The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 13, 1998
Filed:
Jul. 02, 1996
Fritz Sanders, Livonia, MI (US);
Breed Automotive Technology, Inc., Lakeland, FL (US);
Abstract
A composite steering wheel assembly comprises a molded armature frame including a central hub, a plurality of spokes radiating from the hub, and an annular rim encircling the spokes. An elastomeric material is molded around the spokes and the rim to provide a comfortable grip and aesthetically appealing appearance. The two bottom spokes each include a first stabilizer and a second stabilizer encased within the elastomeric material. The first stabilizer includes left and right fin surfaces extending from opposite lateral sides of the spokes and disposed in a plane generally perpendicular to the steering axis. The second stabilizer also includes left and right fin surfaces extending from opposite lateral sides of the spokes, but disposed in a plane generally parallel to the steering axis. The first and second stabilizers prevent sagging and dimples in the elastomeric material resulting from material shrinkage during the elastomeric material solidification process. The first and second stabilizers are molded integrally with the armature frame so that they will not slip out of position or become lost prior to the elastomeric material over molding procedure. Furthermore, the first and second stabilizers provide a consistent feel, i.e., compressibility, in the exaggeratedly wide sections of the elastomeric material covered sections of the steering wheel assembly.