JPH10114253A - Airbag module for driver's seat - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To form a low-priced simple horn operating structure, and make a bag cover pressing part capable of operating a horn switch applicable over a wide range, thus providing complete horn operation. SOLUTION: This airbag module for driver's seat, which is constituted by fitting a bag cover 17 on a retainer 8 formed by fixing a gas generator 12 and an airbag 13, and fitting it on a steering wheel, is provided with the bag cover 17 involving a one-point supporting part 21 which is supported against the retainer 8 at one point, and is retained so as to be oscillated freely in the front/rear direction, and is equipped with a horn switch 31 disposed between the retainer 8 and a bag cover 17 rear face.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an airbag module mounted on a steering wheel for securing a driver's safety from an impact caused by an automobile collision, and more particularly to an airbag module capable of reliably sounding a horn. The present invention relates to an airbag module which has been described.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As the occupant protection philosophy has increased in recent years, the mounting rate of an airbag device for a driver's seat mounted on a steering wheel has increased, and accordingly, an airbag device for a driver's seat. The configuration has become almost universal. FIG. 1 shows a general configuration of an airbag device mounted on the steering wheel.
3 and FIG.

That is, a retainer 70 is fixed to a steering wheel 69 fixed to the tip of a steering shaft (not shown), and a gas generator 71 is fixed to the retainer 70 and receives gas from the gas generator. The inflatable airbag is housed, and a bag cover 72 that covers from the front is fixed or supported by a retainer. A thin portion is provided on the front side or the back side of the bag cover, and when the vehicle collides, the gas from the gas generator is discharged into the air bag, and the thin portion of the bag cover is broken by the deployment force due to the inflation of the air bag. The bag is deployed between the driver and the steering wheel to protect the driver.

In such an airbag, a horn for a horn is sounded, and a horn switch can be operated by pressing a bag cover by a driver.
One horn switch 73, 74 is arranged around the spoke portion of the steering wheel on the back surface of the bag cover. Both horn switches are provided in parallel in the horn operation circuit, and a wiring 75 for connecting both horn switches and A ground wire 76 is connected to each of the horn switches 73 and 74, and a wire 77 to the horn control circuit is routed to the back of the bag cover. In some cases, the horn switch is installed on the spoke side of the steering wheel.

[0005] In the airbag module provided with such a horn switch, a pair of left and right is used as described above so that the horn can be blown immediately when the driver feels danger. Particularly, in the case where the horn switch is provided on the bag cover as described above, in many cases, a part of the horn button is exposed from the bag cover so that the driver can visually recognize the position of the horn switch.

The horn button attached to the bag cover is not only a functional part but also a design part,
Fine adjustment of color, luster, and aperture is necessary for the quality of appearance.
Further, in order to attach the horn button to the opening of the bag cover, uniformity of the gap between the two is also a problem. These adjustments require considerable consideration in terms of design and molding, and in some cases, mold correction and the like are required, which has been a factor of cost increase.

[0007] In the prior art, a pair of left and right horn switches is required. However, in general, when the horn is sounded, the state of the vehicle changes drastically, and there are many situations where the steering wheel is being turned. In such a case, the driver is facing forward and cannot afford to look at the steering wheel, so that the driver cannot find the position of the horn switch by groping or cannot properly sound the horn. On the other hand, when the driver operates the steering by pressing the surface of the cover substantially at the center position so that the horn sounds as in a conventional horn pad structure without an airbag. However, it is conceivable to make sure that the horn can sound, but the structure of the steering wheel equipped with an airbag must be complicated,
There is a disadvantage that the number of parts increases and the cost increases.

On the other hand, as a horn switch, it has been proposed to provide a planar switch using a copper plate electrode on the surface of the bag cover in addition to the above-mentioned switch. In some cases, such as a horn switch, which operates in an emergency, the driver often pushes roughly, and in such a case, the contact between the electrodes does not separate, Sometimes the horn keeps ringing.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional device,
In the airbag module for a driver's seat, in which a bag cover is attached to a retainer that fixes a gas generator and an airbag, and the bag cover is fixed to a steering wheel, the bag cover is formed of a steering wheel. The upper back surface at the neutral position is fixed to the retainer, and a horn switch is interposed between the lower back surface side retainer and the lower back surface, and the horn switch is pressed by pressing the bag cover from the front surface. It proposes one that closes and blows the horn.

That is, in this airbag module, as shown in FIGS. 9 to 12, a base 3 of a steering wheel 2 is fixed to a distal end of a steering shaft 1 with bolts.
, Four steering spokes 4 extend in the radial direction, and a circular steering wheel grip portion 5 is provided at the tip to constitute the steering wheel 2. A plurality of brackets 7 for supporting the airbag module 6 are erected on the base 3 of the steering wheel 2, and a retainer 8 of the airbag module 6 is fixed to a tip of the bracket 7 with a bolt 10.

As shown in FIG. 9, a gas generator 12 is fixed to a central opening 11 of the retainer 8, and a gas discharge portion 14 projecting into the retainer has an opening for discharging gas into the airbag 13. Many holes 15 are provided. Retainer 8
The opening of the airbag 13 is pinched and fixed to the central opening 11 by a retainer ring 16. The airbag 13 is folded to retain the retainer 8 and the bag cover 17.
The bag cover 17 is fixed to the upper vertical wall portion 22 of the retainer 8 by three rivets 21 provided in one row at the upper leg portion 20 protruding from the upper back surface 18 thereof. I have. The bag cover 17 is curved rearward on the outer periphery thereof so as not to interfere with the curved cover end 24 in front of the rear cover 23 fixed to the tip of the steering shaft when the bag cover slides. A gap is formed between the two. Also, around the bag cover 17, the four spoke side ends 26 formed so as to be smoothly connected to the surface decoration portions 25 of the four steering spokes 4 interfere with the sliding of the bag cover 17. A gap is formed between them so that they do not occur.

When the steering wheel is regarded as a clock at a neutral position where the steering wheel is not operated, a horn switch pressing portion 27 is provided at a position on the lower back surface 29 of the bag cover 17 corresponding to the 6 o'clock position of the steering wheel. The horn switch 31 is fixed to a bent portion 30 extending from the retainer 8 so as to face the horn switch pressing portion 27.

As shown in FIG. 5, the horn switch 31 has a casing 3 having a bottom wall 32 and a cylindrical side wall 33.
4, a fixed contact 35 is fixed on the bottom wall 32, and a receiving plate 37 which is guided by the inner circumferential vertical groove 36 of the cylindrical side wall 33 and slides up and down is provided. An elastic body 38 is contracted between the members 32, and the receiving plate 37 is pressed outward by the elastic body 38 and is locked by a stopper 39 formed at the tip of the cylindrical side wall 33 of the casing 34. The receiving plate 37 is installed to face the horn switch pressing portion 27. A movable contact 40 protrudes from the receiving plate 37 so as to approach the fixed contact 35.
And the movable contact 40 are connected to lead wires 41, respectively.

On the back of the bag cover 17, an upper back 1
8 to the lower back surface 29 at appropriate positions.
The lower leg 43 protrudes from both sides of the horn switch pressing portion 27 as shown in FIG. An opening 44 having a predetermined width and a predetermined length is formed in the lower leg 43, and a projection 46 formed by bending the end of the lower vertical wall 45 extending from the retainer to the bag cover side. Are engaged.

With the above structure, when the driver presses the front surface of the bag cover 17, the upper leg portion 20 protruding from the upper back surface of the bag cover and fixed to the retainer 8 with three rivets 21 in the drawing is centered. The bag cover 17 slides back and forth, and the horn switch pressing portion 27 pushes the receiving plate 37 of the horn switch 31 against the elastic body 38 so that the movable contact 40 comes into contact with the fixed contact 35, whereby the signal is transmitted. It is sent to the horn control circuit via the lead wire 41 to blow the horn. At this time, the sliding of the bag cover 17 is guided by the engagement between the projection 46 of the lower vertical wall portion 45 of the retainer and the lower leg portion 43 of the bag cover 17.
When the pressing of the bag cover 17 is released, the horn switch 31 is pushed back by the elastic force of the elastic body 38 to return to the original state.

[0016]

The driver airbag module proposed by the present application and the steering wheel provided with the module adopt the above-described configuration to realize various types of the conventional device. When the driver wants to blow the horn, even if he pushes any part other than the upper part of the bag cover, the bag cover is centered on one place fixed to the retainer. And the horn switch operates reliably.

However, when the driver wants to blow the horn as described above, it is an emergency case and the steering wheel may be rotated. Therefore,
The driver pushes the bag cover to blow the horn,
Alternatively, when hitting, the position may be on the fixed side of the bag cover with respect to the retainer. Since the fixing portion of the bag cover in the above-mentioned device has a fixing structure with the rivets 21 arranged in a line with respect to the retainer, the bag cover swings around the rivets arranged in the line as an axis. Therefore, it is natural that the horn cannot be blown even if the fixed portion of the bag cover is directly pushed, and even if the horn is pushed on the extension of the axis of the fixed portion, the bag cover does not swing and the horn cannot be blown. This limits the bag cover pressing portion when the switch is operated.

In particular, as a special feature of the steering wheel, regardless of whether the number of spokes is three or four, the spokes exist in the axial direction of the fixed portion, and a horn switch is provided on the spokes of this portion. Since the horn switch cannot be operated even if it is provided, there is also a restriction that the horn switch cannot be installed in this spoke portion.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a simple and inexpensive horn operating structure, a wide range of bag cover pressing portions that can operate the horn switch, and an air that can reliably operate the horn. It is intended to provide a bag module.

[0020]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a driving method in which a bag cover is mounted on a retainer which fixes a gas generator and an airbag, and the bag cover is fixed to a steering wheel. In the airbag module for a seat, the bag cover includes a one-point support portion that is supported at one point with respect to the retainer, and is held so as to be swingable in the front-rear direction, between the retainer and the back surface of the bag cover. An airbag module for a driver's seat comprising a horn switch is provided.

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, when the driver presses the surface of the bag cover when he wants to blow the horn, the driver can press the bag cover at any point other than the one-point support portion with respect to the retainer of the bag cover. The cover swings back and forth, and the horn switch operates reliably.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Also in this embodiment, the main configuration is the same as that shown in FIGS. 9 to 12 proposed by the present applicant, and the configuration of the horn switch shown in FIG. 5 is also the same. Have the same reference numerals. That is, the base 3 of the steering wheel 2 is fixed to the tip of the steering shaft 1 with bolts. The steering wheel has four steering spokes 4 extending from the base 3 in the radial direction in this embodiment. The steering wheel grip 5 is provided to constitute the steering wheel 2. At the base 3 of the steering wheel 2, a plurality of brackets 7 for supporting the airbag module 6 are erected, and a retainer 8 of the airbag module 6 is provided at the tip thereof.
Are fixed by bolts 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, a gas generator 12 is fixed to the retainer 8 at a central opening 11 thereof.
A large number of apertures 15 for discharging into the inside are provided. The opening of the airbag 13 is held and fixed by a retainer ring 16 in the central opening 11 of the retainer 8. The airbag 13 is folded to retain the retainer 8 and the bag cover 1.
7, the bag cover 17 has an upper leg portion 20 protruding from an upper back surface 18, and a central portion of the upper portion 20 is formed by a single rivet 21 on the upper vertical wall portion 2 of the retainer 8.
2 so that the bag cover is supported at one point.

The bag cover 17 is curved rearward on its outer periphery, and has a curved cover end 24 in front of a rear cover 23 fixed to the tip of the steering shaft, and the bag cover 17 slides. A gap is formed between the two so as not to interfere. In addition, four steering spokes 4 around the bag cover 17 are provided.
A gap is formed between the four spoke-side end portions 26 formed so as to be smoothly connected to the surface decoration portion 25 so as not to interfere with sliding of the bag cover 17. Further, a reinforcing rib 42 is provided at an appropriate position on the back surface of the bag cover 17 from the upper back surface 18 to the lower back surface 29.

From the rectangular retainer 8 to the bag cover 17
A lower leg portion 43 projects from the back surface of the bag cover 17 to the outer wall of the lower vertical wall portion 45 extending to the side so as to be loosely fitted to the lower vertical wall portion 45. An appropriate number of openings 44 having a predetermined width and a predetermined length are formed in the lower leg. A projection 46 formed by bending the lower vertical wall 45 at an appropriate position is engaged with the opening 44. Thereby, the bag cover 17 is attached to the retainer 8.
Can freely move in the front-rear direction.

As described above, in the upper leg portion 20 protruding from the upper back surface 18 of the bag cover 17, the center of the upper leg portion 20 is fixed to the upper vertical wall portion 22 of the retainer 8 by one rivet 21.
In the portion fixed to the upper rivet, on both sides of the rivet, a projection 46 formed by bending at an appropriate position on the upper vertical wall portion 22 is engaged with an opening 44 similar to the above-mentioned opening provided on the upper leg portion 20. The bag cover 17
Is supported on the retainer 8 so as to be swingable in the left-right direction around the rivet 21, and the swing is guided by the engagement between the opening and the projection. The number of the engaging portions is not limited to two as described above, and more engaging portions can be provided.

The horn switch 31 is, as shown in FIG.
In a casing 34 having a bottom wall 32 and a cylindrical side wall 33, a fixed contact 35 is fixed on the bottom wall 32, and is guided by an inner circumferential vertical groove 36 of the cylindrical side wall 33 to slide vertically. An elastic body 38 is contracted between the receiving plate 37 and the bottom wall 32, and the receiving plate 37 is pressed outward by the elastic body 38, and is formed at the tip of the cylindrical side wall 33 of the casing 34. It is locked by a stopper 39. This receiving plate 3
7 is installed facing four horn switch pressing portions 27 as shown in FIGS. A movable contact 40 protrudes from the receiving plate 37 so as to approach the fixed contact 35, and a lead wire 41 is connected to the fixed contact 35 and the movable contact 40, respectively.

The horn switch 31 is disposed in the lower two spokes of a steering wheel provided with four spokes as in the embodiment shown in the drawing, or is provided on all spokes. Placed in In particular, in the present invention, even when the horn switch 31 is arranged at the spoke portions in the free state of the steering wheel at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock, the horn switch can be reliably operated when the bag cover is pressed.

In the assembled state of the horn switch 31, the horn switch pressing portion 27 is
The bag cover is constantly urged to the driver side by the elastic body 38 in the horn switch 31, and the movement to the driver side is stopped by the stopper 39 in the normal state. ing. In this state, the bag cover is guided by the lower vertical wall portion 45 of the retainer at the lower leg portion 43, and the bag cover 17
Is freely movable in the front-rear direction with respect to the retainer 8.

With the above configuration, in the normal state of the bag cover, as described above, the bag cover 17 has the upper leg 20 projecting from the upper back surface 18 and the center portion of the bag cover 17 is fixed to the retainer 8 by one rivet 21. The bag cover is fixed to the upper vertical wall portion 22 so that the bag cover is supported at one point. On both sides of the rivet, the projections 46 of the upper vertical wall portion 22 engage with the openings 44 provided in the upper leg portion 20. As a result, the bag cover 17 is swingably supported in the left-right direction about the rivet 21 with respect to the retainer 8, and the swing is guided by the engagement between the opening and the projection. Therefore, when the driver wants to blow the horn, even if he pushes or hits any position other than the one-point support portion on the surface of the bag cover 17, the bag cover 17 moves back and forth, and the driver's bag cover surface is moved. The horn switch pressing portion 27 of the horn switch 31 which receives the most force by the upper pressing position
Pushes the receiving plate 37 of the horn switch 31 against the elastic body 38 to bring the movable contact 40 into contact with the fixed contact 35, thereby sending the signal to the horn control circuit via the lead wire 41 to blow the horn. When the one-point support portion is a rivet as described above, the connection at this portion is strong. Therefore, when the left and right sides of the one-point support portion of the bag cover are pressed, the elastic deformation of the bag cover occurs. Within the range of.

At this time, sliding of the bag cover 17 is guided by engagement between the projection 46 of the lower vertical wall portion 45 of the retainer and the lower leg portion 43 of the bag cover 17. Further, when the bag cover 17 and the upper vertical wall portion 22 of the retainer are fixed at only one place by rivets, when the airbag is deployed, the deployment of the bag cover is supported only by the rivet portion. Although the cover may be scattered, the weakness of fixation can be reinforced by the engaging portions, and the airbag can be securely held and a safe airbag can be provided. On the other hand, when the pressing of the bag cover 17 is released, the horn switch 31 is pushed back by the elastic force of the elastic body 38 and returns to the original state. Therefore, in the one proposed by the present applicant, the horn does not operate when the bag cover is operated on the extension of the axis line in which the three rivets fixed to the retainer are arranged, and the one-point support is eliminated. The horn can be reliably blown even if any position other than the section is operated.

In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which a rivet is used as a one-point support in the fixing portion between the bag cover and the retainer. In addition, as shown in FIG.
4 can also be used. In this case, the screw portion of the pin 64 is screwed into the nut 65 welded to the retainer 8,
The head 66 of the pin 64 and the upper leg 20 of the bag cover 17
Pin 64 so that there is a gap A between
Fixed to In this embodiment, unlike the case of the rivet in the above-described embodiment, the bag cover 17 is rotatable around this pin, unlike the rivet which cannot be rotated at the one-point support portion, and relies on the elasticity of the bag cover. Therefore, the horn switch can be freely swung right and left around the one-point support portion, and the operation of the horn switch is ensured.

Although the above embodiment has been described in connection with the case where the number of spokes of the steering wheel is four, the present invention can be similarly applied to the case where the number of spokes is three. Also,
As the support structure of the retainer, as shown in FIG. 7, a configuration in which the bottom portion 54 of the retainer 8 is supported by a boss 60 protruding from the base 3 of the steering wheel may be adopted, or as shown in FIG. Bottom 5 of retainer 8
A retainer support member 58 may be provided as a separate member, wherein the retainer 4 is fixed to the base 3 of the steering wheel.

When the airbag is deployed, various means can be adopted as means for opening the bag cover.
For example, in the case where a groove is formed on the back surface of the bag cover to open the bag cover, or at the engagement portion between the lower leg supporting the bag cover and the projection of the retainer, this engagement is released when the airbag is deployed, and A deployment configuration of an opening type bag cover may be adopted.

[0035]

The present invention is configured as described above.
When the driver wants to blow the horn, the bag cover swings around the one-point support portion fixed to the retainer even if the driver pushes any part of the bag cover other than the one-point support portion with respect to the retainer, and the horn switch operates. Works reliably.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the same viewed from below.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the same as viewed from above.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the horn switch portion.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the one-point support portion of the bag cover.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the retainer supporting portion.

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of the retainer supporting portion.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a main part of a conventional example.

FIG. 10 is a rear view of the same.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the same viewed from below.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the retainer portion.

FIG. 13 is a rear view showing a further conventional example.

FIG. 14 is a front view of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Steering shaft 2 Steering wheel 3 Base 4 Steering spoke 6 Airbag module 7 Bracket 8 Retainer 12 Gas generator 13 Airbag 14 Gas discharge part 16 Retainer ring 17 Bag cover 18 Upper back surface 20 Upper leg portion 21 Rivets 22 Upper vertical wall portion 27 Horn switch pressing portion 28 Bracket 29 Lower back surface 30 Bending portion 31 Horn switch 35 Fixed contact 36 Inner circumferential vertical groove 38 Elastic body 39 Stopper 40 Movable contact 43 Lower leg 44 Open hole 45 Lower vertical wall 46 Projection

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A gas generator (12) and an airbag (1).
3) A driver seat airbag module comprising a bag cover (17) attached to a retainer (8) fixed to the steering wheel (2) and fixed to a steering wheel (2). A horn switch (31) is provided between the retainer (8) and the back surface of the bag cover (17). An airbag module for a driver's seat, comprising: 2. The driver airbag module according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said horn switches are provided. 3. The airbag module for a driver's seat according to claim 1, wherein the one-point support portion is a rivet (21). 4. The driver airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the one-point support portion is a pin joint rotatably formed about a support shaft. 5. The airbag module for a driver's seat according to claim 1, wherein guide portions are provided on both sides of the one-point support portion to guide the bag cover in the front-rear direction. 6. The horn switch (31),
The driver's seat airbag according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the airbag is disposed between the retainer (8) and the back surface of the bag cover (17) in the vicinity of a spoke portion of the steering wheel (2). module. 7. The horn switch (31) comprises a fixed contact (35) fixed to a retainer side and a movable contact (40) supported on an upper portion thereof via an elastic body (38). The airbag module for a driver's seat according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the bag cover (17) is always held by receiving a forward force by a reaction force of the elastic body (38). 8. A leg (20) integrally formed with a surface member on the back side of the bag cover (17) and a vertical wall (22) of the retainer (8) are supported at one point, A protrusion (4) formed at a position corresponding to the opening of the vertical wall (22) of the retainer (8) is provided in an opening (44) provided in the leg.
The driver airbag module according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein (6) is loosely fitted.