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Bend sensor horn switch assembly

  • US 5,625,333 A
  • Filed: 09/22/1995
  • Issued: 04/29/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. In a horn switch assembly for mounting on a steering wheel of a motor vehicle and comprising an airbag module cover having a front outer face and a rear inner face, a substantially rigid backing plate positioned so that a forward surface of the backing plate faces the rear inner face of the module cover, and a flexible bend sensor connectable to a remote horn control circuit that responds to a threshold rate of change of resistance, the bend sensor positioned between the rear inner face of the module cover and the forward surface of the backing plate, whereby pressure applied to the front outer face of the module cover causes at least one of a plurality of resistive elements in the bend sensor to bend and rapidly change resistance so that the remote horn control circuit activates a horn, the improvement comprising:

  • a plurality of force concentrators on the rear inner face of the cover extending rearwardly therefrom and positioned over the resistive elements of the bend sensor;

    a plurality of spaced-apart supports on the forward surface of the backing plate, extending forwardly therefrom and arranged so that each resistive element is positioned between two adjacent supports, whereby pressure applied to the front outer face of the airbag module cover will cause the rear inner face to deformably depress towards the bend sensor causing at least one force concentrator to bend at least one resistive element about two adjacent supports.

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