Apparatus and method for heating a steering wheel

• US 6,512,202 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (Aptiv PLC)
• Inventors: Ashtiani, Mansour, Haag, Ronald Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Pelham, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US09/796,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20010030182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 219/204, 219/528, 219/529, 219/549, 219/535, 745/58
• US Class Current: 219/204
• 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: H05B 2203/007 using multiple electrically connected resistive elements or resistive zones
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/011 Heaters using laterally extending conductive material as connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/014 Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/34 flexible, e.g. heating nets or webs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2087 Rim grips and covers

Abstract

A preformed heating element for use in a steering wheel including a heating element, embedded into a rubber or polyurethane material and preformed with manufacturing methods such as vacuum forming, resin impregnating, injection molding, and pultrusion progressive die.

Claims

1. A preformed heating member, comprising:

a conductive member for receiving an electrical current and providing a source of heat; and

a flexible member having resilient qualities, said conductive member being embedded into said flexible member, said flexible member having an opening, said flexible member being configured and dimensioned to allow said flexible member to be placed over a steering wheel of a vehicle.

2. The preformed heating element as in claim 1, wherein said conductive member is a carbon fiber textile material.

3. The preformed heating element as in claim 1, wherein said preformed element is formed from a liquid injection molding process.

4. The preformed heating member as in claim 1, further comprising;

a spoke opening being configured to accommodate a spoke of a steering wheel.

5. The preformed heating member as in claim 1, wherein said flexible member is manufactured using a vacuum-bagging process.

6. The preformed heating member as in claim 5, wherein said flexible member is manufactured out of a silicon rubber.

7. The preformed heating member as in claim 5, wherein said flexible member is manufactured out of a thermally conductive silicon rubber.

8. The preformed heating member as in claim 5, wherein said conductive member is a flexible wire mesh.

9. The preformed heating member as in claim 6, further comprising a control device for controlling the heat of said preformed heating member.

10. The preformed heating member as in claim 5, wherein said flexible member is configured to have a plurality of finger forms corresponding to a plurality of finger forms on said steering wheel.

11. The preformed heating member as in claim 5, wherein said flexible member is configured to a tab locator portion corresponding to a tab locator portion on said steering wheel.

12. The preformed heating member as in claim 4, wherein said flexible member is manufactured using a liquid injection molding process.

13. The preformed heating member as in claim 4, wherein said flexible member is manufactured using a resin transfer molding process.

14. The preformed heating member as in claim 4, wherein said flexible member is manufactured out of a resin injection molding nylon.

15. A method for molding a preformed heating element having a smooth exterior surface, comprising:

adhering a first layer of silicon rubber to a steering wheel mold;

adhering an adhesive tape to said first layer of silicon rubber steering wheel mold, said adhesive tape having a heating element disposed on one side;

adhering a second layer of silicon rubber to said adhesive tape;

vacuum-bagging said adhesive tape and said first and second layers of silicon rubber;

heating said adhesive tape and said first and second layers of silicon rubber until said adhesive tape and said first and second layers of silicon rubber form about said steering wheel mold; and

curing said adhesive tape and said first and second layers of silicon rubber.

16. The method as in claim 15, wherein said silicon rubber is thermally conductive.

17. The method as in claim 15, wherein said heating element is a single wire lead.

18. A preformed heating member, comprising:

a flexible member having an inner surface and an outer surface, said flexible member having resilient qualities, said outer surface providing a smooth surface for a decorative material to be applied;

an opening along the length of said flexible member;

a spoke opening being configured to accommodate a spoke of a steering wheel; and

a conductive member for receiving an electrical current and providing a source of heart, said conductive member being embedded within said flexible member.

19. The preformed heating member as in claim 18, wherein said decorative material is leather.

20. The preformed heating member as in claim 18, wherein said preformed heating element has a thickness of 1 mm.

21. A preformed heating member, comprising:

a conductive member for receiving an electrical current and providing a source of heat, said conductive member being embedded by a flexible member; and

an elongated opening being disposed along an edge of the preformed heating member said elongated opening being configured and dimensioned to allow the preformed heating member to be biased into an open position and placed over a portion of a steering wheel of a vehicle, wherein movement of said flexible member of said preformed heating member from a resting state to a biased state upon the application of a force allows said preformed heating member to be disposed about said steering wheel and said preformed heating member returns to said resting state upon the removal of said force, said shape retention qualities of said flexible member returns said preformed heating member to said resting state.

22. The preformed heating member as in claim 21, wherein said resting state is a configuration resembling the exterior surface of a steering wheel.

23. A preformed heating member, comprising:

a conductive member for receiving an electrical current and providing a source of heat;

a flexible member being formed of a material having memory characteristics and being capable of the being manipulated from a closed configuration into an open configuration and returning to said closed configuration due to the memory characteristics of said flexible member, said conductive member being embedded within said flexible member; and

an elongated opening along the length of said preformed heating member wherein said flexible member is configured and dimensioned to allow said flexible member to be placed over a steering wheel of the vehicle when said flexible member is in said open configuration and said flexible member being positioned around said steering wheel when said flexible member returns to said closed configuration.

24. The performed heating member as in claim 23, wherein said flexible member is formed out of a thermoplastic elastomeric rubber compound and said preformed element is formed from a liquid injection molding process.

25. The preformed heating member as in claim 23, wherein said flexible member is a silicon rubber and said heating member is manufactured using a vacuum-bagging process.

26. The preformed heating member as in claim 25, wherein said flexible member is manufactured out of a thermally conductive silicon rubber and said heating clement is a flexible wire mesh.

27. The preformed heating member as in claim 23, wherein said flexible member is configured to have a plurality of finger forms corresponding to a plurality of finger forms on said steering wheel.

28. The preformed heating member as in claim 23, wherein said flexible member is manufactured using a resin transfer molding process and said flexible member is manufactured out of a resin injection molding nylon.

29. The preformed heating member as in claim 23, wherein said flexible member only covers a portion of a steering wheel rim.

30. The preformed heating member as in claim 23, wherein said flexible member completely covers an entire steering wheel rim.

31. The preformed heating member as in claim 23, wherein said elongated opening and said preformed heating member are configured to have an arcuate shape that matches the curvature of a portion of a steering wheel rim.

32. A method for molding a preformed heating element having a smooth exterior surface and memory retention characteristics, comprising:

adhering a first layer of a resilient material to a steering wheel mold;

disposing a heating element on said first layer;

adhering a second layer of a resilient material to said heating element;

forming the preformed heating element, whet said heating element is encased within said first and second layers; and

curing said preformed heating element wherein said preformed element provides a smooth continuous surface for application of an aesthetic cover thereon and said preformed heating element returns to its cured configuration after it has been deformed through the application of an opening force.