Steering device

• US 8,596,676 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2012
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo KK (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagasawa, Isamu, Baba, Noriyoshi, Nakase, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US13/553,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20130038044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 280/731, 280/775, 280/777, 280/734, 744/93
• US Class Current: 280/731
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/16 Steering columns

Abstract

There is provided a steering device. The steering device has an airbag module that is disposed inside a steering wheel for steering a vehicle and that protects a vehicle occupant during a collision of the vehicle with another object by deploying an airbag body toward the vehicle occupant. The steering device includes a detecting unit that detects the collision of the vehicle with another object in advance; and an adjusting unit that positionally adjusts the steering wheel to a neutral position when the collision of the vehicle with another object is detected by the detecting unit, the neutral position of the steering wheel being a position of the steering wheel when the vehicle is traveling straight.

Claims

1. A steering device having an airbag module that is disposed inside a steering wheel for steering a vehicle and that protects a vehicle occupant during a collision of the vehicle with another object by deploying an airbag body toward the vehicle occupant, the steering device comprising:

a detecting unit to detect the collision of the vehicle with another object in advance; and

an adjusting unit to positionally adjust the steering wheel to a neutral position when the collision of the vehicle with another object is detected by the detecting unit, the neutral position of the steering wheel being a position of the steering wheel when the vehicle is traveling straight.

2. The steering device according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting unit includes an engageable-disengageable support member that supports a steering shaft and a steering column in an engageable-disengageable manner, and

wherein the steering shaft is adjusted so that the steering wheel is positioned at the neutral position when the engageable-disengageable support member is in a disengaged state.

3. The steering device according to claim 2, wherein the adjusting unit includes

a reciprocally rotatable member reciprocally rotatable by receiving a rotational force from the steering shaft, and

a bridge parts bridged between the reciprocally rotatable member and the steering shaft so as to make the reciprocally rotatable member and the steering shaft rotatable by utilizing rotational forces thereof, and

wherein the reciprocally rotatable member is made such that a reciprocal rotation range thereof gradually reaches a termination point when the engageable-disengageable support member is in the disengaged state.

4. The steering device according to claim 1, wherein the airbag module and the steering wheel include engagement grooves that engage with each other, and

wherein the airbag module is moved to a specific position on the engagement grooves by utilizing thrust generated when an inflator of the airbag module is actuated.

5. The steering device according to claim 2, wherein the airbag module and the steering wheel include engagement grooves that engage with each other, and

wherein the airbag module is moved to a specific position on the engagement grooves by utilizing thrust generated when an inflator of the airbag module is actuated.

6. The steering device according to claim 3, wherein the airbag module and the steering wheel include engagement grooves that engage with each other, and

wherein the airbag module is moved to a specific position on the engagement grooves by utilizing thrust generated when an inflator of the airbag module is actuated.

7. The steering device according to claim 4, wherein the inflator has a plurality of supply holes for supplying gas to the airbag body, the plurality of supply holes being oriented in the same direction.

8. The steering device according to claim 5, wherein the inflator has a plurality of supply holes for supplying gas to the airbag body, the plurality of supply holes being oriented in the same direction.

9. The steering device according to claim 6, wherein the inflator has a plurality of supply holes for supplying gas to the airbag body, the plurality of supply holes being oriented in the same direction.

10. A steering device having an airbag module that is disposed inside a steering wheel for steering a vehicle, and that protects a vehicle occupant during a collision of the vehicle with another object by deploying an airbag body toward the vehicle occupant, the steering device comprising:

an adjusting unit configured to adjust the steering wheel from a non-straight-travelling position to the straight-travelling position upon a collision detection by a detection unit.

11. The steering device according to claim 10, further comprising

the detection unit configured to detect a collision of the vehicle, wherein

a collision detection by the detection unit includes detecting a collision in advance.

12. The steering device according to claim 11, wherein

the adjusting unit is configured to adjust the steering wheel to the straight-travelling position by rotating the steering wheel about an axis that extends perpendicular to a plane that is flush with an occupant facing surface of the steering wheel.

13. The steering device according to claim 10, wherein

the airbag module and the steering wheel include engagement grooves that engage with each other, and

the airbag module is moved to a specific position on the engagement grooves by utilizing thrust generated when an inflator of the airbag module is actuated.

14. The steering device according to claim 13, wherein the inflator has a plurality of supply holes for supplying gas to the airbag body, the plurality of supply holes being oriented in the same direction.

15. A steering device having an airbag module that is disposed inside a center pad of a steering wheel for steering a vehicle, and that protects a vehicle occupant during a collision of the vehicle with another object by deploying an airbag body toward the vehicle occupant, the steering device comprising:

an adjusting unit configured to adjust the center pad to a predefined position upon a collision detection by a detection unit by rotating the steering wheel about an axis that extends perpendicular to a plane that is flush with an occupant facing surface of the steering wheel.

16. The steering device according to claim 15, further comprising

the detection unit configured to detect a collision of the vehicle, wherein

a collision detection by the detection unit includes detecting a collision in advance.

17. The steering device according to claim 15, wherein

the adjusting unit is configured to adjust a steering wheel rim of the steering wheel to the predefined position together with the center pad.

18. The steering device according to claim 15, wherein

the airbag includes a head protection chamber and a chest protection chamber, and

the adjusting unit is configured to adjust the center pad to a predefined position such that the head protection chamber and the chest protection chamber, when deployed, are aligned on a common vertical axis with the head protection chamber positioned above the chest protection chamber.

19. The steering device according to claim 15, wherein

the airbag module and the steering wheel include engagement grooves that engage with each other, and

the airbag module is moved to a specific position on the engagement grooves by utilizing thrust generated when an inflator of the airbag module is actuated.

20. The steering device according to claim 19, wherein the inflator has a plurality of supply holes for supplying gas to the airbag body, the plurality of supply holes being oriented in the same direction.