Apparatus for a steering wheel assembly
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use in a vehicle having a rotatable steering shaft and locking means for preventing rotation of the steering shaft, the locking means for preventing rotation of the steering shaft being deactivated by an ignition key in the vehicle'"'"'s ignition, said apparatus comprising:
- a vehicle steering wheel having a front side facing a driver of the vehicle and a back side facing away from the driver;
an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect the driver of the vehicle in a vehicle collision; and
means for removably connecting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device with the steering shaft, said means for removably connecting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device requiring rotation of said steering wheel to accomplish removal of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device from the steering shaft.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is provided for use in a vehicle having a rotatable steering shaft (32) and a locking mechanism (56) for preventing rotation of the steering shaft. The locking mechanism (56) is deactivated by an ignition key (58) in the vehicle'"'"'s ignition. The apparatus comprises a vehicle steering wheel assembly (20) having a front side (68) facing a driver of the vehicle and a back side facing away from the driver, an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (90) for helping to protect the driver of the vehicle in a vehicle collision, and a mechanism (60, 110) for removably connecting the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (90) with the steering shaft (32). The mechanism (60, 110) for removably connecting the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (90) requires rotation of the steering wheel assembly (20) to accomplish removal of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device from the steering shaft (32).
10 Citations
41 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for use in a vehicle having a rotatable steering shaft and locking means for preventing rotation of the steering shaft, the locking means for preventing rotation of the steering shaft being deactivated by an ignition key in the vehicle'"'"'s ignition, said apparatus comprising:
-
a vehicle steering wheel having a front side facing a driver of the vehicle and a back side facing away from the driver; an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect the driver of the vehicle in a vehicle collision; and means for removably connecting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device with the steering shaft, said means for removably connecting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device requiring rotation of said steering wheel to accomplish removal of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device from the steering shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. An apparatus for use in a vehicle having a rotatable steering shaft and locking means for preventing rotation of the steering shaft, the locking means for preventing rotation of the steering shaft being deactivated by an ignition key in the vehicle'"'"'s ignition, said apparatus comprising:
-
a vehicle steering wheel having a front side facing a driver of the vehicle and a back side facing away from the driver; an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect the driver of the vehicle in a vehicle collision, said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device being attached to said steering wheel on said front side of said steering wheel; and means for removably attaching said steering wheel to the steering shaft, said means for removably attaching said steering wheel requiring rotation of said steering wheel to accomplish removal of said steering wheel from the steering shaft. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. An apparatus for use in a vehicle having a rotatable steering shaft and locking means for preventing rotation of the steering shaft, the locking means for preventing rotation of the steering shaft being deactivated by an ignition key in the vehicle'"'"'s ignition, said apparatus comprising:
-
a vehicle steering wheel for rotation with the steering shaft, said steering wheel having a front side facing a driver of the vehicle and a back side facing away from the driver; an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect the driver of the vehicle in a vehicle collision; and means for removably connecting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to said steering wheel, said means for removably connecting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device requiring rotation of said steering wheel to accomplish removal of said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device from said steering wheel. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
-
41. An apparatus for use in a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
-
an assembly including a rotatable steering shaft and a rotatable steering wheel; actuatable locking means for, when actuated, preventing rotation of said assembly; an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect the driver of the vehicle in a vehicle collision; and means for releasably connecting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device with said steering wheel upon deactuation of said locking means and rotation of said steering wheel.
-
Specification