MOTOR VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL

The present invention relates to vehicle steering wheels sheathed leather-covered or the like, at least on the rim.

It is known that the assembly of the coating on the remainder of the flywheel is effected by a seam made directly on the steering wheel, disposed on the internal face of the rim to the conductor that has an example of the flywheel is not impeded by the projection that constitutes this seam.

There are known characteristics of the preamble of claim 1 by the Japanese Patent 04, 011569 with A. this document describes a vehicle steering wheel, comprising a rim formed by a reinforcement, by a surrounding said armature and by a leather coating or the like sheathing said coating, the latter including a one-piece component, wherein is provided a peripheral groove in which is engaged a longitudinal edge of said coating.

The invention aims to improve the conditions of placement of the coating.

It proposes for this purpose a vehicle steering wheel, comprising a rim formed by a reinforcement, by a surrounding said armature and by a leather coating or the like sheathing said coating, the latter including an element integrally formed therein a peripheral groove in which is engaged a longitudinal edge of said coating; characterized in that said coating of the armature of the rim extends, in the struts of said wheel, by a surrounding the armature of said legs, while coatings includes parts for covering also the coating of each said leg.

Thus, rather than done entirely by sewing, securing the coating on the remainder of the flywheel can be carried out, at least partially, merely by being engaged in a groove of the coating, a longitudinal edge of the coating, [...] to say a strip thereof located along a free longitudinal end, what is much more simple and rapid to perform the sewing operation that conventional.

The groove, which is of course directed transversely to the surface of the coating, to plunge into it, because it is provided in an element integrally, provides a holding which, unlike a jaw, is not controlled but intrinsic to the element integrally formed therein this groove, which is very easy to make, and, as well as demonstrated by experiments carried out by the applicant, is suited to perform, at least partially, securing the desired coating on the steering wheel.

The engagement of at least one edge of the coating in a groove of the coating, has the additional advantage of avoiding the meeting opposite edges of the coating causes a projection troublesome for the user, since the excess material, including an optionally seam between two borders, made, for example, flat-laying on the steering wheel, is found in the thickness of the coating, the groove can be freely positioned on the rim, including at the front or on the outer side.

Preferably, for reasons of simplicity and convenience:

• the coating comprises, at at least one said leg, a T-piece whose one end edges is engaged in a said peripheral groove while at least one other end edge is engaged in a groove provided in the additional padding of the rim and in the coating of this branch; and optionally
• said additional groove is joined to the peripheral groove in which is engaged one of the end edges of the T-piece.

According to the preferred characteristics of, for reasons of simplicity and convenience of manufacture, said coating is a single member, molded onto said core, for example polyurethane foam or thermoplastic injected gas.

In a first preferred embodiment, particularly simple, two opposite edges of said covering are engaged in said groove.

In a second preferred embodiment, wide scope as decorative that functional, said coating comprises a second groove parallel to said groove, each of the opposite edges of said coating being engaged in a respective one of said first groove and second groove.

According to particularly preferred features of this embodiment, the flywheel comprises a U-section profile, one of whose side wings is engaged, with one of said opposite edges, in the first groove, whose other side wing is engaged, with the other of said opposite edges, in the second groove, and whose central flange is at a juncture between said first groove and second groove.

This section serves both to maintain the edges of the coating in the grooves, by its lateral flanges, and, if necessary, to the functionality and the decoration of the steering wheel, by the middle limb, which is visible.

According to other preferred characteristics, the outer surface of the central portion of the profile is flush with the outer surface of the liner.

The profile does not introduce any projection which is thereby disturbing the driver.

According to other preferred characteristics, the flywheel comprises electrical means disposed between said section and said coating.

Use can thereby of the existence of the section for providing conveniently steering rim of electrical means, e.g. thereof comprising at least one light source, the central portion consequently comprising at least a light permeable portion and/or for example at least one contacting means.

According to other preferred features of the second embodiment, said coating has, between said first groove and second groove, on at least one predetermined peripheral length, an outer surface that is recessed relative to the rest of the external surface of the encapsulation, to provide, between said coating and said profile, a space for accommodating one of said electrical means.

According to other preferred characteristics, generally, at least one said groove is formed by molding and/or is made of re-machining after molding said lining. According to a further preferred feature, to obtain a down grade, said coating is adhered to said coating.

The disclosure of the invention will be now pursued by the description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, given below by way of illustration and not as a limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Thereon:

• figure 1 is a plan view of a vehicle steering wheel according to the invention;
• figure 2 is the elevation view-cutting denoted by the II-II in Figure 1;
• figures 3 and 4 are views of the same nature as in Figures 1 and 2, respectively, for another example embodiment; and
• figures 5 and 6 illustrate schematically electrical means provided on the steering wheel as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The steering wheel 1 shown in Figure 1 comprises a rim 2 connected, by four short arms 3, 4 to a central hub having an airbag module and capped by a cover 5, the rim 2 and the legs 3 being sheathed by a leather coating 6.

As is seen in Figure 2, the rim 2 comprises a metal reinforcement 7 U-section embedded in a coating 8 polyurethane foam that is provided with a groove 9, integrally molded, radially oriented, the two opposite edges 10 and 11 of the coating 6 are both engaged in the groove 9, the coating 6 is adhered to the coating 8.

The latter is extended, in the struts 3, by a surrounding the armature thereof, which is further coated by the coating 6.

The groove 9, and thus the line 12 joining surface edges 10 and 11, extends over the entire periphery of the rim 2, the coating of each of the branches having two additional grooves 3, which correspond the joining lines visible in Figure 1 13, the coating 6 comprising for each branch 3, a piece 14 T-shaped having a portion located between the lines 12 and 13 is visible in Figure 1.

Before placement around the coating 8, the coating 6 has, in flat condition, a generally annular shape with a width corresponding to the circumference of the coating 8, at the rim 2, plus two times the depth of the groove 9. as a result of the meeting, by transverse seams, three pieces of leather provided respectively for the portion of the rim seen above in Figure 1 and for the other two parts that complement the periphery, respectively to the right and left, the latter two parts having, on one side, a projecting portion for each of the branches 3 while on the other side are sewn parts 14, along that which becomes, when the cover is fitted, the line 12.

The cladding of the steering wheel 1 is performed by inserting, in the groove 9, 10 and 11 both the edges, except at 3 branches wherein the border 10 is replaced by the corresponding edge of the workpiece 14 located at the line 12, while, in the grooves corresponding to lines 13, are inserted in one of the other two edges of the sheet 14 and the longitudinal edge 10.

The fact that the joining lines 12 and 13 are on the front side of the steering wheel 1 does not introduce discomfort for the user, these lines being generally flush with the remainder of the outer surface of the liner.

It should be noted that the present invention offers the possibility of freely dispose the junction lines 12 and 13 such that, makes it possible to play them to create decorative effects.

The steering wheel 1 'shown in Figures 3 and 4 is generally similar to the steering wheel 1, with the exception that the peripheral groove 9 is replaced by two circumferential grooves 15 and 16 parallel to one another and that the coating 6 is replaced by a coating 6' and by a profile 17, being also specified that the T-shaped parts 14 'of the coating 6' are all identical, unlike parts 14, the shape of which is different respectively for the legs 3 seen below and to the legs 3 seen from above.

In general, are employed for the steering wheel 1 'the same numeric references that for the steering wheel 1, but with one index'.

The section 17 is annular and relatively rigid material, here plastic, and has, as seen in Figure 4, a U-section with the lateral limb 18 is engaged, with the rim 10 'of the coating 6', in the groove 15, and whose other side wing 19 is engaged, with the border 11 'of the coating 6', in the groove 16, the wing profile center 20 being horseshoe between the grooves 15 and 16, the outer surface of the central portion 20, bordered by the junction lines 12 'and 21, being flush with the outer surface of the covering 6'.

The coating 8 'includes, between the grooves 15 and 16, herein over the entire periphery of the rim 2', an outer surface that is recessed relative to the remainder of the external surface of the encapsulation 8 ', to provide, between the coating 8' and the section 17, a space 22 wherein electrical means are arranged, in this case, at the section shown in Figure 4, cables 23 and, at other locations, a light source 24 (fig. 5), the central portion 20 of the section 17 being at its level light permeable and, at another location, an electrical contact member 25 (fig. 6), that is activated by pressing the profile 17, by virtue of the flexibility of the coating 8', and, optionally, by a local flexibility of the central portion 20.

In the illustrated example, the steering wheel 1' has in fact more light sources 24, some of which have an appearance function and/or lighting, while the others function as spy-light, especially alert oil level low or brake wear; and even several contact elements 25 are provided, for operating various components of the vehicle, of which the annunciator.

In alternative embodiments not shown, the groove 9 or the grooves 15 and 16, rather than engaging a molding, are obtained, at least partially, in rework; the section 17 is provided only on a portion of the periphery of the rim 2'; and/or the covering is an injected thermoplastic gas rather than polyurethane foam.