JP3033187U - Replacement airbag module and steering wheel having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] (Correction) [PROBLEMS] To provide a replacement airbag module capable of easily replacing a steering wheel and a steering wheel including the module. SOLUTION: An airbag module 2 separated from a vehicle body together with an already installed steering wheel 10 is disassembled and taken out, and an inflator 5 is fixed to a new replacement retainer 26, and a new replacement retainer is provided. A replacement bag cover 24 is attached, and a plurality of new mounting brackets 30 and 31 for fixing to the new steering wheel 21 are fixed to the replacement retainer 26 and the replacement bag cover 24, respectively. And an air bag module for a vehicle.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Technical field to which the invention belongs]

The present invention relates to a replacement airbag module for a vehicle having an airbag module mounted on a steering wheel and a sensor device having a separate airbag system installed elsewhere on a vehicle body, and the airbag module. It concerns the mounted steering wheel.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 With the spread of airbag devices, the airbag device has been installed on the steering wheel from the beginning as a standard equipment in many automobiles. On the other hand, the standard equipped airbag device is mounted on a standardized steering wheel in consideration of mass production effects, so from the viewpoint of design, it is not possible to freely replace the steering wheel according to customer preference. It was impossible.

With respect to this point, an airbag module mounted on a conventional steering wheel will be described. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a steering wheel in which a conventional general airbag module is mounted. The airbag 3 and the inflator 5 together with the retainer ring 7 are integrated into the retainer 6 by a retaining member 8 (bolts and nuts). The bag cover 4 having a design for covering the assembly from above is integrally fixed to the retainer 6 by fixing means 9 such as a rivet or a screw member. An airbag module 2 is constructed by integrally assembling the airbag 3, the inflator 5, the retainer 6, and the bag cover 4.

This airbag module 2 is generally assembled in an airbag factory and sent to a vehicle assembly factory, where it is assembled to a steering wheel 10 to form a steering wheel 1 with an airbag module. In order to assemble the airbag module 2 to the steering wheel 10, the mounting bracket 11 attached to the retainer 6 is fixed to the mounting base 12 of the steering wheel 10 by the mounting tool 13 such as bolts and nuts. The attached steering wheel 1 is mounted on a steering shaft 14 on the vehicle body side, and is tightened and fixed by a nut 15. A core cover 16 is attached to the lower surface of the steering wheel to prevent dust and the like from entering the airbag module.

A lead wire 18 extends from the lower portion of the inflator 5 and is connected to an ignition power source (not shown). An ignition current is supplied through the lead wire 18. A sensor device (not shown) for actuating the inflator is separately arranged at a proper place of the vehicle body where it is easy to sense the impact at the time of collision of the vehicle body.

[0006]

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

 In such a steering wheel 1 with an airbag module, the shape of the bag cover 4 of the airbag module 2 is formed so as to match the shape of the spoke portion 17 of the steering wheel 10. If it is different, the shape of the bag cover 4 is naturally different. Further, the inflator 5 has a gas generation amount according to the capacity of the airbag 3, and whether or not the inflator 5 needs to be operated and the timing of the inflator 5 are determined by a sensor device. Further, the sensor device stores a program designed according to vehicle body characteristics such as installation location and vehicle body rigidity. Therefore, the function of the airbag device is a dedicated design that is adapted to the vehicle body, and the shape of the airbag module is a dedicated design that follows the shape of the steering wheel 10. The shape of the steering wheel 10 was almost constant because it was designed under the mass production plan.

On the other hand, the steering wheel design is an object of preference for customers and is a standard for selecting one vehicle type, but the steering wheel and the airbag module are inseparable from each other, and the airbag device and the vehicle body are integrated. Since this is also an integral part of the relationship, there is also an integral part of the relationship between the already installed steering wheel and the vehicle body, and it is not possible to replace it with any steering wheel according to customer preference. It was impossible. However, customers have a high preference for steering wheels, and making it easy to respond to them is one of the problems that must be solved immediately for the spread of airbags from the viewpoint of passenger protection. Has become.

In view of such a background, the present invention aims to make it possible to easily respond to the replacement of the steering wheel requested by the customer, and therefore, without impairing the function of the existing airbag device. The present invention provides a replacement airbag module and a steering wheel equipped with this module, which allows the steering wheel to be replaced easily and inexpensively.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a replacement airbag module for unavoidably replacing with a steering wheel when replacing a steering wheel of an automobile equipped with the separated type air bag system. However, the airbag and inflator taken out by disassembling the airbag module separated from the vehicle body together with the already mounted steering wheel are fixed to a new replacement retainer, and the replacement retainer is replaced with a new replacement retainer. A bag cover is attached, and a plurality of new mounting brackets for fixing to the steering wheel are fixed to the replacement retainer and the replacement bag cover. That is, among the already installed components of the air bag module, the air bag and the inflator, which are related to the vehicle characteristics, are used as they are, and the retainer and the bag cover that change their shapes according to the shape of the steering wheel are replaced. By arranging the mounting members for the steering wheel on both sides, the airbag module can be replaced according to the steering wheel without impairing the characteristics of the airbag device.

Further, the invention according to claim 2 uses the airbag and the inflator among the already installed airbag module component parts in the claim 1, but when the retainer is also used, If the mounting bracket 11 for fixing the retainer attached to the retainer 6 to the steering wheel is configured to be removable with screws or the like, remove only the mounting bracket 11. It is designed so that the assembly consisting of the airbag and inflator mounted on the retainer can be reused as it is.

According to a third aspect of the invention, the mounting bracket fixed to the replacement bag cover of the replacement airbag module according to the first or second aspect is integrally formed with the bag cover. In addition, it is possible to omit the work of mounting the mounting bracket to the bag cover, which is often performed at the steering wheel replacement site.

Further, the invention according to claim 4 is that the mounting bracket fixed to the replacement bag cover of the replacement airbag module according to claim 1 or 2 is fixed to the bag cover by rivets or screw members. As in the case of claim 3, the steering wheel can be mounted by a simple operation at the replacement site.

Further, the invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that the mounting bracket fixed to the already installed retainer or the replacement retainer of the replacement airbag module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The retainer is fixed to the retainer with a screw member, so that the attachment bracket can be easily fixed to the retainer with a simple jig at the steering wheel replacement site.

The invention according to claim 6 relates to a replacement steering wheel equipped with the replacement airbag module, wherein the airbag module separated from the vehicle body is disassembled together with the already installed steering wheel. Secure the removed airbag and inflator to a new replacement retainer, attach a new replacement bag cover to the replacement retainer, and replace the replacement retainer and replacement bag cover with new mounting brackets. It is fixed to the replacement steering wheel.

Further, in the invention of claim 7, in the invention of claim 6, the inflator and the air bag separated from the already installed air bag module are reused, but the retainer is further used. If the retainer already installed and the mounting bracket that secures it to the steering wheel are separable from the retainer, remove only the mounting bracket 11 from the retainer. This is an assembly in which the airbag and inflator attached to the retainer are reused as they are.

[0016]

[Embodiment of the invention]

 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. When replacing the steering wheel, the steering wheel 10 having the already installed airbag module 2 of FIG. 5 is removed by removing the core cover 16 and the nut 15 of the steering shaft 14 and attaching the airbag module 2 to the steering wheel 10. Remove from the car body. In this case, the lead wire 18 of the inflator 5 is removed from the connector portion (not shown) for the separately installed sensor device. Here, the mounting bracket 11 provided on the retainer 6 is formed integrally with the retainer 6 by welding or the like in this example, and the position of the mounting bracket 11 is set in accordance with the already mounted steering wheel 10. Since it has been determined, the mounting bracket 11 cannot be reused, and therefore the retainer 6 that is an integral part of the mounting bracket 11 cannot be reused. Therefore, the module 2 is disassembled, only the airbag 3 and the inflator 5 which are indispensable for the replacement module are taken out, a new replacement module is assembled, and this is mounted on the replacement steering wheel.

Next, the replacement airbag module and the replacement steering wheel equipped with the replacement airbag module will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a back side plan view of an airbag module according to the present invention and a steering wheel equipped with the airbag module. The steering wheel is shown in phantom lines. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a right side view of FIG. In these drawings, the airbag 3 and the inflator 5 are those removed from the already installed airbag module as described above.

First, the assembly of the replacement module will be described. The inflator 5 is inserted into the inflator mounting opening of the replacement retainer 26, and the flange portion 19 of the inflator 5 and the retainer 26 are attached to the replacement steering wheel 21. A mounting bracket 30 for mounting is fixed to the retainer 26 with bolts and nuts 34, and then the airbag 3 is sandwiched between the retainer ring 27 and the retainer 26 so that the retainer 26 is attached to the retainer 26. Stick to it. This completes the work of integrally assembling the inflator 5 and the airbag 3 separated from the already installed airbag module into the replacement retainer 26. Here, the retainer ring 27 has a hole into which the fixing rivet 28 of the airbag 3 is inserted, and is made according to the shape and size of the airbag 3. It is preferable to use the product as it is.

Next, a newly prepared replacement bag cover 24 is attached to this assembly, and an upper portion thereof is fixed to the replacement retainer 26 by a rivet 29, and a spoke portion of the replacement steering wheel 21. A connecting portion with 40 is fixed to the retainer 26 by a rivet 33 together with a mounting bracket 31 for fixing the bag cover 24 to the steering wheel 21. In this way, the assembly of the replacement airbag module 22 is completed. In this example, the mounting bracket 31 is formed as a separate part from the bag cover 24, but this is a resin part that is molded by injection molding or the like. It goes without saying that it may be a one-piece product formed by arranging a certain mounting bracket and forming it integrally, and this one product is more suitable for work at the steering wheel replacement site. Since it will be less, it is preferable to integrate them in advance.

Next, when the module 22 is attached to the replacement steering wheel 21, the mounting bracket 31 fixed to the bag cover 24 is attached to the spoke portion 40 of the replacement steering wheel 21 with bolts 41. At the same time, the mounting bracket 30 fixed to the retainer 26 is fixed to the hub portion 42 of the replacement steering wheel 21 with a screw member 43 to complete the assembly of the replacement steering wheel.

Next, in order to attach the replacement steering wheel to the vehicle body, according to a conventional method, the hub portion 42 of the steering wheel is inserted into the steering shaft 14 and appropriately fixed with nuts, and the core cover 44 is attached from below. Finally, connect the connector (not shown) at the end of the current-carrying lead wire (not shown) of the inflator 5 to the connector of the sensor device that is placed at the proper position on the vehicle body, and connect the steering wheel. Complete the replacement work.

The above description is an example of the case where the airbag 3 and the inflator 5 taken out from the already installed airbag module are reused. However, as the structure of the already installed retainer 6, the mounting bracket 11 ( (See FIG. 5) is configured as a separate component that can be attached and detached with a bolt or the like, the retainer 6 can also be reused. In this case, the airbag module 2 is separated from the already mounted steering wheel, the bag cover 4 is removed from this module, and then the mounting bracket 11 is removed from the retainer 6 so that the airbag 3 and the inflator 5 are separated from each other. The assembly attached to the retainer 6 will be reused as it is. Therefore, the new mounting bracket 30 for replacement is mounted on the retainer 6 of this assembly using the original bolt holes as they are. Other configurations, how to assemble the module, and how to attach the module to the new steering wheel are the same as those described above.

In the above embodiments, the steering wheel has three spokes, but the present invention is not limited to this, and is applied to any design steering wheel such as two spokes and four spokes. It goes without saying that you can do it.

Further, in the present invention, the mounting brackets 30 and 31 and the steering wheel 21 are mounted, the bag cover 24 and the retainer 26 are fixed, the airbag 3 is fixed to the retainer 26, and the inflator 5 is fixed to the retainer 26. Occurred in the process of assembling the airbag module 22, such as fixing the mounting brackets 30 and 31 to the bag cover or the retainer, the process of incorporating the same into the steering wheel, and the process of attaching the steering wheel to the vehicle body. The various fixings and mounting methods are simple, such as screwing, bolting, riveting, etc., so that they can be easily carried out even in the field of steering wheel replacement that does not have special jigs and tools such as car service shops. A method is adopted that allows the attachment and replacement work with jigs and tools. Therefore, attachment and fixing means that require special jigs such as welding, pressure welding, and caulking are not preferable.

[0025]

[Effect of the invention]

 As described above, according to the present invention, the main parts such as the airbag, the inflator, the sensor device, and the retainer, which are designed according to the vehicle body characteristics, are reused by utilizing the main parts as they are, and the shape of the steering wheel is changed. Since the steering wheel can be replaced with any other by replacing only the parts that are installed, even if the airbag module is replaced with the steering wheel, the functionality of the airbag system is not affected at all and safety is maintained at the initial level. Guaranteed as designed. Therefore, even customers who previously chose a vehicle without an airbag because of only the preference of the steering wheel can now choose a vehicle with an airbag device. It is expected that this will also contribute to reducing the casualty rate of passengers due to traffic accidents.

Further, even in the vehicle currently in use, the steering wheel can be arbitrarily exchanged according to the user's preference, so that the customer's satisfaction with the preference for the steering wheel can be improved. Will also be possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a rear plan view showing a replacement airbag module and a replacement steering wheel equipped with the replacement airbag module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a right side view of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional airbag module and a steering wheel equipped with the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Steering wheel with an already installed airbag module 2 Existing airbag module 3 Existing airbag 4 Existing bag cover 5 Existing inflator 6 Existing retainer 7 Existing retainer ring 10 Existing steering Wheel 14 Steering shaft 18 Inflator lead wire 21 Replacement steering wheel 22 Replacement airbag module 24 Replacement bag cover 26 Replacement retainer 27 Replacement retainer ring 28 Rivet 29 Rivet 30 Mounting bracket fixed to replacement retainer 31 Replacement Bracket fixed to the bag cover 33 Rivet 34 Bolts and nuts 35 Rivet 40 Steering wheel spokes 41 Bolts 42 Steering wheel hub 3 screws

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] August 6, 1996

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claim 7

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Creator Kazuhiro Fujimoto 1764, Kaminaichimukaihara, Chiyoda-cho, Shinji-gun, Ibaraki Sensor Technology Co., Ltd. Tsukuba Office

Claims (7)

[Utility model registration claims] 1. An airbag (3) and an inflator (5).
The sensor device for actuating the inflator is attached to another place of the vehicle body by attaching the airbag module (2), which is fixed to the retainer (6) and covered with the bag cover (4), to the steering wheel (10). A replacement airbag module for replacing a steering wheel of an automobile having a separated airbag system installed, the replacement airbag module being separated from the vehicle body together with the already installed steering wheel (10). The airbag (3) and the inflator (5) taken out by disassembling the airbag module (2)
It is fixed to a new replacement retainer (26), and a new replacement bag cover (24) is attached to the replacement retainer,
The replacement retainer (26) and the replacement bag cover (24) each have a new steering wheel (2).
New mounting brackets (30, 3) for fixing to 1)
A replacement airbag module characterized in that a plurality of 1) are fixed. 2. An airbag (3) and an inflator (5).
The sensor device for actuating the inflator is attached to another place of the vehicle body by attaching the airbag module (2), which is fixed to the retainer (6) and covered with the bag cover (4), to the steering wheel (10). A replacement airbag module for replacing a steering wheel of an automobile having a separated airbag system installed, the replacement airbag module being separated from the vehicle body together with the already installed steering wheel (10). A new replacement bag cover (24) is attached to the assembly consisting of the airbag (3), the inflator (5), and the retainer (6) taken out by disassembling the airbag module (2), and the retainer ( 6) and the replacement bag cover (24) are fixed to the new steering wheel (21) respectively. A replacement airbag module having a plurality of new mounting brackets (30, 31) for attachment. 3. The replacement airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket (31) fixed to the replacement bag cover (24) is formed integrally with the bag cover. 4. The mounting bracket (31) fixed to the replacement bag cover (24) is fixed to the bag cover by a rivet or a screwing member (33). Replacement airbag module. 5. The mounting bracket (30) fixed to the retainer is screwed to the retainer (34).
The replacement airbag module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the replacement airbag module is fixed by means of: 6. An airbag (3) and an inflator (5).
And (3) are fixed to a retainer (6), and an airbag module (2) formed by covering the retainer (6) with a bag cover (4) is mounted on the steering wheel (10), and the sensor device is installed at another place of the vehicle body. A replacement steering wheel for replacing a steering wheel of an automobile equipped with a detachable airbag system, wherein an airbag module (2) separated from a vehicle body is taken out together with the already installed steering wheel (10). The airbag (3) and the inflator (5)
It is fixed to a new replacement retainer (26), and a new replacement bag cover (24) is attached to the replacement retainer,
The replacement retainer (26) and the replacement bag cover (2
4) and the replacement steering wheel equipped with an air bag module, which are fixed to new replacement steering wheel (21) by new mounting brackets (30, 31). 7. An airbag (3) and an inflator (5).
And (3) are fixed to a retainer (6), and an airbag module (2) formed by covering the retainer (6) with a bag cover (4) is mounted on the steering wheel (10), and the sensor device is installed at another place of the vehicle body. A replacement steering wheel for replacing a steering wheel of an automobile equipped with a detachable airbag system, wherein an airbag module (2) separated from a vehicle body is taken out together with the already installed steering wheel (10). A new replacement bag cover (24) is attached to the assembly including the airbag (3), the inflator (5), and the retainer (6), and the (6) and the replacement bag cover (24) are respectively attached. New mounting bracket (30,3
1) A new replacement steering wheel (2
A replacement steering wheel equipped with an airbag module, which is fixed to 1).