Steering wheel for a motor vehicle
First Claim
1. A steering wheel for motor vehicles, the steering wheel including a steering wheel rim, a hub means disposed at a position below a plane extending through the steering wheel rim, a plurality of spokes connecting the steering wheel rim to the hub means, and comprising a deformation means for absorbing energy of an impact upon the steering wheel,the deformation means includes a deformation member having a height which is less than a distance between the hub means and the steering wheel rim,means are provided for connecting a lower end of the deformation member to the hub means,bracket means mounted at one end thereof only to said spokes, said bracket means rigidly connected at a second end thereof via connecting means to an upper area only of the deformation member,each spoke comprising an upper means, restrained against deformation, for connecting to the steering wheel rim and lower means deforming more readily than the upper means of the spoke for connecting the spoke to the hub means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automobile steering wheel that is disposed below a plane of a steering wheel rim. As a protection against impact, there is a plastically deformable cup-like deformation member within the steering wheel that absorbs energy due to an impact of a driver of the motor vehicle on the steering wheel. Spokes are constructed in such a manner that the contribute to the energy absorption by a performance of deformation work. The deformation member has a height which is less than a distance between the hub and the plane of the steering wheel rim. The deformation member is fixedly connected in its upper region with the respective spokes.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A steering wheel for motor vehicles, the steering wheel including a steering wheel rim, a hub means disposed at a position below a plane extending through the steering wheel rim, a plurality of spokes connecting the steering wheel rim to the hub means, and comprising a deformation means for absorbing energy of an impact upon the steering wheel,
the deformation means includes a deformation member having a height which is less than a distance between the hub means and the steering wheel rim, means are provided for connecting a lower end of the deformation member to the hub means, bracket means mounted at one end thereof only to said spokes, said bracket means rigidly connected at a second end thereof via connecting means to an upper area only of the deformation member, each spoke comprising an upper means, restrained against deformation, for connecting to the steering wheel rim and lower means deforming more readily than the upper means of the spoke for connecting the spoke to the hub means.
Specification