Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Patent
1996-10-30
1999-07-20
Culbreth, Eric D.
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
280731, 2807283, 2807281, B60R 2116
Patent
active
059247258
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a steering wheel for motor vehicles, which is to be fastened to a steering column, having an inner frame formed by a steering wheel rim and by at least one spoke directed radially relative to the steering column, the frame being enveloped by a moulded part made of a suitable plastic material, and having an air-bag anti-impact device integrated into the steering wheel and covered by means of a cap, said device comprising a folded air bag which is inflatable by means of a trippable gas producer and is fastened to the steering wheel by its edge delimiting the gas inlet opening associated with the gas producer, the cap being opened by the inflating air bag.
A steering wheel of said type is described in EP 0 582 335 A1; from the structure of the known steering wheel it emerges that, during final assembly of the motor vehicle, the air-bag anti-impact device is installed from the direction of the driver's seat into the open steering wheel already mounted on the steering column and then the assembly opening is closed by means of a cap which is fastenable to the steering wheel by separate fastening means, the cap in turn having a predetermined breaking point for releasing the inflating air bag when it is tripped.
The drawback of a steering wheel constructed in said manner is that the moulded part, which envelops the frame of the steering wheel, and the cap for the air bag have to be manufactured as two separate plastic parts and then be joined together; the inevitable result is either a visible predetermined breaking line or a gap circumscribing the air bag module, which gap as a rule because of the cumulative tolerances of the separate parts during manufacture and assembly is seldom of a uniform width and is therefore visually unattractive. Furthermore, assembly of the air-bag anti-impact device into the open pot of the steering wheel is an elaborate process and it is impossible to rule out faults which, in the motor vehicle, are no longer detectable or are detectable only by a great deal of work on the completely assembled steering wheel.
The object of the invention is therefore to provide a steering wheel having the initially described features, which has a more pleasing appearance and in which it is easier to assemble the air-bag anti-impact device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The manner in which said object is achieved, including advantageous refinements and developments of the invention, is evident from the content of the claims which follow the present description.
The steering wheel unit for mounting on a steering column of a motor vehicle according to the present invention is primarily characterized by: with at least one spoke connected to the steering wheel rim and extending radially inwardly toward a steering column and including a molded plastic envelope enclosing the inner frame; producer for inflating the air-bag when tripped; delimiting edge to the steering wheel to thereby delimit a gas inlet opening for gas produced by the gas producer upon tripping; gas producer; define a receiving area for the air-bag anti-impact device, wherein the air-bag anti-impact device is mounted within the receiving area.
The steering wheel is comprised of a top part and a bottom part, and the top part and the bottom part together form the receiving area, wherein the air-bag is positioned in the top part, and the gas producer is positioned in the bottom part.
Advantageously, the delimiting edge of the air-bag is fastened to the top part and, subsequently, the air-bag is placed into the top part.
The delimiting edge is expediently clamped between the top part and the bottom part.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the delimiting edge and the gas producer are fastened jointly to the bottom part. The steering wheel unit further comprises a cover comprising a cup with a circumferential flange. The cup encloses the air-bag and extends upwardly into the top part. The circumferential flange of the cover is clamped between the top part and the bottom part.
The ste
REFERENCES:
patent: 5297813 (1994-03-01), Baba et al.
patent: 5470099 (1995-11-01), Williams
Egger Josef
Kozyreff Michel
Kuchler Sonja
Werner Bernd
Autoliv Development AB
Culbreth Eric D.
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