Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha

Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.

Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho

Toyo Tire Rubber Co., Ltd.

Atsushi Onoda

Kazunori Sakamoto

Koji Ito

Toru Ozaki

Masanobu Ishikawa

Koji Sugiura

Nobuyuki Ishigure

Hidehito Sogi

Fumitaka Hayase

Shinichi Saiki

Shigeyoshi Fukushima

Keiji Nagaya

Yoshitoku Uesaka

Osamu Onishi

A paddle shift memberis positioned to the rear surface side of a wheel lower coverby engaging the paddle shift memberto the wheel lower cover. The wheel lower coverto which the paddle shift memberhas been positioned is installed to the rear surface side of a steering wheel main body. Then the paddle shift memberis connected to the steering wheel main body by screwing a tapping screw T into the paddle shiftvia the steering wheel main body from the front surface side of the steering wheel main body to which the wheel lower coverhas been installed. According to this method, the paddle shift memberis assembled to the steering wheel main body without inverting the core

Method of assembling a gearshift member to a steering wheel main body

A impact sensor includes a housing, a weight disposed within the housing for being moved by an externally applied impact that is in excess of a predetermined value, an output lever disposed within the housing for being disengaged by movement of the weight to move in one direction, a first contact point provided on the output lever, or the housing and a second contact point provided on the housing so as to lie on the path of movement of the output lever. The first and second contact points are electrically connected by coming into contact by movement of the output lever, thereby actuating an air-bag mechanism connected to the first and second contact points.

Impact sensor

An inflatable bag for airbag passive restraints for driver which comprises upper and lower circular base cloths of the same size seamed together at their outer peripheries and lateral regulating means for regulating inflation of the bag in lateral and upward directions and causing downward inflation, which means extends to link between an inner periphery of the lower base cloth and the outer peripheries in a shorter length than the radial distance therebetween, thus forming a sag portion on the lower cloth. When the bag is deployed, the lateral regulating means enables the sag portion to bulge sideways out of a steering wheel to protect a driver. The bag may further include upward restricting means for upward inflation. The lateral and the upward regulating means may be located in a whole circumferential area or within a range of 1/2 to 1/4 the circumference of both cloths. A method of producing the bag having lateral or both regulating means is characterized by using a third cloth of the same size having strap-like portion or portions defined by communicating hole or holes. After superposing and sewing of the lower, upper and third cloths, the strap-like portions are each raised and folded into two and sewn at two roots, thus forming the lateral means. Then the folded strap-like portions are cut at one root and the unfolded strap ends are sewn to the upper base cloth to form upward strap members.

Inflatable bags for airbag passive restraint systems for driver and

An impact sensing apparatus includes a housing, a weight freely rotatably and movably supported within the housing at a position offset from the centroid of the weight, a firing lever pivotally supported on the housing for engaging the weight, and a spring stretched between the housing and the firing member for constantly biasing the firing member in a direction which engages it with the weight. The weight is held at a predetermined position, though its engagement with the firing pin, owing to the biasing force of the spring. When the apparatus is subjected to a prescribed acceleration under these conditions, the weight moves and rotates against the biasing force of the spring, thereby disengaging the firing pin and allowing it to turn. Erroneous operation ascribable to small, momentary shocks, as when a vehicle is traveling on a bumpy road, is prevented.

Impact sensing apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Nagoya, Japan

Atsushi Onoda