Steering wheel assemblies for vehicles

• US 7,040,653 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2004
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US10/974,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20060097494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 280/731, 280/775, 280/735, 280/777, 744/93
• US Class Current: 280/731
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23514 coated fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23519 Resin for coating fabric B60R2021/23514
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2032 the inflator or inflatable member not being rotatable with the steering wheel; Arrangements using the steering column or steering wheel rim for storing, supplying or evacuating the inflation gas or for storing the inflatable member
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/206 in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/15 Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/23 using finite element methods [FEM] or finite difference methods [FDM]

Abstract

Steering wheel assembly including a steering column including an inner shaft adapted to be attached to a fixed part of the vehicle and an outer shaft arranged around and rotatable relative to the inner shaft. The outer shaft is connect with a steering mechanism which causes turning of tires of the vehicle. A steering wheel is connected to and for rotation with the outer shaft and an airbag module includes an airbag connected to the inner shaft. The airbag module does not rotate upon rotation of the outer shaft and the steering wheel. The airbag is thus stationary relative to the steering wheel and as a result, its shape is not constrained by any limitations which arise when the airbag must rotate along with the steering wheel as in conventional steering wheel-mounted airbag systems.

Claims

1. A steering wheel assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a steering column including an inner shaft adapted to be attached to a fixed part of the vehicle and an outer shaft arranged around said inner shaft and being rotatable relative to said inner shaft, said outer shaft being adapted to connect with a steering mechanism which causes turning of tires of the vehicle, said outer shaft being the outermost part of said steering column;

a steering wheel connected to and for rotation with said outer shaft;

a supporting bracket for mounting said steering column to the vehicle, said supporting bracket including a passage through which said outer shaft passes;

bearings arranged between said outer shaft and said supporting bracket for rotatably supporting said outer shaft on said supporting bracket; and

an airbag module including an airbag connected to said inner shaft such that said airbag module does not rotate upon rotation of said outer shaft and said steering wheel.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said inner shaft passes through said passage of said supporting bracket.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said bearings are in contact with said outer shaft.

4. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising additional bearings interposed between said inner and outer shafts for rotatably supporting said outer shaft on said inner shaft.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said steering wheel has a central cavity centered about a rotation axis of said steering wheel, said airbag module being arranged in said cavity.

6. A vehicle including a chassis and at least one tire, comprising:

a steering mechanism which causes turning of the tire;

a steering column including an inner shaft attached to a stationary part of the chassis and an outer shaft arranged around said inner shaft and being rotatable relative to said inner shaft, said outer shaft being connected to said steering mechanism and being the outermost part of said steering column;

a steering wheel connected to and for rotation with said outer shaft;

a supporting bracket for mounting said steering column to the vehicle, said supporting bracket including a passage through which said outer shaft passes;

bearings arranged between said outer shaft and said supporting bracket for rotatably supporting said outer shaft on said supporting bracket; and

an airbag module including an airbag connected to said inner shaft such that said airbag module does not rotate upon rotation of said outer shaft and said steering wheel.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, further comprising:

a firewall, said supporting bracket mounting said steering column to said firewall.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein said inner shafts passes through said passage of said supporting bracket.

9. The vehicle of claim 6, further comprising additional bearings interposed between said inner and outer shafts for rotatably supporting said outer shaft on said inner shaft.

10. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein said steering wheel has a central cavity centered about a rotation axis of said steering wheel, said airbag module being arranged in said cavity.

11. A steering wheel assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a steering column having a first end and a second opposite end movable relative to said first end, said first end of said steering column being adapted to be mounted to the vehicle, said steering column having a first part defining said first end and a second part defining said second end, said steering column including an actuating mechanism for moving said second part relative to said first part;

a steering wheel mounted at said second end of said steering column; and

an airbag mounted at said second end of said steering column and arranged to protect a driver of the vehicle in the event of a crash involving the vehicle,

said actuating mechanism being arranged to move said second part relative to said first part based on morphology of the driver.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein said steering column further comprises a joint pivotally connecting said first and second parts to enable pivotal movement of said second part relative to said first part about said joint via said actuating mechanism.

13. The assembly of claim 11, wherein said actuating mechanism is arranged to receive a signal from a crash sensor system indicative of an impending or actual crash and pivot said second part to adjust a position of said steering wheel such that said steering wheel is re- positioned during the crash.

14. A vehicle, comprising:

a steering mechanism which causes a tire of the vehicle to turn;

a steering column having a first end and a second opposite end movable relative to said first end, said first end of said steering column being coupled to said steering mechanism, said steering column having a first part defining said first end and a second part defining said second end, said steering column including an actuating mechanism for moving said second part relative to said first part;

a steering wheel mounted at said second end of said steering column;

an airbag mounted at said second end of said steering column arranged to protect a driver of the vehicle in the event of a crash involving the vehicle; and

an occupant position and monitoring system arranged to obtain information about the driver,

said actuating mechanism coupled to said occupant position and monitoring system and being arranged to move said second part relative to said first part based on at least one of the position and morphology of the driver as determined by said occupant position and monitoring system.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein said steering column further comprises a joint pivotally connecting said first and second parts to enable pivotable movement of said second part relative to said first part about said joint via said actuating mechanism.

16. The vehicle of claim 14, further comprising a crash sensor system arranged to generate a signal indicative of an impending crash, said actuating mechanism being arranged to receive the signal from said crash sensor system indicative of the impending crash and move said second part to adjust a position of said steering wheel.

17. The vehicle of claim 14, further comprising a crash sensor system arranged to generate a signal indicative of an actual crash, said actuating mechanism being arranged to receive the signal from said crash sensor system indicative of the actual crash and move said second part to adjust a position of said steering wheel such that said steering wheel is re-positioned during the crash.

18. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein said actuating mechanism moves said second part relative to said first part based on the morphology of the driver as determined by said occupant position and monitoring system.

19. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein said actuating mechanism moves said second part relative to said first part based on the position of the driver as determined by said occupant position and monitoring system.