Steering wheel core metal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11459012-B2
Application number	US-202117327822-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2021
Priority date	May 29, 2020
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

There is provided a core of a steering wheel to which a module can be stably fixed while manufacturing cost is suppressed. Core (28) includes boss core portion (36) at which a gate of a mold is set and which is connected to a steering shaft. Core (28) includes a rim core portion that is positioned around boss core portion (36). Core (28) includes a plurality of spoke core portions (37) that connect boss core portion (36) to the rim core portion. Core (28) includes connecting portion (66) that includes fixing portion (66e) to which a module is fixed and connects spoke core portions (37) positioned on upper and lower sides in a neutral state of the steering wheel. Core (28) includes expansion portion (71) of which a width gradually increases downward toward upper end portion (66a) of connecting portion (66) in the neutral state of the steering wheel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A core of a steering wheel that is cast using a mold, the core comprising:
a boss core portion at which a gate of the mold is set and which is connected to a shaft for steering;
a rim core portion that is positioned around the boss core portion;
upper and lower spoke core portions that connect the rim core portion at one end of the spoke core portions to the boss core portion at another end of the spoke core portions, respectively;
a connecting portion that includes a fixing portion to which a module is fixed and connects the upper and lower spoke core portions positioned on upper and lower sides, respectively, in a steering reference state of the steering wheel;
wherein the upper spoke core portion that is connected to an upper end portion of the connecting portion in the steering reference state has a width which increases downward in the steering reference state from the another end connected to the boss core portion toward the upper end portion of the connecting portion, and
downward inclination of a lower edge of the upper spoke core portion that is connected to the upper end portion of the connecting portion in the steering reference state continues from the another end to the upper end portion of the connecting portion.

2. The core of a steering wheel according to claim 1 ,
wherein the width of the upper spoke core portion at the upper end portion of the connecting portion is wider at a side of the another end than at a side of the one end.

3. The core of a steering wheel according to claim 1 ,
wherein the connecting portion includes a constricted portion at a lower end portion thereof in the steering reference state.

Assignees

• Nihon Plast Co Ltd

Inventors

• Muramatsu Katsuya
• Urushibata Akito

Classifications

• B22C9/22

  Moulds for peculiarly-shaped castings · CPC title

• B62D1/04

  Hand wheels · CPC title

• B62D1/10

  Hubs; Connecting hubs to steering columns, e.g. adjustable (B62D1/11 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D1/08 Primary

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

• B62D1/11 Primary

  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