Air bag deployment bias apparatus
US5560648A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 24, 1995 |
| Grant date | Oct 1, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 24, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60R2021/161
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A vehicle steering wheel and air bag module assembly includes a steering wheel and an air bag module. The steering wheel has a hub portion and a rim portion and at least one spoke portion connecting the hub portion to the rim portion. The air bag module is mounted to the hub portion and includes an air bag, an inflator for generating gas to inflate the air bag, and a bias apparatus. The bias apparatus is a flexible sheet of material attached to the air bag module and having an upper portion folded atop the air bag such that when the inflation of the deploying air bag is blocked, the upper portion of the bias apparatus biases the air bag partially underneath the rim portion of the steering wheel. In addition, when the inflation of the deploying air bag is unrestrained, the bias apparatus drops downwardly away from the deploying air bag permitting the air bag to freely deploy.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.