Steering wheel

• US 7,111,868 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2003
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Schütz, Dominik
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Toan C.
• Application Number:
  US10/690,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20040090051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/731, 745/52, 200/61.54, 200/61.56, 200/61.55, 200/61.57
• US Class Current: 280/731
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/782 on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• 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

A steering wheel comprises a gas bag module having a visible front side (26) with a gas generator carrier (17) on which a gas generator (21) is mounted, and several switches (15). The gas generator carrier (17) extends to close to the front side (26) of said gas bag module and forms at least one section of a common accommodation housing to accommodate said several switches (15).

Claims

1. A steering wheel, comprising a gas bag module having a visible front side (26) with a gas generator carrier (17) on which a gas generator (21) is mounted, and several switches (15), wherein said gas generator carrier (17) extends to at least close to said front side (26) of said gas bag module and forms at least one section of a common accommodation housing to accommodate said several switches (15), wherein said gas generator carrier (17) has a shell shaped mounting in which said switches (15) are housed and positioned.

2. A steering wheel, comprising a gas bag module having a visible front side (26) with a gas generator carrier (17) on which a gas generator (21) is mounted, and several switches (15), wherein said gas generator carrier (17) extends to at least close to said front side (26) of said gas bag module and forms at least one section of a common accommodation housing to accommodate said several switches (15), wherein said gas generator carrier (17) is mounted so as to be reversibly displaceable in a direction of a steering wheel axis, and a horn switch (15′

) projecting with respect to an underside of said accommodation housing can abut against a part of said steering wheel which is not movable on displacement, to trigger said horn switch (15′

).

3. A steering wheel, comprising a gas bag module having a visible front side (26) with a gas generator carrier (17) on which a gas generator (21) is mounted, and several switches (15), wherein said gas generator carrier (17) extends to at least close to said front side (26) of said gas bag module and forms at least one section of a common accommodation housing to accommodate said several switches (15), wherein said switches (15) have outer housings (33) which are held in individual, associated recesses (29).

4. The steering wheel according to claim 3, wherein a part of each outer housing (33) projecting into said recess (29) has an outer contour corresponding to its recess (29).

5. A steering wheel, comprising a gas bag module having a visible front side (26) with a gas generator carrier (17) on which a gas generator (21) is mounted, and several switches (15), wherein said gas generator carrier (17) extends to at least close to said front side (26) of said gas bag module and forms at least one section of a common accommodation housing to accommodate said several switches (15), wherein said gas generator carrier (17) has several recesses (29) arranged in at least one row (11, 13) and serving to receive adjacent outer housings (33) of switches (15).

6. A steering wheel, comprising a gas bag module having a visible front side (26) with a gas generator carrier (17) on which a gas generator (21) is mounted, and several switches (15), wherein said gas generator carrier (17) extends to at least close to said front side (26) of said gas bag module and forms at least one section of a common accommodation housing to accommodate said several switches (15), wherein said gas generator carrier (17) has two opposite sides, on which in each case one row of recesses (29) is provided to receive outer housings (33) of switches (15).

7. A steering wheel, comprising a gas bag module having a visible front side (26) with a gas generator carrier (17) on which a gas generator (21) is mounted, and several switches having outer housings (15), wherein said gas generator carrier (17) extends to at least close to said front side (26) of said gas bag module and forms at least one section of a common accommodation housing to accommodate said several switches (15), wherein said outer housings (33) are fastened on a common mounting plate (150) and together with the mounting plate (150) are accommodated in said accommodation housing.

8. The steering wheel according to claim 7, wherein said mounting plate (150) has several recesses (29) arranged in at least one row (11, 13) to receive adjacent ones of said outer housings (33).

9. A steering wheel, comprising a gas bag module having a visible front side (26) with a gas generator carrier (17) on which a gas generator (21) is mounted, and several switches (15), wherein said gas generator carrier (17) extends to at least close to said front side (26) of said gas bag module and forms at least one section of a common accommodation housing to accommodate said several switches (15), wherein said gas generator carrier (17) has the shape of a cup open on one side, with a base (18), a side wall (20) and an opening (25), and at least one section (27) formed on in one piece projects from an edge of said opening (25) and forms a part of said accommodation housing.

10. A steering wheel, comprising a gas bag module having a visible front side (26) with a gas generator carrier (17) on which a gas generator (21) is mounted, and several switches (15), wherein said gas generator carrier (17) extends to at least close to said front side (26) of said gas bag module and forms at least one section of a common accommodation housing to accommodate said several switches (15), wherein said accommodation housing is closed on said front side by switch caps (100).

11. A steering wheel, comprising a gas bag module having a visible front side (26) with a gas generator carrier (17) on which a gas generator (21) is mounted, and several switches (15), wherein said gas generator carrier (17) extends to at least close to said front side (26) of said gas bag module and forms at least one section of a common accommodation housing to accommodate said several switches (15), wherein said steering wheel has left and right sides, in relation to a steering wheel position when driving straight ahead, and that said gas generator carrier (17), both on a left and right edge at least partially forms an accommodation housing to accommodate left and right switch panels.