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:
May. 12, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 20, 1997
Gregory F Exner, Woodhaven, MI (US);
John Curtis Hofer, Troy, MI (US);
Sheryar Durrani, Canton, MI (US);
Richard L Matsu, Plymouth, MI (US);
Breed Automotive Technology, Inc., Lakeland, FL (US);
Abstract
A steering wheel assembly generally comprises a hub having a bore for receiving an outer end of a steering column shaft. A gear having circumferentially spaced teeth is disposed within an upper end of the bore. The gear includes threads complementary to threads on an outer end of the steering column shaft. A hub cap is threadably secured over an outer end of the bore in the hub, thereby retaining the gear within the hub. A hub plate is secured to the hub and provides structure to which an airbag inflator is secured above the hub and hub cap. During removal of the steering wheel assembly from the steering column shaft, the gear impinges upon the hub cap and directly transmits force to the hub to separate the hub from the steering column shaft.