Arrangement for covering a component, component and motor vehicle

• US 9,045,078 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2012
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Tovar, Johannes, Reuschel, Jens Dietmar, Schmitz, Christoph, Mohos, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruce, David V
• Application Number:
  US14/342,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20140328077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 362/36, 362/488, 362/511
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/283 Steering wheels; Gear levers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/06 Rims, e.g. with heating means; Rim covers B62D1/11 takes precedence

Abstract

An arrangement for covering a component, in particular a steering wheel rim, of a motor vehicle, which component has an in particular encircling fastening depression. The arrangement has a cover composed in particular of a flexible and/or non-slip material, and at least one fastening element, in particular a clamping element, for fastening the edges of the cover, which is placed around the component, in the fastening depression. The at least one fastening element is designed as a light source and/or has at least one light source.

Claims

1. A steering wheel of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a steering wheel rim having a fastening depression;

a lighting device arranged in the fastening depression;

an arrangement which covers the steering wheel rim, the arrangement comprising;

a cover placed around the steering wheel rim, formed of a flexible and/or non-slip material, the cover having edges; and

a clamping fastening element to fasten the edges of the cover in the fastening depression, the fastening element comprising a lightguide coupled to the lighting device arranged in the fastening depression so that the fastening element is embodied as a light source.

2. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the lightguide forms a continuous light source about the steering wheel rim, and

the lightguide comprises diffuser particles and/or at least one roughened surface.

3. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the cover comprises a plurality of cover sections which are each assigned a fastening element.

4. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 1,

wherein cover is formed of leather or imitation leather or fabric.

5. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the fastening depression is continuous about the steering wheel rim.

6. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the light guide has a light coupling face and a light exit face,

surface areas of the light guide other than the light coupling face and the light exit face are covered with a reflective coating, and

the light exit face is configured to have a plurality of light sources and form a segmented display such that around the steering wheel, illuminated segments alternate with non-illuminated segments.

7. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the fastening depression has a narrower cross section toward a surface of the steering wheel rim and a wider cross section away from the surface of the steering wheel rim, and

the fastening element has a projection to fit in the wider cross section of the fastening depression, to press the edges of the cover to the fastening depression.

8. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 7, wherein

the fastening element comprises the light guide and a resilient molded body, and

the projection is formed from the resilient molded body.

9. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the fastening element comprises teeth, and

the fastening depression has a cross sectional profile with a shape corresponding to that of the teeth, to retain the fastening element within the fastening depression.

10. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the fastening element comprises the light guide and a resilient molded body, and

the teeth are formed from the resilient molded body.

11. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the steering wheel rim comprises first electrical contacts provided in the fastening depression,

the fastening element comprises second electrical contacts,

the lighting device is provided on the fastening element, and

insertion of the fastening element into the fastening depression connects the first and second electrical contacts and arranges the lighting device in the fastening depression.

12. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a steering wheel rim having a fastening depression;

a lighting device arranged in the fastening depression;

an arrangement which covers the steering wheel rim, the arrangement comprising;

a cover placed around the steering wheel rim, formed of a flexible and/or non-slip material, the cover having edges; and

a clamping fastening element to fasten the edges of the cover in the fastening depression, the fastening element comprising a lightguide coupled to the lighting device arranged in the fastening depression so that the fastening element is embodied as a light source.

13. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12,

wherein said motor vehicle comprises a control device to activate or deactivate the light source.

14. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 13,

wherein the control device activates and deactivates the light source as a function of an operating property of the motor vehicle.

15. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 14,

wherein the operating property is an autonomous driving mode, at the activation of which the light source is activated.

16. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein

there are a plurality of fastening elements,

there are a plurality of lighting devices,

each fastening element has a corresponding lighting device, and

the lighting devices can be activated independently to form a plurality of light sources around the steering wheel.

17. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein

the motor vehicle further comprises a control device,

the control device independently activates the lighting devices to form a varying display representing a degree of power assistance.

18. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein

the fastening element comprises a molded body and a plurality of lightguides provided in the molded body,

there are a plurality of lighting devices,

each lightguide has a corresponding lighting device, and

the lighting devices can be activated independently to form a plurality of light sources around the steering wheel.

19. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 18, wherein the light sources form a segmented display such that around the steering wheel, illuminated segments alternate with non-illuminated segments.

20. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 18, wherein

the motor vehicle further comprises a control device,

the control device independently activates the lighting devices to form a varying display representing a degree of power assistance.