Vehicle steering wheel, gas bag module for a vehicle steering wheel

• US 8,939,467 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2012
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata AG (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata AG (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zahn, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Application Number:
  US14/131,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20140131984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/731
• US Class Current: 280/731
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 in steering wheels or steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2035 using modules containing inflator, bag and cover attachable to the steering wheel as a complete sub-unit steering wheel covers with tear lines B60R21/21656; assembling of modules B60R21/217
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/04 Hand wheels

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel hub, a steering wheel rim and steering wheel spokes which connect the steering wheel rim with the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel hub includes a steering wheel fastening region for fastening the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft of a vehicle, and wherein in the vehicle steering wheel a gas bag is mounted. It is provided that the gas bag is arranged in the vehicle steering wheel in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub. It thus becomes possible that in the case of an attachment of the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft, the steering wheel fastening region is accessible in axial direction and is not covered by the mounted gas bag.

Claims

1. A vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel skeleton comprising a steering wheel hub, a steering wheel rim and steering wheel spokes which connect the steering wheel rim with the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel hub includes a steering wheel fastening region for fastening the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft of a vehicle, wherein in the vehicle steering wheel a gas bag is mounted, wherein the gas bag is arranged in the vehicle steering wheel in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel skeleton forms a receptacle for the gas bag, in which the gas bag is arranged, and wherein the receptacle is formed eccentrically to the steering wheel hub.

2. The vehicle steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is formed integrally with other elements of the steering wheel skeleton.

3. The vehicle steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the steering wheel skeleton includes a spoke region and the receptacle is formed in the spoke region.

4. The vehicle steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the gas bag forms a vacuum-packed gas bag package.

5. The vehicle steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein a gas generator is attached directly to the steering wheel skeleton or is integrated into the same.

6. The vehicle steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the gas bag is arranged in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and eccentrically to the steering wheel hub such that the gas bag is arranged laterally of the steering wheel hub in a space region of maximally about 240°

.

7. A gas bag module for a vehicle steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the gas bag module is formed such that it can be arranged in radial direction outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub of a vehicle steering wheel.

8. A vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel skeleton comprising a steering wheel hub, a steering wheel rim and steering wheel spokes which connect the steering wheel rim with the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel hub includes a steering wheel fastening region for fastening the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft of a vehicle, wherein in the vehicle steering wheel a gas bag is mounted, wherein the gas bag is arranged in the vehicle steering wheel in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub, and wherein the steering wheel includes a two-part covering cap facing a driver, wherein a first part of the covering cap covers the gas bag and a second part of the covering cap covers the steering wheel hub.

9. The vehicle steering wheel according to claim 8, wherein the second part of the covering cap includes at least one control element and/or at least one display element.

10. The vehicle steering wheel according to claim 8, wherein the second part of the covering cap is movably mounted and coupled with elements which realize a horn function.

11. A vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel skeleton comprising a steering wheel hub, a steering wheel rim and steering wheel spokes which connect the steering wheel rim with the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel hub includes a steering wheel fastening region for fastening the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft of a vehicle, wherein in the vehicle steering wheel a gas bag is mounted, wherein the gas bag is arranged in the vehicle steering wheel in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub, wherein the gas bag is part of a prefabricated gas bag module including a gas generator, which has been mounted in the vehicle steering wheel before mounting the same to a steering shaft, wherein the steering wheel includes a two-part covering cap facing a driver, and wherein a first part of the covering cap covers the gas bag and a second part of the covering cap covers the steering wheel hub and the first part of the covering cap is part of the gas bag module, while the second part of the covering cap has been attached to a steering shaft in the vehicle steering wheel after assembly of the steering wheel.

12. A vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel skeleton comprising a steering wheel hub, a steering wheel rim and steering wheel spokes which connect the steering wheel rim with the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel hub includes a steering wheel fastening region for fastening the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft of a vehicle, wherein in the vehicle steering wheel a gas bag is mounted, wherein the gas bag is arranged in the vehicle steering wheel in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub, wherein the gas bag is part of a prefabricated gas bag module including a gas generator, which has been mounted in the vehicle steering wheel before mounting the same to a steering shaft, and wherein the gas bag module includes a one-part covering cap facing a driver, which includes a protruding region provided with an opening, which covers the steering wheel hub.