Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering wheel with a
steering wheel rim which is covered by a cover or casing of
leather or a leather-like material. The cover or casing is
made of a single-piece material blank whose two longitudinal
edges are connected to each other along the steering wheel
rim.
2. DescriPtion of the Related Art
Steering wheels whose rims are provided with a cover of
leather or a leather-like material are manufactured by
initially manufacturing the steering wheel proper and
subsequently surrounding the steering wheel rim with the
cover, wherein the cover is made of a single-piece blank
which is placed around the steering wheel rim and is fastened
to the steering wheel rim by connecting the two longitudinal
edges of the blank.
In conventional steering wheels, the two longitudinal
edges of the blank forming the cover are connected to each
other along the inner circumference of the steering wheel rim
by sewing or another similar type of connection, so that the
connection is not located in the area of the gripping
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surfaces of the steering wheel. However, independent of the
selected type of connection of the two~longitudinal edges of
the blank forming the cover, there is the difficulty that the
location of the connection at the inner circumference of the
steering wheel rim is not easily accessible, so that the
manufacture of the connection is difficult and the costs of
the steering wheel become higher.
It is, therefore, the primary object of the present
invention to improve a steering wheel whose rim is provided
with a cover of leather or a leather-like material, so that
the manufacture of the steering wheel is significantly
simplified, while the advantages of the known steering wheels
are still present.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, the connection
of the two longitudinal edges of the blank forming the cover
is located on the underside of the steering wheel at a
distance from the inner circumference of the steering wheel
rim.
In accordance with an advantageous feature of the
invention, the distance at which the connection between the
two longitudinal edges of the blank forming the cover is
moved downwardly from the inner circumference of the steering
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wheel rim is approximately one-fourth to one-fifth of the
cross-section of the steering wheel rim~. Accordingly, the
connection of the two longitudinal edges is still outside of
the gripping surface. However, the connection is now at a
location which is more accessible and the manufacture of the
steering wheel is made simpler.
The steering wheel according to the invention makes it
possible to provide a connection of the two ends of the blank
from the steering cover which is continuous and is located
outside of the connection points of the steering wheel spokes
with the steering wheel rim. In addition, the invention
provides the possibility of using various different types of
connections of the longitudinal edges of the blank forming
the cover.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
invention, the connection of the two longitudinal edges of
the blank forming the cover is a seam, preferably cross-
stitch seam.
In accordance with another useful embodiment of the
invention, the connection of the two longitudinal edges of
the blank forming the cover located at a distance downwardly
from the inner circumference of the steering wheel rim is
obtained by a butt-jointed adhesive connection and an
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ornamental seam is provided at the connection for improving
the optical appearance.
In accordance with another advantageous embodiment of
the invention, the connection of the two longitudinal edges
of the blank forming the cover located at a distance
downwardly from the inner circumference of the steering wheel
rim is obtained by gluing together overlapping, beveled
longitudinal edges of the blank and by providing an
ornamental seam at the connection for improving the optical
appearance.
In accordance with another special feature of the
invention, the two longitudinal edges of the blank forming
the cover may have flanges which are glued together and are
inserted in a circumferential recess in the steering wheel
arrangement located at a distance downwardly from the inner
circumference of the steering wheel rim.
In accordance with a further special embodiment of the
invention, the connection of the longitudinal edges of the
blank forming the cover located at the distance downwardly
from the inner circumference of the steering wheel rim is
obtained by clamping the longitudinal edges together, wherein
the longitudinal edges of the cover are inserted in a
circumferential groove in the steering wheel rim and are
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clamped relative to each other by means of an insert and, if
necessary, are directly or indirectly glued together.
While a specific embodiment of the invention has been
shown and described in detail to illustrate the application
of the inventive principles, it will be understood that the
invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from
such principles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
In the drawing:
Fig. l is a partial perspective view of a steering wheel
according to the present invention;
Fig. 2a is a partial perspective view of another
embodiment of the steering wheel according to the present
invention;
Fig. 2b show a detail, on a larger scale, of the
embodiment of the steering wheel of Fig. 2a;
Fig. 3b is a partial perspective view of yet another
embodiment of the steering wheel according to the present
invention;
Fig. 3b shows a detail, on a large scale, of the
embodiment of the steering wheel of Fig. 3a;
Fig. 4 is a partial perspective view of a further
embodiment of the steering wheel according to the present
invention; and
~.~
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Fig. 5a and Sb show details, on a larger scale, of the
embodiment of the steering wheel shown in Fig. 4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As illustrated in the drawing, a steering wheel 1
includes a steering wheel rim 2 which is connected through
spokes 3 to a steering wheel hub 4 which fastened to a
steering shaft, not shown. The steering wheel rim is
provided with a cover or casing 5 of leather or a leather-
like material. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the
steering wheel rim 2 is made essentially of a foam material
and has a circular cross-section.
The cover 5 is made from a single-piece blank of a cover
material. The two longit-l~; nA 1 edges 6 and 7 of the blank
are connected to each other and the location 8 of the
connection is offset from the inner circumference of the
steering wheel rim towards the underside thereof by
approximately one-fifth of the cross-section of the steering
wheel rim 2.
In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the two longitudinal
edges 6 and 7 are butt-jointed and are connected to each
other by means of a cross-stitch seam 9, so that the cover 5
is simultaneously fastened to the steering wheel rim 2.
.~g,
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In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the two longitudinal
edges 6a and 7a of the blank forming the cover 5 are also
butt-jointed and are connected to each other by means of a
glued connection 10. An additional ornamental seam 11 is
provided for improving the optical appearance.
In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the two longitudinal
edges 6b and 7b of the blank forming the cover 5 are beveled,
wherein the edges overlap and are glued together.
In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the two longitudinal
edges 6c and 7c of the blank forming the cover 5 are also
butt-jointed and are provided with a perpendicularly
projecting flange each which is inserted in a circumferential
groove 12 of the steering wheel rim 2. The contacting flange
surfaces are glued together.
In the modified embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the two
longitudinal edges 6d and 7d of the blank forming the cover 5
are also butt-jointed and have perpendicularly projecting
flanges which are inserted in a groove 12 provided in the
steering wheel rim 2. However, the longitudinal edges 6d and
7d are connected by clamping them by means of a spreading
insert 13.
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While specific embodiments of the invention have been
shown and described in detail to illustrate the application
of the inventive principles, it will be understood that the
invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from
such principles.
