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Steering wheel and air bag assembly attachment to a steering shaft

  • US 6,122,992 A
  • Filed: 10/14/1997
  • Issued: 09/26/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for mounting on a vehicle steering shaft which rotates about an axis to steer a vehicle, the steering shaft having a threaded end portion, said apparatus comprising:

  • an assembly comprising;

    a steering wheel armature including a rim, an upper frame, and a plurality of spokes connecting said rim to said upper frame;

    a hub connected to the steering wheel armature and for non-rotatable attachment to the steering shaft;

    an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint;

    an inflator for providing inflation fluid for inflating said vehicle occupant restraint, said inflator and said vehicle occupant restraint being supported by said upper frame of said steering wheel armature; and

    cover means for covering said steering wheel armature, the vehicle occupant restraint, and said inflator;

    a rotatable fastener for axially forcing said assembly onto the steering shaft with said hub non-rotatably attached to the steering shaft, said fastener having an attachment portion for threaded engagement with the threaded end portion of the steering shaft;

    said assembly having surface means for supporting said fastener on said assembly for rotation relative to said assembly;

    said fastener including a driven gear portion fixed to said attachment portion and for rotating said fastener in one direction relative to said assembly about the axis of the steering shaft to effect said axial forcing; and

    a driving gear forming a part of said assembly, said driving gear being in meshing engagement with said gear portion of said fastener;

    said hub being fixedly attached to a lower frame, of said steering wheel armature, said driving gear being rotatably mounted to said lower frame;

    said gear portion of said fastener comprising a worm wheel gear, said driving gear including a worm gear portion meshing with said worm wheel gear and a shaft portion which is driveable to rotate said worm gear portion;

    said inflator having a housing and a guide portion extending downwardly from said housing, said guide portion having an axial bore for receiving a portion of said rotatable fastener and a transverse recess for receiving a portion of said driving gear.

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