COMBINATION STEERING-WHEEL AND SAFETY DEVICE FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A steering wheel apparatus with a safety device therein comprising:
- a steering wheel, a hub axially offset from said wheel, arms interconnecting said wheel and hub and defining a space axially between said hub and said wheel and radially within said wheel, fixed support means within said hub, a flexible inflatable bladder, means to inflate said bladder, said bladder being attached to said fixed support means and positioned within said space and being expandable from its base so as to create a disc-like surface which in its expandable condition is out of parallelism with the plane of the steering wheel, whereby the protection of the driver is independent of the plane of the steering wheel, a steering column shaft having an axis of rotation which is separate from the axis of rotation of said steering wheel, and means establishing a driving connection between said hub and said steering column shaft.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Device comprising the combination of a steering wheel with a safety device of the type comprising a flexible inflatable bladder and a steering mechanism in which the axis of the steering column and the axis of rotation of the steering wheel are separate, the safety device is disposed inside the surface described by any one of the arms connecting the rim of the steering wheel to the hub thereof, and said hub surrounds a fixed tubular support of the safety device and constitutes the shaft of the steering mechanism driving system.
21 Citations
3 Claims
-
1. A steering wheel apparatus with a safety device therein comprising:
- a steering wheel, a hub axially offset from said wheel, arms interconnecting said wheel and hub and defining a space axially between said hub and said wheel and radially within said wheel, fixed support means within said hub, a flexible inflatable bladder, means to inflate said bladder, said bladder being attached to said fixed support means and positioned within said space and being expandable from its base so as to create a disc-like surface which in its expandable condition is out of parallelism with the plane of the steering wheel, whereby the protection of the driver is independent of the plane of the steering wheel, a steering column shaft having an axis of rotation which is separate from the axis of rotation of said steering wheel, and means establishing a driving connection between said hub and said steering column shaft.
-
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means to inflate said bladder is within said space.
-
3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means to inflate said bladder is within said fixed support means.
Specification