Membrane horn switch structure of airbag module

• US 20040036260A1
• Filed: 01/06/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hwang, Jin-Chul, Song, Tae-Ho, Ahn, Jung-Bae, Seo, Ju-Hyung, Kim, Seo-Hong, Cho, Byung-Ryong
• Granted Patent: US 6,918,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/003 mounted on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21658 with integrated switches, e.g. horn switches

Abstract

Disclosed is a membrane horn switch structure of an airbag module which does not use a back plate in order to simplify an inner configuration of a bag cover and ensures stable operation by changing configuration of the membrane horn switch.

The membrane horn switch structure of an airbag module includes an outer support plate installed on a plurality of protrusions formed at an inner bottom of the bag cover, the outer support plate being made of a pair of films of which edges are sealed to form an inner space; and a membrane horn switch unit having a pair of inner support plates of an arc shape installed in the outer support plate, the inner support plates being overlapped and spaced apart from each other, wherein one end of each inner support plate is fixed to the outer support plates and the other end of each inner support plate is free so that the inner support plates are in contact with each other when the outer support plate is pressed.

Claims

1. A membrane horn switch structure of an airbag module in which an airbag is provided within a bag cover, the structure comprising:

an outer support plate installed on a plurality of protrusions formed at an inner bottom of the bag cover, the outer support plate being made of a pair of films of which the edges are sealed to form an inner space; and

a membrane horn switch unit having a pair of inner support plates of an arc shape installed in the outer support plate, the inner support plates being overlapped and spaced apart each other, wherein one end of each inner support plate is fixed to the outer support plates and the other end of each inner support plate is free so that the inner support plates contact each other when the outer support plate is pressed.

2. A membrane horn switch structure of an airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the upper support plate has an upwardly-convex arc shape of which an upper surface is adhered to an adhesive coated on the protrusions and a lower surface is supported by the airbag.

3. A membrane horn switch structure of an airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the membrane horn switch includes:

the inner support plates each of which one end is interposed between faced edges of the films of the upper support plate and the other end is not contacted with an inner edge of the upper support plate; and

copper plates of a predetermined shape formed on a surface of each inner support plate so that the shapes of the copper plates coincide when the surfaces of the inner support plates are in contact with each other.