Steering wheel structure for vehicle
AssigneeMazda Motor Corporation
InventorsKeisuke Miyoshi, Akira Marumoto, Michitaka Ohta
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering wheel structure includes a steering wheel ring, a first spoke extending downward from a steering shaft and carrying the steering wheel ring on the steering shaft and, an air bag case disposed on a tip end portion of the steering shaft. An air bag received in the air bag is case in a folded state and an inflator is provided for inflating the air bag with gas. An igniter is used to ignite a material in the inflator to produce the gas. A displacing device is provided for allowing the spoke and lower portion of the steering wheel ring to be displaced when subjected to a forward force beyond a predetermined value. An impact energy therefore, can be effectively and safely absorbed.
Claims20
A steering wheel structure comprising:
- a steering wheel ring,
- a first spoke extending downward from a steering shaft at a neutral position of the steering wheel ring and carrying the steering wheel ring on the steering shaft,
- second and third spokes extending substantially in left and right directions when said steering wheel ring is in said neutral position,
- an air bag case disposed on a tip end portion of the steering shaft,
- joint portions interconnecting said air bag case with said first, second and third spokes,
- an air bag received in the air bag case in a folded state,
- an inflator for inflating the air bag with gas,
- an igniter for igniting a material in the inflator to produce the gas, and
- displacing means for allowing the first spoke and a lower portion of the steering wheel ring to be displaced when subjected to a forward force beyond a predetermined value, the displacing means being formed on said first spoke at a position radially outside of the joint portion interconnecting said air bag case with said first spoke.
A steering wheel structure comprising:
- a steering wheel ring,
- a first spoke extending downward from a steering shaft at a neutral position of the steering wheel ring and carrying the steering wheel ring on the steering shaft,
- second and third spokes extending substantially in left and right directions when said steering wheel ring is in said neutral position,
- an air bag case disposed on a tip end portion of the steering shaft,
- an air bag received in the air bag case in a folded state,
- an inflator for inflating the air bag with gas,
- an igniter for igniting a material in the inflator to produce the gas, and
- displacing means for allowing the first spoke and a lower portion of the steering wheel ring to be displaced when subjected to a forward force beyond a predetermined value,
- the first, second and third spokes being connected with the air bag case with a connecting strength between the first spoke and the air bag case which is lower than connecting strengths between the second and third spokes and the air bag case.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.