Patent ID: 7566071
Filing Date: 2009-07-28
Classification: B60Q,B60R

Abstract:
1. A steering wheel device with an airbag comprising: a steering wheel having a base with a mounting strip insertion hole, and an airbag apparatus mounted to the base of the steering wheel to advance and retract in a direction of an axial line of a steering column, the airbag apparatus comprising a retainer, the airbag mounted to the retainer, an inflator, a module cover, a mounting strip extending from the retainer substantially in parallel with the axial line to be inserted into the mounting strip insertion hole, the mounting strip comprising a claw portion projecting laterally in one direction relative to an extending direction at a distal end of the mounting strip, an urging spring for urging the airbag apparatus from the steering wheel toward an occupant, a horn switch with contact points to move toward/away from each other by the advancement and retraction of the airbag apparatus, and a snap-lock mechanism as a one-touch mounting mechanism attached to the steering wheel for mounting the airbag apparatus onto the steering wheel to advance and retract in the direction of the axial line of the steering column, wherein the snap-lock mechanism comprises a mounting strip engaging spring for engaging the claw portion, and an engaging force increasing device increasing an engaging force of the mounting strip engaging spring after having engaged the claw portion with the mounting strip engaging spring, the mounting strip engaging spring comprising a pair of parallel extending portions and a connecting portion thereof, the parallel extending portions extending substantially parallel to each other and one parallel extending portion crossing the mounting strip insertion hole, the claw portion of the mounting strip engages the one parallel extending portion from a side opposite to the other parallel extending portion, and the engaging force increasing device is a spacer inserted between the parallel extending portions to prevent the parallel extending portions from approaching each other so that the claw portion of the mount strip located in the mounting strip insertion hole is prevented from being removed therefrom by preventing the one parallel extending portion to move toward the other parallel extending portion.