Air bag module cover assembly with horn blowing switch

• US 5,308,106 A
• Filed: 10/04/1990
• Issued: 05/03/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Heidorn, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DICKSON, PAUL N
• Application Number:
  US07/592,948
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728-732, 280/743, 200/61.54, 200/61.55, 200/61.56, 200/61.57
• US Class Current: 280/728.3
• 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 air bag module cover assembly incorporates a horn blowing switch. The air bag module comprises a container holding an inflator and a folded air bag. The cover assembly comprises a closure which closes the container, and a horn blowing switch subassembly which is attached to the container. Access to the horn blowing switch subassembly is possible without disturbing the container or removing the module from the vehicle. Moreover, the horn blowing switch subassembly is located for convenient operation by a vehicle operator. It is also adapted to remain integrally connected with a structural portion of the container during deployment of the air bag.

Claims

1. A vehicle air bag module cover assembly, comprising:

a closure attached to a reaction device to complete a container for an inflator and a folded air bag, at least part of said closure being movable relative to the container upon deployment of the air bag;

a horn blowing switch overlying said part of said closure adapted to move relative to the container upon deployment of the air bag, said horn blowing switch being connected to an external portion of the container in such a manner that said horn blowing switch is removable intact from said container, said horn blowing switch normally assuming a disengaged condition and being responsive to the application of pressure to assume an engaged condition, said horn blowing switch when in said engaged condition completing a horn blowing circuit; and

a flexible cover for said horn blowing switch, said flexible cover being adapted to communicate physical pressure exerted thereon to said horn blowing switch to cause said horn blowing switch to assume an engaged condition.

2. A vehicle air bag module cover assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said cover assembly enables said air bag to be deployed therethrough;

said horn blowing switch comprising a pair of contact members which are biased to said disengaged condition and which are movable relative to one another to contact each other and thereby cause said horn blowing switch to assume said engaged condition;

said contact members being connected to the external portion of the container to connect the horn blowing switch to the external portion of the container; and

said external portion of the container to able to retain the contact members connected with the external portion of the container during deployment of said air bag through the cover assembly.

3. A vehicle air bag module cover assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said horn blowing switch and said cover form part of a horn blowing switch subassembly, said horn blowing subassembly further including a relatively rigid support member connected with said horn blowing switch and with said cover, said horn blowing switch being supported on said relatively rigid support member and being disposed between said cover and said relatively rigid support member.

4. A vehicle air bag module cover assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein said horn blowing switch comprises a pair of contact members and compressible spacers between said contact members, said rigid support member forming a rigid backing for one of said pair of contact members.

5. A vehicle air bag module cover assembly, comprising:

a closure attached to a reaction device to complete a container for an inflator and a folded air bag, said closure enabling said air bag to be deployed therethrough;

a horn blowing switch removably connected to an external portion of the container and located on an outer surface of said closure, said horn blowing switch normally assuming a disengaged condition and being responsive to the application of pressure to assume an engaged condition, said horn blowing switch when in said engaged condition completing a horn blowing circuit, said horn blowing switch comprising a pair of contact members which are biased to said disengaged condition and which are movable relative to one another to contact each other and thereby cause said horn blowing switch to assume said engaged condition, each of said pair of contact members including an integral portion connected to the external portion of the container to connect the horn blowing switch to the external portion of the container, said integral portion of each of said contact members forming a tether which retains the contact member connected to the external portion of the container during deployment of said air bag through the cover assembly; and

a flexible cover for said horn blowing switch, said flexible cover being adapted to communicate physical pressure exerted thereon to said horn blowing switch to cause said horn blowing switch to assume an engaged condition.

6. A vehicle air bag module cover assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said flexible cover is connected with said contact members and remains connected with said contact members during deployment of said air bag through said cover assembly.

7. A vehicle air bag module cover assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said cover and said contact members form a horn blowing switch subassembly and said tethers formed by said integral portion of said contact members connect said horn blowing switch subassembly with the external portion of the container during deployment of said air bag through said cover assembly.

8. A vehicle air bag module cover assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said closure is separable into at least two closure portions to enable deployment of said air bag through said cover assembly;

and said horn blowing switch subassembly is connected to said closure so as to overlie one of said closure portion, said horn blowing assembly switch subassembly being movable with said one of said closure portions as said closure portions separate during deployment of an air bag through said cover assembly.

9. A vehicle air bag module cover assembly, comprising:

a closure attached to a reaction device to complete a container for an inflator and a folded air bag; and

a horn blowing switch subassembly removably connected to an external portion of the container and located on an outer surface of said closure, said horn blowing switch subassembly comprising a relatively rigid support member, a horn blowing switch being supported on and connected to said support member, and a flexible cover connected to said support member so that said horn blowing switch is intermediate said cover and said support member, said horn blowing switch normally assuming a disengaged condition and being responsive to the application of pressure to assume an engaged condition, said flexible cover adapted to communicate physical pressure exerted thereon to said horn blowing switch to move said horn blowing switch to assume an engaged condition, said horn blowing switch further comprising a pair of contact members and compressible spacers between said contact member, said support member forming a relatively rigid backing for one of said pair of said contact members, each of said contact members having an integral portion extending through said support member and being connected to the container, said integral portions of said contact members forming tethers to maintain the horn blowing switch connected to the container, said support member and said cover being connected together and being further connected with said contact members such that said horn blowing switch subassembly is an integral unit which is connected to the container by means of said integral portions of said contact members.

10. A vehicle air bag module cover assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein said integral portions of said contacts are removably connected with the external portion of the container, so that said horn blowing switch subassembly can be connected to the container as an integral unit and detached from the container as an integral unit.

11. A vehicle air bag module, comprising:

a container holding an inflator and a folded air bag, said container being adapted to be connected to a portion of a vehicle;

a cover assembly for said container comprising a closure and a horn blowing switch subassembly attached to said container, said cover assembly enabling said air bag to be deployed through said cover assembly, said horn blowing switch subassembly overlying said closure, said closure and said horn blowing switch subassembly being removably coupled to the container by means of a common fastening device; and

said horn blowing switch subassembly including a horn blowing switch which is selectively operable to an engaged condition to complete a horn blowing circuit, said common fastening device being accessible and removably coupled to said container while said container is connected to a portion of a vehicle to enable said horn blowing switch subassembly to be removably coupled to said container without removing said container from the portion of the vehicle and to enable said horn blowing switch subassembly to be removable intact from said cover assembly.

12. A vehicle air bag module as defined in claim 11 wherein said container comprises a reaction device and said closure is connected to said reaction device;

said closure being separable into at least two closure portions to enable deployment of said air bag through said cover assembly; and

said horn blowing switch subassembly overlying at least one of said closure portions and being movable with one of said closure portions upon deployment of the air bag, said horn blowing switch being connected with said reaction device in such a manner that the horn blowing assembly switch subassembly remains connected with said reaction device during deployment of an air bag through said cover assembly.

13. A vehicle air bag module as set forth in claim 12, wherein said horn blowing switch has a portion connected with said reaction device forming a tether to maintain the horn blowing switch subassembly connected with said reaction device during deployment of an air bag through said cover assembly.

14. A vehicle air bag module as set forth in claim 11, wherein said horn blowing switch subassembly, further comprises a rigid support member and a flexible cover member, said horn blowing switch being supported on said rigid support member and being disposed between said cover and said rigid support member, said flexible cover member being adapted to communicate physical pressure exerted on said cover member to said horn blowing switch to move said horn blowing switch to said engaged condition.

15. A vehicle air bag module as set forth in claim 14, wherein said horn blowing switch comprises a pair of contact members and compressible spacers between said contact members, said rigid support member forming a rigid backing for one of said pair of contact members.

16. A vehicle air bag module comprising:

a container holding an inflator and a folded air bag, and a cover assembly for said container;

said container being adapted to be connected to a portion of a vehicle;

said cover assembly comprising a closure and a horn blowing switch subassembly attached to said container and overlying said closure;

said cover assembly enabling said air bag to be deployed through said cover assembly;

said closure and said horn blowing switch subassembly being removably coupled to the container by means of a common fastening device;

said horn blowing switch subassembly including a horn blowing switch which is selectively operable to an engaged condition to complete a horn blowing circuit;

said common fastening device being accessible and removably coupled to said container while said container is connected to a portion of a vehicle to enable said horn blowing switch subassembly to be removably coupled to said container without removing said container from the portion of the vehicle;

said container comprising a reaction device connected to said closure;

said closure being separably into at least two closure portions to enable deployment of said air bag through said cover assembly;

said horn blowing switch subassembly overlying at least one of said closure portions and being movable with one of said closure portions upon deployment of the air bag;

said horn blowing switch being connected with said reaction device in such a manner that the horn blowing assembly switch subassembly remains connected with said reaction device during deployment of an air bag through said cover assembly;

said horn blowing switch having a portion connected with said reaction device forming tether to maintain the horn blowing switch subassembly connected with said reaction device during deployment of an air bag through said cover assembly;

said portion of said horn blowing switch being removably connected with an external portion of said container in a manner such that said horn blowing switch subassembly can be connected to said container as an integral unit and detached from said container as an integral unit.

17. A vehicle air bag module, comprising:

a container holding an inflator and a folded air bag, said container being adapted to be connected to a portion of a vehicle;

a cover assembly for said container comprising a horn blowing switch subassembly attached to said container, said cover assembly enabling said air bag to be deployed through said cover assembly;

said horn blowing switch subassembly including a horn blowing switch which is selectively operable to an engaged condition to complete a horn blowing circuit, said horn blowing switch subassembly being detachable from said container without removing said container from the vehicle, said horn blowing switch subassembly further comprising a relatively rigid support member and a flexible cover member, said horn blowing switch being supported on said support member and being disposed between said cover and said support member, said flexible cover member being adapted to communicate physical pressure exerted on said cover member to said horn blowing switch to move said horn blowing switch to said engaged condition, said horn blowing switch comprising a pair of contact members and compressible spacers between said contact members, said support member forming a relatively rigid backing for one of said pair of said contact members, each of said contact members having an integral portion extending through said support member and being connected to the container, said integral portion of said contact member forming a tether to maintain the horn blowing switch subassembly attached to the container as said air bag is being deployed through said cover assembly.

18. A vehicle air bag module as defined in claim 17, wherein said integral portions of said contact members are removably connected with an external portion of the container, so that said horn blowing switch subassembly can be connected to the container as an integral unit and detached from the container as an integral unit.

19. A vehicle air bag module cover assembly comprising:

a closure for attachment to a reaction device to form a container for a folded air bag, a first portion of the container being movable relative to a second portion of the container upon deployment of the air bag, said first and second portions of the container being joined to each other along a seam, said first portion of the container including at least a part of the closure;

a member disposed adjacent to said at least a part of the closure and being movable relative to the second portion of the container upon deployment of the air bag, said member being located substantially on one side of said seam and being held adjacent to said at least a part of the closure at spaced apart locations which are different distances from said seam, said member and said at least a part of the closure having portions coextensive with one another; and

a horn blowing switch removably disposed between said coextensive portions of said member and said at least a part of the closure, the horn blowing switch being movable with at least one of said member and said at least a part of the closure relative to said second portion of the container upon deployment of the air bag, the horn blowing switch normally assuming a disengaged condition and being responsive to the application of pressure to assume an engaged condition,

at least one of said coextensive portions of said member and said at least a part of the closure being formed and positioned to communicate physical pressure exerted on said at least one of the coextensive portions to said horn blowing switch to cause the horn blowing switch to assume its engaged condition,

said member and said at least a part of the closure being releasably held adjacent to each other at at least one of said locations to permit relative movement between said member and said at least a part of the closure and removal of said switch from between said member and said at least a part of the closure.