Steering wheel and air-bag lock
OwnerTimothy Ryan, Lawrence Cunninghaminventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A full wheel cover steering wheel lock and protector prevents access to an air bag in the steering wheel hub when an inner semicircular shell segment is swung out of an outer semicircular shell segment to completely enclose the steering wheel. A locking bar can be pulled into an extended position from a tunnel on the outer segment and has an arm engaging in a slot of the inner segment to lock the segments in the outwardly swung position while a shoe on its arm can engage the inner periphery of the steering wheel. The device largely fabricated of reinforced polycarbonate is of compact construction and light weight.
Claims16
A steering-wheel protector for a steering wheel having a hub and a rim of an automotive vehicle, said steering-wheel protector comprising:
- a steering-wheel cover including:
- a first generally semicircular disk segment formed with an inwardly open channel configured to receive a portion of the rim of said steering wheel,
- a second generally semicircular disk segment formed with an inwardly open channel configured to receive a remainder of the rim of said steering wheel in an outwardly swung position of said second segment relative to said first segment, and
- pivot means connecting said segments to permit said second segment to be received in said first segment in an inwardly swung position of said second segment, said segments forming a disk receiving the entire rim of said steering wheel and spanned entirely across said steering wheel, peripherally enclosing said rim and preventing access to said hub in said outwardly swung position of said second segment;
- a tunnel formed on said first segment and having an end opening toward a periphery of said disk;
- a locking bar slidable in said tunnel between an unlocked retracted position and a locking extended position and adapted to project from said end beyond said disk in said extended position of said bar and said outwardly swung position of said second segment by an amount sufficient to encounter an obstruction in said vehicle, thereby limiting rotation of said cover and said steering wheel;
- means on said bar for engaging said second segment to prevent inward swing thereof and for engaging said rim along an inner periphery thereof in said extended position, thereby preventing removal of said cover from said steering wheel;
- and
- a lock on said tunnel engageable with said bar in said extended position for releasably securing said bar in said extended position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.