Safety steering wheel

Claim 2

In a safety steering wheel assembly adapted for mounting on the steering column of an automotive vehicle or the like, a generally circular rim member normally disposed along a plane extending transversely to the steering column, a hub member disposed centrally of said rim member for operatively securing said assembly to said steering column, at least two spoke members extending radially between said hub member and said rim member, anD means associated with said spoke members interjacent the radially inner and outer ends thereof and providing for pivotal movement of said radially outer ends of said members axially away from the vehicle operator in response to an axially directed impact force acting to displace any segmental portion of said rim member, whereby said impact force results in substantially parallel displacement of the entire rim member axially of said steering column.

Claim 3

A safety steering wheel assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the radially outer ends of said spoke members are movably connected to said rim member.

Claim 4

A safety steering wheel assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the radially outer ends of said spoke members are pivotably connected to said rim member.

Claim 5

In a safety steering wheel assembly adapted for mounting on the steering column of an automotive vehicle or the like, a generally circular rim member normally disposed along a plane extending transversely to the steering column, a hub member disposed centrally of said rim member for operatively securing said assembly to said steering column, at least two radially extendable and collapsible spoke members extending radially between said hub member and said rim member, and means supporting said spoke members whereby an impact force acting to axially displace any segmental portion of said rim member results in substantially parallel displacement of the entire rim member axially of said steering column.

Claim 6

In a safety steering wheel assembly adapted for mounting on the steering column of an automotive vehicle or the like, a generally circular rim member normally disposed along a plane extending transversely to the steering column, a hub member disposed centrally of said rim member for operatively securing said assembly to said steering column, at least two radially extendable and collapsible spoke members extending radially between said hub member and said rim member, and means supporting said spoke members whereby an impact force acting to axially displace any segmental portion of said rim member results in substantially parallel displacement of the entire rim member axially of said steering column.

Claim 7

A safety steering wheel assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said spoke members comprises first and second radial sections which are telescopically engaged with one another so as to be extendable and collapsible in a radial direction.

Claim 8

In a safety steering wheel assembly adapted for mounting on the steering column of an automotive vehicle or the like, a generally circular rim member normally disposed along a plane extending transversely to the steering column, a hub member disposed centrally of said rim member for operatively securing said assembly to said steering column, at least two spoke members extending radially between said hub member and said rim member and connected to one another adjacent the radially innermost ends thereof, and means supporting said spoke members whereby an impact force acting to axially displace any segmental portion of said rim member results in substantially parallel displacement of the entire rim member axially of said steering column.

Claim 9

In a safety steering wheel assembly adapted for mounting on the steering column of an automotive vehicle or the like, a generally circular rim member normally disposed along a plane extending transversely to the steering column, a hub member disposed centrally of said rim member for operatively securing said assembly to said steering column, at least two spoke members extending radially between said hub member and said rim member and connected to one another adjacent the radially innermost ends thereof, and means supporting said spoke members whereby an impact force acting to axially displace any segmental portion of said rim member results in substantially parallel displacement of the entire rim member axially of said steering column.

Claim 10

In a safety steering wheel assembly adapted for mounting on the steering column of an automotive vehicle or the like, a generally circular rim member normally disposed along a plane extending transversely to the steering column, a hub member disposed centrally of said rim member for operatively securing said assembly to said steering column, at least two spoke members extending radially between said hub member and said rim member, portions of said spoke members intermediate the radially inner and outer ends thereof being pivotally connected to said hub member, and means supporting said spoke members whereby an impact force acting to axially displace any segmental portion of said rim member results in substantially parallel displacement of the entire rim member axially of said steering column.

Claim 11

In a safety steering wheel assembly adapted for mounting on the steering column of an automotive vehicle or the like, a generally circular rim member normally disposed along a plane extending transversely to the steering column, a hub member disposed centrally of said rim member for operatively securing said assembly to said steering column, at least two spoke members extending radially between said hub member and said rim member, portions of said spoke members intermediate the radially inner and outer ends thereof being pivotally connected to said hub member, and means supporting said spoke members whereby an impact force acting to axially displace any segmental portion of said rim member results in substantially parallel displacement of the entire rim member axially of said steering column.

Claim 12

A safety steering wheel assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said hub member comprises a generally annular wall disposed substantially coaxially of said rim member, said wall being formed with a plurality of radially extending openings through which said spoke members extend and are thereby movably connected to said hub member.

Claim 13

A safety steering wheel assembly as set forth in claim 7 which includes at least three circumferentially spaced, radially outwardly extending spoke members, each of said spoke members extending radially of said hub member and being pivotably connected thereto at an intermediate portion thereof, with All of said spoke members being connected to one another at a position substantially coaxially of the axis of rotation of the wheel assembly, the radial distance between the point of connection of said spoke members and the pivotal connection of one of said spoke members with said hub member being greater than the radial distance between said point of connection and the pivotal connection of another of said spoke members with said hub member.

Claim 14

A safety steering wheel assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said hub member comprises an annular sidewall which is formed with at least one indented portion, said indented portion having one of said spoke members pivotally connected thereto, whereby the distance between said pivotal connection of said hub member and said one of said spoke members is smaller than the distance between the point of connection of said spoke members and the connection of another of said spoke members pivotally connected to said hub members at a position out of radial alignment with said indented portion.

Claim 15

In a safety steering wheel assembly adapted for mounting on the steering column of an automotive vehicle or the like, a generally circular rim member normally disposed along a plane extending transversely to the steering column, a hub member disposed centrally of said rim member for operatively securing said assembly to said steering column, a plurality of at least three radially extending spoke members primarily located adjacent the lower segmental portion of the rim member, whereby an impact force exerted by the vehicle operator against the lower segmental portion of the rim member will act to positively displace the entire rim member axially of said steering column.

Claim 16

In a safety steering wheel assembly adapted for mounting on the steering column of an automotive vehicle or the like, a generally circular rim member normally disposed along a plane extending transversely to the steering column, a hub member disposed centrally of said rim member for operatively securing said assembly to said steering column, a plurality of at least three radially extending spoke members primarily located adjacent the lower segmental portion of the rim member, whereby an impact force exerted by the vehicle operator against the lower segmental portion of the rim member will act to positively displace the entire rim member axially of said steering column.

Claim 17

In a safety steering wheel assembly adapted for mounting on the steering column of an automotive vehicle or the like, a generally circular rim member normally disposed along a plane extending transversely of the steering column, said member comprises at least two relatively movable and pivotably connected segmental sections, a hub member disposed centrally of said rim member for operatively securing said assembly to said steering column, at least two spoke members extending radially between said hub member and said rim member, and means interconnecting said spoke members with said rim member and said hub member, whereby an impact force acting to axially displace one of said segmental rim sections results in substantially simultaneous axial displacement of the other of said rim sections.

Claim 18

In a safety steering wheel assembly adapted for mounting on the steering column of an automotive vehicle or the like, a generally circular rim member normally disposed along a plane extending transversely of the steering column, said member comprises at least two relatively movable and pivotably connected segmental sections, a hub member disposed centrally of said rim member for operatively securing said assembly to said steering column, at least two spoke members extending radially between said hub member and said rim member, and means interconnecting said spoke members with said rim member and said hub member, whereby an impact force acting to axially displace one of said segmental rim sections results in substantially simultaneous axial displacement of the other of said rim sections.

Claim 19

In a safety steering wheel assembly adapted for mounting on the steering column of an automotive vehicle or the like, a generally circular rim member normally disposed along a plane extending transversely of the steering column, said member comprises at least two pivotably connected segmental sections each extending approximately 180* around the circumference of the assembly, a hub member disposed centrally of said rim member for operatively securing said assembly to said steering column, at least tow spoke members extending radially between said hub member and said rim member and supporting said segmental sections of said rim member for relative pivotal movement, and means interconnecting said spoke members with said rim member and said hub member, whereby an impact force acting to axially displace one of said segmental rim sections results in substantially simultaneous axial displacement of the other of said rim sections.

Claim 20

In a safety steering wheel assembly adapted for mounting on the steering column of an automotive vehicle or the like, a generally circular rim member normally disposed along a plane extending transversely of the steering column, said member comprises at least two pivotably connected segmental sections each extending approximately 180* around the circumference of the assembly, a hub member disposed centrally of said rim member for operatively securing said assembly to said steering column, at least tow spoke members extending radially between said hub member and said rim member and supporting said segmental sections of said rim member for relative pivotal movement, and means interconnecting said spoke members with said rim member and said hub member, whereby an impact force acting to axially displace one of said segmental rim sections results in substantially simultaneous axial displacement of the other of said rim sections.

Claim 21

A safety steering wheel assembly as set forth in claim 13 which includes a radially outwardly extending spoke section pivotably engageable with each end of each of said segmental rim sections.

Claim 22

A safety steering wheel assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said spoke members each comprise first and second radially outwardly extending leg sections, one of said leg sections of each of said spoke members being pivotably connected to one end of one of said seGmental rim sections.

Claim 23

A safety steering wheel assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein said spoke members are of a generally V-shaped configuration having first and second leg sections extending radially outwardly and pivotably engageable with the ends of said segmental rim sections.

Claim 24

A safety steering wheel assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said hub member is disposed centrally of said segmental rim sections, wherein said hub member comprises first and second circumferentially spaced portions defining radially outwardly extending openings, and wherein said spoke members extend through said openings and are pivotably engageable at their outer ends with said segmental rim sections.

Claim 25

A safety steering wheel assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said hub member is fabricated of stamped metal.

Claim 26

In a safety steering wheel assembly adapted for mounting on the steering column of an automotive vehicle or the like, a generally circular rim member normally disposed along a plane extending transversely to the steering column, a hub member disposed centrally of said rim member for operatively securing said assembly to said steering column, at least two stamped metal spoke members extending radially between said hub member and said rim member, and means supporting said spoke members whereby an impact force acting to axially displace any segmental portion of said rim member results in substantially parallel displacement of the entire rim member axially of said steering column.

Claim 27

In a safety steering wheel assembly adapted for mounting on the steering column of an automotive vehicle or the like, a generally circular rim member normally disposed along a plane extending transversely to the steering column, a hub member disposed centrally of said rim member for operatively securing said assembly to said steering column, at least two stamped metal spoke members extending radially between said hub member and said rim member, and means supporting said spoke members whereby an impact force acting to axially displace any segmental portion of said rim member results in substantially parallel displacement of the entire rim member axially of said steering column.

Claim 28

The invention as set forth in claim 12 wherein each of said spokes comprises first and second portions, one portion of each of said spokes being connected to each of said segmental sections of said rim member.

Claim 29

The invention as set forth in claim 12 wherein said spokes are of a relatively deformable character.

Claim 30

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said spoke members are pivotably connected to said hub member intermediate the radially inner and outer ends of said hub members, and wherein said spoke members are connected to one another at the radially inner ends thereof, with the radial dimensions between the point of connection of said spokes and the point of pivotal connection thereof to said hub member providing a mechanical advantage, whereby an impact force exerted on one portion of said rim member will result in a preselected axial movement of another portion of said rim member.