Steering wheel unit

US8087691B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Autoliv Development AB · SE

Inventors

• Raimund Nebel · Untermeitingen, DE
• Remi Baillivet · Beauvais, FR
• David Palm · Davisburg, US
• Yutaka Tsuchida · Yokosuka, JP
• Akira Ueki · Tokyo, JP
• Richard L. Matsu · Plymouth, US
• Jean-Bernard Tessier · Poitiers, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 3, 2009
• Grant date: Jan 3, 2012
• Expiry date: Feb 3, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60R21/2037
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A steering wheel unit for a motor vehicle. The steering wheel unit has a steering wheel and an airbag module (30) located in the hub area of the steering wheel. This airbag module forms a housing (32), an airbag (52) folded into the housing, and a gas generator (54). The airbag module can be pushed down against the force of at least one spring element to activate a horn, whereby positioning means are present which define the position of the airbag module in relation to the steering wheel. In order to achieve a high degree of operational reliability and a very exact positioning of the airbag module in the steering wheel, at least one retaining means (28;38,68) is present which acts between the airbag module and the steering wheel (28;38,68). This retaining means is ineffective in the absence of outer forces and when the airbag module (30) is pressed down to activate a horn.