Patent ID: 7143663

Claim:
A steering wheel comprising: (a) a base structure; and (b) at least one covering element formed as a subassembly and then applied onto said base structure, wherein said covering element comprises (i) at least one internal structural layer comprising a thermoplastic material containing reinforcing fibers, the reinforcing fibers comprising 10 to 80% by weight of the internal structural layer and wherein the fibers are at least 12.0 mm long and in the form of a mat or in a woven or non-woven fabric impregnated with the thermoplastic material, and (ii) at least one external decorative layer located on and bonded to a side of the internal structural layer distal from said base structure wherein melted thermoplastic material of the internal structural layer penetrates pores of the external decorative layer to bind the two layers together in the absence of thermoset resin adhesives.