# US 10,479,309 B2 · Steering wheel unit

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- Number: US 10,479,309 B2
- Document ID: US10479309B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/747,616
- Filed: 2016-08-05
- Published: 2018-08-02
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-08-05
- Assignees: Autoliv Development AB
- Applicants: Autoliv Development AB
- Inventors: Jean-Yves Burel; Rémi Baillivet
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479309B2

## CPC

- 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)}
- B60R 21/017: including arrangements for providing electric power to safety arrangements {or their actuating means, e.g. to pyrotechnic fuses or electro-mechanic valves}
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A steering wheel unit, including a steering wheel body (10), an airbag housing (30) in the hub region of the steering wheel body with an airbag (38); First positioning units (40) between the steering wheel body (10) and the airbag housing (30) that position the airbag housing (30) on the steering wheel body (10) in the axial direction; Second positioning units between the steering wheel body (10) and the airbag housing (30) position the airbag housing (30) on the steering wheel body (40) in the radial plane. The second positioning unit includes at least one positioning element (52, 62) having a contact surface (56, 66a, 66b), normal or surface normals are perpendicular to the axial direction; and an opposing contact surface (58, 68a, 68b) for the contact surface (56, 66a, 66b). The positioning element (52, 62) includes at least one elastically deformable positioning section (54, 64a, 64b).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A steering wheel unit comprising;
a steering wheel body,
an airbag housing accommodated in a hub region of the steering wheel body wherein an airbag is accommodated,
first positioning units operating between the steering wheel body and the airbag housing, which the first positioning units position the airbag housing on the steering wheel body in an axial direction,
second positioning units operating between the steering wheel body and the airbag housing, the second positioning units position the airbag housing on the steering wheel body in a radial plane,
at least one of the second positioning units includes at least one positioning element extending in the axial direction including at least one contact surface having a surface perpendicular to the axial direction, and an opposing contact surface for the contact surface, and
the positioning element includes at least one positioning section including the contact surface, the positioning section is elastically deformable perpendicular to the axial direction, and a rigid movement-limiting section disposed on a side of the positioning section facing away from the contact surface and disposed spaced from the positioning section,
wherein the positioning element including the positioning section and the rigid movement-limiting section extends from a bottom of the airbag housing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A steering wheel unit according to claim 1, further comprising the positioning element is formed as an integral part of the airbag housing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A steering wheel unit according to claim 1, further comprising the positioning section essentially has the shape of a hollow half cylinder.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A steering wheel unit according to claim 1, further comprising the positioning section includes a slot that extends in the axial direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A steering wheel unit according to claim 1, further comprising the opposing contact surface includes a concave main section against which the contact surface abuts.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A steering wheel unit according to claim 5, further comprising in that a secondary section connects to ends of the main section, and in that a part of the movement-limiting section is positioned between two secondary sections but is spaced away from the secondary sections.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A steering wheel unit according to claim 1, further comprising the positioning element includes two of the positioning sections, and in that the movement-limiting section is disposed between the two positioning sections.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

A steering wheel unit that features three of the second positioning units, wherein two of the second positioning units are formed according to claim 5.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A steering wheel unit according to claim 1, further comprising at least one spring element is provided, against whose force the airbag housing can be pressed down in the direction of the steering wheel body so that the first positioning units position the airbag housing, in a non-pressed down state, on the steering wheel body in the axial direction.