Patent ID: 6062592
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: B60Q,B60R

Abstract:
A steering wheel comprising:a steering wheel body; andan air bag module;wherein said steering wheel body includes:an annular ring portion;a boss portion at the center of said ring portion;a plurality of spoke portions for joining said boss portion and said ring portion;a core for joining said ring portion, said boss portion and said spoke portions; anda cover layer for covering said ring portion in said core and said spoke portions in the vicinity of said ring portion in said core;wherein said air bag module is arranged in said steering wheel body over said boss portion and includes:an air bag module body; anda horn switch;wherein said air bag module body includes:a folded air bag;an inflator for feeding said air bag with an inflating gas;a pad having a ceiling portion covering said folded air bag and side walls extended downward from a peripheral edge of said ceiling portion; anda bag holder for holding said air bag, said inflator and said pad;wherein the ceiling portion of said pad has adjacent peripheral edges extend along said spoke portions individually so as to be positioned closer to the cover layer at the individual spoke portions of said steering wheel body;wherein each of said adjacent peripheral edges has a push portion protruding downward;wherein said bag holder has extensions extending under the individual push portions of said pad as to abut against the individual push portions;wherein said horn switch is operated by depressing said pad and includes:a switch body; anda stationary plate supporting and abutting against the core of each of said spoke portions;wherein a plurality of said switch bodies between said air bag module body and said steering wheel body and includes:a stationary contact;a movable contact for activating a horn when it contacts with said stationary contact; andbias means for biasing said movable contact upward to move the movable contact apart from said stationary contact when inactive;wherein each of said switch bodies is arranged under said push portion;wherein the movable contacts of said individual switch bodies are supported by said extensions;wherein said stationary plates are supported by and abut the cores of the individual spoke portions in the vicinity of the individual stationary contacts; andwherein the stationary contacts of said individual switch bodies are supported by said stationary plates.