JP2014094704A - Steering wheel with air bag device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a steering wheel with an air bag device which causes an air bag to be inflated and expanded using a simple structure without forming a rupture planned part on a surface wall of a pad cover.SOLUTION: In a steering wheel 10, a bag holder 45 to which an air bag 41 is attached and a pad cover 21 which is attached to the bag holder 45 and covers the air bag 41 are provided at a region enclosed by a rim 15. The pad cover 21 includes: a surface wall 22 having a design surface 23 facing a driver's seat; and a side wall 30 which extends from the surface wall 22 to the bag holder 45 side. A rupture planned part 35 which is thinner than surrounding areas is formed on the side wall 30.

Description

  The present invention relates to a steering wheel with an airbag device.

A steering wheel incorporating an airbag device is known as a device for protecting an occupant in the event of a vehicle collision.
In such a steering wheel, an airbag device is disposed substantially at the center of the rim. The airbag device includes an airbag and an inflator attached to a bag holder. A pad cover is attached to the bag holder so as to cover the driver's seat side of the airbag. The pad cover has a surface wall having a design surface facing the driver's seat and a side wall extending from the surface wall toward the bag holder.

  In such a steering wheel, there is a case where a groove-like breakage portion for opening the pad cover when the airbag is inflated is formed on the surface wall. In such a case, in order to cover and decorate the design surface with a skin, it is necessary to form slits in the skin corresponding to the planned fracture portion of the surface wall. Moreover, it is necessary to attach ornaments, such as an emblem, in the position which avoided the fracture | rupture planned part in the design surface. In other words, when the planned fracture portion is formed on the surface wall, the decoration of the design surface is complicated, and the processing is complicated and the decoration portion is limited.

  Therefore, for example, in the steering wheel of Patent Document 1, one end of the side wall of the pad cover is rotatably attached to a retainer fixed to the bag holder, and the other end is engaged with the retainer. With such a configuration, when the airbag is inflated, the pad cover and the retainer are disengaged by the inflating force, and the pad cover is rotated by using the one end side as a fulcrum, thereby opening the pad cover. I try to let them.

JP-A-9-118189

  However, what is disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires that the side wall and the retainer of the pad cover be provided with a mechanism that can be engaged with each other and that is disengaged by the inflation force of the airbag. The structure for opening is complicated.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides a steering wheel with an airbag device capable of inflating and deploying an airbag with a simple configuration without forming a planned fracture portion on the surface wall of the pad cover. It is to provide.

Hereinafter, means for solving the above-described problems and the effects thereof will be described.
In the steering wheel with an airbag device for solving the above-described problem, a bag holder to which an airbag is attached and a pad cover that is attached to the bag holder and covers the airbag are provided in an area surrounded by a rim. A steering wheel with a bag device, wherein the pad cover has a surface wall having a design surface facing the driver's seat and a side wall extending from the surface wall toward the bag holder, and the side wall has a thickness. A portion to be broken that is thinner than the surrounding portion is formed.

  According to the above configuration, when the airbag is inflated, the planned breakage portion formed on the side wall of the pad cover breaks, and the surface wall and the pad cover are located closer to the driver's seat than the planned breakage portion. The airbag door that has it opens. Therefore, since it is not necessary to provide a fracture | rupture planned part in the surface wall of a pad cover, while the freedom degree of the decoration of a design surface improves, it can decorate a design surface easily. In addition, it is not necessary to provide a complicated mechanism for separating a part of the side wall of the pad cover from the bag holder side, and a simple configuration such as forming a planned fracture portion having a thickness thinner than the surrounding part on the side wall, The airbag can be inflated by opening the airbag door of the pad cover.

  The steering wheel with an airbag device includes a plurality of spokes extending from the rim toward the side wall, and functions as a hinge when the scheduled breakage portion breaks and the airbag door of the pad cover opens. The part is preferably arranged at a position not covered by the spoke on the side wall.

  In the above configuration, the airbag door opens when the planned breakage of the side wall breaks. The part that functions as a hinge when the airbag door opens is arranged at a position that is not covered by the spokes, so that when the airbag door opens, the movable range of the pad cover around the part that functions as the hinge Becomes wider. As a result, the airbag door can be smoothly opened.

  According to the steering wheel with an airbag device, it is not necessary to provide a planned break portion on the surface wall of the pad cover, and the degree of freedom of decoration on the design surface is improved, and decoration can be performed easily. In addition, there is no need to provide a complicated mechanism for separating the side wall of the pad cover from the bag holder side, and the air bag cover is opened and the air is opened with a simple configuration in which a thinly-scheduled scheduled portion is formed on the side wall. The bag can be inflated.

The side view in one Embodiment of the steering wheel with an airbag apparatus. The front view of the steering wheel in the embodiment. FIG. 3 is an end view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. The perspective view of the pad cover in the embodiment. (A) And (b) is a perspective view which shows the pad cover and its peripheral member when the airbag in the same embodiment expand | swells. The end elevation of the pad cover in other embodiments. The end elevation of the pad cover in other embodiments. The end elevation of the pad cover in other embodiments.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a steering wheel with an airbag device will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, a steering shaft (steering shaft) 14 that extends in the front-rear direction along the axis L and rotates around the coaxial line L in front of the driver seat of the vehicle (leftward in FIG. 1). However, it is arranged in an inclined state so as to become higher toward the driver's seat side (the right side in FIG. 1). The steering wheel 10 of the present embodiment is attached to the rear end portion of the steering shaft 14 so as to be integrally rotatable.

  In this embodiment, when describing each part of the steering wheel 10, the axis L of the steering shaft 14 is used as a reference. The direction along the axis L is referred to as the “front-rear direction” of the steering wheel 10, and the direction in which the steering wheel 10 stands up among the directions along the plane orthogonal to the axis L is referred to as the “vertical direction”. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, among the directions along the plane orthogonal to the axis L, the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the steering wheel 10 stands is referred to as “left-right direction”. Therefore, the front-rear direction and the vertical direction of the steering wheel 10 are slightly inclined with respect to the front-rear direction and the vertical direction (vertical direction) of the vehicle.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the steering wheel 10 includes a rim 15 and a pad 20. The rim 15 is a member that is gripped and steered by the driver and has a substantially annular shape with the axis L as the center. Further, the pad 20 is located in a space surrounded by the rim 15.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a cored bar 60 is disposed inside the above-described components (rim 15, pad 20) of the steering wheel 10. The core metal 60 is made of iron, aluminum, magnesium, or an alloy thereof. The core metal 60 is a skeleton part of the steering wheel 10 and includes a substantially annular rim core metal 61 and a pad core metal 62 provided in the pad 20. Further, as will be described later, the metal core 60 is formed with a first through hole 63 and a second through hole 64 and a columnar fixed contact portion 68 protruding rearward.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a pad cover 21 is provided at the rear end portion of the pad 20, that is, the end portion on the driver's seat side, in the approximate center of the space surrounded by the rim 15. A spoke member 50 is provided between the two members 21. The spoke member 50 is formed by connecting three spokes 50a, 50b, and 50c, and has a substantially “T” -shaped plate shape. Of the three spokes 50a, 50b, and 50c, two spokes 50a and 50b are disposed on the left and right sides of the pad cover 21 and are positioned on substantially the same straight line. The remaining one of the three spokes 50 a, 50 b, 50 c is located below the pad cover 21. A spoke support frame 58 is provided on the outer edge of the spoke member 50. The spoke support frame 58 has a shape along the outer edge of the spoke member 50, and the left and right and lower outer edge portions protrude from the spoke member 50. As shown in FIG. 1, a lower cover 16 is provided at the front end of the pad 20.

  As shown in FIG. 3, an airbag device 40 is provided inside the pad 20. The airbag device 40 includes an airbag 41, an inflator 42 that supplies gas to the airbag 41, and a bag holder 45 that holds the airbag 41 and the inflator 42. In FIG. 3, the inflator 42 shows a side view instead of a sectional view, and the airbag 41 is shown by a two-dot chain line.

  The bag holder 45 is made of metal and has a substantially plate shape. The bag holder 45 has a circular insertion hole 46 formed at the center. A part of the inflator 42 is inserted into the insertion hole 46 as will be described later. The bag holder 45 is supported by the pad cored bar 62 via a plurality of horn switch mechanisms 47 for operating a horn device provided in the vehicle. As will be described later, the bag holder 45 has a pin insertion hole 45a through which the snap pin 48 of the horn switch mechanism 47 is inserted.

  The horn switch mechanism 47 includes a snap pin 48, a clip 48c, a coil spring 49a, a movable contact member 49b, and a slider 49c. The snap pin 48 is made of metal and has a substantially “T” shape in cross-sectional view. A locking groove 48 b is formed at the tip of the shaft portion 48 a of the snap pin 48. The slider 49c is fixed to the pin insertion hole 45a of the bag holder 45 through an elastic member. A slider 49c and a coil spring 49a are inserted through the shaft portion 48a of the snap pin 48 sequentially from the rear, and the rearward displacement of the slider 49c is restricted by the top portion of the snap pin 48. The snap pin 48 is configured such that the metal clip 48c is locked in the locking groove 48b in a state where the tip end of the shaft portion 48a is inserted into the first through hole 63 via the resin member 48d, thereby the pad core metal. 62 is fixed. Accordingly, the coil spring 49a is disposed in a compressed state between the slider 49c and the resin member 48d. The movable contact member 49b has a “U” -shaped plate shape that opens forward in cross-section, and covers the slider 49c from the rear so that both ends separate the top of the snap pin 48 from the predetermined space. It is supported by the slider 49c so that it will be in the state. Further, both end portions of the snap pin 48 are in contact with the bag holder 45.

  When the slider 49c is displaced so as to compress the coil spring 49a, the bag holder 45 is displaced forward. In this way, the bag holder 45 (airbag device 40) is attached to the pad cored bar 62 in a state in which it can be displaced in the front-rear direction by deforming each horn switch mechanism 47.

  The inflator 42 includes a main body 42a and a flange 42b. The main body 42a has a flat cylindrical shape. The flange 42b is provided over the entire circumference of the main body 42a at a substantially central portion in the axial direction of the main body 42a. The inflator 42 is attached to the bag holder 45 together with the retainer 44.

  Specifically, the retainer 44 has a circular opening 44 a equivalent to the insertion hole 46 of the bag holder 45. The retainer 44 is disposed on the rear side of the bag holder 45 so that the opening 44 a thereof corresponds to the insertion hole 46 of the bag holder 45. Further, the main body 42a of the inflator 42 is inserted from the rear to the front with respect to the insertion hole 46 of the bag holder 45 and the opening 44a of the retainer 44, so that the flange 42b is in contact with the front surface of the bag holder 45. It has become. In this state, the inflator 42 is attached to the bag holder 45 by being fastened together with the retainer 44 to the bag holder 45 by a fastener.

  The airbag 41 has a bag shape having an opening 41a. The airbag 41 is attached to the bag holder 45 by the opening 41 a being sandwiched and fixed between the retainer 44 and the bag holder 45. The airbag 41 is accommodated in the pad 20 in a folded state.

The back of the airbag device 40, that is, the driver's seat side, is covered with the pad cover 21, and the front is covered with the lower cover 16.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pad cover 21 has a substantially bottomed cylindrical shape as a whole, and is formed by injection molding a resin. The pad cover 21 includes a substantially circular plate-shaped surface wall 22 and a side wall 30 extending forward (from the bag holder 45 side) from the outer edge of the surface wall 22.

The front wall 22 includes a design surface 23 that faces the driver's seat. The design surface 23 is covered with an epidermis and attached with an ornament such as an emblem.
The side wall 30 includes a first side surface portion 31, a bent portion 36, and a second side surface portion 38. In the following, the inner surface of the first side surface portion 31, the bent portion 36, and the second side surface portion 38, that is, the surface on the side where the airbag device 40 is provided is referred to as the back surface, and the opposite surface is the surface. That's it.

  The first side surface portion 31 is continuous with the outer edge of the surface wall 22 and has a substantially cylindrical shape with an outer diameter that is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the surface wall 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the first side surface portion 31 includes a surrounding portion 32 when covered with the spokes 50 a, 50 b, and 50 c, and a non-enclosing portion 33 when not covered with the spokes 50 a, 50 b, and 50 c. . As shown in FIG. 4, the first side surface portion 31 is formed so that the length in the front-rear direction of the surrounding portion 32 is shorter than the length of the non-enclosing portion 33.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the first side surface portion 31, a pair of groove-shaped planned break portions 33 a are formed on the back surface of the non-enclosing portion 33. Each fracture planned portion 33a has a substantially “L” shape, and extends from both ends of the front end portion of the surrounding portion 32 of the first side surface portion 31 by a predetermined length in the circumferential direction of the first side surface portion 31. It is bent forward. A groove is not formed on the back surface between the front end portions 33b of the pair of planned break portions 33a, that is, a portion indicated by a two-dot broken line H in FIG. 4, and the airbag 41 is inflated as described later. When the pad cover opens, it functions as a hinge. Hereinafter, this portion is referred to as a hinge portion H.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the surface 32 a of the surrounding portion 32 of the first side surface portion 31 is substantially perpendicular to the surface wall 22, and the back surface 32 b forms an obtuse angle with the back surface 24 of the surface wall 22. Inclined.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the bent portion 36 of the side wall 30 is continuous with the front end portion of the surrounding portion 32 of the first side surface portion 31. As shown in FIG. 2, the bent portion 36 includes a “U” -shaped surrounding portion 37 formed so as to surround the surrounding portion 32 of the first side surface portion 31, and a generally extending downward portion from the central portion of the surrounding portion 37. And a rectangular portion. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the surface 37 a of the surrounding portion 37 is connected substantially perpendicularly to the surface 32 a of the surrounding portion 32 of the first side surface portion 31. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the back surface 37 b of the surrounding portion 37 is inclined with respect to the surface wall 22 so as to be positioned on the same plane as the back surface 32 b of the surrounding portion 32 of the first side surface portion 31. Therefore, the portion where the surrounding portion 32 and the bent portion 36 of the first side surface portion 31 are connected, that is, the front end portion of the surrounding portion 32 of the first side surface portion 31 is a portion to be broken that is thinner than the surrounding portion. 35. As described above, each breakable portion 33 a of the non-enclosing portion 33 extends from both ends of the front end portion of the surrounding portion 32 of the first side surface portion 31. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, both ends of the planned fracture portion 35 located at the front end of the surrounding portion 32 are continuous with the respective planned fracture portions 33 a of the non-enclosing portion 33. In the pad cover 21, when the airbag 41 is inflated, the planned break portions 33 a and 35 are broken and the airbag door 25 is opened. The airbag door 25 is located on the rear side of the front wall 22 and the first side surface portion 31 of the side wall 30 with respect to the portions extending in the circumferential direction of the planned breaking portion 35 of the surrounding portion 32 and the respective breaking planned portions 33a of the non-enclosing portion 33 (operation). A portion located between the portion located on the seat side) and the portion extending before and after each of the planned breaking portions 33a of the non-enclosing portion 33 is provided. The airbag door 25 rotates around the hinge portion H as a central axis when the airbag 41 is inflated.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the second side surface portion 38 of the side wall 30 has a substantially cylindrical shape as a whole. The second side surface portion 38 extends forward from the outer edge of the bent portion 36 and the non-enclosed portion 33 of the first side surface portion 31. Part to be covered. A plurality of locking claws 38 b are formed at the front end portion of the second side surface portion 38. The bag holder 45 has a locking hole corresponding to each locking claw 38b, and the pad cover 21 is air-operated by locking the locking claw 38b and the locking hole of the bag holder 45. The bag 41 is attached to the bag holder 45 while covering the bag 41.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the second side surface portion 38 has a plurality of switch support portions 38 a at the front end portion thereof. The switch support portion 38 a is for supporting the horn switch mechanism 47. When the design surface 23 of the pad cover 21 is pressed by the driver, the movable contact member 49b is pressed by the switch support portion 38a. Accordingly, the movable contact member 49b, the slider 49c, and the bag holder 45 (airbag device 40). Are integrally displaced and the coil spring 49a is compressed. The movable contact member 49b comes into contact with the top of the snap pin 48, so that the core metal 60 connected to the ground GND (vehicle body ground) and the bag holder 45 connect the clip 48c, the snap pin 48, and the movable contact member 49b. The horn device electrically connected to the bag holder 45 is activated (sounds).

As shown in FIG. 3, the spoke member 50 is attached to the core metal 60 via a spoke support frame 58.
Specifically, the spoke support frame 58 includes a frame main body 58 a and an attachment portion 59. As shown in FIG. 2, the frame main body 58a protrudes from the spoke member 50 in a front view and is a part that can be visually recognized from the outside. As shown in FIG. 3, the attachment portion 59 has a plate shape with an “L” shape in cross section, a portion extending forward from the front surface of the frame main body 58 a, and an inner side (pad cover 21 side) from this portion. ) And a bent portion 59a. The bent portion 59a of the attachment portion 59 is formed with a cylindrical insertion portion 59b extending forward and a pin insertion hole 59c penetrating in the front-rear direction. The spoke support frame 58 is disposed so that the insertion portion 59b provided in the attachment portion 59 and the second through hole 64 of the core metal 60 correspond to each other, and the insertion portion 59b of the spoke support frame 58 and the second of the core metal 60 are disposed. The fastener 65 is inserted into the through hole 64 and is fixed to the core metal 60. It should be noted that the skin of the rim 15 and the end of the lower cover 16 are sandwiched between the fastening portions.

  The spoke member 50 includes a main body portion 51, a pin connecting portion 52, a slide pin 54, and a contact holding portion 55. The main body 51 has a surface 51a for the driver's seat. The pin connection portion 52 has a plate shape having an “L” shape in cross section, a portion extending forward from the back surface 51b of the main body portion 51, and a bent portion 52a bent toward the inner side (pad cover 21 side). It has. An engaging portion 52b is connected to the end of the bent portion 52a. The engaging portion 52 b extends forward, has a curved tip, and has a substantially “J” shape in cross-sectional view. The tip of the engaging portion 52 b extends in the front-rear direction with respect to the bent portion 59 a of the attachment portion 59 in the spoke support frame 58. It engages with the mounting portion 59 in a displaceable state. The slide pin 54 is formed so as to extend forward from the front surface of the bent portion 52a of the pin connecting portion 52. The shaft portion of the slide pin 54 is inserted into the pin insertion hole 59 c of the attachment portion 59 of the spoke support frame 58. A coil spring 56 is inserted into the slide pin 54, and the coil spring 56 is connected to the rear surface of the bent portion 59 a of the attachment portion 59 of the spoke support frame 58 and the bent portion 52 a of the pin connecting portion 52 of the spoke member 50. It is in a compressed state sandwiched between the front surface of the.

  The contact holding part 55 is provided at a portion corresponding to the fixed contact part 68 of the pad cored bar 62 on the back surface 51 b of the main body part 51 of the spoke member 50. The contact holding part 55 protrudes from the back surface 51 b of the main body part 51 and holds the metal plate 57. The metal plate 57 is separated from the fixed contact portion 68 by a predetermined distance in a state where no force acts on the spoke member 50.

  When the surface 51a of the main body 51 of the spoke member 50 is pressed by the driver, the spoke member 50 is displaced forward, and the metal plate 57 and the fixed contact portion 68 come into contact with each other, so that the metal plate 57 is grounded. The horn device is activated (sounds) due to the conduction with the cored bar 60 connected to the (vehicle body ground). At this time, the coil spring 56 is compressed.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to (a) and (b) of FIG.
When an impact such as a collision is applied to the vehicle, a gas is generated from the inflator 42, and the airbag 41 is expanded and expanded by filling the airbag 41 with the gas.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, when the pad cover 21 is pressed from the inside by the inflating force of the airbag 41, the planned break portions 33 a and 35 of the pad cover 21 are broken. When the airbag 41 is further inflated, the airbag door 25 rotates about the hinge portion H as the central axis, as shown in FIG. That is, since the hinge part H is located in the non-enclosed part 33 where the spokes 50a, 50b, 50c are not provided on the side wall 30 of the pad cover 21, the movable range of the pad cover 21 around the hinge part H is widened. . Therefore, the airbag door 25 can be opened smoothly, and the airbag 41 is inflated smoothly.

According to the embodiment described in detail above, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) In the steering wheel 10 of the present embodiment, a bag holder 45 to which the airbag 41 is attached and a pad cover 21 that is attached to the bag holder 45 and covers the airbag 41 are provided in a region surrounded by the rim 15. ing. The pad cover 21 has a surface wall 22 having a design surface 23 facing the driver's seat, and a side wall 30 extending from the surface wall 22 to the bag holder 45 side. The portions to be broken 33a and 35 that are thinner than the portion are formed. As a result, when the airbag 41 is inflated, the planned break portions 33a and 35 formed on the side wall 30 of the pad cover 21 are broken and opened. Therefore, since it is not necessary to provide the fracture | rupture scheduled part 33a, 35 in the surface wall 22 of the pad cover 21, while the freedom degree of the decoration of the design surface 23 improves, it can decorate easily. That is, in this embodiment, although the design surface 23 is covered with the skin and the emblem is attached, it is not necessary to form a slit in the skin and the attachment position of the emblem is not limited. In addition, it is not necessary to provide a complicated mechanism for separating the side wall 30 of the pad cover 21 from the bag holder 45 side, and the pad 30 has a simple configuration in which the thinly planned fracture portions 33a and 35 are formed on the side wall 30. The airbag 21 can be inflated by opening the cover 21.

  (2) In the steering wheel of the present embodiment, the hinge portion H provided with a plurality of spokes 50a, 50b, 50c extending from the rim 15 toward the side wall 30 and functioning as a hinge when the airbag door 25 opens, In the side wall 30, it is arrange | positioned at the non-enclosing part 33 which is not covered with spoke 50a, 50b, 50c. Thereby, when the airbag door 25 opens, the movable range of the pad cover 21 around the hinge portion H is widened. As a result, the airbag door 25 can be opened smoothly.

In addition, you may change the said embodiment as follows.
In the above embodiment, the surface 32 a of the surrounding portion 32 of the first side surface portion 31 of the side wall 30 and the surface 37 a of the surrounding portion 37 of the bent portion 36 are perpendicular, and the back surface 32 b of the surrounding portion 32 and the back surface of the surrounding portion 37 37b is formed on the same plane, so that a planned fracture portion 35 is formed at a boundary portion between the surrounding portion 32 and the bent portion 36, which is thinner than the surrounding portion. However, the shape for forming the planned fracture portion whose thickness is thinner on the side wall than the surrounding portion is not particularly limited, and for example, the mode shown in FIG. 6 may be adopted.

  That is, in the pad cover 71 shown in FIG. 6, the side wall 75 is connected to the outer edge of the surface wall 72 having the design surface 73. The surface 76 of the side wall 75 is inclined so as to form an obtuse angle with the design surface 73. On the other hand, the back surface 77 of the side wall 75 is perpendicular to the back surface 74 of the front wall 72. Even in such a configuration, it is possible to form the planned fracture portion 78 having a thinner thickness than the surrounding portion on the side wall 75.

Moreover, the fracture | rupture planned part formed in a side wall is good also as a structure which consists only of the groove | channel formed in the back surface or surface of a side wall.
In the above embodiment, the spoke member and the pad cover are separated. However, as shown in FIG. 7, the pad cover 81 and the spoke part 89 constituting the spoke may be integrally formed. Even in such a case, if the pad cover 81 includes the surface wall 82 having the design surface 83 and the side wall 85, and the planned break portion 86 is formed on the side wall 85, which is thinner than the surrounding portion. Good.

  -In the said embodiment, the hinge part H is provided in the non-enclosed part which is not covered with a spoke in a pad cover. However, the portion that functions as a hinge when the planned fracture portion opens may be provided in the surrounding portion covered with the spokes on the side wall, or may be provided across the surrounding portion and the non-enclosing portion. Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the groove | channel is not formed in the site | part which functions as a hinge when the planned fracture part opens, for example, the thickness of this site is thicker than the planned fracture part, and the side wall You may make it form a groove | channel etc. so that it may become thinner than another site | part.

  -In a steering wheel with an airbag apparatus, the breakable part should just be provided in the side wall of the pad cover, and the specific structure is not specifically limited. That is, for example, the horn switch mechanism provided in the steering wheel is not limited to the aspect illustrated in the above embodiment, and may be omitted as appropriate. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the pad cover 91 may have a shape in which a side wall 95 is connected to a surface opposite to the design surface 93 of the surface wall 92, that is, the back surface 94 of the surface wall 92. The shape is not particularly limited. That is, the pad cover is not particularly limited as long as a planned fracture portion is provided on the side wall. Moreover, you may make it apply the steering wheel with an airbag apparatus of said each embodiment to the steering wheel of vehicles other than a vehicle.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Steering wheel, 15 ... Rim, 20 ... Pad, 21, 71, 81, 91 ... Pad cover, 22, 72, 82, 92 ... Surface wall, 23, 73, 83, 93 ... Design surface, 25 ... Air bag Door, 30, 75, 85, 95 ... side wall, 31 ... first side surface part, 32 ... surrounding part, 33 ... non-enclosing part, 33a, 35, 78, 86 ... planned break part, 36 ... bent part, 37 ... surrounding part , 38 ... second side surface part, 40 ... airbag device, 41 ... airbag, 42 ... inflator, 44 ... retainer, 45 ... bag holder, 46 ... insertion hole, 47 ... horn switch mechanism, 50 ... spoke member, 50a 50b, 50c ... spoke, 58 ... spoke support frame, 60 ... core, 61 ... rim core, 62 ... pad core, 89 ... spoke.

Claims (2)

A steering wheel with an airbag device provided in a region surrounded by a rim, a bag holder to which an airbag is attached, and a pad cover attached to the bag holder and covering the airbag,
The pad cover has a surface wall having a design surface facing the driver's seat, and a side wall extending from the surface wall to the bag holder side,
The steering wheel with an airbag device, wherein the side wall is formed with a portion to be broken that is thinner than a surrounding portion. A plurality of spokes extending from the rim toward the side wall;
The portion that functions as a hinge when the scheduled break portion breaks and the airbag door of the pad cover opens, is disposed at a position that is not covered by the spoke on the side wall. Steering wheel with airbag device.