Housing assembly for an air bag and vehicle horn switch

An apparatus for enclosing an air bag on a steering wheel of a vehicle having a horn, said apparatus comprising:

• an inner cover at least partially enclosing the air bag and including means for defining a first tear seam in said inner cover along which said inner cover ruptures upon inflation of the air bag to enable deployment of the air bag;
• an outer cover at least partially enclosing said inner cover and the air bag and including means for defining a second tear seam in said outer cover along which said outer cover ruptures in response to inflation of the air bag to enable deployment of the air bag;
• and
• a horn switch disposed between said inner and outer covers for effecting operation of the horn, said horn switch including first and second overlying layers of electrically conductive material, said first layer including a first portion with a first tear line aligned with said first and second tear seams in said inner and outer covers, said second layer including a second portion spaced apart from said first portion with a second tear line aligned with said first and second tear seams in said inner and outer covers and spaced apart from said first tear line along a line extending along said first and second tear lines, said horn switch being rupturable along said first and second tear lines upon inflation of the air bag.

An apparatus for enclosing an air bag on a steering wheel of a vehicle having a horn, said apparatus comprising:

• an inner cover having a first wall at least partially enclosing the air bag, said first wall being movable upon deployment of the air bag;
• an outer cover having a second wall at least partially enclosing said inner cover and the air bag and including means for defining a tear seam which extends across said second wall and along which said outer cover ruptures upon inflation of the air bag to enable deployment of the air bag;
• and
• a horn switch disposed between said inner and outer covers for effecting operation of the horn, said horn switch including first and second overlying layers of electrically conductive material and an envelope of electrically insulating material enclosing said first and second layers, said horn switch including a tear seam along which said horn switch ruptures upon inflation of the air bag to enable deployment of the air bag.

An apparatus for enclosing an air bag on a steering wheel of a vehicle having a horn, said apparatus comprising:

• a cover wall having a tear seam along which said cover wall ruptures in response to inflation of the air bag to enable deployment of the air bag;
• and
• a horn switch including first and second overlying layers of electrically conductive material, said first layer including a first portion with a first tear line aligned with said tear seam in said cover wall, said second layer including a second portion which is spaced apart from said first portion and which has a second tear line aligned with said tear seam in said cover wall, said second tear line being spaced apart from said first tear line along a line extending along said first and second tear lines, said horn switch being rupturable along said first and second tear lines upon inflation of the air bag,
• said first and second tear lines having a combined length less than the length of said tear seam in said cover wall.

An apparatus for enclosing an air bag on a steering wheel of a vehicle having a horn, said apparatus comprising:

• a cover wall having a tear seam along which said cover wall ruptures in response to inflation of the air bag to enable deployment of the air bag;
• and
• a horn switch including first and second overlying layers of electrically conductive material, said first layer including a first portion with a first tear line aligned with said tear seam in said cover wall, said second layer including a second portion which is spaced apart from said first portion and which has a second tear line aligned with said tear seam in said cover wall, said second tear line being spaced apart from said first tear line along a line extending along said first and second tear lines, said horn switch being rupturable along said first and second tear lines upon inflation of the air bag,
• said horn switch including an envelope of electrically insulating material extending around said first and second layers of electrically conducive material, said envelope including a first portion extending around said first portion of said first layer and including a second portion which is spaced from said first portion and which extends around said second portion of said second layer.