User supporting steering wheel
OwnerRoger D. Lemmeninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering wheel assembly includes a steering column, a tilt adjustment mechanism connected to the column for adjusting the angular position thereof and a steering wheel rotatably mounted on the column. The steering wheel includes a generally circular rim and a forearm, wrist and hand support portion joined to the rim. The support portion is configured to support the wrists and hands in a cocked up or neutral anatomical position to reduce or eliminate symptoms associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. The support portion defines a thumb cutout aperture. The user's thumbs and fingers can be wrapped around the steering wheel rim.
Claims5
A steering wheel for use in a vehicle to support the hands wrists and forearms of the user and thereby reduce associated strain and numbness, said steering wheel comprising:
- a rim defining the periphery of the steering wheel and having a normally lower portion and a normally upper portion;
- a user support portion disposed within an interior area of said rim, and enclosing at least a major portion of the interior area;
- said user support portion being constructed integral with said rim, and having a cupped shape which extends generally continuously from said rim lower portion to said rim upper portion, and including:
- a forearm support portion joined integrally with said rim adjacent said rim lower portion and defining laterally spaced forearm support surfaces having a curvilinear shape which is adapted to conform to the shape of the user's forearms;
- and
- a hand and wrist support portion joined integrally with said rim adjacent said rim upper portion, said hand and wrist support portion having a curvilinear shape which is adapted to conform to the shape of the user's hands and wrists and is adapted to position the user's hands in a neutral, cocked up, anatomical position when the rim is grasped by the user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.