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US 8,939,467 B2Granted
Vehicle steering wheel, gas bag module for a vehicle steering wheel
AssigneeTakata Corporation
InventorMatthias Zahn
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AssigneeTakata Corporation
InventorMatthias Zahn
Estimating the term…
The invention relates to a vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel hub, a steering wheel rim and steering wheel spokes which connect the steering wheel rim with the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel hub includes a steering wheel fastening region for fastening the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft of a vehicle, and wherein in the vehicle steering wheel a gas bag is mounted. It is provided that the gas bag is arranged in the vehicle steering wheel in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub. It thus becomes possible that in the case of an attachment of the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft, the steering wheel fastening region is accessible in axial direction and is not covered by the mounted gas bag.
A vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel skeleton comprising a steering wheel hub, a steering wheel rim and steering wheel spokes which connect the steering wheel rim with the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel hub includes a steering wheel fastening region for fastening the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft of a vehicle, wherein in the vehicle steering wheel a gas bag is mounted, wherein the gas bag is arranged in the vehicle steering wheel in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel skeleton forms a receptacle for the gas bag, in which the gas bag is arranged, and wherein the receptacle is formed eccentrically to the steering wheel hub.
A vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel skeleton comprising a steering wheel hub, a steering wheel rim and steering wheel spokes which connect the steering wheel rim with the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel hub includes a steering wheel fastening region for fastening the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft of a vehicle, wherein in the vehicle steering wheel a gas bag is mounted, wherein the gas bag is arranged in the vehicle steering wheel in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub, and wherein the steering wheel includes a two-part covering cap facing a driver, wherein a first part of the covering cap covers the gas bag and a second part of the covering cap covers the steering wheel hub.
A vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel skeleton comprising a steering wheel hub, a steering wheel rim and steering wheel spokes which connect the steering wheel rim with the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel hub includes a steering wheel fastening region for fastening the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft of a vehicle, wherein in the vehicle steering wheel a gas bag is mounted, wherein the gas bag is arranged in the vehicle steering wheel in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub, wherein the gas bag is part of a prefabricated gas bag module including a gas generator, which has been mounted in the vehicle steering wheel before mounting the same to a steering shaft, wherein the steering wheel includes a two-part covering cap facing a driver, and wherein a first part of the covering cap covers the gas bag and a second part of the covering cap covers the steering wheel hub and the first part of the covering cap is part of the gas bag module, while the second part of the covering cap has been attached to a steering shaft in the vehicle steering wheel after assembly of the steering wheel.
A vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel skeleton comprising a steering wheel hub, a steering wheel rim and steering wheel spokes which connect the steering wheel rim with the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel hub includes a steering wheel fastening region for fastening the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft of a vehicle, wherein in the vehicle steering wheel a gas bag is mounted, wherein the gas bag is arranged in the vehicle steering wheel in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub, wherein the gas bag is part of a prefabricated gas bag module including a gas generator, which has been mounted in the vehicle steering wheel before mounting the same to a steering shaft, and wherein the gas bag module includes a one-part covering cap facing a driver, which includes a protruding region provided with an opening, which covers the steering wheel hub.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components: in…
In steering wheels or steering columns: using modules containing inflator, bag and cover attachable to the steering wheel as a complete sub-unit
Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components:…
Vehicle-mounted: hand wheels
About 5 years 8 months of term left · ends 9 Jul 2032 (estimated)
This application is a National Phase Patent Application of International Patent Application Number PCT/EP2012/063388, filed on Jul. 9, 2012, which claims priority of German Patent Application Number 10 2011 078 835.2, filed on Jul. 7, 2011, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
This invention relates to a vehicle steering wheel and to a gas bag module for such vehicle steering wheel.
It is known to integrate a gas bag into a vehicle steering wheel, which is deployed during an impact of the vehicle and thereby protects the driver of the vehicle from injuries. For mounting a gas bag in a vehicle steering wheel it is usual to insert a gas bag module, which in addition to the gas bag comprises a gas generator and a housing, into the vehicle steering wheel. Such gas bag module is mounted centrally in the region of the steering wheel hub. Since the accessibility of the steering wheel attachment thereby is blocked, it is required to mount the steering wheel on a steering shaft of the vehicle, before the gas bag module is mounted.
The invention will be explained in detail below by means of several exemplary embodiments with reference to the Figures of the drawing.
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle steering wheel, wherein the vehicle steering wheel forms an eccentrically arranged receptacle for a gas bag.
FIG. 2 shows the vehicle steering wheel of FIG. 1 together with a gas bag and a gas generator, which are fastened in or to the receptacle of the vehicle steering wheel.
FIG. 1 shows a vehicle steering wheel 1 with a steering wheel skeleton which includes a steering wheel hub 2, a steering wheel rim 3 and several, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment three steering wheel spokes 4, 5, 6, which connect the steering wheel hub 2 with the steering wheel rim 3.
The steering wheel hub 2 comprises a steering wheel fastening region 21, which for example constitutes a central opening in the form of a tubular cylindrical portion and which serves to accommodate a steering shaft stub of a steering shaft (not shown). The steering shaft also is referred to as steering spindle and is coupled with a steering gear. For the axial fixation of the steering wheel hub 2 and hence of the steering wheel 1 at such steering shaft, for example a fastening screw, a fastening nut or some other fastening means is provided. Such hub fixations are known to the skilled person.
It should be noted that in accordance with this invention an attachment of the steering wheel to the steering shaft of a vehicle is considered, in which an access to the steering wheel hub 2 for realizing such attachment is effected from above in axial direction of the steering shaft and from the vehicle interior space towards the same. It is not provided that the attachment of the steering wheel to the steering shaft is effected by laterally inserted clamping elements or the like, as they are known from DE 44 15 765 A1, as this would require a constructively complex and expensive change of the hub connection.