Steering wheel assembly with communication keyboard

• US 5,319,803 A
• Filed: 05/20/1991
• Issued: 06/07/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dillis V. Allen
• Original Assignee: Dillis V. Allen
• Inventors: Allen, Dillis V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, NGUYEN THANH
• Application Number:
  US07/702,188
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 455/89, 455/90, 455/345, 455/99, 455/347, 455/351, 379/430, 379/446, 379/454, 379/455, 381/86, 280/777-779, 224/276, 74/492
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0264 for control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/001 Vehicle control means, e.g. steering-wheel or column
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0047 using hidden fastening means
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving

Abstract

A telephone keyboard and display assembly for a vehicle steering wheel assembly designed to be mounted generally radially downwardly between a steering wheel base and the hand grip ring. The telephone is sufficiently narrow so the operator'"'"'s fingers may freely pass around the hand grip ring on either side and the phone is tilted slightly upwardly to improve the operator'"'"'s vision of the keyboard and display. The upper end of the telephone is supported on the base and its lower end attaches to the hand grip ring.

Claims

1. A communication keyboard for a vehicular steering column assembly having a stationary column housing assembly and a steering wheel assembly rotatably mounted on the stationary column housing where the steering wheel assembly includes an outer arcuate hand-grip supported by lateral struts on a column housing mounted base with a releasable body safety restraint system carried approximately centrally on the base, comprising:

a keyboard housing fixed to and rotatable with the steering wheel assembly separate and spaced from the lateral struts constructed to be mounted between and below the safety restraint system and the arcuate hand grip, said struts extending generally horizontally outwardly from the steering assembly base to the arcuate hand grip, said keyboard housing having left and right sides spaced from the struts permitting the driver'"'"'s fingers to grasp the hand grip between the struts and the keyboard housing and utilize the keyboard housing as an additional strut for steering wheel assembly turning, a plurality of function transmission components in the column housing for transmitting data from the keyboard housing to receiving components mounted in the associated vehicle, said keyboard housing having a substantial width and at least three vertical rows of manually depressible switches totaling at least ten for inputting information to the function transmission components, so that the substantial width keyboard housing does not obstruct the driver'"'"'s vision of other instrumentation in control panel of the vehicle dashboard areas.

2. A communication keyboard for a vehicular steering column assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the keyboard housing is supported at its upper end on the steering wheel assembly base.

3. A communication keyboard for vehicular steering column assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein the keyboard housing is supported at its lower end on the hand grip.

4. A communication keyboard for a vehicular steering column assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the communication keyboard is a telephone component.

5. A steering wheel assembly for a steering column having an outer stationary column housing assembly, comprising:

a steering assembly base rotatably mounted on the stationary column housing assembly, an arcuate hand grip supported by lateral struts extending outwardly from the base, a releasable safety restraint system mounted approximately centrally on the base, and a communication keyboard fixed to and rotatable with the steering wheel assembly separate and spaced from the lateral struts extending between the safety restraint system and the hand grip below the safety restraint system including a keyboard housing, a plurality of function transmission components in the column housing for transmitting data from the keyboard to receiving components in the vehicle, said struts extending generally horizontally outwardly from the steering assembly base to the arcuate hand grip, said keyboard having left and right sides spaced from the struts permitting the driver'"'"'s fingers to grasp the hand grip between the struts and the keyboard and utilize the keyboard housing as an additional strut for steering wheel turning, said keyboard having a substantial width and at least three rows of manually depressible switches totaling at least ten for inputting information to the function transmission components, so that the substantial width keyboard housing does not obstruct the driver'"'"'s vision of other instrumentation in control panel of the vehicle dashboard area.

6. A steering wheel assembly for a steering column as defined in claim 5, wherein the keyboard is supported at its upper end in the steering wheel assembly base.

7. A steering wheel assembly for a steering column as defined in claim 6, wherein the keyboard housing is supported at its lower end on the hand grip.

8. A steering wheel assembly for a steering column as defined in claim 5, wherein the communication keyboard is a telephone component.

9. A communication keyboard for a vehicular steering column assembly having a stationary column housing assembly and a steering wheel assembly rotatably mounted on the stationary column housing assembly where the steering wheel assembly includes an outer arcuate hand-grip supported by lateral struts on a column housing mounted base with a releasable body safety restraint system carried approximately centrally on the base, comprising:

a keyboard housing fixed to and rotatable with the steering wheel assembly separate and spaced from the lateral struts constructed to be mounted between and below the safety restraint system and the arcuate hand grip, said keyboard housing being mounted generally vertically, and centrally and below center with respect to the steering wheel assembly, said keyboard housing being connected at its upper end to the steering wheel assembly base and at its lower end to the arcuate hand grip, said struts extending generally horizontally outwardly from the steering assembly base to the arcuate hand grip, said keyboard housing having left and right sides spaced from the struts permitting the driver'"'"'s fingers to grasp the hand grip between the struts and the keyboard housing and utilize the keyboard housing as an additional strut for steering wheel assembly turning, a plurality of function transmission components in the column housing assembly for transmitting data from the keyboard to receiving components mounted in the associated vehicle, said keyboard housing having a substantial width and at least three vertical rows of manually depressible switches totaling at least ten for inputting information to the function transmission components, so that the substantial width keyboard housing does not obstruct the driver'"'"'s vision of other instrumentation in control panel of the vehicle dashboard area.

10. A steering wheel assembly for a steering wheel column having an outer stationary column housing assembly, comprising:

a steering assembly base rotatably mounted on the stationary column housing assembly, an arcuate hand grip supported by lateral struts extending outwardly from the base, a releasable safety restraint system mounted approximately centrally on the base, and a communication keyboard fixed to and rotatable with the steering assembly separate and spaced from the lateral struts extending between the safety restraint system and the hand grip below an upper end of the safety restraint system including a housing, said keyboard housing being mounted generally vertically, and below center with respect to the steering wheel assembly, said keyboard housing being connected at its upper end to the steering wheel assembly base and at its lower end to the arcuate hand grip, a plurality of function transmission components in the column housing for transmitting data from the keyboard to receiving components in the vehicle, said keyboard having a substantial width and at least three vertical rows of manually depressible switches totaling at least ten for inputting information to the function transmission components, said struts extending generally horizontally outwardly from the steering assembly base to the arcuate hand grip, said keyboard housing having left and right sides spaced from the struts permitting the driver'"'"'s fingers to grasp the hand grip between the struts and the keyboard housing and utilize the keyboard housing as an additional strut for steering wheel assembly turning, so that the substantial width keyboard housing does not obstruct the driver'"'"'s vision of other instrumentation in control panel of the vehicle dashboard area.

11. A steering wheel assembly for a steering column having an outer stationary column housing assembly, comprising:

a steering assembly base rotatably mounted on the stationary column housing assembly, an arcuate hand grip supported by struts extending outwardly from the base, a releaseable safety restraint system mounted approximately centrally on the base, and a communication keyboard fixed to and rotatable with the steering wheel assembly separate and spaced from the lateral struts extending between the safety restraint system and the hand grip below an upper end of the safety restraint system including a housing, a plurality of function transmission components in the column housing assembly for transmitting data from the keyboard to receiving components in the vehicle, said keyboard having a substantial width and at least three vertical rows of manually depressible switches totaling at least ten on the keyboard housing for inputting information to the function transmission components, said struts extending generally horizontally outwardly from the steering assembly base to the arcuate hand grip, said keyboard housing having left and right sides spaced from the struts permitting the driver'"'"'s fingers to grasp the hand grip between the struts and the keyboard housing, said keyboard housing being circumferentially spaced from the struts, so that the substantial width keyboard housing does not obstruct the driver'"'"'s vision of other instrumentation in control panel of the vehicle dashboard area.

12. A steering wheel assembly for a steering column having an outer stationary column housing assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein the arcuate hand grip lies in a grip plane, said keyboard housing lying in a plane rotated clockwise from the grip plane when viewed from the right side of the steering wheel assembly to improve operator vision of the keyboard switches.

13. A telephone keyboard and display assembly for a steering wheel assembly having a base carrying a safety restraint system approximately centrally thereon and struts extending generally horizontally radially outwardly to an arcuate hand grip, comprising:

a generally rectangular keyboard housing, a bracket extending generally upwardly from the housing having a support surface engageable with the steering wheel assembly base, fastener means for connecting the bracket to the base so the housing rotates with the steering wheel assembly, said bracket constructed to position the keyboard housing below the base and the safety restraint system and it extend generally radially downwardly with respect to the base, said housing having a width less than the safety restraint system permitting the operator'"'"'s fingers to grasp the hand grip between the struts and the keyboard housing, said struts extending generally horizontally outwardly from the steering assembly base to the arcuate hand grip, said keyboard housing having a substantial width and left and right sides spaced from the struts, telephone function components in the housing, said keyboard having at least three rows of manually depressible switches totaling at least ten on the top of the housing, and a display adjacent the switches, so that the substantial width keyboard housing does not obstruct the driver'"'"'s vision of other instrumentation in control panel of the vehicle dashboard area.

14. A telephone keyboard and display assembly for a steering wheel assembly as defined in claim 13, including hand grip engaging means on the lower end of the housing so the telephone assembly is supported in part directly on the hand grip.

15. A telephone keyboard and display assembly for a steering wheel assembly as defined in claim 13, wherein the bracket positions the keyboard in a plane tilted about a horizontal axis from a plane containing the arcuate hand grip for easier operator viewing.

16. A steering wheel assembly having a telephone keyboard and display carried thereby, comprising a base, a safety restraint system carried approximately centrally on the base, a pair of struts extending generally horizontally and radially outwardly from the base, an arcuate hand grip supported on the struts, a generally rectangular keyboard housing, a bracket extending generally upwardly from the housing having a support surface engageable with the steering wheel assembly base so the housing rotates with the steering wheel assembly, fastener means for connecting the bracket to the base, said bracket constructed to position the housing below the base and the safety restraint system extending generally radially downwardly with respect to the base, said housing having a width less than the safety restraint system permitting the operator'"'"'s fingers to grasp the hand grip between the struts and the keyboard housing, telephone function components in the housing, said keyboard housing having a substantial width and at least three vertical rows of manually depressible switches totaling at least ten on the top of the housing, and a display adjacent the switches, so that the substantial width keyboard housing does not obstruct the driver'"'"'s vision of other instrumentation in control panel of the vehicle dashboard area.