Various implementations include an improved steering wheel and methods of making the same. The improved steering wheel includes a carbon fiber mat that is preimpregnated with an epoxy resin that is wrapped adjacent at least a portion of a steering wheel frame. The edges of the mat that overlap are coupled together directly via the epoxy resin by heat curing the mat. The preimpregnated mat does not crack when subjected to thermal cycle tests, which is an improvement over prior art steering wheels that include raw carbon fiber mats that are coupled to the frame using a separate adhesive.

A steering wheel for a vehicle is provided which comprises a steering wheel rim, a hub base and at least one spoke, wherein the hub base is arranged inside the steering wheel rim and the hub base is connected to the steering wheel rim by the at least one spoke. The steering wheel is formed from a rigid, injection molded thermoplastic polyurethane material.

A heater unit includes a pair of substrates formed from a polymeric foam and a cord-shaped heater sandwiched between the pair of substrates. The thickness of a region of each of the substrates at which the cord-shaped heater is disposed is thinned relative to other regions of the substrates in such a manner as to be shaped to the cord-shaped heater and thus the heater unit forms a flat shape. In the heater unit, the substrates are bonded together by an adhesive layer that is composed only from a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

A tooling system to form decorative material on a work-piece comprises a first mold and a second mold to receive and work-piece and the decorative material, a support configured to detachably connect the work-piece. The first mold includes a first lower mold piece, and a first left upper mold piece and a first right upper mold piece, and the second mold includes a second lower mold piece, and a second left upper mold piece and a second right upper mold piece. The support is configured to move the work-piece into or out the first and second molds consecutively during a process to form two layers of decorative material on the work-piece.

The disclosure relates to a bearing shoe for mounting a leaf spring end of a leaf spring on a vehicle body of a motor vehicle, with a receiving recess configured to house the leaf spring end; a bearing opening configured to mount the bearing shoe on the vehicle body, wherein the bearing opening is confined by an inner wall; and an elastomer bearing disposed in the bearing opening, wherein the elastomer bearing comprises an inner sleeve and an elastomer disposed between the inner sleeve and the inner wall of the beating opening and directly contacts the inner wall of the bearing opening.

Method for bonding a sheetlike cover material to a shaped article, using an adhesive film comprising at least one layer of a heat-activatedly bondable adhesive, where the adhesive film is disposed, over the full area or a partial area, between the cover material and the shaped article, the heat-activatedly bondable adhesive as yet not adhering to the shaped article, wherein the cover material is pulled onto the shaped article under tension, so that the layer of the heat-activatedly bondable adhesive contacts the shaped article, and the activation of the heat-activatedly bondable adhesive is brought about by means of the pressure resulting exclusively from the tension, and optionally of heat introduced by means of external energy supply, whereby the heat-activatedly bondable adhesive adheres to the shaped article and a durable connection of the cover material to the shaped article is produced.

The invention relates to a steering wheel (1), especially a leather steering wheel, comprising a steering wheel skeleton (10), a foam padding (11) surrounding the steering wheel skeleton (10) at least partially and a wrapping (12) which encompasses the foam padding (11) at least in portions, wherein adjacent longitudinal edges (13) of the wrapping (12) are covered by a profile bead (20), in particular a decorative bead (24), the profile bead (20) including at least one anchoring element (21) which is fixed directly in the foam padding (11) for fastening the wrapping (12). Moreover the invention relates to a method of manufacturing such steering wheel.

A foam cover for a steering wheel as well as a method for forming the foam cover are provided. The foam cover is made from a mixture of a thermoplastic polyurethane material and a chemical blowing agent. The foaming mixture may be injection molded in a closed mold or directly molded to a steering wheel frame.

A vehicle steering wheel according to a method of manufacture, the steering wheel comprising: a rim, an outer sheath formed by at least one strip attached around at least one part of the rim, at least one device passing through the outer sheath, the method comprising at least the following steps: positioning the strip around the rim, attaching the strip to the rim in order to form the outer sheath, forming an opening in the outer sheath facing an internal part of the device, folding portions of the outer sheath towards the inside of the rim.

It is provided a device for bonding at least one material segment to a steering device. The device comprises at least two form fitting segments, wherein at least one of the form fitting segments is movably mounted relative to the at least one other form fitting segment, wherein the form fitting segments are configured in such a way that they can at least sectionally enclose the steering device, in particular the steering wheel rim of the steering device; a receptacle for receiving the steering device; a drive mechanism for moving the at least one movably mounted form fitting segment towards the steering device.