opposite sides of the upper portion 108 and a groove 122 is formed at each of the connection parts 121 along a circumference thereof. The connection parts 121 and the groove 122 are formed for closely coupling to the ring formed by the foaming resin.

[47] As shown in FIG. 7, the metal frame 120 having the upper portion 108 is disposed in a second mold (not shown in drawings). The hub connection part 105 is positioned adjacent to the metal frame 120 or so as to be connected to the metal frame 108 and a lower cover 102 is aligned under the hub 104 in the second mold. Then, a polyurethane resin including a polyol, an isocynate and a coloring agent and foaming at room temperature by using general apparatus for foaming is provided in the second mold for forming the ring 107 of the steering wheel 100. The hub connection part 105 is disposed adjacent to the metal frame 120 for forming spokes 103 connecting the ring 107 to the hub 104. A suspending part 110 is formed at edge portion of each spoke 103 for suspending an airbag module 101. And, two home plates 111 are formed at opposite sides of the hub 104 for assembling the airbag module 101. Finally, the steering wheel 100 as shown in FIG. 1 is completed by assembling the airbag module 101.

Claims

[1] A steering wheel for an automobile comprising: a ring having a grip portion of an annular shape; a plurality of spokes connected to an inner side of the ring; a hub connected to the plurality of spokes; and a steering axis connected to the hub.

[2] The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein first and second grip portions are formed at the ring with bilateral symmetry alone a vertical line into which the steering wheel is vertically divided as a reference.

[3] The steering wheel according to claim 2, wherein an angle among the first grip portion, the steering axis, and the second grip portion is 120 °.

[4] The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein first, second, third, and fourth grip portions are formed at the ring with symmetry from left to right and with symmetry from top to bottom alone a vertical line and a horizontal line into which the steering wheel is vertically and horizontally divided as references, respectively.

[5] The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein a first radius between the grip portion and the steering axis is smaller than a second radius between the ring excluding the grip portion and the steering wheel.

[6] The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the ring is made of a tranparent or a translucent material and wherein the grip portion is formed at left and right portions of the upper portions, respectively.

[7] The steering wheel according to claim 6, wherein the upper portion is formed by injection-molding ABS (acryloninitrile butadiene styrene) or PC (poly carbonete).

[8] A method for manufacturing a steering wheel for auto mobile, comprising the steps of: preparing a metal frame having an annular portion; forming an upper portion of a steering wheel by injection-molding after disposing the metal frame in a first metal mold; and forming a ring and a plurality of spokes of the steering wheel by injecting a foaming resin after disposing the metal frame having the upper portion and a hub having a plurality of hub connecting parts in a second mold.

[9] The method according to claim 8, wherein the upper portion has a connection part and wherein the groove is formed at the connection part along a circumference thereof.

[10] The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of assembling an air bag module or a top cover on the upper portion of the hub. [11] The method according to claim 8, further comprising installing a home plate at opposite sides of the hub for assembling a airbag module. [12] The method according to claim 8, wherein the foaming resin is a polyurethane resin which is foamed by using a polyol, a isocynate and a coloring agent.