Steering device for a vehicle, especially for a motor vehicle
First Claim
1. A steering device for a vehicle, comprising:
- an airbag module, the airbag module including a gas generator and an airbag;
a steering wheel;
a steering column, the steering column including an extreme steering-wheel hub, the steering wheel being mounted on the extreme steering-wheel hub, the extreme steering wheel hub having a cup-shaped design and including an outlet wall having an openable cover, the gas generator and the airbag being disposed behind the openable cover, the openable cover unblocking an airbag outlet through which the airbag is inflatable in front of the steering wheel when the airbag module is in an activated state;
a pyrotechnic actuator, the pyrotechnic actuator including a cylinder-piston unit, the gas generator defining the piston thereof, at least one of the steering-wheel hub and the steering column defining the cylinder thereof, the gas generator being supported in a cylinder region of the at least one of the steering-wheel hub and the steering column so as to be movable from a neutral position into a working position; and
at least one pulling device coupled to the cover, the at least one pulling device being actuatable by the pyrotechnic actuator;
wherein the at least one pulling device is connected to the gas generator unit at least one of indirectly and directly so that, in response to the gas generator being shifted in the cylinder region, a tensile force is applied to the at least one pulling device so that the at least one pulling device transfers the cover from a covering position to an open position to unblock the airbag outlet.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A steering device is configured for a vehicle, which includes a steering column, a steering-wheel hub and a steering wheel, the steering-wheel hub including an openable cover, behind which an airbag module containing a gas generator and an airbag is disposed. In the activated state of the airbag module, the cover unblocking an airbag outlet, through which the airbag can be inflated in front of the steering wheel. The cover is coupled to at least one pulling device, which can be operated by a pyrotechnic actuator in the form of a cylinder-piston unit, the gas generator forming the piston, which is supported so as to be moveable from a neutral position into a working position, in a cylinder region of the steering-wheel hub and/or of the steering column, which acts as a cylinder. The at least one pulling device is indirectly and/or directly connected to the gas generator so that, in response to the gas generator being displaced in the cylinder region, a tensile force can be applied to the at least one pulling device, so that the pulling device transfers the cover from its covering position into its open position, in order to open the airbag outlet.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A steering device for a vehicle, comprising:
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an airbag module, the airbag module including a gas generator and an airbag; a steering wheel; a steering column, the steering column including an extreme steering-wheel hub, the steering wheel being mounted on the extreme steering-wheel hub, the extreme steering wheel hub having a cup-shaped design and including an outlet wall having an openable cover, the gas generator and the airbag being disposed behind the openable cover, the openable cover unblocking an airbag outlet through which the airbag is inflatable in front of the steering wheel when the airbag module is in an activated state; a pyrotechnic actuator, the pyrotechnic actuator including a cylinder-piston unit, the gas generator defining the piston thereof, at least one of the steering-wheel hub and the steering column defining the cylinder thereof, the gas generator being supported in a cylinder region of the at least one of the steering-wheel hub and the steering column so as to be movable from a neutral position into a working position; and at least one pulling device coupled to the cover, the at least one pulling device being actuatable by the pyrotechnic actuator; wherein the at least one pulling device is connected to the gas generator unit at least one of indirectly and directly so that, in response to the gas generator being shifted in the cylinder region, a tensile force is applied to the at least one pulling device so that the at least one pulling device transfers the cover from a covering position to an open position to unblock the airbag outlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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8. A steering device for a vehicle, comprising:
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an airbag module, the airbag module including a gas generator and an airbag; a steering wheel; a steering column, the steering column including an extreme steering-wheel hub, the steering wheel being mounted on the extreme steering-wheel hub, the extreme steering wheel hub having a cup-shaped design and including an outlet wall having an openable cover, the gas generator and the airbag being disposed behind the openable cover, the openable cover unblocking an airbag outlet through which the airbag is inflatable in front of the steering wheel when the airbag module is in an activated state; a pyrotechnic actuator, the pyrotechnic actuator including a cylinder-piston unit, the gas generator defining the piston thereof, at least one of the steering-wheel hub and the steering column defining the cylinder thereof, the gas generator being supported in a cylinder region of the at least one of the steering-wheel hub and the steering column so as to be movable from a neutral position into a working position; and at least one pulling device coupled to the cover, the at least one pulling device being actuatable by the pyrotechnic actuator; wherein the at least one pulling device is connected to the gas generator unit at least one of indirectly and directly so that, in response to the gas generator being shifted in the cylinder region, a tensile force is applied to the at feast least one pulling device so that the at least one pulling device transfers the cover from a covering position to an open position to unblock the airbag outlet; wherein the pulling device includes a cable line, which is guided over at least one stationary deflection point around the airbag module to the cover; wherein in response to the gas generator being shifted in the cylinder region, the tensile force is applied to the cable line so that the tensile force transfers the cover into the open position, the airbag subsequently exiting the airbag outlet and being inflatable; and wherein the gas generator includes a lower end, the lower end of the gas generator including two sides, a first stationary deflection point being provided on each of the two sides of the lower end of the gas generator and being spaced apart from the lower end of the gas generator, a subsection of the cable line being guided around the first, stationary deflection points so that the subsection extends substantially horizontally and is disposed directly adjacent to the lower end of the gas generator, the first stationary deflection points being spaced apart from each other so that the gas generator is movable therebetween and therethrough while pulling the cable line. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A steering device for a vehicle, comprising:
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an airbag module, the airbag module including a gas generator and an airbag; a steering wheel; a steering column, the steering column including an extreme steering-wheel hub, the steering wheel being mounted on the extreme steering-wheel hub, the extreme steering wheel hub having a cup-shaped design and including an outlet wall having an openable cover, the gas generator and the airbag being disposed behind the openable cover, the openable cover unblocking an airbag outlet through which the airbag is inflatable in front of the steering wheel when the airbag module is in an activated state; a pyrotechnic actuator, the pyrotechnic actuator including a cylinder-piston unit, the gas generator defining the piston thereof, at least one of the steering-wheel hub and the steering column defining the cylinder thereof, the gas generator being supported in a cylinder region of the at least one of the steering-wheel hub and the steering column so as to be movable from a neutral position into a working position; and at least one pulling device coupled to the cover, the at least one pulling device being actuatable by the pyrotechnic actuator; wherein the at least one pulling device is connected to the gas generator unit at least one of indirectly and directly so that, in response to the gas generator being shifted in the cylinder region, a tensile force is applied to the at least one pulling device so that the at least one pulling device transfers the cover from a covering position to an open position to unblock the airbag outlet; wherein the pulling device includes a cable line, which is guided over at least one stationary deflection point around the airbag module to the cover; wherein in response to the gas generator being shifted in the cylinder region, the tensile force is applied to the cable line so that the tensile force transfers the cover into the open position, the airbag subsequently exiting the airbag outlet and being inflatable; and wherein each tree free end of the cable line is guided towards a respective side of the airbag module and upwardly in a direction of the cover, each free end of the cable line being secured in position in an extreme edge area of the cover; and wherein, in response to the gas generator being shifted in a direction away from the cover between and through the first stationary deflection points while pulling the cable line, the tensile force acts on the free ends of the cable line so that the free ends swivel outwardly with a cover subsection about a stationary hinged bearing in a direction away from the outlet wall to open the airbag outlet.
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29. A steering device for a vehicle, comprising:
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an airbag module, the airbag module including a gas generator and an airbag; a steering wheel; a steering column, the steering column including an extreme steering-wheel hub, the steering wheel being mounted on the extreme steering-wheel hub, the extreme steering-wheel hub including an outlet wall having an openable cover, the gas generator and the airbag disposed behind the openable cover, the openable cover configured to unblock an airbag outlet through which the airbag is inflatable in front of the steering wheel when the airbag module is in an activated state; a pyrotechnic actuator, the pyrotechnic actuator including a cylinder-piston unit, the gas generator defining the piston thereof, at least one of the steering-wheel hub and the steering column defining the cylinder thereof, the gas generator supported in a cylinder region of the at least one of the steering-wheel hub and the steering column movable from a neutral position into a working position; and at least one pulling device coupled to the cover and actuatable by the pyrotechnic actuator; wherein the at least one pulling device is connected to the gas generator unit at least one of indirectly and directly to apply a tensile force to the at least one pulling device in response to shift of the gas generator in the cylinder region to transfer the cover from a closed position to an open position to unblock the airbag outlet. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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Specification