Driver airbag apparatus for vehicle

A driver airbag apparatus for a vehicle configured to be deployed from a region behind a steering wheel, having at a center portion thereof an obstacle, toward a region in front of the steering wheel while avoiding the obstacle, the driver airbag apparatus comprising:

• an airbag housing disposed behind the steering wheel;
• an airbag cushion accommodated in the airbag housing, the airbag cushion being configured to be deployed by gas injected thereinto toward the region in front of the steering wheel through a space between the obstacle and the steering wheel;
• and
• a housing cover coupled to the airbag housing so as to cover an opening in the airbag housing, the housing cover being configured to be ruptured by deployment pressure of the airbag cushion to open the airbag housing to a limited angle toward the region in front of the steering wheel,
• wherein the housing cover is rotated relative to the airbag housing such that a front end portion thereof moves upwards and such that the airbag housing is opened toward the region in front of the steering wheel, and
• wherein, when the housing cover is rotated upwards relative to a rear end portion of the airbag housing, the front end portion of the housing cover comes into contact with an inner circumferential surface of the steering wheel so as to prevent the housing cover from rotating further.

A driver airbag apparatus for a vehicle configured to be deployed from a region behind a steering wheel, having at a center portion thereof an obstacle, toward a region in front of the steering wheel while avoiding the obstacle, the driver airbag apparatus comprising:

• an airbag housing disposed behind the steering wheel;
• an airbag cushion accommodated in the airbag housing, the airbag cushion being configured to be deployed by gas injected thereinto toward the region in front of the steering wheel through a space between the obstacle and the steering wheel;
• a housing cover coupled to the airbag housing so as to cover an opening in the airbag housing, the housing cover being configured to be ruptured by deployment pressure of the airbag cushion to open the airbag housing to a limited angle toward the region in front of the steering wheel, wherein the housing cover is provided with a tear line along which the housing cover is ruptured by the deployment pressure of the airbag cushion;
• and
• a reinforcing panel integrally coupled to the housing cover at a position further inward than the tear line, wherein the reinforcing panel extends in a planar direction parallel to a surface of the housing cover,
• wherein a rear end portion of the reinforcing panel extends backwards beyond a rear end portion of the airbag housing in a forward-backward direction of the steering wheel, and
• wherein, when the reinforcing panel is rotated relative to the airbag housing, the rear end portion of the reinforcing panel comes into contact with the airbag housing or a steering housing, to which the airbag housing is secured, so as to prevent the reinforcing panel from rotating further.