Patent ID: 6142510
Filing Date: 2000-11-07
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
A steering wheel for a vehicle, comprising:a boss which is supported on a steering shaft;a rim;a spoke which joins the boss and the rim; andan air bag apparatus, comprising:a bag, which is folded up; anda synthetic resin cover which covers the bag, which, when the vehicle is subjected to a collision, to support an occupant, is filled with gas so as to be inflated, thereby rupturing the cover;the cover comprising a side wall that surrounds the periphery of the bag and a front wall that covers an inflation direction of the bag, the front wall having two side rupture lines, on the left and right, a dividing rupture line that joins the two side rupture lines, a center rupture line that extends upwards from the approximate center of the dividing rupture line, and two upper hinges, the two upper hinges being disposed between the side rupture lines and the center rupture line, the side rupture lines, the dividing rupture line, the center rupture line, and the upper hinges defining two upper lids at two locations, wherein the upper hinges mutually cross at an angle less than 180 degrees wherein the dividing rupture line has a pair of straight lines extending from the side rupture lines and a center part between the straight lines, the center part projects from the straight lines toward the upper hinges and, wherein when the cover ruptures open, the side rupture lines, dividing rupture line, and center rupture line rupture, causing each lid to bend and swing about the upper hinge as a moving axis, the dividing rupture line being disposed at a position such that the upper lids do not interfere with the rim.