Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Autoliv Development Ab

James J Simpson

Barry C Worrell

Duane D Williams

Paul M Landis

Philip Wendel Hopf

Chi Thi Ha

Scott R Albers

Frank G Meyer

Rale Richard Wolf

Gopal P Marath

Andrew James Barr

A steering wheel assembly, comprising: an insert comprising an armature, a rim portion and at least one spoke connecting the armature to the rim portion; a rim assembly comprising a first rim portion and a second rim portion, the first rim portion and the second rim portion each being configured to be disposed around a periphery of the rim portion of the insert and the first rim portion and the second rim portion are configured to be secured to each other about the rim portion of the insert, the first rim portion and the second rim portion each being separately formed from a polymeric material prior to the securement of the rim assembly to the rim portion of the insert; and a decorative cover disposed about an exterior surface of the rim assembly.

Steering wheel and method of making

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.

Actuator for a horn of a vehicle

An apparatus for providing an isolated ground of a horn activation circuit of a steering wheel assembly comprising an airbag module, the apparatus comprising: an insulator for receiving and engaging a wire, wherein the wire and the insulator are configured to engage at least one securement member of the steering wheel assembly, wherein the airbag module is movably secured to the insulator for movement between a first position and a second position wherein the horn circuit is completed as the airbag module moves from the first position to the second position; and a wire harness electrically communicating with the wire and at least one contact portion of the airbag module, the at least one contact portion making contact with the wire as the airbag module moves from the first position to the second position.

Isolated ground for horn mechanism

A method and apparatus for reducing gap variation between an airbag module and a steering wheel insert while acting as a horn switch for a horn. The apparatus includes a contact spring disposed between the airbag module and the steering wheel insert. The spring has at least two raised locations having one side of each raised location biasing the airbag module in a first direction while an opposite second side thereof electrically connects with a contact when the airbag module is biased in a second direction opposite said first direction to actuate the horn. An insulative spring retainer has one surface disposed on the steering wheel insert and an opposite surface configured to retain the contact spring. The retainer is further configured to operably couple with the steering wheel insert and includes at least one contact aligned with a corresponding raised location to actuate the horn upon electrical contact therebetween.

Driver airbag formed contact spring

Advantageously, the present invention is directed to a membrane horn switch assembly designed so that a steering wheel cover can expand or contract due to extremes in temperature without the unintentional closing of a circuit used to activate a remote horn. Also the membrane horn switch is designed so that a space between concentrators on either the steering wheel cover or a reaction plate is minimized thereby requiring less exerted pressure on the steering wheel cover to actuate the switch. Additionally, the steering wheel cover is designed so that a greater deflection in the cover results when using the same amount of pressure as was previously exerted on the cover.

Dual contact membrane horn switch assembly

A steering wheel assembly has a mounting plate which secures a molded steering wheel to a steering shaft in a vehicle. The mounting plate has a pair of slots having respective longitudinal axes which intersect the plane of the steering wheel at a six o'clock position with an included angle of approximately ninety (90) degrees. The longitudinal axis of one of the slots intersects a transverse axis of the steering wheel at a forty-five (45) degree angle at a three o'clock position and the longitudinal axes of the other slot similarly intersects the transverse axis at the nine o'clock position. The slots are effective to control energy absorption and deflection of the steering wheel when it is impacted at a position other then the twelve o'clock position.

Self-aligning energy absorbing plate for a steering wheel

An electrical connector assembly is provided for an air bag module mounted to a steering wheel. The air bag module includes an inflator and an air bag mounted to a base plate. The electrical connector assembly includes a first connector and second connector for interconnecting the inflator to an actuation control circuit. The first connector is attached to the air bag module and the second connector is attached to the steering wheel. Each of the connectors include a channel and a throughbore extending longitudinally therethrough. An electrical terminal is disposed in each of the channels to provide an electrical connection between the connectors when mated together. The electrical connector assembly further includes a fastener, preferably a stud, extending through the throughbores for locking the first and second connectors together and attaching the air bag module to the steering wheel. The stud also guides and aligns the connectors of the connector assembly to permit hands free mating of the connector assembly during the assembly of the air bag module to the steering wheel. The first connector includes a plurality of legs that slidably engage the air bag module and a spring member for urging the first connector away from the air bag module to insure full engagement with the second connector which is mounted firmly to the steering wheel.

Hands free air bag electrical connector assembly

An air bag module and membrane horn switch assembly includes an air bag cover, a membrane horn switch, a backing plate fixedly mounted on the cover in spaced relation to the cover, and a switch containment portion disposed on the backing plate. The switch containment portion releasably captures the membrane horn switch within the switch containment portion such that the membrane horn switch is normally positioned in spaced relation to the cover and such that the membrane horn switch is activated by downward movement of the cover towards the membrane horn switch. In addition, the switch containment portion also permits release and removal of the membrane horn switch from the switch containment portion while the backing plate remains fixed to the cover. Advantageously, the membrane horn switch can be removed and replaced while the cover and the backing plate remain stationary and undamaged.

Growing community of inventors

Fairborn, OH, United States of America

James J Simpson