Steering wheel for a vehicle movable between a deployed position and a retracted position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10501108-B2
Application number	US-201815982685-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2018
Priority date	May 19, 2017
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

A steering wheel having a body rotatable around a steering axis (D), a first gripping element and a second gripping element, the first gripping element being movable between a deployed position, in which the first and second gripping elements extend on either side of the body, and a retracted position, in which the first gripping element is folded down against the second gripping element. The second gripping element is translatable relative to the body at least in a first direction substantially parallel to the steering axis (D) between the deployed position and the retracted position so as to free a space for the first gripping element in the retracted position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A steering wheel for a vehicle, comprising a body rotatable around a steering axis, a first gripping element and a second gripping element, the first gripping element being movable relative to the body between a deployed position, in which the first and second gripping elements extend on either side of the body of the steering axis, and a retracted position, in which the first gripping element is folded down against the second gripping element, the first gripping element rotating relative to the body around a rotation axis substantially perpendicular to the steering axis between the deployed position and the retracted position, wherein the second gripping element is translatable relative to the body at least in a first direction substantially parallel to the steering axis between the deployed position and the retracted position so as to clear a space for the first gripping element in the retracted position.

2. The steering wheel according to claim 1 , wherein the second gripping element is further movable relative to the body in translation in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction between the deployed position and the retracted position.

3. The steering wheel according to claim 2 , wherein the second gripping element moves in translation in the first direction, then in the second direction when the first gripping element goes from the deployed position to the retracted position.

4. The steering wheel according to claim 1 , wherein the second gripping element is mounted sliding in at least one rail of the body, said rail extending in the movement direction(s) of the second gripping element between the deployed and retracted positions.

5. The steering wheel according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second gripping elements are secured in rotation with the body around the steering axis in the deployed position.

6. The steering wheel according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second gripping elements are connected to the body by fastening points, said fastening points being substantially aligned in the direction of the steering axis in the retracted position.

7. The steering wheel according to claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a fixed part and at least one moving part, the moving part being translatable relative to the fixed part in a direction substantially parallel to the steering axis between a retracted position, in which the fixed part and the moving part overlap over a first length, and a deployed position in which the fixed part and the moving part overlap over a second length smaller than the first length.

8. The steering wheel according to claim 7 , wherein the first and second gripping elements are mounted on the moving part, the first and second gripping elements being in the retracted position when the moving part is in the retracted position and in the deployed position when the moving part is in the deployed position.

9. A vehicle dashboard that includes the steering wheel of claim 1 , the dashboard being able to be positioned in a manual driving configuration, in which the first and second gripping elements are in the deployed position, and an automatic driving configuration, in which the first and second gripping elements are in the retracted position.

10. The dashboard according to claim 9 , wherein the body comprises a fixed part and at least one moving part, the moving part being translatable relative to the fixed part in a direction substantially parallel to the steering axis between a retracted position, in which the fixed part and the moving part overlap over a first length, and a deployed position in which the fixed part and the moving part overlap over a second length smaller than the first length, wherein the first and second gripping elements are mounted on the moving part, the first and second gripping elements being in the retracted position when the moving part is in the retracted position and in the deployed position when the moving part is in the deployed position, wherein the distance separating the first and second gripping elements of an outer surface of the dashboard in the retracted position is smaller than said distance in the deployed position.

Assignees

• Faurecia Interieur Ind

Inventors

• Beauregard Julien

Classifications

• B62D1/06 Primary

  Rims, e.g. with heating means; Rim covers (B62D1/11 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D1/183

  adjustable between in-use and out-of-use positions, e.g. to improve access · CPC title

• B62D1/04

  Hand wheels · CPC title