Device for actuating an electrical contactor

Details Device for actuating an electrical contactor Device for actuating an electrical contactor

1999-06-18

2001-06-19

Hess, Douglas (Department: 2167)

Land vehicles

Wheeled

Attachment

C200S061540

Reexamination Certificate

active

06247723

ABSTRACT:

The present invention relates to a device for actuating an electrical contactor located on a vehicle steering wheel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such actuating devices are arranged in vehicle steering wheels more particularly for actuating a horn switch so that they are readily accessible to the driver without having to let go of the steering wheel at all or only for a fleeting moment. They are typically configured as a kind of push-button switch, i.e. contact is established by pressure applied to an actuating portion which due to its resiliency is returned to its initial position as soon as the pressure is released. Such contactors are made use of not only for actuating a horn switch but also for a variety of other functions where it is important that handling the steering wheel is not impaired.
In steering wheels typically provided with an air bag module nowadays it is the cover cap of the air bag module that is often used as an actuator, the cover cap itself needing to satisfy a series of other functions, as a result of which its design configuration as an actuator is highly complicated.
It has been proposed to arrange a contact foil fixedly located between the folded air bag and the cover cap and to connect the cover cap to the steering wheel resiliently to such an extent that it can be pressed down as a whole, resulting in the desired contact also being produced even when the cover cap is pressed down on one side in an edge region. This automatically results in the contact foil also being ruined on activation of the air bag and entails that it needs to be configured and secured in place so that it
The actuator for the contactor arranged in the steering wheel is moved typically in the direction of the steering wheel axis, the contact spacing to be maintained within tight limits being thus determined in the direction of the steering wheel axis. This poses a variety of difficulties in design, especially in the case of steering wheels equipped with an air bag module, because arranging and activating an air bag module often necessitates measures which run counter to an optimum arrangement of a contactor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is thus an object to provide a contactor the actuation of which is permitted in the usual way, the arrangement of which, however, can be easily isolated in design from the installation conditions for an air bag module so that no unnecessary design compromises need to be made for the various functions.
To achieve this the invention proposes that the actuator is connected to the steering wheel via webs resiliently deflectable transversely to the steering wheel axis in response to axial pressure on the actuator.
This deflecting of the fastener means for the actuator transforms an axial actuating stroke into contact movement transversely to the steering wheel axis, such movement occurring outside of the space required for installing an air bag module. The deflectable fastener means in accordance with the invention may also be configured so that the restoring forces needed for the actuator and for opening the contacts can be produced without resort to separate biasing means.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5062661 (1991-11-01), Winget
patent: 5338906 (1994-08-01), Yokota
patent: 5871234 (1999-02-01), Umemura et al.
patent: 6062592 (2000-05-01), Sakurai et al.

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