Steering wheel with integrated gas bag
AssigneeTRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
InventorsStephan Bohn, Ralph Frisch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering wheel has a skeleton with a foamed sheathing, a hub, spokes and a steering wheel rim. A gas bag module is inserted in a central recess of the steering wheel. The gas bag module has a cover cap at the side facing the driver. For actuating a horn switch, the module is movable in the direction of the steering wheel axis relative to the steering wheel. A movement gap is formed between the cover cap and the foamed sheathing. Mounting studs on the skeleton extend parallel to the steering wheel axis. The positioning of the mounting studs is defined by the foamed sheathing. The mounting studs have free ends which are slidingly accommodated in guide recesses provided in the cover cap.
Claims7
A steering wheel comprising:
- a hub;
- a plurality of spokes extending from said hub;
- a rim secured to said plurality of spokes;
- a foam sheathing surrounding at least part of said hub, said plurality of spokes, and said rim;
- a plurality of mounting studs each having a first free end and an opposite second support end, said first free ends being non-threaded;
- a plurality of nuts corresponding to each of said plurality of mounting studs;
- and
- a gas bag module accommodated in said steering wheel, said gas bag module having a cover cap for actuating a horn switch, said first free ends of said plurality of mounting studs projecting from said corresponding plurality of nuts toward corresponding recesses in said cover cap, said second support ends of said plurality of mounting studs being secured in said foam sheathing, said plurality of nuts securing said gas bag module to said hub, said foam sheathing determining a positional relationship between said rim, said plurality of mounting studs, and said recesses of said cover cap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.