Steering wheel

• US 10,370,021 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guangdong Hua'Chan Research Institute of Intelligent Transportation System Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Guangdong Hua'Chan Research Institute of Intelligent Transportation System Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Gong, Shugang
• Primary Examiner(s): Verley, Nicole T
• Application Number:
  US15/123,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20170072984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,974 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/139 Clusters of instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/782 on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/027 between relatively movable parts of the vehicle, e.g. between steering wheel and column devices for measuring, signalling or controlling tyre pressure or temperature specially adapted for mounting on vehicles B60C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 in steering wheels or steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/105 Non-rotatable hubs, e.g. the central part of the steering wheel not rotating

Abstract

A steering wheel comprising a steering wheel rim (1) provided with an extended extremity (11), an operating part (2) provided on the radial inner side of the steering wheel rim (1), and an actuating rod (4) fixedly connected to the extended extremity (11). A central shaft (3) is extended from the bottom end of the operating part (2). The central shaft (3) runs through the extended extremity (11) and is inserted into a cavity provided by the actuating rod (4). A bearing component (5) is provided between the inner wall of the extended extremity (11) and the outer wall of the central shaft (3). By fitting the central shaft (3) with the bearing component (5), and by fitting the bearing component (5) with the extended extremity (11), separation of the operating part (2) and the steering wheel rim (1) is implemented, and the steering wheel rim (1) is allowed to be rotated around the central shaft (3). The steering wheel has the operating part (2) and the steering wheel rim (1) arranged separately, when the steering wheel rim (1) is rotated, the operating part (2) does not rotate with the rotation of the steering wheel rim (1), thus ensuring that a driver can easily observe and control the operating part so as to improve the stability and safety of driving.

Claims

1. A steering wheel, applied in an automobile, and comprising:

a steering wheel rim with an extended extremity protruding outwards along a mounting center;

an operating part arranged on a radial inner side of the steering wheel rim; and

an actuating rod fixedly connected to the extended extremity,

wherein a central shaft extends from a bottom of the operating part, the central shaft runs through the extended extremity and is inserted into a cavity of the actuating rod, a bearing component is arranged between an inner wall of the extended extremity and an outer wall of the central shaft, and by fitting the central shaft with the bearing component and fitting the bearing component with the extended extremity, an isolation between the operating part and the steering wheel rim is achieved, the steering wheel rim being rotatable around the central shaft, and

wherein the bearing component includes a cage ring sheathed around periphery of the central shaft and a pair of bearings, the pair of bearings isolated from each other by the cage ring.

2. The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein the operating part includes a panel and a supporting element supporting the panel, the supporting element provided with a connecting end fitting with the central shaft, the supporting element arranged between the panel and the steering wheel rim, and the supporting element fixedly connected to the panel.

3. The steering wheel of claim 2, wherein the operating part further includes a control circuit board arranged in a cavity formed by the panel and the steering wheel rim, a plurality of control keys arranged on the panel and electrically connected to the control circuit board, and an instrumental display.

4. The steering wheel of claim 2, wherein an airbag component configured to protect safety of a driver is arranged between the panel and the supporting element.

5. The steering wheel of claim 2, wherein the central shaft is provided with a receiving end fitting with the supporting element, the receiving end is fixedly connected to the connecting end.

6. The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein an edge of an outer end of the extended extremity bends along a radial inner side of the extended extremity, and extends inwards to form a step for bearing the bearing component.

7. The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein a hollow transmission link rod is inserted in a cavity of the actuating rod, and the central shaft is inserted in a cavity of the transmission link rod.

8. The steering wheel of claim 7, wherein both an inner wall of the cavity of the actuating rod and an outer wall of the transmission link rod are provided with spline grooves, splines arranged in the spline grooves correspondingly, and by fitting the splines with the spline grooves, axial sliding of the transmission link rod in the cavity of the actuating rod is achieved.

9. The steering wheel of claim 3, wherein an airbag component configured to protect safety of a driver is arranged between the panel and the supporting element.

10. The steering wheel of claim 3, wherein the central shaft is provided with a receiving end fitting with the supporting element, the receiving end fixedly connected to the connecting end.

11. The steering wheel of claim 4, wherein the central shaft is provided with a receiving end fitting with the supporting element, the receiving end fixedly connected to the connecting end.

12. A steering wheel, applied in an automobile, and comprising:

a steering wheel rim with an extended extremity protruding outwards along a mounting center;

an operating part arranged on a radial inner side of the steering wheel rim; and

an actuating rod fixedly connected to the extended extremity,

wherein a central shaft extends from a bottom of the operating part, the central shaft runs through the extended extremity and is inserted into a cavity of the actuating rod, a bearing component is arranged between an inner wall of the extended extremity and an outer wall of the central shaft, and by fitting the central shaft with the bearing component and fitting the bearing component with the extended extremity, an isolation between the operating part and the steering wheel rim is achieved, the steering wheel rim being rotatable around the central shaft, and

wherein the actuating rod runs through and protrudes from the extended extremity, a top end of the actuating rod fixedly connected to the steering wheel rim through a connecting part, and

wherein the bearing component includes a cage ring sheathed around a periphery of the central shaft and a pair of bearings, the pair of bearings isolated from each other by the cage ring.

13. The steering wheel of claim 12, wherein the operating part includes a panel and a supporting element supporting the panel, the supporting element provided with a connecting end fitting with the central shaft, the supporting element arranged between the panel and the steering wheel rim, and the supporting element fixedly connected to the panel.

14. The steering wheel of claim 13, wherein the operating part further includes a control circuit board arranged in a cavity formed by the panel and the steering wheel rim, a plurality of control keys arranged on the panel and electrically connected to the control circuit board, and an instrumental display.

15. The steering wheel of claim 13, wherein an airbag component configured to protect safety of a driver is arranged between the panel and the supporting element.

16. The steering wheel of claim 13, wherein the central shaft is provided with a receiving end fitting with the supporting element, the receiving end fixedly connected to the connecting end.

17. The steering wheel of claim 12, wherein a hollow transmission link rod is inserted in a cavity of the actuating rod, and the central shaft is inserted in a cavity of the transmission link rod.

18. The steering wheel of claim 17, wherein both an inner wall of the cavity of the actuating rod and an outer wall of the transmission link rod are provided with spline grooves, splines arranged in the spline grooves correspondingly, and by fitting the splines with the spline grooves, axial sliding of the transmission link rod in the cavity of the actuating rod is achieved.

19. The steering wheel of claim 14, wherein an airbag component configured to protect safety of a driver is arranged between the panel and the supporting element.

20. The steering wheel of claim 14, wherein the central shaft is provided with a receiving end fitting with the supporting element, the receiving end fixedly connected to the connecting end.

21. The steering wheel of claim 15, wherein the central shaft is provided with a receiving end fitting with the supporting element, the receiving end fixedly connected to the connecting end.