Steering wheel for a motor vehicle, and a method for producing a steering wheel rim

• US 6,298,750 B1
• Filed: 08/25/1999
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV), TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Nowak, Claudia, Patzelt, Helmut, Kerner, Wolfgang, Link, Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Bucci, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, CHONG HWA
• Application Number:
  US09/382,828
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 745/52, 745/58, 745/585, 745/515, 454/152
• US Class Current: 74/552
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00292 for steering wheels steering wheels with heating or ventilation means independent from the HVAC system of the vehicle B62D1/065
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/003 Component temperature regulation using an air flow
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/065 Steering wheels with heating and ventilating means heating and ventilation of steering wheel when connected to vehicle HVAC B60H1/00292
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20834 Hand wheels

Abstract

Steering wheel having a steering wheel rim which is hollow at least in some places and has ventilation openings for stabilizing the temperature of the steering rim. In the region of the at least one cavity, the steering wheel rim has a holder for fixing a fan module which sucks in environmental air and passes it into the cavity.

Claims

1. Steering wheel for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a steering wheel hub;

a steering wheel rim coupled to said steering wheel hub via a spoke arrangement;

at least a portion of said steering wheel rim defining at least one interior cavity communicated with an exterior gripping region of the steering wheel rim via at least one ventilation opening defined in said steering wheel rim; and

a holder for a fan module formed at the steering wheel rim such that the holder is located proximate said at least one interior cavity.

2. Steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein said steering wheel rim is a self-supporting hollow body.

3. Steering wheel according to claim 1, further comprising said fan module, said fan module being proximate an attachment region between said steering wheel rim and said spoke arrangement.

4. Steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein said steering wheel rim defines a plurality of said ventilation openings, said ventilation openings being concentrated in said exterior gripping region of the steering wheel rim.

5. Steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the steering wheel rim comprises at least one sheet metal shell.

6. Steering wheel according to claim 5, wherein the steering wheel rim comprises two half shells which are connected to one another, a lower one of said half shells being coupled to the spoke arrangement, and an upper one of said half shells defining said at least one ventilation opening.

7. Steering wheel according to claim 6, wherein said upper half shell is an injection-molded plastic part.

8. Steering wheel according to claim 6, wherein said two half shells are mechanically connected to one another in a positively locking manner.

9. Steering wheel according to claim 6, wherein said two half shells are mechanically connected to one another with an integral material joint.

10. Steering wheel according to claim 5, wherein said steering wheel rim is formed from a single metal sheet.

11. Steering wheel according to claim 10, wherein said steering wheel rim is formed such that longitudinal edges of said single metal sheet are located on an external circumference of the steering wheel rim.

12. Steering wheel according to claim 11, wherein the single metal sheet is welded proximate said longitudinal edges to form said a connecting joint.