The present invention relates to a steering wheel for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a steering wheel of the type that includes a hub section comprising first and second metallic hub members to be secured to a steering shaft in mutually axially aligned relationship with each other and a spoke core clamped between the first and second metallic hub members.
Japanese Utility Model Pre-Examination publication No. 59473/81 discloses a steering wheel of the type specified above. The steering wheel disclosed in the Japanese publication includes a pair of metallic annular hub members having mating surfaces shaped to define therebetween channels which receive radially inner ends of spoke cores for connecting the hub members to a rim section of the steering wheel. The metallic hub members are secured together by means of screws to fix the spoke cores to the hub members.
The steering wheel of the prior art, however, has problems that the ends of the spoke cores fixed to hub members tend to be loosened relative to the hub members and that the use of screws to secure the hub members together not only complicates the manufacturing steps due to the necessity for drilling screw holes in the hub members and screwing screws into the thus drilled screw holes but also increases the number of component parts of a steering wheel.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds