Patent ID: 6478330
Filing Date: 2002-11-12
Classification: B60Q,B60R,Y10T

Abstract:
A steering wheel, comprising:a steering wheel main body on a steering wheel main body side, the steering wheel main body including a ring portion, a boss portion arranged at a center of the ring portion, and a plurality of spoke portions that join the boss portion and the ring portion; a horn-switch mechanism, the horn-switch mechanism having a stationary contact, a movable contact, a biasing member, a limiting member, and a support plate having a plurality of base body portions and a connecting portion connected to the steering wheel main body and arranged downward of the plurality of base body portions; and an air bag assembly on an air bag assembly side and arranged over the steering wheel main body by connecting the connecting portion to the steering wheel main body, the air bag assembly including an air bag formed into a bag shape and folded in an inflatable manner, an inflator that feeds the air bag with an inflating gas, a pad covering the folded air bag, and a bag holder that holds the air bag, the inflator, and the pad, and a plurality of mounting portions extending laterally outward of the inflator, wherein: the air bag assembly is biased upward by the biasing member and a distance of the air bag assembly from the steering wheel main body is limited by the limiting member, the movable contact is arranged on the air bag assembly side and the stationary contact is arranged on the steering wheel main body side and, when the biasing member is compressed by depressing the pad, the movable contact is contacted to the stationary contact to activate a horn, the plurality of base body portions are arranged downward of the plurality of mounting portions, the biasing member and the limiting member are arranged between a respective mounting portion and base body portions of the plurality of mounting portions and the plurality of base body portions, and the plurality of base body portions abut and are supported by the plurality of spoke portions.