Steering wheel with airbag module

Details Steering wheel with airbag module Steering wheel with airbag module

2000-04-07

2001-06-12

Culbreth, Eric (Department: 3611)

Land vehicles

Wheeled

Attachment

C280S728200, C280S728300, C200S061550

Reexamination Certificate

active

06244620

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a steering wheel for motor vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In known steering wheels comprising a cover cap and a foam casing an expansion joint must be provided between the covering cap and the adjoining foam casing in order to avoid complicated embodiments in which the steering wheel covering cap is integrated into the steering wheel casing and is produced in one piece therewith. The covering cap is movably arranged against a restoring force in the direction of the steering wheel axis for the generation of a horn signal.
In many known embodiments with a separate covering cap, it is difficult and under certain circumstances involves considerable effort, to produce the unavoidable expansion joint between covering cap and steering wheel casing so as to be equally wide throughout, because in this respect the manufacturing tolerances in the manufacture of the steering wheel casing, the covering cap and all the components involved for the fastening of the airbag module to the steering wheel can add up in the most unfavorable case. This leads in practice to expansion joints having distinctly different widths, which are visually unappealing and can not be accepted.
The problem therefore exists of making provision that the width of the unavoidable expansion joints can be maintained within close limits and that the possible accumulation of the manufacturing tolerances can not visually impair in a disadvantageous manner the association between the covering cap and steering wheel casing. The solution which is sought is to lie structurally and financially within the framework of techniques used hitherto, is not to require any additional space and is to be able to be carried out as easily and reliably as possible.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a steering wheel where correct positioning of the covering cap relative to the steering wheel casing may be done in a simple and easy manner. This is achieved in a steering wheel which comprises a steering wheel axis, a skeleton surrounded by a foam casing, and an airbag module. The airbag module has a generator support connected with the skeleton and a covering cap fastened to the generator support. The covering cap is designed as an actuating device for generating a horn signal. At least two recesses are provided in the foam casing of the steering wheel skeleton. On the generator support, insert pins are provided corresponding to the recesses. The pins have axes aligned parallel to the steering wheel axis. Further, the pins serve for centering the covering cap relative to the foam casing of the steering wheel skeleton in a plane perpendicular to the steering wheel axis.
Through the steps according to the invention, the positioning of the airbag module and hence of the covering cap can be ensured independently of the actual fastening of the airbag module on the steering wheel, without a majority of manufacturing tolerances having an influence on this. The fastening of the airbag module to the steering wheel skeleton can be freed of the partial objective of “positioning” and can be configured such that it does not influence the positioning according to the invention by means of recesses in the foam casing and insert pins on the generator support. In other words, the positioning of the covering cap in the plane perpendicular to the steering wheel axis and relative to the foam casing of the steering wheel skeleton is no longer carried out by means of the fastening of the airbag module, but rather substantially more directly by means of the foam casing of the steering wheel skeleton and in particular through insert pins arranged on the generator support, which can be arranged without great effort on the generator support, so that between them and the covering caps, likewise fastened to the generator support, only a small number of manufacturing tolerances, which moreover can be maintained in very close limits, can have an influence on the positioning between the covering cap and the foam casing of the steering wheel skeleton.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5333897 (1994-08-01), Landis et al.
patent: 5584501 (1996-12-01), Walters
patent: 5627352 (1997-05-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 4140275 (1992-06-01), None
patent: 19630725 (1998-02-01), None
patent: 19725684 (1998-12-01), None
patent: 5-238341 (1993-09-01), None

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