Soft steering wheel rim

Claim 2

A steering wheel rim having a hardness of between 40 and 55 durometer (Shore A) and capable of being manufactured of various colors with the surface being color stable, said rim comprising core means of relatively rigid material, a layer of soft substrate material surrounding said core means, said material being selected from at least one of the class consisting of a blown or expanded plastic or rubber, a plastic foam such as urethane or a very soft dense elastomer rubbery material, said layer having a hardness of 35 durometer or under, means formed on said core means and coacting with said layer to provide a mechanical lock against twisting, an outer covering surrounding said layer of soft substrate material, said outer covering being selected from at least one of the class consisting of a dense or expanded plastic sheet, vacuum formed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or injection molded vinyl, said covering having a hardness of 70 durometer or more, and means securing said covering to said rim, and said core means comprising an inner core member of generally circular shape and an outer core member of annular cross-sectional shape surrounding said inner core member, said means for mechanically locking the soft substrate layer to said core means comprising a radial projection on said outer core member.

Claim 3

The combination according to claim 1, said projection having a slot, the edges of said outer covering being disposed within said slot.

Claim 4

The combination according to claim 2, said means for securing the outer covering to the rim comprising a wedge inserted in said slot.

Claim 5

The combination according to claim 3, said wedge having simulated stitching molded thereon.

Claim 6

The combination accordinG to claim 2, said wedge being composed of vinyl with an aluminum foil.

Claim 7

The combination according to claim 1, said covering edges being heat sealed together, and a slot in said radial projection, whereby tucking of said edges into said slot will secure the covering to said rim.

Claim 8

The combination according to claim 1, said radial projection having a slot, the edges of said covering being inserted in said slot, said means for securing the covering to the rim comprising a tubular extrusion inserted in said groove and acting as a wedge between said edges.

Claim 9

A soft steering wheel rim having a hardness of 40 to 55 durometer (Shore A) and capable of being fabricated in various colors with a color stable surface comprising a metal inner core member having a circular cross-sectional shape, an outer core member having an annular cross-sectional shape and surrounding said inner core member, said outer core member being fabricated of a hard vinyl and having a radially inward projection comprising two fingers with a slot formed therebetween, a layer of soft substrate material surrounding said outer core member, the material of said layer being selected from at least one of the class consisting of a blown or expanded plastic or rubber, a plastic foam such as urethane or a very soft dense elastomer rubbery material, the durometer of said soft substrate layer being 35 (Shore A) or less, said layer of soft substrate material abutting said inward projection on the outer core member to provide a mechanical lock which prevents relative twisting, an outer covering surrounding said soft substrate layer, said outer covering being fabricated of a material selected from at least one of the class consisting of dense or expanded vinyl sheet stock, vacuum formed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and injection molded vinyl, the hardness of said outer covering being approximately 70 durometer (Shore A) or more, the edges of said covering extending into said slot, and means for mechanically locking said covering to said rim comprising a vinyl extrusion having a T-shaped cross-section inserted in the slot between said covering edges, the outer portions of said extrusion overlapping adjacent portions of said covering and having simulated stitching thereon.

Claim 10

A soft steering wheel rim having a hardness of 40 to 55 durometer (Shore A) and capable of being fabricated in various colors with a color stable surface comprising a metal inner core member having a circular cross-sectional shape, an outer core member having an annular cross-sectional shape and surrounding said inner core member, said outer core member being fabricated of a hard vinyl and having a radially inward projection comprising two fingers with a slot formed therebetween, a layer of soft substrate material surrounding said outer core member, the material of said layer being selected from at least one of the class consisting of a blown or expanded plastic or rubber, a plastic foam such as urethane or a very soft dense elastomer rubbery material, the durometer of said soft substrate layer being 35 (Shore A) or less, said layer of soft substrate material abutting said inward projection on the outer core member to provide a mechanical lock which prevents relative twisting, an outer covering surrounding said soft substrate layer, said outer covering being fabricated of a material selected from at least one of the class consisting of dense or expanded vinyl sheet stock, vacuum formed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and injection molded vinyl, the hardness of said outer covering being approximately 70 durometer (Shore A) or more, the edges of said covering extending into said slot, and means for mechanically locking said covering to said rim comprising a vinyl extrusion having a T-shaped cross-section inserted in the slot between said covering edges, the outer portions of said extrusion overlapping adjacent portions of said covering and having simulated stitching thereon.