Air bag cover with horn switch

An apparatus for covering an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, comprising:

• a cover including first and second portions and being movable from a closed condition to an open condition upon inflation of the inflatable device, said cover having a cover tear seam defining said first and second portions of said cover;
• and
• a switch in an electric circuit for actuating an electrically actuatable device of the vehicle, said switch including a first switch portion underlying said first cover portion and a second switch portion underlying said second cover portion;
• said first cover portion being manually depressible to operate said first switch portion and thereby to actuate said electrically actuatable device, said second cover portion being manually depressible to operate said second switch portion and thereby to actuate said electrically actuatable device;
• said switch having a bridge portion underlying and extending across said cover tear seam, said bridge portion of said switch electrically interconnecting said first switch portion and said second switch portion when said cover is in the closed condition, said bridge portion being rupturable upon movement of said cover from the closed condition to the open condition;
• said bridge portion having a switch actuator portion underlying and extending across said cover tear seam, said cover tear seam when manually depressed operating said switch actuator portion and thereby actuating said electrically actuatable device;
• said switch actuator portion extending from said second switch portion across said cover tear seam in a direction toward said first switch portion, said bridge portion also comprising a rupturable part extending from said first switch portion across said cover tear seam in a direction toward said second switch portion, said rupturable part having an end portion connected with said switch actuator portion adjacent to said second switch portion.

An apparatus for covering an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said apparatus comprising:

• a cover including first and second cover portions and being movable from a closed condition to an open condition upon inflation of the inflatable device, said cover having a cover tear seam having a U-shaped configuration defining a projection of said second cover portion, said projection extending toward said first cover portion;
• and
• a switch in an electric circuit for actuating an electrically actuatable device of the vehicle, said switch including a first switch portion underlying said first cover portion and a second switch portion underlying said second cover portion;
• said first cover portion being manually depressible to operate said first switch portion and actuate said electrically actuatable device, said second cover portion being manually depressible to operate said second switch portion and to actuate said electrically actuatable device;
• said switch having a bridge portion underlying and extending across said cover tear seam, said bridge portion being rupturable upon movement of said cover from the closed condition to the open condition;
• said bridge portion having a switch active area underlying said projection of said second cover portion;
• said switch active area extending from said second switch portion in a direction toward said first switch portion, said switch active area having a terminal end spaced away from said first switch portion, said bridge portion also comprising a rupturable part spaced away from said switch active area, said rupturable part electrically interconnecting said first switch portion and said second switch portion when said cover is in the closed condition.

An apparatus for covering an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said apparatus comprising:

• a cover including first and second portions and being movable from a closed condition to an open condition upon inflation of the inflatable device, said cover having a cover tear seam defining said first and second portions of said cover;
• and
• a switch in an electric circuit for actuating an electrically actuatable device of the vehicle, said switch including a first switch portion underlying said first cover portion and a second switch portion underlying said second cover portion;
• said first cover portion being manually depressible to operate said first switch portion and actuate said electrically actuatable device, said second cover portion being manually depressible to operate said second switch portion and actuate said electrically actuatable device;
• said switch having a bridge portion underlying and extending across said cover tear seam, said bridge portion being rupturable upon movement of said cover from the closed condition to the open condition;
• said bridge portion having a switch active area underlying and extending across said cover tear seam, said cover tear seam, when manually depressed, operating said switch active area and thereby actuating said electrically actuatable device;
• said switch active area extending from said second switch portion across said cover tear seam in a direction toward said first switch portion, said bridge portion extending in said first direction, said bridge portion having a terminal end spaced away from said first switch portion, said bridge portion also comprising a rupturable part spaced away from said switch active area, said rupturable part electrically interconnecting said first switch portion and said second switch portion when said cover is in the closed condition.

An apparatus for covering an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said apparatus comprising:

• a cover including first and second cover portions and being movable from a closed condition to an open condition upon inflation of the inflatable device, said cover having a cover tear seam defining a straight line dividing said cover into two parts;
• and
• a switch in an electric circuit for actuating an electrically actuatable device of the vehicle, said switch including a first switch portion underlying said first cover portion and a second switch portion underlying said second cover portion;
• said first cover portion being manually depressible to operate said first switch portion and actuate said electrically actuatable device, said second cover portion being manually depressible to operate said second switch portion and actuate said electrically actuatable device;
• said switch having a bridge portion underlying and extending across said straight line, said bridge portion being rupturable upon movement of said cover from the closed condition to the open condition;
• said bridge portion having a switch active area underlying and extending across said straight line;
• said switch active area extending from said second switch portion in a direction toward said first switch portion, said switch active area having a terminal end spaced away from said first switch portion, said bridge portion also comprising a rupturable part spaced away from said switch active area, said rupturable part extending from said first switch portion in a direction toward said second switch portion and electrically interconnecting said first switch portion and said second switch portion when said cover is in the closed condition.