Steering wheel equipped with an air bag system

• US 5,178,409 A
• Filed: 04/24/1991
• Issued: 01/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited Representative Director Zenjiro HASE
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohno, Satoshi, Kondo, Yutaka, Hiramitsu, Tetsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Skaggs, H. Grant
• Assistant Examiner(s): DRUZBICK, CAROL L
• Application Number:
  US07/689,172
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 280/731, 280/735, 280/736, 280/741, 280/743, 364/567, 364/424.04
• US Class Current: 280/731
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• 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 21/21658 with integrated switches, e.g. horn switches

Abstract

Disclosed is a steering wheel equipped with an air bag system. The steering wheel has a controller having a processor which outputs a trigger signal for actuating an air bag in accordance with the strength of an impact arising from a collision of a car, upon sensing the impact, and a memory which stores a process by this processor; an inflator which generates a gas in accordance with a signal outputted from the controller; and an air bag which is inflated with the gas supplied from the inflator. Between the opposite surfaces of a controller case and an inflator case, there is provided a heat-insulating layer. This heat-insulating layer serves to reduce heat passing from the inflator to the controller when the air bag is inflated. Consequently, contents stored in the memory mounted in the controller will never be destroyed by heat, and it is possible to analyze the process of operation of the processor after a collision of a car body.

Claims

1. A steering wheel equipped with an air bag system for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a pad section;

an air bag disposed in said pad section;

a controller, disposed in said pad section and comprising;

a case;

a processor, disposed in said case, for sensing an impact caused by collision of said vehicle and outputting a trigger signal relating to said impact; and

a memory, disposed in said case, for storing data relating to a control parameter processed by said processor to generate said trigger signal, said memory continuing storing said data after said impact;

an inflator, disposed proximate to said controller, for generating, in accordance with said trigger signal, a gas to inflate said air bag; and

a heat-insulating layer provided between a surface of said case of said controller and a surface of said inflator.

2. A steering wheel as claimed in claim 1, said heat-insulating layer being an air gap.

3. A steering wheel as claimed in claim 2, said heat-insulating layer being a 0.5 mm or wider air gap.

4. A steering wheel as claimed in claim 1, said heat-insulating layer being one of a rubber and plastic sheet.

5. A steering wheel as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a boss having a metal plate provided thereon, said controller being mounted on said metal plate.

6. A steering wheel as claimed in claim 1, said controller further comprising:

an acceleration sensor for sensing acceleration of said vehicle to sense a collision of said vehicle;

a CPU for determining inflation time of said air bag in accordance with said acceleration sensed by said acceleration sensor; and

a battery,

said memory comprising a RAM for storing said data, said control parameter relating to said acceleration sensed until said trigger signal is generated by said CPU, said battery providing power to said RAM to cause said RAM to store said data after inflation of said air bag.

7. A steering wheel as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a flange and a bracket for coupling said inflator to said case of said controller to provide an air gap therebetween, said air gap being said heat-insulating layer.

8. A steering wheel as claimed in claim 1, said pad section comprising expanded urethane foam and a rigid mounting member, said inflator being disposed in an inside space in said pad section and secured by an L-shaped annular flange having an extending side wall secured to a downward projecting portion of said mounting member, and said steering wheel further comprising a bracket, secured to said extending side wall of said flange, for securing said controller beneath said inflator to provide said heat-insulating layer between said case of said controller and said inflator.

9. A steering wheel as claimed in claim 8, said air bag being folded and disposed on said inflator in said inside space of said pad section.

10. A steering wheel as claimed in claim 8, said heat-insulating layer being an air gap provided between said case of said controller and said inflator.

11. A steering wheel as claimed in claim 8, said controller further comprising:

an acceleration sensor for sensing acceleration of said vehicle to sense a collision of said vehicle;

a CPU for determining inflation time of said air bag in accordance with said acceleration sensed by said acceleration sensor; and

a battery,

said memory comprising a RAM for storing said data, said control parameter relating to said acceleration sensed until said trigger signal is generated by said CPU, said battery providing power to said RAM to cause said RAM to store said data after inflation of said air bag.

12. A steering wheel as claimed in claim 1, said pad section comprising expanded urethane foam and a rigid mounting member, said inflator being disposed in an inside space in said pad section and secured by an L-shaped annular flange having an extending side wall secured to a downward projecting position of said mounting member, and said steering wheel further comprising:

a boss;

a metal plate, provided on said boss, for securing said controller proximate to said inflator to provide said heat-insulating layer between said case of said controller and said inflator.

13. A steering wheel as claimed in claim 12, said controller further comprising:

an acceleration sensor for sensing acceleration of said vehicle to sense a collision of said vehicle;

a CPU for determining inflation time of said air bag in accordance with said acceleration sensed by said acceleration sensor; and

a battery,

said memory comprising a RAM for storing said data, said control parameter relating to said acceleration sensed until said trigger signal is generated by said CPU, said battery providing power to said RAM to cause said RAM to store said data after inflation of said air bag.

14. A steering wheel as claimed in claim 12, said heat-insulating layer being an air gap provided between said case of said controller and said inflator.