Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.

Motoi Isomura

Yoshiyuki Fujita

Hiroyuki Kobayashi

Kazumasa Suzuki

Norio Umemura

Koji Sakurai

Upon self-alignment of a steering wheel, a steering wheel body has its ring plane displaced toward the vertical plane by plastic deformation of the steering wheel core. There is located a switch operation portion in at least one of the two front spokes neighboring a front space inside the ring portion and generally symmetrically arranged relative to the boss portion. The cores of the front spokes are further provided at positions generally symmetric relative to the boss portion and to the boss portion relative to the switch operation portion with deformable portions, respectively, to be twist-deformable upon self-alignment.

Steering wheel

A steering wheel of the present invention has an airbag-apparatus. The airbag apparatus has a pad for covering the airbag, and the pad has a plurality of doors that can open. Each door opens around a hinge as a rotation center. The hinge is located below an outer periphery of the pad. That is, an area of the door itself can widely be secured, and the door can open as wide as possible. A switch operating portion is disposed in an area other than the door, but of a boss or a spoke that is not covered with the door when it opens. When doors open around the hinge as the rotation center, the doors are disposed in the three spaces between the spokes. The opened doors are disposed smoothly in the three spaces between the three spokes without interference with the switch operating portion. A widely opening state of each door can stably be secure.

Steering wheel having airbag apparatus

A steering wheel of the present invention has an airbag apparatus. The airbag apparatus has a pad for covering the airbag, and the pad has a plurality of doors that can open. Each door opens around a hinge as a rotation center. The hinge is located below an outer periphery of the pad. That is, an area of the door itself can widely be secured, and the door can open as wide as possible. A switch operating portion is disposed in an area other than the door, but of a boss or a spoke that is not covered with the door when it opens. When doors open around the hinge as the rotation center, the doors are disposed in the three spaces between the spokes. The opened doors are disposed smoothly in the three spaces between the three spokes without interference with the switch operating portion. A widely opening state of each door can stably be secure.

The horn switch assembly includes a fixed plate on a connector arm and a movable plate in an air bag module. When those plates are electrically continuous, a horn sounds. The movable plate is urged upward apart from the fixed plate. The movable plate is disposed such that a distance from the movable plate to the fixed plate is set at a fixed distance by two mounting bolts, screwed into the connector arm. Fore-spoke arm sections include torsional deformation parts, torsionally deformable, located outside the mounting seats of an air bag module. Back-spoke arm sections include first bending deformation parts located on the inner side of the mounting seats of the air bag module, and second bending deformation parts located on the outer side of the mounting seats and a column cover. The first bending deformation part has a lower bending rigidity than the second bending deformation part. A lower cover is made of synthetic resin, e.g., polypropylene, and includes a bottom wall portion and a circumferential side wall. On the back side of the lower cover, the upper end portion of the back side of the side wall of the lower cover is attached to the outer portions of the back-spoke arm sections.

Steering wheel and horn switch assembly for the steering wheel

A steering wheel has an annular steering grip, spokes extending radially inward from the steering grip, and a pad located at the center of the grip. A back cover is arranged below the spokes and the pad. The spoke located closest to the driver's position is held by a pair of hooks projecting from the back cover. Each hook has a connecting rib. The connecting ribs separate the hooks during relative movement between the spokes and the back cover. A guide rib is arranged on the rim of the back cover in correspondence with each spoke to facilitate the attachment of the back cover. Each guide rib extends in the longitudinal direction of the associated spoke. The guide rib permits relative movement between the back cover and the spokes.

Steering wheels having covers

The horn switch assembly includes a fixed plate on a connector arm and a movable plate in an air bag module. When those plates are electrically continuous, a horn sounds. The movable plate is urged upward apart from the fixed plate. The movable plate is disposed such that a distance from the movable plate to the fixed plate is set at a fixed distance by two mounting bolts, screwed into the connector arm. Fore-spoke arm sections include torsional deformation parts, torsionally deformable, located outside the mounting seats of an air bag module. Back-spoke arm sections include first banding deformation parts located on the inner side of the mounting seats of the air bag module, and second bending deformation parts located on the outer side of the mounting seats and a column cover. The first bending deformation part has a lower bending rigidity than the second bending deformation part. A lower cover is made of synthetic resin, e.g., polypropylene, and includes a bottom wall portion and a circumferential side wall. On the back side of the lower cover, the upper end portion of the back side of the side wall of the lower cover is attached to the outer portions of the back-spoke arm sections.

A steering wheel is provided having a frame structure which is lightweight and excellent at absorbing shocks. The steering wheel comprises a boss mounted to a steering shaft, an annular-shaped grip frame which the driver gripped to steer the vehicle, and a base frame provided with the boss. A plurality of spoke frames extend from the grip frame toward the base frame. The plurality of spoke frames comprise first, second and third spoke frames. The first and second spoke frames are connected directly to the base frame. A connection member connects the third spoke frame and the base frame to each other. The connection member comprises a straight portion which extends to intersect the third spoke frame and is provided with first and second ends. Intermediate sections extend from the first and second ends of the straight portion, respectively, toward the base frame. Bent elbows connect the respective intermediate sections to the base frame.

An air bag apparatus including an air bag to be inflated with inflation gas flowing therein through a gas inlet, a tether structure disposed inside the air bag for limiting inflation thereof, a diffuser disposed inside the air bag for limiting and directing flow of inflation gas and having a gas in-flowing hole corresponding to the air bag gas inlet, a retainer disposed inside the air bag about the periphery of the air bag gas inlet, and a bag holder disposed outside and beneath the air bag and extending about the periphery of the air bag gas inlet. The bag holder is fastened to the retainer such that a portion of the air bag is retained between the bag holder and the retainer. The retainer is connected to the diffuser so that the retainer and the diffuser constitute a sub-assembly, thus allowing the sub-assembly to be inserted into the air bag through the gas inlet. The diffuser also includes connecting portions attaching to the retainer to prevent the diffuser from disconnecting from the retainer.

Air bag apparatus

A plurality of horn switches are provided between a steering wheel body and a horn pad provided above the steering wheel body. Each of the horn switches includes a spacer having an insulating property, a horn spring which is connected to a positive electrode of a horn operating circuit and urges the horn pad upwardly, a tongue connected to a negative electrode of the horn operating circuit, and a shearable shoulder bolt. The horn spring and the tongue are mounted on the spacer. The spacer has a tubular portion having an enlarged portion formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof at a distal end thereof. The tubular portion is retained in a retaining hole in the steering wheel body. The shoulder bolt is inserted into the tubular portion from an end thereof opposite to the horn pad, and is screw-mounted to the horn pad.

Growing community of inventors

Aichi-ken, Japan

Motoi Isomura