Steering wheel with air bag unit
US5871234A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 5, 1997 |
| Grant date | Feb 16, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 5, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T74/20834
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An air bag equipped steering wheel that absorbs impact energy of a forward impact, even if applied to the rear side of a ring portion thereof. The steering wheel comprises core bars for connecting its ring portion, boss portion and spoke portions to each other. The spoke portions are composed of two front spoke portions arranged at the right and left of the front side, and a rear spoke portion arranged at the rear side. The air bag unit is securely mounted on the core bars of the front spoke portions and the rear spoke portion. Twistable torsional portions are formed at the core bars of the front spoke portions at positions closer to the core bar of the ring portion than the mounting portion for the air bag unit. A first deformable bent portion is formed at the core bar of the rear spoke portion at the side closer to the boss core bar than the mounting portion for the air bag unit. A second bendable bent portion is formed at the core bar of the ring portion than the mounting portion of the air bag unit and the column cover. The first bent portion is given a lower bending rigidity than the second bent portion.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.