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Steering wheel

  • US 5,002,306 A
  • Filed: 02/14/1989
  • Issued: 03/26/1991
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1988
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A steering wheel which is provided with a ring portion, a boss portion arranged at the center of the ring portion, a spoke portion connecting between the ring portion and the boss portion, and an air bag device comprising:

  • (a) an air bag capable of being expanded at a prescribed time;

    (b) an inflater supplying gas to expand said air bag;

    (c) a backup plate arranged on an upper side of said boss portion for holding said air bag and said inflater;

    (d) a pad formed in box shape with an upper wall and a side wall extending downward from a periphery of the upper wall, and covering an upper side and lateral side of said air bag and connecting the side wall to said backup plate and having a breakopen area for releasing said air bag and defined by a thinned breaking portion on the upper wall for breaking the upper wall open while leaving a part of the upper wall outside said area connected to the side wall when said air bag is expanded;

    (e) a plurality of membrane switches arranged at portions of the upper wall of said pad remote from said thinned breaking portion so as not to cross said thinned breaking portion and comprising a pair of electrodes in thin film shape;

    (f) a connector arranged at a lower side of said boss portion and connected to a prescribed electric circuit; and

    (g) lead wires connecting said membrane switches to said connector electrically, and arranged along the pad side wall adjacent said part of the upper wall of said pad, said lead wires being remote from said thinned breaking portion so as not to cross said thinned breaking portion.

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