JPH06312643A - Steering device with air bag unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a proper electric sill without some influence by the move ment of a pad even if a pad center hone is used. CONSTITUTION:When a pad 16 is moved to the non-occupant side by pressing the occupant side surface of the pad 16, contacts 38, 40 are brought into contact so that a horn sounds. At the time of sudden deceleration of a vehicle, the G sensor 58 of a controller 56 detects acceleration by the sudden deceleration, and an inflator 46 comes into electric action. Gas emits from an inflator 46, and is fed into a bag body 44, so that the bag body 44 is expanded toward the occupant side. With this expansion, a thin wall part 52 is broken, and the bottom wall 20 of the pad 16 is expanded. The pad 16 is constituted so as to move in the axial direction of a steering shaft 18 to a steering wheel. Since the controller 56 is fixed onto the steering shaft 18 without any movement regardless of the movement of the pad 16. The G sensor 58 detects actual acceleration properly.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering device with an air bag device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A steering device with an air bag device is known as follows.

That is, a pad is provided at the center of the steering wheel via a base plate, and an air bag device including an inflator and a bag is attached to the base plate on the side opposite to the occupant of the pad.
A controller with a sensor is attached.

The controller is electrically connected to the inflator, and activates the inflator when the G sensor detects the acceleration associated with the rapid deceleration of the vehicle during the rapid deceleration of the vehicle. As a result, gas is generated from the inflator, the generated gas is supplied into the bag body, and the bag body is inflated to the occupant side. The pad is expanded as it swells.

[0005]

By the way, it is conceivable to adopt a pad center horn in the steering device with the airbag device. Pad center horn
The pad at the center of the steering wheel is pushed toward the side opposite to the occupant to operate the horn.

When the pad moves, the controller moves together with the inflator and the bag body, and the output signal from the G sensor differs from the electric signal corresponding to the actual acceleration because the pad moves.

To avoid this, it is necessary to separately provide a button for operating the horn without adopting the pad center horn.

In consideration of the above facts, it is an object of the present invention to provide a steering device with an air bag device which can obtain a proper electric signal without being affected by the movement of the pad even if a pad center horn is adopted. .

[0009]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is capable of moving a steering wheel, a pad provided at the center of the steering wheel, and the pad to the occupant side with respect to the steering wheel. And pad center horn means for actuating the horn by movement of the pad, an inflator which is provided on the side opposite to the occupant of the pad and moves with the pad, and a bag which bulges toward the occupant by the generated gas. An inflator having an airbag device, a deployment means that allows a pad to be deployed by bulging the bag body, and a G sensor that is fixed to the steering wheel and / or the steering shaft and that detects acceleration due to sudden vehicle deceleration. A controller that is electrically connected to the vehicle and operates the inflator when the vehicle suddenly decelerates. It is intended to propose an airbag-equipped steering system.

[0010]

According to the steering apparatus with the air bag device according to the present invention, when the pad is moved to the side opposite to the occupant by the pad center horn means, the horn operates.

On the other hand, when the vehicle suddenly decelerates by the controller, the G sensor detects the acceleration accompanying the vehicle rapid deceleration,
The inflator operates electrically. As a result, gas is generated from the inflator, the generated gas is supplied into the bag body, and the bag body bulges toward the occupant side. With this swelling, the pad is expanded by the expansion means.

Here, the pad has a structure that moves with respect to the steering wheel, but the controller equipped with the G sensor does not move by being fixed to the steering wheel and / or the steering shaft regardless of the movement of the pad, and the G sensor does not move. Can properly detect the actual acceleration.

This makes it possible to employ a pad center horn.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A steering device 10 with an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, a pad 16 is provided at the center of the steering wheel 12 via a base plate 14. The pad 16 has a steering shaft 18
Coaxially with the bottom wall 20 on the occupant side (indicated by arrow A in FIG. 1).
The insert fitting 22 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom, and the insert fitting 22 projects from the open end on the side opposite to the occupant (the side opposite to the arrow A).

The base plate 14 includes a main piece 26 parallel to the hub 24 of the steering wheel 12, and the main piece 26
Is bent in an L-shape at its periphery to form a side piece 28 parallel to the axial direction of the steering shaft 18 and a guide piece 30 parallel to the hub 24.
With. The insert fitting 22 of the pad 16 is fixed to the side piece 28 of the base plate 14.

A guide pin 32 is provided between the guide piece 30 of the base plate 14 and the hub 24 of the steering wheel 12 in an axial direction parallel to the axial direction of the steering shaft 18.
Is provided. One end of the guide pin 32 is fixed to the hub 24, and the other end thereof penetrates the guide piece 30 and has a large diameter portion 34. The guide pin 32 has a coil spring between the hub 24 and the guide piece 30. 36 is fitted. As a result, the pad 16 is guided by the guide pin 32 and is guided by the steering shaft 1.
8 can be moved in the axial direction, and the guide piece 30 is always provided with the large diameter portion 3
4 is abutted and restricted, and is urged toward the occupant. Contact points 38 and 40 are provided between the guide piece 30 and the hub 24, and when the pad 16 is pressed toward the occupant side to move, the contact points 38 and 4 are provided.
The space between 0 is closed and a horn (not shown) sounds. In this way, the pad center horn means is constructed.

Further, the base plate 14 is provided with an air bag device comprising an inflator 42 and a bag body 44. The inflator 42 has a cylindrical shape coaxial with the steering shaft 18, and its occupant side end portion penetrates the main piece 26 of the base plate 14 and is flanged.

The bag body 44 is folded toward the occupant side of the base plate 14 and accommodated in the pad 16, and the opening of the bag body 44 is formed in the main piece 26 of the base plate 14 so as to cover the occupant side end of the inflator 42. It is fixed by using the ring member 45.

Inside the inflator 42, the ignition device 4 is provided.
6, the transfer agent 48, and the gas generating agent 50 are accommodated, the explosive is incorporated in the igniter 46, and the explosive is ignited by red heat of the filament due to energization. This is the transfer agent 48
The flame is propagated to the gas generant 50 through the gas generator 50, and gas is generated from the gas generant 50. Generated gas is inflator 42
From the plurality of gas holes 54 formed at the passenger side end of the bag 4
4 is supplied to the inside of the bag 4, and the bag 44 bulges toward the occupant.

At the center of the bottom wall 20 of the pad 16, there is formed a thin portion 52 which constitutes the expanding means, and the thin portion 52 is broken when the bag body 44 swells so that the pad 16 can be expanded.

Further, the hub 2 of the steering wheel 12
4 between the base plate 14 and the controller 56.
And the controller 56 controls the steering shaft 18
It is fixed to the tip surface of the with a bolt 57.

The controller 56 includes a G sensor 58 and a microcomputer (ECU) 62. In the controller 56, when the G sensor 58 detects the acceleration associated with the rapid vehicle deceleration during the vehicle rapid deceleration, the microcomputer 62 processes the output signal, and the filament of the ignition device 46 is energized via the lead wire 60. Done.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described. When the pad 16 is pressed against the side of the occupant and the pad 16 is moved to the side opposite to the occupant, the contacts 38 and 40 are brought into contact and the horn sounds. The movement of the pad 16 causes the inflator 42 and the bag body 44 to move together with the pad 16.

On the other hand, when the vehicle suddenly decelerates, the controller 5
The G sensor 58 of 6 detects the acceleration accompanying the rapid deceleration of the vehicle,
The inflator 46 operates electrically. As a result, gas is generated from the inflator 46, the generated gas is supplied into the bag body 44, and the bag body 44 bulges toward the occupant side. Along with this bulging, the thin portion 52 is broken and the bottom wall 2 of the pad 16 is broken.
0 expands.

Here, the pad 16 has a structure which moves in the axial direction of the steering shaft 18 with respect to the steering wheel 12, but the controller 56 is fixed to the steering shaft 18 and does not move regardless of the movement of the pad 16, G
The sensor 58 can properly detect the actual acceleration.

This makes it possible to employ a pad center horn which is extremely easy to operate.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but various modifications can be made. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the controller 56 including the G sensor 58 is fixed to the steering shaft 18, but it is fixed to both the steering shaft and the steering wheel (the hub 24 or the like, its location is arbitrary), or Even if it is fixed to the steering wheel such as a hub instead of the steering shaft, the effect of the present invention is not diminished. However, by fixing the controller 56 to the steering shaft 18, it becomes possible to detect the actual acceleration more properly, and, in the steering wheel 12, it is a part where the steering wheel 12 is attached to the steering shaft 18. Fixing to the hub 24 is preferable for more accurately detecting the actual acceleration.

The controller 56 can be fixed by various means other than bolts.

[0030]

According to the steering apparatus with an air bag device of the present invention, even if a pad center horn is adopted, an appropriate electric signal can be obtained without being affected by the movement of the pad.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a steering device with an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention, taken along the axial direction of a steering shaft.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Steering Device with Airbag Device 12 Steering Wheel 16 Pad 18 Steering Shaft 32 Guide Pin (Pad Center Horn Means) 36 Coil Spring (Pad Center Horn Means) 38, 40 Contacts (Pad Center Horn Means) 42 Inflator 44 Bag Body 52 Thin Wall Part (deployment means) 56 controller 58 G sensor

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A steering wheel, a pad provided at a central portion of the steering wheel, pad center horn means for moving the pad to the side opposite to the occupant side with respect to the steering wheel, and operating the horn by the movement of the pad. An airbag device provided on the side opposite to the occupant of the pad, which moves together with the pad, and which has an inflator for generating gas and a bag body which bulges toward the occupant side due to the generated gas; and the pad is expanded by bulging the bag body. A deploying means that enables it, and a G sensor that is fixed to the steering wheel and / or the steering shaft and has a G sensor that detects acceleration associated with rapid vehicle deceleration and is electrically connected to the inflator to operate the inflator when the vehicle rapidly decelerates. A steering device with an airbag device, which includes a controller.