Arrangement of steering wheel and control mechanisms

• US 4,655,308 A
• Filed: 09/19/1985
• Issued: 04/07/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Iveco-Magirus AG (Iveco Group NV)
• Original Assignee: Iveco-Magirus AG (Iveco Group NV)
• Inventors: Kraus, Ulrich, Egle, Elmar, Schmude, Leonhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Love, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McGiehan, Donn
• Application Number:
  US06/777,944
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 180/78, 340/22, 74/484 R, 74/552
• US Class Current: 180/78
• 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: B60Q 1/1461 Multifunction switches for dimming headlights and controlling additional devices, e.g. for controlling direction indicating lights
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20256 Steering and controls assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20834 Hand wheels

Abstract

An arrangement for the steering wheel and control mechanisms for a motor vehicle. Transverse arms are attached to the steering arm near the steering column below the plane of steering the wheel. The lateral ends of the transverse arms are rigidly connected with a U-shaped frame portion for switches in order to form a closed frame member having an inner hollow space. The frame member is essentially parallel to the plane of the steering wheel. Switch levers and rotary switches are disposed on the lateral arms of the frame member, and monitoring devices for the vehicle are disposed on the upper cross member of the frame. The switch members and monitoring devices are disposed in an optimum visual and accessibility region for the driver.

Claims

1. An arrangement for the steering wheel and control mechanisms of a motor vehicle having a front as well as a speedometer, including only two transverse arms that essentially extend in an inverted V-shaped configuration toward vehicle operator location and approximately in the transverse direction of the vehicle;

each of said transverse arms having two ends, one of which is attached to the steering arm below the plane of said steering wheel and near the steering column and the other of which is remote from said steering column;

the improvement in combination therewith which comprises;

an essentially U-shaped frame portion which serves for the mounting of said control mechanism in a forward direction and below the steering wheel having only said two transverse arms for facilitating view as to the control mechanisms visible through an open space above and ahead of said two transverse arms;

said frame portion having a base and two arms, with that end of each of the latter remote from said base being fixedly connected to a respective one of said transverse arms at that end thereof remote from said steering column;

said frame portion having an interior opening and being disposed in a plane which is approximately parallel to the plane of said steering wheel;

said base of said frame portion being disposed between said steering column and the front of the vehicle in a location that results in optimum operating conditions and driver visibility especially also for commercial vehicles, such that said U-shaped frame portion is disposed in a non-disrupting location of the vehicle just below said steering wheel without appreciably affecting line of sight to the front of the vehicle and also the driver has enough free space for leg room so that the control mechanisms can be operated by the driver within easy reach from above as well as from below without accidental actuation from below by an unintentional movement of a knee of the leg of the driver and at the same time the speedometer is visible through the steering wheel as well as through the interior opening of said U-shaped frame portion;

said transverse arms and said U-shaped frame portion being in the form of a closed frame member which, when said steering wheel is viewed in plan, has an essentially rectangular shape;

the dimensions of said frame member relative to said steering wheel being such that when the latter is viewed in plan, that portion of said steering wheel directed toward the front of the vehicle is approximately surrounded by said frame member;

said transverse arms being fixedly and integrally formed with said steering arm;

said base of said U-shaped frame portion having a planar, upwardly directed surface which is angled-off relative to the plane of said frame portion in such a way that the angle thereof, in relation to the surface upon which said vehicle is being driven, is greater than the angle of the plane of said steering wheel;

said control mechanisms including monitoring devices disposed on and along said planar, upwardly directed surface of said base of said U-shaped frame portion;

said arms of said frame portion each having a planar, upwardly directed surface, on and along which are disposed further control mechanisms in the form of switch levers, each of which has at least two positions.

2. An arrangement in combination, according to claim 1, in which each of said switch levers, when viewed from the side, has an L-shaped configuration, with one leg thereof being connected to a respective arm, and the other leg extending from said first leg in a direction away from the other arm of said frame portion.

3. An arrangement in combination according to claim 2, in which each of said arms of said frame portion is provided with at least four of said switch levers.

4. An arrangement in combination according to claim 1, in which said control mechanisms further include at least one rotary switch disposed in the region of each connection location between a given one of said transverse arms and the associated arm of said frame portion;

each of said rotary switches has an axis of rotation which extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle and is disposed in the plane of said frame portion;

each of said rotary switches furthermore has a radially extending control element that projects in the direction toward said steering wheel.

5. An arrangement in combination according to claim 4, in which said vehicle has a dashboard that is provided with instruments;

and in which said frame member has an underside, remote from said steering wheel, which faces said dashboard and is provided with direct lighting means for said instruments.