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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
First Claim
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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.

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