Horn activation and steering wheel assembly

• US 5,508,482 A
• Filed: 10/11/1994
• Issued: 04/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Martin, Peter F., Terilli, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Friedhofer, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US08/320,363
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 200/61.54, 200/61.57
• US Class Current: 200/61.55
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/003 mounted on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2037 the module or a major component thereof being yieldably mounted, e.g. for actuating the horn switch or for protecting the driver in a non-deployment situation horn switches integrated in steering wheel covers with tear lines B60R21/21658

Abstract

An automotive vehicle horn activation and steering wheel assembly is providing including a column for transmitting a driving torque input into a steering system; a horn contact plate mounted on the steering column electrically isolated therefrom; a wheel fixably mounted on the column, the wheel having a rim connected by a spoke to a hub; a steering wheel mounting plate fixably connected with respect to the column and electrically connected therewith; a module mounted to the steering wheel mounting plate biased to a first position being electrically isolated from the steering wheel mounting plate, the module having a second position electrically contacting the steering wheel mounting plate; and an electrical lead captured between the horn contact plate and the module with a first end contacting the first contact plate and a second end contacting the module, the first end being biased away from the second end by a current conducting spring captured between the first and second ends, the spring being surrounded by a tubular member.

Claims

1. An automotive vehicle horn activation and steering wheel assembly comprising:

a column for transmitting a driving torque input into a steering system;

a horn contact plate mounted on the steering column electrically isolated therefrom;

a wheel fixably mounted on the column, the wheel having a rim connected by a spoke with a hub;

a steering wheel mounting plate fixably connected with respect to the column and electrically connected therewith;

a module mounted to the steering wheel mounting plate biased to a first position being electrically isolated from the steering wheel mounting plate, the module having a second position electrically contacting the steering wheel mounting plate; and

an electrical lead captured between the horn contact plate and the module with a first end contacting the horn contact plate and a second end contacting the module, the first end being biased away from the second end by a current conducting spring captured between the first and second ends, the spring being surrounded by a tubular member.

2. An automotive vehicle horn activation and steering wheel assembly as described in claim 1 further including a horn tower having a void generally axially aligned with the column wherein the horn tower aligns the tubular member of the electric lead.

3. An automotive vehicle horn activation and steering wheel assembly as described in claim 1 wherein the tubular member is an electrical insulator.

4. An automotive vehicle horn activation and steering wheel assembly as described in claim 1 wherein the tubular member around the spring also aligns the first and second ends.

5. An automotive vehicle horn activation and steering wheel assembly as described in claim 4 wherein at least one end has a projection which is aligned in a slot of the tubular member which surrounds the spring.