Steering wheel for vehicles

• US 4,709,944 A
• Filed: 05/08/1986
• Issued: 12/01/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Niwa, Minoru, Hashiba, Takahiro, Harata, Mitsuru, Hirata, Ichiro, Sonobe, Akihiko, Ito, Isamu, Hongo, Suzuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertsch, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US06/860,795
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 280/777, 280/750, 74/492, 74/552, 74/556
• US Class Current: 280/777
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/08 Spokes, e.g. resilient B62D1/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/11 incorporating energy-absorbing arrangements, e.g. by being yieldable or collapsible padded linings associated with the steering wheel B60R21/05; shock absorbers using plastic deformation of members in general F16F7/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20834 Hand wheels

Abstract

In a steering wheel for vehicles, a self-aligning plate comprises a boss fitting portion, a spoke fitting portion and a plurality of plastically deformable arm portions arranged in radial direction in an annular space formed between both fitting portions so as to connect between an assembled body of rim/spokes and a boss. Each plastically deformable arm portion of the self-aligning plate has a curved portion at intermediate portion, and when impact force is applied to the rim, the rim surface is slanted in approximately perpendicular direction with respect to the line of impact force due to plastic deformation of the plastically deformable arm portion. Intersection angle between the adjacent plastically deformable arm portions near the spokes mounted on the spoke fitting portion is made obtuse angle, thereby stress concentration at edge portion of the boss fitting portion in the intersection position between these plastically deformable arm portions is prevented.

Claims

1. A steering wheel for vehicles, comprising:

(a) a rim;

(b) two spokes each having a radially inner end and radially outer end, the two spoked having respective outer ends thereof secured to said rim thereby providing a spoke assembled body;

(c) a self-aligning plate connecting between said inner ends of said spokes and a boss, said self-aligning plate comprising a boss-fitting portion, a spoke-fitting portion and three plastically deformable arm portions arranged to extend in respective radial directions as a substantially Y-shaped array in an annular space formed between said boss-fitting portion and said spoke-fitting portion so as to interconnect said boss-fitting portion to said spoke-fitting portion;

(d) intermediate portions of said plastically deformable arm portions being curved;

(e) an intersection angle defined between the respective two adjacent said plastically deformable arm portions near the respective spokes mounted on said spoke-fitting portion being obtuse;

and

(f) one of said two spokes being connected to said self-aligning plate between a pair of adjoining ones of said deformable arm portions, and the other of said two spokes being connected to said self-aligning plate between another pair of adjoining ones of said deformable arm portions.

2. A steering wheel as set forth in claim 1, wherein slanting angle of the curved portion of the plastically deformable arm portion at side of the boss fitting portion (intersection angle to the upper surface of the boss fitting portion) is 20°

˜

70°

, and slanting angle thereof at side of the spoke fitting portion (intersection angle to the upper surface of the spoke fitting portion) is 70°

˜

90°

.

3. A steering wheel for vehicles, comprising :

(a) a rim;

(b) a spoke assembled body;

(c) a self-aligning plate connecting between the assembled body of rim/spokes and a boss, said self-aligning plate comprising a boss fitting portion, a spoke fitting portion and plastically deformable arm portions arranged in radial direction in an annular space formed between both fitting portions;

(d) curved portions provided on intermediate portion of the plastically deformable arm portions respectively;

(e) intersection angle between the adjacent plastically deformable arm portions near the spokes mounted on the spoke fitting portion being made obtuse angle; and

(f) one plastically deformable arm portion having the plastic deformation load value higher than a prescribed value among the plurality of plastically deformable arm portions being provided with a punched hole of suitable size formed at least over both ends of the curved portion and encroaching on the usual portion, and said punched hole being made a closed form.

4. A steering wheel as set forth in claim 3, wherein the spokes are two in number.

5. A steering wheel as set forth in claim 3, wherein slanting angle of the curved portion of the plastically deformable arm portion at side of the boss fitting portion (intersection angle to the upper surface of the boss fitting portion) is 20°

˜

70°

, and slanting angle thereof at side of the spoke fitting portion (intersection angle to the upper surface of the spoke fitting portion) is 70°

˜

90°

.