U.S. patent application number 09/954671 was filed with the patent office on 2002-06-20 for steering wheel.
This patent application is currently assigned to TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG. Invention is credited to Lorenz, Christian.
Application Number | 20020073799 09/954671 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7946972 |
Filed Date | 2002-06-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020073799 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lorenz, Christian |
June 20, 2002 |
Steering wheel
Abstract
A steering wheel comprises a rim skeleton and a rim casing. At
least one vibration-damping element is provided which is arranged
between the rim skeleton and the rim casing.
Inventors: |
Lorenz, Christian;
(Leidersbach, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TAROLLI, SUNDHEIM, COVELL, TUMMINO & SZABO L.L.P.
1111 LEADER BLDG.
526 SUPERIOR AVENUE
CLEVELAND
OH
44114-1400
US
|
Assignee: |
TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
& Co. KG
|
Family ID: |
7946972 |
Appl. No.: |
09/954671 |
Filed: |
September 17, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
74/552 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62D 7/222 20130101;
Y10T 74/20834 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
74/552 |
International
Class: |
B62D 001/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 26, 2000 |
DE |
200 16 639.5 |
Claims
1. A steering wheel comprising a rim skeleton and a rim casing, at
least one vibration-damping element being provided which is
arranged between said rim skeleton and said rim casing.
2. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein as said
vibration-damping element, rings of one of vibration-damping
material and composite material are used, said rings being arranged
spaced apart from each other on said rim skeleton and supporting
said rim casing.
3. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein as said
vibration-damping element a continuous insert is used, which
supports said rim casing across its entire length.
4. The steering wheel according to claim 3, wherein said rim casing
is foamed onto said vibration-damping element.
5. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein said rim casing
consists of an upper shell and a lower shell.
6. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein said
vibration-damping element is foamed onto said rim skeleton.
7. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein said
vibration-damping element consists of polyurethane foam.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to a steering wheel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] To increase the comfort, various attempts have been made
recently to keep vibrations away from the steering wheel of a
vehicle, which occur whilst the vehicle is in operation. It is
known, for example, to use inertial masses to compensate
vibrations, by which the resonance frequency of the steering wheel
is shifted into a non-critical range. These inertial masses can
either be additional masses or suitably arranged components of, for
example, gas bag restraint systems, in particular the gas
generator. If additional masses are used, this leads to additional
costs and to an increased weight. If components of the gas bag
restraint system are used, various problems arise, such as the gas
tightness of the gas generators or the transmission of reaction
forces on activation of the gas bag.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The object of the invention consists in achieving a
neutralizing of vibrations of the steering wheel with a small
expenditure.
[0004] This is achieved in a steering wheel which comprises a rim
skeleton and a rim casing, at least one vibration-damping element
being provided which is arranged between the rim skeleton and the
rim casing. The invention is based on the fundamental idea of
neutralizing in terms of vibration technology only that part of the
steering wheel for which this is absolutely necessary. This is the
rim casing which comes into contact with the hands of the driver of
the vehicle concerned. If the rim casing is neutralized in terms of
vibration technology, vibrations of the remaining parts of the
steering wheel, for example the steering wheel hub or the steering
wheel spokes, are scarcely noticed. A further advantage of the
construction according to the invention consists in that through
the neutralizing merely of the rim casing, only a smaller vibrating
mass has to be neutralized.
[0005] Advantageous developments of the invention will be apparent
from the sub-claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 shows a steering wheel in a diagrammatic view;
[0007] FIG. 2 shows in a sectional view a steering wheel according
to a first embodiment of the invention; and
[0008] FIG. 3 shows in a sectional view a steering wheel according
to a second embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0009] In FIG. 1 a steering wheel is illustrated diagrammatically.
It contains a steering wheel hub 10, several spokes 12 and a rim
skeleton 14. On the rim skeleton 14 a rim casing 16 is arranged,
which is grasped by the driver of a vehicle equipped with the
steering wheel.
[0010] In FIG. 2 a cross-section is shown through the rim skeleton
and the rim casing of a steering wheel according to a first
embodiment. The rim skeleton 14 is constructed here with a U-shaped
cross-section which is completely surrounded by a vibration-damping
element 20, 22. The vibration-damping element consists of a
vibration-damping material, preferably of polyurethane foam, and is
constructed in two parts, namely with an upper part 20 and a lower
part 22. The upper part 20 and the lower part 22 together produce a
circular cross-section.
[0011] On the vibration-damping element 20, 22 the rim casing 16 is
arranged, which consists of a shell having an annular cross-section
and is foamed onto the vibration-damping element. Owing to the
elastic characteristics of the vibration-damping element 20, 22,
the rim casing 16 is mounted on the rim skeleton 14 in a
vibration-free manner or at least in a damped manner with respect
to vibrations.
[0012] In FIG. 3 a section is shown through a steering wheel
according to a second embodiment. In contrast to the first
embodiment, here several rings 20 are used as vibration-damping
element, which in contrast to the continuous insert known from the
first embodiment are arranged spaced apart from each other, and
which locally support the rim casing. Between the vibration-damping
rings 20 there is a free space between the rim skeleton 14 and the
rim casing 16. In the second embodiment the rim casing 16 consists
of an upper shell and a lower shell which are placed onto the
vibration-damping rings and are connected with each other to form
the rim casing.
* * * * *