Arrangement for covering a component, component and motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9045078-B2
Application number	US-201214342654-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2012
Priority date	Jan 9, 2011
Publication date	Jun 2, 2015
Grant date	Jun 2, 2015

Abstract

An arrangement for covering a component, in particular a steering wheel rim, of a motor vehicle, which component has an in particular encircling fastening depression. The arrangement has a cover composed in particular of a flexible and/or non-slip material, and at least one fastening element, in particular a clamping element, for fastening the edges of the cover, which is placed around the component, in the fastening depression. The at least one fastening element is designed as a light source and/or has at least one light source.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A steering wheel of a motor vehicle, comprising:
a steering wheel rim having a fastening depression;
a lighting device arranged in the fastening depression;
an arrangement which covers the steering wheel rim, the arrangement comprising:
a cover placed around the steering wheel rim, formed of a flexible and/or non-slip material, the cover having edges; and
a clamping fastening element to fasten the edges of the cover in the fastening depression, the fastening element comprising a lightguide coupled to the lighting device arranged in the fastening depression so that the fastening element is embodied as a light source.

2. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the lightguide forms a continuous light source about the steering wheel rim, and
the lightguide comprises diffuser particles and/or at least one roughened surface.

3. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the cover comprises a plurality of cover sections which are each assigned a fastening element.

4. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein cover is formed of leather or imitation leather or fabric.

5. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the fastening depression is continuous about the steering wheel rim.

6. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the light guide has a light coupling face and a light exit face,
surface areas of the light guide other than the light coupling face and the light exit face are covered with a reflective coating, and
the light exit face is configured to have a plurality of light sources and form a segmented display such that around the steering wheel, illuminated segments alternate with non-illuminated segments.

7. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the fastening depression has a narrower cross section toward a surface of the steering wheel rim and a wider cross section away from the surface of the steering wheel rim, and
the fastening element has a projection to fit in the wider cross section of the fastening depression, to press the edges of the cover to the fastening depression.

8. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 7 , wherein
the fastening element comprises the light guide and a resilient molded body, and
the projection is formed from the resilient molded body.

9. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the fastening element comprises teeth, and
the fastening depression has a cross sectional profile with a shape corresponding to that of the teeth, to retain the fastening element within the fastening depression.

10. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 9 , wherein
the fastening element comprises the light guide and a resilient molded body, and
the teeth are formed from the resilient molded body.

11. The steering wheel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the steering wheel rim comprises first electrical contacts provided in the fastening depression,
the fastening element comprises second electrical contacts,
the lighting device is provided on the fastening element, and
insertion of the fastening element into the fastening depression connects the first and second electrical contacts and arranges the lighting device in the fastening depression.

12. A motor vehicle, comprising:
a steering wheel rim having a fastening depression;
a lighting device arranged in the fastening depression;
an arrangement which covers the steering wheel rim, the arrangement comprising:
a cover placed around the steering wheel rim, formed of a flexible and/or non-slip material, the cover having edges; and
a clamping fastening element to fasten the edges of the cover in the fastening depression, the fastening element comprising a lightguide coupled to the lighting device arranged in the fastening depression so that the fastening element is embodied as a light source.

13. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12 ,
wherein said motor vehicle comprises a control device to activate or deactivate the light source.

14. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 13 ,
wherein the control device activates and deactivates the light source as a function of an operating property of the motor vehicle.

15. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 14 ,
wherein the operating property is an autonomous driving mode, at the activation of which the light source is activated.

16. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12 , wherein
there are a plurality of fastening elements,
there are a plurality of lighting devices,
each fastening element has a corresponding lighting device, and
the lighting devices can be activated independently to form a plurality of light sources around the steering wheel.

17. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 16 , wherein
the motor vehicle further comprises a control device,
the control device independently activates the lighting devices to form a varying display representing a degree of power assistance.

18. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12 , wherein
the fastening element comprises a molded body and a plurality of lightguides provided in the molded body,
there are a plurality of lighting devices,
each lightguide has a corresponding lighting device, and
the lighting devices can be activated independently to form a plurality of light sources around the steering wheel.

19. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the light sources form a segmented display such that around the steering wheel, illuminated segments alternate with non-illuminated segments.

20. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 18 , wherein
the motor vehicle further comprises a control device,
the control device independently activates the lighting devices to form a varying display representing a degree of power assistance.

Assignees

• Tovar Johannes
• Reuschel Jens Dietmar
• Schmitz Christoph
• Mohos Richard
• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Tovar Johannes
• Reuschel Jens Dietmar
• Schmitz Christoph
• Mohos Richard

Classifications

• B62D1/046

  Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches · CPC title

• B60Q3/024 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B62D1/06

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

• B60Q3/283 Primary

  Steering wheels; Gear levers · CPC title