Abstract:
A system and method for relieving and preventing fatigue caused by extended gripping of a vehicle/vessel steering wheel. The system includes a first section that attaches to the rim of the steering wheel at a predetermined location and a deformable second section that connects to, and extends outwardly from, the first section. The deformable second section supports a portion of the body such as wrists, hands, and forearms.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) from U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/429,130 filed Nov. 26, 2002, entitled “Fatigue Relieving Support for Steering Wheels and the Like”, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to systems and methods that may be used by vehicle and vessel operators to relieve and/or prevent fatigue in the arms and hands when operating directional controls.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    In learning to drive, a person is taught that the preferable placement of the hands with respect to a steering wheel is at the ten and two o&#39;clock (i.e., 10:00 and 2:00) positions. These hand locations are said to give the driver the best control of the operation of the vehicle, which includes automobiles, trucks, tractors, or other types of vehicles with steering wheels, as well as nautical vessels and aircraft.  
           [0004]    If the arms and hands are held on the steering wheel at these locations for extended periods of time, they become fatigued. To relieve this fatigue, often they are removed from the steering wheel and rotated, shaken, or exercised in some way to reenergize them.  
           [0005]    In the fatigued state, the arms and hands feel very stiff and less mobile. Further, in the fatigued condition, the ability of the arms and hands to rapidly react to emergency situations and properly control the vehicle is greatly reduced and accidents are more likely to occur. This problem arises in any vehicle or vessel and is not restricted to automobiles nor automobile-type steering controls.  
           [0006]    There needs to be a system that will prevent and/or relieve this fatigue, yet not interfere with the operator&#39;s ability to control the vehicle or vessel.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention is a system and method that is associated with a steering wheel or vehicular directional control that relieves or prevents fatigue, for example, when operator drives for extended periods of time. The system of the present invention may be formed integral with, or attached to, the wheel or control. Each embodiment of the system will provide support to at least a portion of the vehicle or vessel operator&#39;s body so as to relieve or prevent fatigue.  
           [0008]    The system of the present invention will include at least one part that is at least partially deformable in at least one direction, so that the system will not interfere with the operation of the wheel or control. This deformability, however, will not impede the support function of the system of the invention. Furthermore, the deformable material has memory, so that after a deforming force is removed, it resumes its original, pre-deformation configuration and shape.  
           [0009]    It is an object of the present invention to have a system and method that may be implemented with the steering control of a vehicle or vessel to prevent or lessen the amount of fatigue that occurs in the arms and hands from driving or steering over extended periods of time.  
           [0010]    The features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent and understood from the following detailed description of the invention, which should be understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims that are appended to the end of the detailed description. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a steering wheel with an embodiment of the system of the present invention associated with it.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a steering wheel with multiple systems of an embodiment of the present invention associated with the steering wheel.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the steering wheel shown on FIG. 1, with an operator&#39;s hand resting on an embodiment of the system of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the steering wheel of FIG. 1, with an operator&#39;s hand firmly grasping the steering wheel as in an emergency situation that deforms the system of the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a cross-section of another embodiment of the system of the present invention, in which the system snaps or clips onto the steering wheel.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the system of the present invention, in which the system envelops the steering wheel rim and is fastened in place. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]    For purposes of illustration only, and not to limit the scope of the present invention, the invention will be explained with reference to the specific steering wheel examples indicated in the drawings. One skilled in the art would understand that the present invention is not limited to the specific examples disclosed and can be more generally applied to other transport means having different steering controls than those disclosed.  
         [0018]    Referring to FIG. 1, generally at  100 , an embodiment of system  101  of the present invention is shown attached to steering control  105 . System  101  includes first section  103  that connects to steering control  105  and deformable second section  102 . First section  103  may be formed from a rigid, semi-rigid, or deformable material. If it is deformable, it may have memory. Second section  102  that connects to first section  103  may be formed from a deformable material that has memory.  
         [0019]    Deformable material  102  extends outward from steering control  105  over a predetermined section of the steering control which is shown in FIG. 1 to be an arc. Deformable second section  102  may extend outwardly from the steering control at or below the inside circumference of the control over the predetermined arc. This arc will typically include at least the ten  104  and two  106  o&#39;clock positions, or may include the entire circumference.  
         [0020]    Steering control  105  may be a normal steering wheel, with a rim  108  and spokes  110 . Alternatively, the steering control  105  may take on other forms as is known to those in the art, i.e., an aircraft yoke.  
         [0021]    In FIG. 2, generally at  200 , steering control  211  has two systems of the present invention associated with it. The first is shown at  202  and the second at  203 . The first and second systems in FIG. 2, extend over a smaller arc of the steering control compared to the single system shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0022]    The first system of the present invention at  202  includes first section  204  that connects to steering control  211  and second section  205  that extends outward from first section  204 . First section  204  may be rigid, semi-rigid, or deformable, while second section  205  is deformable. If the first section is deformable, it may have memory.  
         [0023]    Similarly, the second system of the present invention at  203  includes first section  207  that connects to steering control  211  and second section  209  that extends outward from first section  207 . First section  207  may be rigid, semi-rigid, or deformable, while second section  209  is deformable. Again, if the first section is deformable, it may have memory.  
         [0024]    In FIG. 2, system  202  is at or near the ten o&#39;clock position and system  203  is shown at or near the two o&#39;clock position. Although, the two systems have been described as being positioned at the ten and two o&#39;clock locations, it is understood that they may be placed at other locations around the rim and there may be more than two systems and still be within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0025]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, first section  103  in FIG. 1, and first sections  204  and  207  in FIG. 2, may be formed integral with steering control  105  and  211 , respectively. Given that the system is disposed at or below the inside circumference of the steering wheel, in this configuration, the operator can securely grip the steering wheel over the system when the wrists or portions of the hands are resting on the deformable second section. Further, the first section may be constituted as an interface to which the second section attaches.  
         [0026]    Referring to FIG. 3, generally at  300 , steering control  305  is shown that includes rim  308 , spokes  310 , and steering column  312 . First section  301  is formed integral with rim  308  and deformable second section  302  extends outward from the first section. The material of second section  302  has sufficient strength that when driving, the driver may rest his/her wrists or portions of the hands  322  on the material and they will be supported. The structure is such that the weight of the arms and hands through the wrists or portions of the hands are supported without the material deforming.  
         [0027]    When the wrists or portions of the hands are supported, as shown in FIG. 3, the driver can firmly grip the steering control rim  308  over first section  301  in a manner that he or she has full control of the vehicle. Deformable second section  302  is easily deformable in a direction opposite to which it provides support or any other direction if a sufficient deforming force is applied to second section  302 . Therefore, if the driver should grip the steering control by pushing the material upwardly, it will readily deform to permit such a grip. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, generally at  400 , if the driver should grip the steering wheel control rim  308  by grasping it such that deformable second section  302  is compressed toward, or below the interior circumference of, the steering control, it will readily compress and be deformed in such a manner that the driver can grip the steering wheel. Arrows  402  represent the force applied by the driver to the steering wheel control rim  308 , resulting in the deformation of second section  302 . Second section  302  is deformed in this manner so that it will not affect the driver&#39;s ability to grasp the steering control in any emergency situation.  
         [0028]    Deformable section  302  has memory such that after deforming pressure is removed, it will return to its original position. When this is done, the system of the present invention will appear as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, or  3 . Once the deformable second section has returned to its original position, it will again be in condition to support the arms and hands through the wrists or portions of the hands resting on the deformable second section.  
         [0029]    Referring to FIG. 5, generally at  500 , a second embodiment of the present invention is shown. System  501  of the present invention shown in FIG. 5 includes a first section  502  that detachably connects to steering control rim. Deformable second section  503  connects to, and extends outwardly from, first section  502 . First section  502  may snap-on or otherwise attach to the steering control such that it may appear integral with the steering control. One of many possible known means for accomplishing this is by first section  502  being mostly rigid, and leaving a space  507  so the attachment can be forced over rim  508  and leave room for the steering control spokes  510 . Regardless of the means for attachment, once first section  502  is attached to the steering control, it will provide all of the benefits that have been described for the first section being integrally formed with the rim. Additionally, the second embodiment, may be a single structure with a single resting material support, a single structure with multiple resting supports, or multiple structures each with its own resting support.  
         [0030]    By way of example, FIG. 6, generally at  600 , shows another alternate method to attach the system of the present invention to steering control rim  608 . The system in this figure has first section  602  that will envelop rim  608 . First section  602  may be made from a flexible material. First section  602  may have a slit  611  which after this section envelops the rim may be stitched shut by stitches  613 . As in the other embodiments of the present invention, deformable second section  603  connects to, and extends outwardly from, first section  602 .  
         [0031]    It is understood by those skilled in the arts that the system can be adjusted in terms of size and orientation to adapt to different operator sizes and preferences.  
         [0032]    Having described the embodiments of the invention, it should be apparent that various combinations of the embodiments may be made or modifications added thereto as is known to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which is defined in the claims below.