The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 17, 1997
Filed:
Jan. 11, 1996
Merle K Ricks, Layton, UT (US);
Kevin W Booth, Roy, UT (US);
Morton International, Inc., Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A horn switch pocket for use with a bend sensor horn switch as part of a horn switch assembly for mounting in a horn switch pocket of an airbag module. The bend sensor horn switch has a variable resistance circuit that is connectable to a horn control circuit and has a plurality of spaced-apart resistive elements. The horn switch jacket substantially encloses the bend sensor horn switch and includes a jacket front cover having a rear inner surface positioned in front of the bend sensor horn switch. A plurality of parallel, spaced-apart, elongated force concentration ribs extend from the rear inner surface with each resistive element positioned behind a force concentration rib. A jacket back cover has a front inner surface positioned behind the bend sensor horn switch. A plurality of parallel spaced-apart elongated support ribs extend from the front inner surface parallel to and offset from the force concentration ribs, so that each resistive element is positioned between two adjacent support ribs, whereby pressure applied to the front cover causes at least one force concentration rib to bend at least one resistive element about two adjacent support ribs. According to another embodiment of the invention, the horn switch assembly includes a membrane horn switch in place of the bend sensor horn switch, and the horn switch jacket simply includes a plurality of spaced-apart cylindrical force concentrators extending from a rear inner surface of a jacket front cover.