Patent ID: 8658922

Claim:
An electrical switch arrangement for a vehicle, the electrical switch arrangement comprising: a pressure actuated cable having a compressible semi-conductive material between a plurality of conductors therein; a mechanical actuator comprising, a housing having a portion of the pressure actuated cable therein, the housing formed from a cover separate from a cover of a steering wheel/airbag assembly and a base with a cavity therein for receiving the portion of the pressure actuated cable, the cover of the housing and the base coupled together to allow relative movement of the cover of the housing and the base when a pressure is applied thereto by the cover of the steering wheel/airbag assembly; a hinge coupling the cover of the mechanical actuator to the base, the hinge being resilient to normally bias the cover of the mechanical actuator away from the base to define a non-actuated state of the mechanical actuator having a gap between the cover of the mechanical actuator and the base; a latching arrangement including a locking member on a side opposite the hinge to maintain the cover of the mechanical actuator in an engaged and closed position with the base, the locking member including an elongated opening configured to receive therein and engage a tab of the cover to allow movement of the cover relative to a base of the mechanical actuator; and the mechanical actuator configured to compress the pressure actuated cable such that an electrical path is formed through the plurality of conductors to activate a vehicle horn, and the mechanical actuator further configured to cooperate with the steering wheel/airbag assembly to transfer pressure applied to the cover of the steering wheel/airbag assembly to the pressure actuated cable.