Vehicle steering device

• US 8,079,615 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2007
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Seiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): VERLEY, NICOLE T
• Application Number:
  US12/295,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20100229674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743.2, 280/731
• US Class Current: 280/743.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 in steering wheels or steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/04 Hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2087 Rim grips and covers

Abstract

A vehicle steering device includes a rotatable steering handle including grips lying on left and right sides of the steering handle in a straight-ahead driving position with a non-grip space left on at least one of upper and lower sides of the steering handle; and an airbag provided in the steering handle that is deployed between the steering handle and a driver to restrain the driver in the event of a collision. The steering handle includes a support unit movable from a stowed position to an operative position on the vehicle'"'"'s forward side from a reference plane including a rotating trajectory of a portion of the steering handle normally facing the driver. The support unit supports the rear surface of the airbag deployed in the non-grip space.

Claims

1. A vehicle steering device comprising:

a rotatable steering handle including grips on left and right sides of the steering handle in a straight-ahead driving position, and being formed to leave a non-grip space extending between the grips on the left and right sides of the steering handle on at least one of upper and lower sides of the steering handle;

an airbag provided in the steering handle that is deployed between the steering handle and a driver to restrain the driver in the event of a collision;

a support unit that is provided with the steering handle, that moves from a stowed position to an operative position on a forward side of the vehicle from a reference plane including a rotating trajectory of a portion of the steering handle normally facing the driver, and is configured to, when in the operative position, support a rear surface of the airbag deployed in the non-grip space; and

a tension member configured to extend along the non-grip space when the tension member is moved to an operative position from a stowed position.

2. The vehicle steering device according to claim 1, wherein the grips respectively include rims projecting toward at least one of the upper and lower sides of the steering handle in the straight-ahead driving position, the support unit including a tension member stretched between the rims when the support unit is in the operative position.

3. The vehicle steering device according to claim 2, wherein the tension member includes engagement portions movably engaged with the rims and a tension fabric integrally attached to the engagement portions and stretched between the rims.

4. The vehicle steering device according to claim 3, wherein the tension fabric is fixedly secured to the airbag at a predetermined portion.

5. The vehicle steering device according to claim 2, wherein the tension member includes engagement portions movably engaged with the rims and a part of the airbag integrally attached to the engagement portions and stretched between the rims.

6. The vehicle steering device according to claim 2, wherein the tension member is a supplemental airbag.

7. The vehicle steering device according to claim 1, wherein the support unit includes reaction force supporting arms rotatably attached to the steering handle and adapted to rotate toward the non-grip space.

8. The vehicle steering device according to claim 7, wherein the reaction force supporting arms are provided in a pair of left and right arms and wherein the tension member stretchable in the non-grip space is provided between distal end portions of the reaction force supporting arms.

9. The vehicle steering device according to claim 8, wherein the tension member is a tension cloth.

10. The vehicle steering device according to claim 9, wherein the tension cloth is fixedly secured to the airbag at a predetermined portion.

11. The vehicle steering device according to claim 1, wherein the support unit includes reaction force supporting arms attached to the steering handle in an extendable and retractable manner and adapted to move toward the non-grip space.

12. The vehicle steering device according to claim 11, wherein the support unit includes a linking string connected to the reaction force supporting arm and to the airbag.

13. The vehicle steering device according to claim 1, wherein the non-grip space is provided both on the upper and lower sides of the steering handle in the straight-ahead driving position, the support unit including an upper support unit and a lower support unit, the steering handle being downwardly offset with respect to a deployed shape of the airbag, the upper support unit having an upward displacement amount greater than a downward displacement amount of the lower support unit.

14. The vehicle steering device according to claim 13, wherein the lower support unit is set to move toward the operative position before movement of the upper support unit.

15. The vehicle steering device according to claim 1, wherein the non-grip space is provided both on the upper and lower sides of the steering handle in the straight-ahead driving position, the support unit including an upper support unit and a lower support unit, the steering handle being upwardly offset with respect to a deployed shape of the airbag, the upper support unit having an upward displacement amount smaller than a downward displacement amount of the lower support unit.

16. The vehicle steering device according to claim 1, wherein the support unit includes a linking unit for moving the support unit to the operative position in association with a deploying operation of the airbag.

17. The vehicle steering device according to claim 1, wherein the support unit moves toward the operative position independently of a deploying operation of the airbag, wherein an actuator for moving the support unit to the operative position is provided in the steering handle, and wherein the actuator is operated in the event of a collision or when a collision is predicted.

18. The vehicle steering device according to claim 17, wherein the support unit includes a pair of left and right reaction force supporting airbags attached to the steering handle in an extendable and retractable manner, and

wherein the actuator is an inflator that supplies gas to at least one of the reaction force supporting airbags.

19. The vehicle steering device according to claim 1, wherein the support unit is collapsed together with the airbag and stored in the stowed position within the steering handle.