Airbag cover with integral horn switch

• US 5,265,904 A
• Filed: 01/07/1993
• Issued: 11/30/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Freeman, Kenneth A., Shelton, Darryl A.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAPE, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US08/001,593
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 280/731, 280/728, 280/743, 200/61.54, 200/61.55
• US Class Current: 280/731
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/003 mounted on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21658 with integrated switches, e.g. horn switches

Abstract

An airbag cover with integral horn switch has an outer cover with positive and negative horn contacts interdigitally disposed and an inner cover whose external surface is a conductive layer. When a force is applied to the outer cover, the conductive layer of the inner cover becomes electrically connected to the positive and negative leads on the outer cover activating the horn.

Claims

1. An airbag assembly with integral horn switch comprising:

an airbag;

an airbag inflator;

an inner cover housing said airbag between said airbag inflator and said inner cover;

an outer cover covering said inner cover;

a first contact located in a first plane adjacent to said outer cover between said outer cover and said inner cover;

a second contact located in said first plane and laterally spaced from said first contact adjacent;

a third contact located in a second plane adjacent to said inner cover so that said third contact is positioned between said first plane and said inner cover; and

means for spacing said first and second contacts from said third contact to prevent an electrical connection of said first and second contact through said third contact except upon an application of force to the external outer surface of said outer cover.

2. The airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein said outer cover is demountably attached to the airbag inflator.

3. The airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein said spacing means is formed integrally with said outer airbag cover.

4. The airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein said first and second contacts comprise a plurality of conductive fingers interdigitally disposed on the surface of said outer cover.

5. The airbag assembly as in claim 4 wherein said second contact has an opposite polarity than said first contact.

6. The airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein inner cover is formed of metallic foil to define said third contact.

7. The airbag assembly as in claim 1 wherein said third contact is formed on said inner cover by a series of electrically connected conductive strips.