Actuator for a horn of a vehicle
AssigneeAutoliv Development AB
InventorsBarry C. Worrell, James J. Simpson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An actuator for a horn of a vehicle, comprising: an emblem; a bezel fixedly secured to a first side of a deployable portion of a cover of an airbag module, the bezel movably securing the emblem to the cover and the emblem being capable of movement between a first position and a second position with respect to the bezel, the second position causing activation of the horn; a backing plate secured to the bezel at a second side opposite the first side of the deployable portion; and a tether secured to the bezel, the tether retaining the actuator with the cover after deployment of the airbag module.
Claims21
An actuator for a horn of a vehicle, comprising:
- an emblem;
- a bezel fixedly secured to a first side of a deployable portion of a cover of an airbag module, the bezel movably securing the emblem to the cover and the emblem being capable of movement between a first position and a second position with respect to the bezel, the second position causing activation of the horn;
- a backing plate secured to the bezel at a second side opposite the first side of the deployable portion;
- and
- a tether secured to the bezel, the tether retaining the actuator with the cover after deployment of the airbag module.
A cover for an airbag module mounted to a steering wheel, the cover comprising:
- a decorative outer layer having a predetermined tear seam;
- and
- a bezel fixedly secured to a first side of a deployable portion of the decorative outer layer, the bezel movably securing an emblem to the decorative outer layer and the emblem being capable of movement between a first position and a second position with respect to the bezel, the second position causing activation of a horn switch;
- a backing plate secured to the bezel at a second side opposite to the first side of the deployable portion;
- and
- a tether secured to the bezel, the tether retaining the actuator with the cover after deployment of the airbag module.
A method for securing an emblem and a horn switch to a cover of an airbag module, the method comprising:
- placing a horn switch in a cavity of the cover;
- securing an emblem over the horn switch by securing a bezel to the cover by passing a plurality of stakes of the bezel through the cover and heat staking the stakes to a backing plate and a tether located on an opposite side of the cover, the emblem being capable of movement between a first position and a second position with respect to the bezel, the second position causing activation of the horn switch;
- and
- biasing the emblem into the first position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.