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:
May. 15, 2018
Filed:
Apr. 01, 2016
Applicant:
Tk Holdings Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US);
Inventor:
Makoto Kawaguchi, Troy, MI (US);
Assignee:
TK Holdings Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B62D 1/06 (2006.01); B29C 65/02 (2006.01); B29C 65/48 (2006.01); B29L 31/30 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B62D 1/06 (2013.01); B29C 65/02 (2013.01); B29C 65/48 (2013.01); B29L 2031/3047 (2013.01);
Abstract
Various implementations include an improved steering wheel and methods of making the same. The improved steering wheel includes a carbon fiber mat that is preimpregnated with an epoxy resin that is wrapped adjacent at least a portion of a steering wheel frame. The edges of the mat that overlap are coupled together directly via the epoxy resin by heat curing the mat. The preimpregnated mat does not crack when subjected to thermal cycle tests, which is an improvement over prior art steering wheels that include raw carbon fiber mats that are coupled to the frame using a separate adhesive.