Key Safety Systems, Inc.

Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.

Giuseppe Testa

Adolfo Ridolfi

Xiaoping Xu

Federico Girardi

Jason Luo

Paolo Vian

Hubert Ross

Detlef Munsch

Lorenzo Menaldo

Stefano Soragni

Alberto Muscio

Roberto Salvoro

A steering wheel has a ring portion, spoke portions and a hub portion. The steering wheel is provided with a thermoelectric reversible heat pump to heat or cool a fluid. A closed hydraulic circuit includes a hydraulic pump and at least one duct extending along the ring portion of the steering wheel. The fluid is heated or cooled by the thermoelectric heat pump and is circulated by the hydraulic pump within the ring portion of the steering wheel to heat or cool the ring portion.

Heated and cooled steering wheel

A steering wheel or other component for motor vehicle interiors, is produced by pressure thermoforming an external layer of decorative material, together with an internal structural layer of support material that includes a matrix of thermoplastic material and a plurality of reinforcing fibers for the thermoplastic matrix. The matrix may be of polymer that impregnates the fabric or made of fabrics that are interwoven or mixed with the reinforcing fibers.

Steering wheel with thermoplastic composites

A vehicle steering wheel assembly having a molded armature with outwardly extending spokes for mounting on a steering column. Airbag module engagement members extend from an airbag module housing to engage corresponding armature engagement members. The airbag module rests on a multiple of switch assemblies while the engagement members are separated by a clearance. The engagement members are only in contact if the airbag is fired. A clearance between each armature engagement member and each corresponding airbag module engagement member assures that there is no interference that may result in undesirable noise or vibration.

Switch assembly for an airbag module attachment

A vehicle steering wheel assembly having a molded armature with outwardly extending spokes for mounting on a steering column. Airbag engagement members extend from an airbag module housing to engage corresponding hub engagement members. The airbag module rests on a multiple of switch assemblies while the engagement members are separated by a clearance. The engagement members are only in contact if the airbag is fired. A clearance between each hub engagement member and each corresponding airbag engagement member assures that there is no interference that may result in undesirable noise or vibration.

Airbag module attachment arrangement

A method for installing an airbag assembly within a steering wheel assembly includes locating an airbag module engagement member with a corresponding armature engagement member. Once aligned, an operator presses downward on the airbag cover until switch engagement members engage their corresponding switch assembly receivers within the airbag cover. A clearance is formed between each armature engagement members and the corresponding airbag module engagement members when the module is mounted to the molded armature. Thus the switch assemblies support the airbag module.

Method for attaching an airbag module

A method of manufacturing motor car steering wheels with an external shell made of composite materials, which comprises preparing a pile of sheets of composite materials, hot molding thereof for obtaining respective half-shells with a shape corresponding to that of respective halves of the steering wheel being manufactured, mechanical flattening of the front surfaces of the two half-shells, applying the two half-shells to opposite parts of a steering wheel body formed by a metallic core covered by resin, and mutual fixing of the two half-shells along said front surfaces. After flattening, the front surfaces of the two half-shells are mechanically worked to form respective complementary teeth which can be male-female coupled when the two half-shells are applied around the steering wheel body.

Method of manufacturing a steering wheel

A method of manufacturing a motor car steering wheel with an external shell made of carbon fibers begins with preparing a pile of sheet materials which is then hot molded to yield respective half-shells with a shape corresponding to that of respective halves of the steering wheel being manufactured. Next comes mechanical flattening of the front surfaces of the two half-shells, followed by mounting of the two half-shells above and under a steering wheel body formed by a metallic core covered by resin. The steering wheel body has lateral profile members which act as fixing supports for the two half-shells.

Steering wheel

A method of manufacturing a motor car steering wheel with an external shell made of carbon fibers, which comprises preparing a pile of sheet materials, hot molding thereof for obtaining respective half-shells with a shape corresponding to that of respective halves of the steering wheel being manufactured, mechanical flattening of the front surfaces of the two half-shells, mounting of the two half-shells above and under a steering wheel body formed by a metallic core covered by resin. The steering wheel body has lateral profiles which act as fixing supports for the two half-shells.

Growing community of inventors

Illasi, Italy

Giuseppe Testa