Steering wheel

A steering wheel comprising a frame to be connected to a steering shaft, the frame having radially outwardly extending spokes and a rim, the frame defining a recess to receive an air-bag unit, the steering wheel being provided with a plurality of mounting elements, each of the mounting elements being associated with a respective spoke, each of the mounting elements being connected to the steering wheel and having a portion that lies over top of an external part of the steering wheel, each of the mounting elements being adjacent a periphery of the air-bag unit;

• the air-bag unit being connected to each of the mounting elements by means of a respective resiliently biased connection to enable relative movement of the air-bag unit with respect to the steering wheel, the periphery of the air-bag unit defining a substantially predetermined gap with the portion of each of the mounting elements, wherein at least one of the mounting elements are mounted to the steering wheel with a degree of freedom of movement, the movement of the mounting element causing the portion of the mounting element that lies over top of the external part of the steering wheel to slide relative to the steering wheel, and wherein there are three of the mounting elements, one of the mounting elements being mounted to the steering wheel at a predetermined position without the degree of freedom of movement, and the remaining two of the mounting elements being mounted to the steering wheel with the degree of freedom of movement.

A steering wheel comprising a frame to be connected to a steering shaft, the frame having radially outwardly extending spokes and a rim, the frame defining a recess to receive an air-bag unit the steering wheel being provided with a plurality of mounting elements, each of the mounting elements being associated with a respective spoke, each of the mounting elements being connected to the steering wheel and having a portion that lies over top of an external part of the steering wheel, each of the mounting elements being adjacent a periphery of the air-bag unit;

• the air-bag unit being connected to each of the mounting elements by means of a respective resiliently biased connection to enable relative movement of the air-bag unit with respect to the steering wheel, the periphery of the air-bag unit defining a substantially predetermined gap with the portion of each of the mounting elements, wherein at least one of the mounting elements are mounted to the steering wheel with a degree of freedom of movement the movement of the mounting element causing the portion of the mounting element that lies over top of the external part of the steering wheel to slide relative to the steering wheel, and wherein the steering wheel defines mounting platforms and respective retaining recesses, each of the mounting elements having a horizontal bias to a respective mounting platform and having depending snap acting elements receivable within the corresponding recess, at least some of the recesses having dimensions greater than that of the snap acting elements to provide the degree of freedom of movement.