US4635500A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Epoxy steering wheel
Assignee: Shell USA Inc
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Filing: 1985-07-22
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Granted: 1987-01-13
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Expires: 2005-07-22
Abstract
Abstract An automotive steering wheel wherein fiber reinforcing members are placed around a core member that is placed in a mold cavity to form the rim and spoke portions of a steering wheel the mold cavity is then evacuated to remove air trapped in the reinforcing fibers while injecting a thermosetting resin at a high rate to bond the reinforcing assembly into a solid mass.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert H. Overcashier
- 👤 Robert D. Farris
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 08:20
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C70/00; B29C70/04; B29C70/28; B29C70/40; B29C70/42; B29C70/44; B29C70/443; B62; B62D; B62D1/00; B62D1/02; B62D1/04; B29C43/00; B29C43/02; B29C43/10; B29C43/12; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/30; B29L2031/3047; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49481; Y10T29/49488; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/20; Y10T74/20576; Y10T74/20732; Y10T74/20834
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
An automotive steering wheel having a rim and two spokes connecting said rim to a central hub, said steering wheel comprising: a flexible tubular member sealed at each end, said flexible tubular member being sealed in a partially deflated condition; a woven tube of fiber-reinforcing material, said tube being positioned to surround said flexible tubular member, a continuous length of said flexible member and tube of fiber-reinforcing material being used to form the steering wheel by placing one end of the flexible member in a first position on the rim, passing it up one spoke around the central hub then back down said one spoke around a remainder of the rim to the second spoke, up said second spoke around said hub, back down said second spoke and around a remainder of the rim to the first position to join the other end of said flexible member with said one end of said flexible member; and a thermosetting resin, said resin combining with said fiber-reinforcing material to bond the reinforcing into a solid mass.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
174 words
An automotive steering wheel having a rim and two spokes connecting said rim to a central hub, said steering wheel comprising: a flexible tubular member sealed at each end, said flexible tubular member being sealed in a partially deflated condition; a woven tube of fiber-reinforcing material, said tube being positioned to surround said flexible tubular member, a continuous length of said flexible member and tube of fiber-reinforcing material being used to form the steering wheel by placing one end of the flexible member in a first position on the rim, passing it up one spoke around the central hub then back down said one spoke around a remainder of the rim to the second spoke, up said second spoke around said hub, back down said second spoke and around a remainder of the rim to the first position to join the other end of said flexible member with said one end of said flexible member; and a thermosetting resin, said resin combining with said fiber-reinforcing material to bond the reinforcing into a solid mass.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-01-12 | 1990-07-14 | 1991-01-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-01-12 | 1994-07-14 | 1995-01-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-01-12 | 1998-07-14 | 1999-01-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |