Steering wheel adapted for connection to finger dial of RC control unit

A steering wheel adapted for replacing a rotatable control shaft-mounted finger dial of an RC control unit includes a wheel having a diameter at least as large as at least one dimension of a side of the RC control unit adjacent to the wheel, a coupler located on one side of the wheel for engaging the RC control unit, and at least one bore passing through the wheel. A fastener is positioned within the bore for removably connecting the wheel to the control shaft of the RC control unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to radio control (RC) units that are usable to maneuver a radio controlled vehicle, such as a small race car. More particularly, the present invention relates to a steering wheel adapted for connection to the finger dial of an RC control unit.

Radio controlled model vehicles, such as boats, aircraft and cars are a well-known and popular hobby among people of all ages. Various types of remote controllers are used to steer the vehicles during remote controlled operation. These remote controllers regulate the actual directional movement and speed of the remote controlled model vehicle. One type in particular, the hand-held radio remote control provides wireless control of a model vehicle using a rotatable dial, joy stick, switch, lever or other mechanism to control the direction of the model vehicle. For example, a typical RC control unit used for racing an RC model car is in the form of a hand-held unit with a trigger for controlling the acceleration and deceleration of the RC car, and a finger dial for controlling the direction of the car. However, controlling the direction utilizing a finger dial is quite difficult as the relatively small size of the finger dial and the relatively large size of the human hand turning the dial do not provide the user the ability to make fine adjustments in direction in a limited period of time as the relatively small diameter of the dial may cause a user to turn the dial too far or too little.

Various attempts have been made to improve remote control of model vehicles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,495 discloses a remotely controlled vehicle and controller. However, this controller relies on a small steering wheel finger dial such as that described above. This steering wheel likewise suffers from the defect in that the relatively small size of the steering wheel prevents fine adjustment of direction. In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,459 discloses a remote toy steering mechanism. However, this steering mechanism is similar in size to a conventional steering wheel and is not capable of being used in conjunction with a hand-held remote control unit.

Accordingly, there is a need for a remote control unit with an improved steering wheel. There is a further need for a remote control steering wheel that is larger than conventional finger dials yet small enough to be integrated on a conventional hand-held remote control unit. There is an additional need for a remote control steering wheel that is adaptable to a conventional remote control unit. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises an improved steering wheel for a remote control unit. The steering wheel is larger than conventional finger dials yet small enough to be integrated on a conventional hand-held remote control unit. The steering wheel is adaptable to replace the finger dials of conventional remote control units. The size of the conventional remote control finger dial is increased by mounting a steering wheel embodying the present invention onto the RC control unit. The steering wheel is formed as a replacement for the finger dial of the RC control unit. The finger dial is removed from the RC control unit and the steering wheel put in its place.

The present invention further comprises an RC control assembly which includes a steering wheel having a diameter at least as large as at least one dimension of a side of an RC control unit adjacent to the wheel. The assembly further includes an RC control unit body including a rotatable control shaft. A coupler is located on one side of the steering wheel for engaging the rotatable control shaft.

The steering wheel includes at least one bore passing through the steering wheel. A fastener is positioned within the bore for removably connecting the steering wheel to the RC control unit. The coupler includes a rod extending from the steering wheel for matingly engaging the control shaft. The bore passes through the rod, and the shaft includes an aperture for receiving the fastener. The steering wheel also includes a plurality of apertures positioned radially about the coupler, the apertures being sized so as to accommodate the fingers of a user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As illustrated inFIGS. 2-6, the present invention resides in a steering wheel10for a RC control unit12with a rotatable control shaft-mounted finger dial14. The steering wheel10is adapted to replace the finger dial14of the RC control unit12ofFIG. 1by engaging the rotatable control shaft16of the RC control unit. The steering wheel10includes a main body18, a central hub or coupler20located on one side of the main body18, and a central bore22located at the center of the main body18. The central bore22assists the user to hold the steering wheel10on to the control unit12.

The main body18of the steering wheel10is generally circular; having a diameter at least as large as at least one dimension of a side of the RC control unit12adjacent to the steering wheel10.

The coupler20is located on the rear side of the main body18. The coupler20is the portion of the steering wheel10which engages the RC control unit12. The coupler20includes an arcuate portion24designed to prevent the steering wheel10from turning more than a predetermined distance. The length of the arcuate portion24is determines how far the steering wheel10can turn when mounted on the control unit12. The control unit12also has an arcuate portion26partially about the rotatable control shaft16. The steering wheel10can only be turned a set distance in either direction (i.e., to the left or to the right) before at least one end of the arcuate portion24of the steering wheel10abuts against at least one end of arcuate portion26of the control unit12.

The coupler20also includes a rod28extending from the main body18for matingly engaging the control shaft16. The rod28includes a bore30that is shaped to receive the control shaft16of the control unit12. The shape of the bore30may be square (as shown inFIG. 3), round, triangular, rectangular or any polygonal shape which matches the shape of the control shaft16(shown as square inFIG. 3).

The central bore22passes through the main body18of the steering wheel10. A fastener32is positioned within the bore22for removably connecting the steering wheel10to the control shaft16of the RC control unit12. The fastener32may be in the form of a screw, nail or the like. The bore22passes through the rod28. The control shaft16includes an aperture34for receiving the fastener32. The aperture34may be threaded so as to engage a threaded fastener32.

The steering wheel10further includes a plurality of apertures36positioned radially about the coupler20generally between the center of the main body18and the perimeter of the main body18. The apertures36are sized so as to accommodate the fingers of a user.

The steering wheel10may be formed from a variety of materials including, without limitation, metal (e.g., aluminum, stainless steel, titanium or the like), plastic, wood or the like.

In the alternative, the steering wheel10can be adapted so that the coupler20is adapted so that the interior diameter of the coupler18is sized so as to fit over the exterior diameter of the finger dial14of the RC control unit12. For the most part, the main body18would be similar to the one described above, including the plurality of circular apertures36distributed about the center of the main body18. However, in this alternative embodiment, a large central aperture would be located at the center of the main body18that would allow the user to view the top of the finger dial14when the steering wheel10is mounted thereon.

The coupler20would include first and second portions which hold the coupler20on the finger dial14by sandwiching the finger dial14between each portion within a recess formed by the mating of the two portions. The first and second portions are generally arcuate, preferably semi-circular, though the length of the arc created by each portion may vary. A rim would run along the circumference of each portion and include a flanged lip that fits over the back portion of the finger dial14(i.e., the side facing but spaced from the control unit12) such that the finger dial14is contained within the coupler20. Each of the portions further include an exterior flange around the circumference of the portions. Each flange includes at least two threaded apertures. When the two portions are fitted together around the finger dial14, the threaded apertures are aligned with threaded apertures located on the main body18of the steering wheel10. Set screws are then used to mate the coupler first and second portions to the main body18. The threaded apertures in the main body18are slightly recessed so that the head of each set screw is flush with the surface of the main body18.

In another alternative, each of the first and second portions of the coupler20may include at least one threaded aperture that allows a set screw to be extended therethrough. The set screw can be tightened against the exterior diameter of the finger dial14to provide additional holding power to keep the steering wheel10fixed in place over the finger dial14. In a further alternative, the two portions of the coupler20may be clamped together by a hose clamp placed around the exterior diameter of the two portions. In yet another alternative, at least one of the two portions of the coupler20may be formed as a single piece with the main body18.

In still another alternative, the steering wheel may come in various shapes including, without limitation, the shape of the yoke of an aircraft.

In a further alternative, each of the coupler portions may include a coupling flange on each side of the portions extending perpendicular from the surface of the portion and perpendicular to the exterior flanges. Each coupling flange includes a threaded aperture. The purpose of the coupling flanges is to mate the coupler portions to each other. When the apertures on the coupling flanges associated with first portion are aligned with the apertures on the coupling flanges associated with the second portion and the coupling flanges of each portion are adjacent to each other, set screws are passed through the apertures in the coupling flanges and tightened so that the coupler portions are held together.

The above-described embodiments of the present invention are illustrative only and not limiting. It will thus be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects.