Method for producing a steering wheel
AssigneeTRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
InventorsRobert Binder, Maik Adelberger, Norbert Zwiessler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for producing a steering wheel (10) including a multilayered decorative trim (16) comprises the following steps: providing a multilayered body composed of flat layers joined to each other, the body being bent transversely or perpendicular to the plane of the layers into a shape adapted to the geometry of a steering wheel body part (14), cutting off a thin arcuate decorative layer (26) from a lateral surface of the body, in particular essentially perpendicular to the bending axis, and adapting said decorative layer (26) to and applying it onto said steering wheel body part (14).
Claims17
1:
- A method for producing a steering wheel (10) including a multilayered decorative trim (16), the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a multilayered body (22) composed of flat layers (18, 20) joined to each other, said body being bent transversely or perpendicular to the plane of said layers (18, 20) into a shape adapted to the geometry of a steering wheel body part (14),
- cutting off a thin arcuate decorative layer (26) from a lateral surface of said body (22), in particular essentially perpendicular to the bending axis, and
- adapting said decorative layer (26) to and applying it onto said steering wheel body part (14).
2:
- The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said multilayered body (22) is produced in the following steps:
- joining said individual flat layers (18, 20) by means of an adhesive,
- bending said body (22) transversely or perpendicular to the plane of said layers (18, 20) into a shape adapted to the geometry of a steering wheel body part (14).
3:
- The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the bending of said body (22) is carried out prior to the drying/hardening of the adhesive and, in particular, in that said body (22) is held in shape until the adhesive has dried or hardened.
4:
- The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said multilayered body (22) is bent concentrically to said steering wheel body part (14).
5:
- The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said multilayered body (22) is bent in the form of a segment of a circle and the bending radius corresponds to the radius of a steering wheel body part (14).
6:
- The method according to claim 5, characterized in that said body (22) is bent into a semicircular cup.
7:
- The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one layer (18, 20) is a wood veneer.
8:
- The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the grain of said layers (18, 20) of the veneer is oriented in the same direction.
The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the grains essentially run in the cut-off direction (A) of said decorative layer (26).
10:
- The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said layers (18, 20) have different colors and/or materials.
11:
- The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said steering wheel rim (12) is provided over its entire circumference with a continuous decorative trim (16) or with several decorative trims (16) adjoining each other.
12:
- The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said decorative trim (16) completely encompasses said steering wheel rim (12) in cross-section or in that several decorative trims (16) adjoin each other along the circumference of the cross-section.
13:
- The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said decorative trim (16) is applied to said steering wheel body part (14) by means of adhesive bonding.
14:
- The method according to claim 1, characterized in that adapting said decorative layer (26) is effected by means of punching.
15:
- The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, after cutting-off said decorative layer (26), it is formed into an arcuate cup.
16:
- The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said decorative layer (26) is cut off from said body (22) by planing.
17:
- A steering wheel (10) produced by a method according to claim 1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.