Collapsible steering wheel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10906575-B2
Application number	US-201816619547-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2018
Priority date	Jun 6, 2017
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

A collapsible steering wheel of a motor vehicle, comprising a steering wheel rim having a number of segments that can be moved in relation to each other between a first position and a second position. A first angle is formed between respectively adjacent segments in the first position and a second angle different from the first angle is formed between respectively adjacent segments in the second position. The disclosure also relates to a steering device of a motor vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A collapsible steering wheel for use in a motor vehicle, the collapsible steering wheel comprising:
a steering wheel rim having a number of segments configured to move relative to each other between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position a first angle is formed between respective adjacent segments and in the second position, a second angle, different than the first angle, is formed between the respective adjacent segments and wherein each segment has two sub-segments mounted to each other end to end so that the two sub-segments are foldable.

2. The collapsible steering wheel of claim 1 , wherein the motor vehicle includes a steering column defining a longitudinal axis, wherein in the first position, the segments are arranged substantially in a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, and in the second position, at least one of the segments forms a third angle with respect to the plane.

3. The collapsible steering wheel of claim 1 , further comprising: a first hub surrounded by and attached to the segments.

4. The collapsible steering wheel of claim 3 , further comprising: a number of spokes each mounted to the first hub and configured to articulate with respect to the first hub.

5. The collapsible steering wheel of claim 4 , wherein each segment is mounted to one of the spokes and configured to articulate with respect thereto.

6. The collapsible steering wheel of claim 4 , further comprising: a second hub movable in a longitudinal direction relative to the first hub.

7. The collapsible steering wheel of claim 6 , further comprising a first push-link chain and an auxiliary spoke, extending between the second hub and one of the spokes, wherein the second hub moves in the longitudinal direction as the first push-link chain moves and the auxiliary spoke articulates with respect to one or more spokes of the number of spokes.

8. The collapsible steering wheel of claim 7 , wherein ends of each of the segments are rotatably connected to each other at the ends by a second push-link chain.

9. The collapsible steering wheel of claim 6 , further comprising a person protection device disposed in the second hub.

10. The collapsible steering wheel of claim 1 , wherein the segments are configured to lock in the first position.

11. A steering device for use in a motor vehicle, the steering device comprising:
a steering column defining a longitudinal axis;
a collapsible steering wheel configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis and including,
a steering wheel rim having a number of segments configured to move relative to each other between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position a first angle is formed between respective adjacent segments and in the second position a second angle, different than the first angle, is formed between the respective adjacent segments; and

a push-link chain coupled to the collapsible steering wheel and configured to actuate to move the collapsible steering wheel in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis.

12. A collapsible steering wheel configured to move between a first position and a second position, the collapsible steering wheel comprising:
a first hub;
a first spoke and a second spoke each extending from the first hub and configured to articulate with respect to the first hub;
a first segment, extending from the first spoke and configured to articulate with respect to the first spoke, and a second segment extending from the second spoke and configured to articulate with respect to the second spoke, wherein the first segment includes a first sub-segment and a second sub-segment, wherein ends of the first sub-segment and the second sub-segment are coupled to one another and foldable with respect to one another;
a second hub aligned with the first hub along a longitudinal axis, wherein as the collapsible steering wheel moves from the first position to the second position, the first and second spokes and the first and second segments move towards the longitudinal axis; and
a first push-link chain extending between the first hub and the second hub and having a number of chain links.

13. The collapsible steering wheel of claim 12 , further comprising an auxiliary spoke extending between the first spoke and the second hub, wherein the auxiliary spoke is configured to translate along the first spoke as the collapsible steering wheel moves from the first position to the second position.

14. The collapsible steering wheel of claim 13 , wherein as the collapsible steering wheel moves from the first position to the second position, the second hub moves along the longitudinal axis away from the first hub.

15. The collapsible steering wheel of claim 12 , wherein when the collapsible steering wheel is in the first position, the first segment and the longitudinal axis define a first angle, and when the collapsible steering wheel is in the second position, the first segment and the longitudinal axis define a second angle, greater than the first angle.

16. The collapsible steering wheel of claim 12 , wherein the number of chain links are configured to lock to one another in response to applying a load to the first push-link chain.

17. The collapsible steering wheel of claim 16 , wherein a distance between the first hub and the second hub is fixed when the number of chain links are locked to one another.

18. The collapsible steering wheel of claim 12 , further comprising:
a steering column provided with a stop; and
a second push-link chain extending between the first hub and the stop and configured to adjust a position of the first hub relative to the stop.

Assignees

• Brose Fahrzeugteile

Inventors

• Riedel Roland

Classifications

• B62D1/04

  Hand wheels · CPC title

• 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

• B62D1/08

  Spokes, e.g. resilient (B62D1/11 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D1/11

  incorporating energy-absorbing arrangements, e.g. by being yieldable or collapsible (padded linings associated with the steering wheel B60R21/05; shock absorbers using plastic deformation of members in general F16F7/12) · CPC title