Adaptor for steering wheel
AssigneeTeckserve Ltd.
InventorThomas L. Faul
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A molded, one-piece adaptor for concentrically connecting a steering wheel and a steering wheel shaft is disclosed. In particular, the adaptor is useful when the steering wheel shaft has a tubular form, but the adaptor may be readily modified in order to connect to a steering wheel shaft having a rod-like form. The adaptor comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion has a mechanism for meshing with the steering wheel. The lower portion engages with the steering wheel shaft. If the steering wheel shaft is tubular, the steering wheel shaft slips over the lower portion which has a plurality of tapered ribs which are spaced around and extend axially along the lower portion. These tapered ribs tend to take up any variation in tolerances so as to reduce the rocking between the steering wheel and steering wheel shaft.
Claims17
A molded, one-piece adaptor for concentrically connecting a steering-wheel and a steering-wheel shaft, comprising:
- a substantially-cylindrical upper-portion having a periphery and an axis for meshing with said steering wheel, and a substantially-cylindrical lower-portion having a periphery and depending concentrically from said upper-portion for connecting to said steering-wheel shaft;
- wherein said upper-portion has:
- a plurality of meshing means extending axially along and spaced around said periphery thereof;
- and
- a threaded hole extending downwardly and concentrically within said upper-portion;
- and
- wherein, said lower-portion has:
- a plurality of tapered ribs extending axially along and spaced around the periphery thereof, wherein each of said ribs has an outside face that is tapered inwardly and downwardly;
- and said lower-portion has an outside diameter at a lower end thereof, defined by said outside faces of said ribs, which is the same as or smaller than the inside diameter of a steering wheel shaft having a tubular form to be fitted over said lower-portion;
- two diametrically-opposed support members extending outwardly from said periphery of said lower-portion to about the same distance as said outside faces of said ribs;
- and
- a hole extending transversely through said lower-portion and said two support members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.