STEERING WHEEL WITH VIBRATION DAMPING MASS

• US 20200130630A1
• Filed: 10/29/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: SCHMEIER, Knut, SKONECZNY, Tomasz, ZELMANSKI, Dominik, POLLATSCHEK, Felix, MASSANETZ, Klaus, WEBER, Marcus, ZANG, Holger, HOFFMANN, Sven, REITER, Thomas, ENGELHARDT, Wolfram, FEICHT, Alexander, GRUHNE, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 11,414,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/003 mounted on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2037 the module or a major component thereof being yieldably mounted, e.g. for actuating the horn switch or for protecting the driver in a non-deployment situation horn switches integrated in steering wheel covers with tear lines B60R21/21658
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21658 with integrated switches, e.g. horn switches

Abstract

A steering wheel includes a steering wheel body and a base. The base carrying an inflator and an airbag package, such that the base, the inflator and the airbag package form a first sub-assembly. The base is connected to the steering wheel body at least indirectly via at least one elastic element, such that the sub-assembly can move relative to the steering wheel body in at least one direction so that the whole sub-assembly serves as a vibration damping mass. The steering wheel also includes a cover element with a roof extending over the airbag package, and at least one horn sensor generating a signal when a pressing force exceeding a predefined value is applied to the roof. The cover element is not rigidly connected to the base, such that the sub-assembly can move relative to the steering wheel body under deformation of the elastic element while the cover element does not move relative to the steering wheel body.

Claims

1. A steering wheel comprising:

a steering wheel body,

a base, said base carrying an inflator and an airbag package, such that said base, said inflator and said airbag package form a first sub-assembly, said base being connected to the steering wheel body at least indirectly via at least one elastic element, such that the sub-assembly can move relative to the steering wheel body in at least one direction so that the whole sub-assembly serves as a vibration damping mass,

a cover element comprising a roof extending over the airbag package, and at least one horn sensor generating a signal when a pressing force exceeding a predefined value is applied to the roof,

wherein the cover element is not rigidly connected to the base, such that the sub-assembly can move relative to the steering wheel body under deformation of the elastic element while the cover element does not move relative to the steering wheel body.

2. The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein the cover element comprises a cover element sidewall.

3. The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein the cover element is attached to the steering wheel body in a non-movable manner.

4. The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein the cover element is attached to the steering wheel body in a way that allows a pressing down of the cover element against the steering wheel body.

5. The steering wheel of claim 1, further comprising at least one horn sensor being arranged between a section of the cover element and a section of the steering wheel body.

6. The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein the cover element is attached to the steering wheel body in a non-movable manner, and further comprising a horn sensor in form of a pressure sensitive electronic sensor being arranged between a section of the cover element and a section of the steering wheel body.

7. The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein the cover element is attached to the steering wheel body in a way that allows a pressing down of the cover element against the steering wheel body, and further comprising at least one horn sensor being arranged between a section of the cover element and a section of the steering wheel body, said horn sensor comprising two electrical contacts being remote from each other when the cover element is not pressed down and being in mechanical contact to each other when the cover element is pressed down.

8. The steering wheel of claim 1, further comprising at least one restraining means being without function as long as the airbag of the airbag package is not deployed but restrains the cover element when the airbag deploys, said restraining means comprising a cover-element-side retaining element.

9. The steering wheel of claim 8, wherein the restraining means acts between the base and the cover element such that it comprises a base-side restraining element.

10. The steering wheel of claim 8, wherein the restraining means acts between the steering wheel body and the cover element such that it comprises a steering-wheel-body-side restraining element.

11. The steering wheel of claim 8, wherein the cover element is attached to the steering wheel body in a non-movable manner, and further comprising a pressure sensitive electronic sensor being arranged between a section of the cover element and a section of the steering wheel body.

12. The steering wheel of claim 8, wherein the cover element is attached to the steering wheel body in a way that allows a pressing down of the cover element against the steering wheel body, and further comprising at least one horn sensor being arranged between a section of the cover element and a section of the steering wheel body, said horn sensor comprising two electrical contacts being remote from each other when the cover element is not pressed down and being in mechanical contact to each other when the cover element is pressed down.

13. The steering wheel of claim 1, further comprising an outer layer being attached to at least a section of the roof of the cover element.

14. The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein the at least one elastic element is held by a carrier that also carries the cover element, such that a second sub-assembly is formed, said second sub-assembly comprising the carrier, the first sub-assembly and the cover element.

15. The steering wheel of claim 14, wherein the carrier is at least indirectly connected to the steering wheel body by means of at least one further elastic element such that the second sub-assembly can be pressed down against the steering wheel body in order to actuate the horn.

16. The steering wheel of claim 14, wherein the cover element comprises a cover element sidewall being connected to the carrier.