Non-circular steering wheel assembly and airbag module
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A steering wheel assembly for a vehicle comprising:
- a non-circular steering wheel;
an airbag module mounted to the steering wheel, the airbag module including an airbag inflator, an inflatable airbag cushion, and an airbag module housing; and
a deployable reaction surface for providing or receiving a reaction force for the airbag cushion when deployed and inflated.
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Abstract
The application provides non-circular steering wheel designs and steering wheel-mounted airbag housings, cushions, and modules for use in vehicles using non-circular steering wheels. The airbag housings and modules of the invention provide supplemental reaction surfaces to support an airbag cushion mounted on a non-circular steering wheel. Airbag cushions of the invention utilize the steering wheel, steering column or steering wheel shroud as a partial reaction surface to support an airbag cushion.
47 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A steering wheel assembly for a vehicle comprising:
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a non-circular steering wheel;
an airbag module mounted to the steering wheel, the airbag module including an airbag inflator, an inflatable airbag cushion, and an airbag module housing; and
a deployable reaction surface for providing or receiving a reaction force for the airbag cushion when deployed and inflated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An airbag module for use with a non-circular steering wheel comprising:
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an airbag inflator;
an airbag cushion, the airbag cushion having an occupant face and a reaction face;
an airbag module housing; and
a deployable reaction surface, wherein the deployable reaction surface deploys from the airbag module upon activation of the airbag module to provide a reaction surface to an inflated airbag cushion. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An airbag module for use with a non-circular steering wheel comprising:
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an airbag inflator;
an airbag cushion, the airbag cushion having an occupant face and a reaction arm portion that extends to abut a vehicular steering wheel, steering column or steering wheel shroud when installed in a vehicle and inflated to provide a reaction surface for the airbag cushion; and
an airbag module housing. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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- 35. A non-circular steering wheel comprising a deployable reaction surface for a steering wheel mounted airbag cushion.
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41. An airbag module for use with a non-circular steering wheel comprising:
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an airbag inflator;
an airbag cushion, the airbag cushion having an occupant face and a reaction face; and
an airbag module housing including a deployable reaction surface, wherein the deployable reaction surface deploys from the airbag module upon activation of the airbag module to provide a reaction surface to an inflated airbag cushion. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. An airbag module for use with a non-circular steering wheel comprising:
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an airbag inflator;
an airbag cushion, the airbag cushion having a cushion portion that inflates toward a vehicle occupant and two reaction arm portions that extend away from a vehicle occupant to contact a vehicular steering column when installed in a vehicle and inflated, thus allowing the steering column to serve as a reaction surface for the airbag cushion; and
an airbag module housing.
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- 49. A non-circular steering wheel comprising two handles comprising first and second handle portions that separate to deploy two deployable reaction surfaces.
Specification