Steering wheel

• US 4,604,912 A
• Filed: 02/24/1984
• Issued: 08/12/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tododa Gosei Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugita, Hiroshi, Hiramitsu, Tetsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, Samuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Odar, H. A.
• Application Number:
  US06/583,266
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 74/498, 74/552, 74/484 R, 74/484 H, 74/485, 74/493, 74/492, 200/61.54, 200/61.55, 200/61.56, 200/61.57
• US Class Current: 74/484.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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: B62D 1/105 Non-rotatable hubs, e.g. the central part of the steering wheel not rotating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20256 Steering and controls assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20834 Hand wheels

Abstract

A steering wheel for a vehicle has a switch-supporting pad kept stationary at all times regardless of turning movement of the steering wheel. The steering wheel incorporates a cable for electrically connecting vehicle electric accessories such as a radio, turn signal lights, and headlights to switches mounted on the pad for controlling the electric accessories. The cable is composed of a first loosely coiled spiral positioned in a housing section in a sun gear attached to the pad, a second loosely coiled spiral positioned in a housing section in a sun gear attached to a column, and a connecting portion joining the first and second spirals and extending axially through a boss plate mounted on a steering shaft.

Claims

1. A steering wheel assembly for a vehicle having electrically-controlled accessories,

said steering wheel assembly comprising:

a tubular stationary steering column having an end constructed and arranged to be presented towards a vehicle driver;

a steering shaft supported for rotation about its own longitudinal axis, said steering shaft extending longitudinally within said steering column and having a portion protruding out of said end of said steering column;

steering wheel boss plate means provided in said protruding portion of said steering shaft;

a steering ring secured by spoke means to said boss plate means, said steering ring being constructed and arranged to be grasped and rotated by the vehicle driver for correspondingly turning the steering shaft;

a pad disposed at least generally centrally of said steering ring, said pad mounting at least one switch means for operating an electrically-controlled accessory of the vehicle;

means journalling the pad with respect to the steering wheel boss plate means so that the steering wheel boss plate means is free to rotate angularly relative to the pad as the steering wheel is turned, but restraining axial movement of said pad longitudinally of said steering shaft, said journalling means disposing said pad so that said switch means mounted thereon is arranged to confront the vehicle driver;

first sun gear means stationarily provided on said steering column in the vicinity of said end thereof, surrounding said steering shaft;

second sun gear means fixed to said pad;

said first and second sun gear means being coaxially arranged and confronting one another with said boss plate means being sandwiched between them;

at least one planet gear shaft means, each being arranged parallel to said steering shaft but disposed eccentrically thereof on said boss plate means and journalled on said boss plate means for rotation about its own longitudinal axis;

first and second planet gear means fixed to the respective said at least one planet gear shaft means and respectively meshingly engaged with said first and second sun gear means, so that as said steering ring is rotated, said pad does not rotate but remains with its same side up confronting the vehicle driver;

means defining a first at least generally coaxially arranged annular slot in said first sun gear means;

means defining a second at least generally coaxially arranged annular slot in said second sun gear means;

means defining a slot formed axially through said boss plate means and arranged to communicate towards both said first and second annular slots;

an electrical control cable operatively connected to said at least one switch means, having a loose spiral portion in one angular sense at least generally coaxially received in said second annular slot in said second sun gear means, another loose spiral portion in an opposite angular sense at least generally coaxially received in said first annular slot in said first annular slot means, an intermediate axially extending portion extending through said slot in said base plate means and operatively interconnecting said loose spiral portions, and having a further portion extending from said opposite sense loose spiral portion for electrical connection with at least one electrically-controlled accessory, so that said steering shaft may be turned clockwise sufficiently to maximally steer the vehicle to the left and to the right without disrupting electrical control of said at least one electrically-controlled accessory.

2. A steering wheel assembly for a vehicle having electric accessories, comprising:

(a) a stationary column;

(b) a steering shaft rotatably supported in said stationary column;

(c) a boss plate attached to said steering shaft;

(d) a steering ring supported by at least one spoke on said boss plate;

(e) a pair of first and second sun gears disposed axially one on each side of said boss plate and having a pair of first and second housing sections, respectively, said second sun gear being fixed to said stationary column;

(f) a pad attached to said first sun gear remotely from said boss plate and supporting at least one switch for controlling the electric accessories;

(g) at least one planet gear shaft rotatably supported on said boss plate;

(h) at least a pair of first and second planet gears mounted on ends of said planet gear shaft and held in mesh with said first and second sun gears, respectively, whereby said pad can be kept stationary during rotation of said steering ring and shaft; and

(i) a cable for transmitting a signal from said switch to the electric accessories, said cable comprising a first spiral portion positioned in said first housing section, a second spiral portion positioned in said second housing section, and a connecting portion joining said first and second spiral portions.

3. A steering wheel assembly according to claim 2, wherein said first and second spiral portions of said cable respectively comprise first and second spirals each composed of a plurality of loosely coiled spiral turns, said connecting portion extending axially through said boss plate.

4. A steering wheel assembly according to claim 3, wherein said cable comprises a ribbon-shaped cable including a first end portion connected to said switch, folded obliquely on itself, and connected to a radially outermost end of said first spiral, said connecting portion having a first end connected to a radially innermost end of said first spiral and folded obliquely on itself and a second end connected to a radially innermost end of said second spiral and folded obliquely on itself, and a second end portion connected to a radially outermost end of said second spiral, folded obliquely on itself, and extending into said column.

5. A steering wheel assembly according to claim 3, wherein said first and second housing sections comprise annular housing slots defined in said first and second sun gears in surfaces thereof facing said pad and said boss plate, respectively.