STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN INTERFACE SEAL

• US 3,787,075 A
• Filed: 10/30/1972
• Issued: 01/22/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philip L. Francis
• Original Assignee: Philip L. Francis
• Inventors: Francis, Philip L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Betts, Kenneth H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/302,043
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15AB,87R 137/68,69,70,71,521.1 222/491,492,493,83,83.5 285/9R
• US Class Current: 280/731
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2032 the inflator or inflatable member not being rotatable with the steering wheel; Arrangements using the steering column or steering wheel rim for storing, supplying or evacuating the inflation gas or for storing the inflatable member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1714 Direct pressure causes disc to burst
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7875 Pivoted valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7888 With valve member flexing about securement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86268 With running joint between movable parts of system

Abstract

The housing at the upper end of a motor vehicle steering column includes radially spaced inner and outer walls which define a plenum communicating with an inflator. An interface seal is mounted in the plenum at its end portion adjacent the steering wheel and includes an annular rubber seal or channel cross section having received therein an annular reinforcement and being located in axially spaced relation from the end wall of the steering wheel to permit frictionless rotation of the steering wheel relative the housing. Upon communication of pressure fluid to the plenum, the interface seal is slidably moved axially into engagement with the end wall of the steering wheel. The reinforcement of the interface seal has circumferentially spaced curved slots which register with circumferentially spaced apertures in the end wall of the steering wheel. Upon pressure build up within the annular passage, the bight of the annular rubber seal is ruptured at its portions which are in registering relationship with the curved slots of the reinforcement and the apertures of the steering wheel end wall to communicate the pressure fluid from the plenum to an inflatable occupant restraint cushion on the steering wheel.

Claims

1. An occupant restraint system for a motor vehicle comprising, in combination, a steering column assembly including a housing defining a plenum having an open end, seal means of pressure rupturable material slideably mounted in and closing the open end of the plenum, a steering wheel mounted rotatably on the steering column assembly and having a wall axially spaced from the seal means and provided with a plurality of openings aligned with the open end of the plenum, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion mounted on the steering wheel and communicating thereof with the openings in the steering wheel wall, and a source of pressure fluid communicable with the plenum, the pressure fluid moving the seal means into sealing engagement with the wall of the steering wheel and rupturing the seal means at the portions thereof in registering relation with the openings of the wall to communicate pressure fluid to the cushion for inflation thereof.

2. An occupant restraint system for a motor vehicle comprising, in combination, a steering column assembly including a housing defining a plenum having an open end, seal means slideably mounted in and closing the open end of the plenum the seal means having a bight of pressure rupturable material, a steering wheel mounted rotatably on the steering column assemBly and having a wall axially spaced from the bight of the seal means and provided with a plurality of openings aligned with the open end of the plenum, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion mounted on the steering wheel and communicating thereof with the openings in the steering wheel wall, and a source of pressure fluid communicable with the plenum, the pressure fluid moving the bight of the seal means into sealing engagement with the wall of the steering wheel and rupturing the bight of the seal means at the portions thereof in registering relation with the openings of the wall to communicate pressure fluid to the cushion for inflation thereof.

3. An occupant restraint system for a motor vehicle comprising in combination a steering column assembly, a steering wheel rotatably mounted on a steering column assembly, a housing on the steering column assembly having radially spaced inner and outer walls defining an annular plenum opening to and in concentric axial relationship with the steering wheel, seal means of pressure rupturable material slideably mounted in and closing the open end of the plenum, the steering wheel including a wall axially spaced from the seal means and having a plurality of openings spaced circumferentially about the axis of rotation and in alignment with the plenum, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion mounted on the steering wheel and communicating with the wall openings, and a source of pressure fluid effective upon actuation to communicate pressure fluid to the plenum whereby the seal means is sequentially moved axially into engagement with the wall of the steering wheel and ruptured at the portions thereof aligned with the openings to communicate pressure fluid to the ooccupant restraint cushion.

4. An occupant restraint system for a motor vehicle comprising in combination, a steering column assembly, a steering wheel rotatably mounted on a steering column assembly, a housing on the steering column assembly having radially spaced inner and outer walls defining an annular plenum opening to and in concentric axial relationship with the steering wheel, annular means slideably mounted in the open end of the plenum, the annular means having a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings closed by a seal means of pressure rupturable material, the steering wheel including a wall axially spaced from the seal means and having a plurality of openings spaced circumferentially about the axis of rotation and in alignment with the plenum, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion mounted on the steering wheel and communicating with the wall openings, and a source of pressure fluid effective upon actuation to communicate pressure fluid to the plenum whereby the annular means is sequentially moved axially into engagement of the seal means with the wall of the steering wheel and ruptured at the portions of the seal means aligned with the openings to communicate pressure fluid to the occupant restraint cushion.

5. In a motor vehicle, the combination comprising a rotatably stationary steering column including a housing at the upper end thereof having radially spaced inner and outer walls defining an annular plenum, a steering wheel rotatably mounted on the steering column and having a laterally extending end wall spaced axially from the housing to permit unimpeded rotation of the steering wheel, a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures in the end wall of the steering wheel opening to the annular plenum, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion mounted on the steering wheel, an annular seal means of pressure rupturable material mounted in the annular plenum, the annular seal means being of channel cross section including a bight spaced from the end wall of the steering wheel, and axially extending radially spaced inner and outer legs respectively sealingly slideably engaging the radially spaced inner and outer walls defining the annular plenum, and means actuable to communicate pressure fluid to the annular plenum whereby the annular pressure rupturaBle seal means is moved axially with the bight of the annular seal means sealingly engaging the end wall of the steering wheel and rupturing at its portions abutting the apertures of the end wall to communicate pressure fluid to the cushion for inflation thereof.