Safety apparatus for steering wheel assembly

• US 3,888,508 A
• Filed: 04/13/1973
• Issued: 06/10/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ryohei Kizu, Tadao Muramatu, Teruo Kobayasi
• Original Assignee: Ryohei Kizu, Tadao Muramatu, Teruo Kobayasi
• Inventors: Kizu, Ryohei, Muramatu, Tadao, Kobayasi, Teruo
• Primary Examiner(s): Schonberg, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/350,784
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15AB,15B,87R 74/492 224/29E
• 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: B60R 21/276 with means to vent the inflation fluid source, e.g. in case of overpressure B60R21/30 takes precedence; venting means on inflatable member walls B60R21/239

Abstract

An inflatable impact energy absorbing bag type safety apparatus for a steering wheel assembly of a vehicle comprising a pad member to cover and to be mounted on spokes of the steering wheel assembly, a bag container installed within the pad member, an inflatable bag confined air-tightly within the container and a cover member removably mounted on the container to close the opening of the container, the inflatable bag being inflated by pressurized fluid supplied from an external pressure source through the bottom of the container in an occurrence of vehicle collision.

Claims

1. A safety apparatus for a steering wheel assembly of a vehicle having a collision sensor and a fluid pressure source for activating said safety apparatus in response to a signal generated from said sensor, comprising:

a pad member including a core cushion on spokes of said steering wheel assembly, said pad member including means defining a chamber in substantially the central portion thereof, a bag container made of synthetic resin in the shape corresponding to said chamber, said bag container being within said chamber and having, on its bottom portion, an inlet port connected to said pressure source through the steering column assembly for said steering wheel assembly, an inflatable bag confined air-tightly within said bag container;

said inflatable bag being inflated by pressurized fluid from said pressure source through said inlet port in case of vehicle collision, said bag container further having drain valve means formed by at least one breakable portion normally integral with said bottom portion of said bag container whereby when the pressure in the bag upon inflation reaches a predetermined inner pressure a portion of the breakable portion breaks to let any exceeding pressure, above the predetermined pressure, escape out of the inflated bag, and a cover member having a core cushion formed in the shape corresponding to the opening of said bag container and a cover which overlies integrally said cover member core cushion;

said cover member being mounted on said bag container to move from a position closing the opening thereof to a position lateral of said bag container opening in response to inflation of said bag.

2. A safety apparatus for a steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bag container is secured at its bottom portion on a sheet metal integrally inlaid within said core cushion of said pad member.

3. A safety apparatus for a steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said breakable portion of said bag container includes a hinge portion moulded thinner than said bottom portion and other portions moulded thinner than said hinge portion;

said hinge portion holding said breakable portion hinged thereon when said other portions are broken by any exceeding pressure above the predetermined inner pressure, exerted within said inflated bag.

4. A safety apparatus for a steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bag container has at its outer rim, a flange outwardly bent for removably mounting said cover member between said flange and said pad member.

5. A safety apparatus for a steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said cover member has a portion unremovably hinged and other portions removably mounted between said flange and said pad member whereby said cover member is held at said hinged portion when said removable portions are blown out from the mounting places thereof by inflation of said bag.

6. A safety apparatus for a steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said cover member has a portion unremovably hinged and breakable portions mounted between said flange and said pad member whereby said cover member is held at said hinged portion when said breakable portions are broken off from the mounting places thereof by said bag being inflated.

7. A safety apparatus for a steering wheel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said core cushion of said pad member includes therein a sheet metal which extends correspondingly along the shape of said spokes and said pad member is mounted on said spokes by way of said sheet metal.