Driver's side air bag cover door incorporating a horn actuator
US5413376A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 12, 1993 |
| Grant date | May 9, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 12, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60Q5/003
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An air bag cover door for a steering wheel mounted air bag module includes an inner cover, an outer cover, a horn actuator attached to the inside surface of the outer cover, and one or more protrusions extending between the inner and outer covers about the horn actuator. The protrusions prevent the inner cover from compressing the horn actuator under the pressure exerted by the stored material of the air bag. The outer cover, including its inside surface, is deformable upon hand pressure being exerted thereon and the horn actuator is responsive to such deformation to activate the vehicle horn. The horn actuator can be a transducer, such as a variable resistor, adhered to the inside surface. The inner cover is permanently secured to the base of the air bag module by, for example, rivets, while the outer cover section is removably secured to the base by, for example, screws. This construction permits removal of the outer cover section and access to the horn actuator without providing access to the contents of the air bag module.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.