WO1998012073A1 - Interrupteur d'avertisseur sonore - Google Patents

Interrupteur d'avertisseur sonore Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1998012073A1
WO1998012073A1 PCT/GB1997/002541 GB9702541W WO9812073A1 WO 1998012073 A1 WO1998012073 A1 WO 1998012073A1 GB 9702541 W GB9702541 W GB 9702541W WO 9812073 A1 WO9812073 A1 WO 9812073A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
cover
housing
horn switch
airbag
retaining ring
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1997/002541
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Hubert Rene Ross
Joachim Verheugen
Udo Bonsch
Original Assignee
Alliedsignal Deutschland Gmbh
Freeman, Jacqueline, Carol
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Alliedsignal Deutschland Gmbh, Freeman, Jacqueline, Carol filed Critical Alliedsignal Deutschland Gmbh
Publication of WO1998012073A1 publication Critical patent/WO1998012073A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/20—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
    • B60R21/217—Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q5/00—Arrangement or adaptation of acoustic signal devices
    • B60Q5/001—Switches therefor
    • B60Q5/003—Switches therefor mounted on the steering wheel

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a horn switch for a vehicle.
  • horn switches are located in the centre of the steering wheel of a vehicle. Pressure on the steering wheel hub causes electrical contacts to be made and an audible horn signal to be generated.
  • the mechanism required was relatively straightforward before air bags were installed in steering wheels. However a driver's air bag is now usually mounted in the hub of a steering wheel and alternative horn mechanisms are needed.
  • One way to retain the horn function in the steering wheel hub involves a thin film membrane sensitive to changes in pressure applied to it. This can be used as a horn switch placed on top of the air bag, directly under the air bag cover with or without a backing plate. This technology is expensive and requires the horn switch to be replaced if the air bag is replaced or even serviced. There is also a danger that deployment of the air bag in a crash situation will cause break-up of the horn switch parts and that these will then be loose projectiles within the vehicle occupant compartment .
  • a horn switch for a vehicle steering wheel incorporating an air bag module, which module has an airbag housed in an uninflated state in an airbag housing and a cover, attached to the housing, the switch comprising a switch membrane sensitive to pressure changes and located at one or more mounting points of the airbag module cover to the airbag housing.
  • the switch membrane may be located between a wall of the airbag housing and a flange of the airbag cover and the flange cooperates with the housing wall to mount the cover on the module.
  • any pressure on the air bag cover by the driver causes a reaction in the mounting points of the cover to the airbag housing.
  • the position of the switch membrane in the invention thus directly monitors this and makes the switch more sensitive than known systems.
  • a horn switch is activatable by pressure applied over a larger surface area of the steering wheel than with conventional membranes placed directly under the cover.
  • This system has the advantage of substantially avoiding the mechanical moving parts in the floating air bag module system. Overall weight is decreased too.
  • a plastic material is preferably utilised for the cover and the housing is typically of aluminium or magnesia with a metallic base to assist transfer of applied force to the horn switch. The structure is thus light yet strong.
  • the horn switch arrangement may further comprise a retaining ring for holding the airbag to the housing.
  • the ring may be bolted or rivetted through the airbag to the housing.
  • it may take the form of a plastics moulded part with a generally annular body part and a plurality of spaced, axially extending resilient teeth for engaging the housing to effectively clamp the airbag to the housing.
  • the teeth are preferably of arrow form with relatively narrow stems and wider heads, preferably with a distinct rebate at the junction of the neck and head to positively engage through holes in the housing to catch on the edges of the holes and resists de-latching.
  • a retaining ring comprising a plastics moulded part comprising a body part and a plurality of spaced upwardly extending resilient engagement teeth.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic view of a cross-section through a driver's air bag module illustrating in part a horn switch according to the present invention and in part according to the prior art .
  • Figure 2 is a schematic cross section of the module of Figure 1 showing more detail .
  • Figure 3 and 4 illustrates a retainer ring which may be used with the module of Figures 1 and 2 (or other modules) .
  • the inflator 1 is mounted to an inflator housing 2 with a peripheral flange 3.
  • An uninflated air bag 4 is folded and lies over the inflator 1 in an airbag housing 5. It is retained between an air bag housing 5 and a retainer ring 6 by means of fixing bolt 7
  • a known type of horn switch according to the prior art is indicated in Figure 1 at 13 and comprises a thin film pressure sensitive membrane 8 lying on top of a backing plate 9 on top of the folded airbag 4. Changes in pressure on the cover 10 causes reactions in the backing plate 9 which are sensed by the switch membrane 8 to operate the horn. Typically such a membrane will only operate when the pressure changes by a predetermined amount over a predetermined time. Both increasing and decreasing forces will activate the switch membrane which typically is constructed of a material whose resistance changes depending on the pressure applied. Typically a small circuit is attached to the membrane to measure the resistance changing over time.
  • a cover 10 surrounds the parts to protect them from dust and foreign particle ingress. This cover is typically of a plastics material .
  • the new switch is indicated at 14.
  • a small piece of the pressure sensitive thin film membrane is placed at a mounting point of the cover to the housing.
  • Two alternatives are shown at 11a and lib.
  • the membrane 11a is located between and separates the housing 5 peripheral flange and the cover 10. Increasing force on the cover 10 causes an increasing pressure on the thin membrane 11a and operates the horn whereas the membrane lib separates the inflator flange 2 and the cover.
  • Figure 2 illustrates more clearly the connection between the cover 10 and the inflator flange 3 and housing 5.
  • the cover 10 is provided with resilient flanges 16 which act as stiffening ribs and provide circumferential grooves.
  • a lateral or outwardly extending flange of the housing 5 fits snugly into a radially extending cover groove 17 and it is on one or the other side of this housing flange that the switch membrane is positioned (11a or lib) .
  • the inflator flange 2 is inserted into an axially extending circum erential groove 18 of the cover as a last stage of the module assembly.
  • the membrane 11a or lib need not extend all the way around the circumference of the cover 10. It will be sufficient to have portions of the switch membrane (11a or lib) at spaced positions around the circumference.
  • the new switch is more sensitive than the known switches since it is not hampered by the stiffness of the cover. Also it is activated by pressure applied to the whole area of the cover whereas the prior art switch required pressure to be applied specifically in the area of the membrane. In addition, a smaller total area of membrane is needed and the backing plate is redundant since the new switch membrane is mounted between two rigid materials. In the prior art switch a backing plate for the membrane is needed because the pressure is otherwise dissipated by the relatively soft surface of the folded air bag.
  • the retaining ring 6 may alternatively take the form of a plastic moulded past as shown in bottom plan view and in side view in Figures 3 and 4 respectively.
  • the plastic ring comprises a body part 20 and a plurality of spaced upwardly extending resilient engagement teeth 21. Each tooth has a narrow stem portion 22 and a wider head portion 23.
  • the retainer ring is pushed onto the airbag housing 5 ( Figures 1 and 2) which is formed with holes at circumferentially spaced positions corresponding to the positions of the teeth.
  • the neck of the airbag 4 is also provided with corresponding holes and thus the ring holds the airbag neck to the housing.
  • This form of retainer ring is particularly easy and cheap to make and use of it makes an airbag module particularly easy to assembly.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Air Bags (AREA)
  • Steering Controls (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un interrupteur d'avertisseur sonore placé sur le volant d'un véhicule, lequel interrupteur comprend une membrane ou une section de membrane de commutation sensible à la pression disposée sur un point d'attache du module de coussin gonflable, par exemple entre le rebord du logement du coussin gonflable et le rebord du cache de protection du coussin gonflable, ces deux parties coopérant lors du montage du cache de protection sur le module. On décrit également un anneau de fixation denté en plastique permettant de fixer le coussin gonflable sur le coffret par pression. Cet interrupteur est extrêmement sensible, il ne requiert pas de plaque de support, il est léger, facile à installer et fiable.
PCT/GB1997/002541 1996-09-19 1997-09-19 Interrupteur d'avertisseur sonore WO1998012073A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9619547.4A GB9619547D0 (en) 1996-09-19 1996-09-19 Horn switch
GB9619547.4 1996-09-19

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1998012073A1 true WO1998012073A1 (fr) 1998-03-26

Family

ID=10800156

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1997/002541 WO1998012073A1 (fr) 1996-09-19 1997-09-19 Interrupteur d'avertisseur sonore

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (2) GB9619547D0 (fr)
WO (1) WO1998012073A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2010037462A1 (fr) * 2008-10-01 2010-04-08 Autoliv Development Ab Dispositif d’activation de l’avertisseur sonore d’un véhicule à moteur

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB9704532D0 (en) * 1997-03-05 1997-04-23 Alliedsignal Deutschland Gmbh Airbag
DE102009048579B4 (de) * 2009-10-07 2015-07-23 Autoliv Development Ab Gassackmodul

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0364267A2 (fr) * 1988-10-14 1990-04-18 Irvin Automotive Products, Inc. Dispositif de retenue d'occupant de véhicule
US5259641A (en) * 1992-02-25 1993-11-09 General Motors Corporation Air bag attachment device
US5320379A (en) * 1993-05-05 1994-06-14 Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc. Inflator mounting system
US5398962A (en) * 1994-02-14 1995-03-21 Force Imaging Technologies, Inc. Horn activator for steering wheels with air bags
US5465998A (en) * 1995-03-17 1995-11-14 Larry J. Winget Air bag cover having a tear seam membrane switch
US5501484A (en) * 1995-03-20 1996-03-26 Morton International, Inc. Rivetless cushion retaining ring with tabs which lock the ring in place after rotation
US5520412A (en) * 1995-06-02 1996-05-28 Larry Winget Thermoplastic air bag cover having a membrane switch

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5283404A (en) * 1992-05-27 1994-02-01 Morton International, Inc. Minimum float, serviceable center blow horn switch in driver side air bag module

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0364267A2 (fr) * 1988-10-14 1990-04-18 Irvin Automotive Products, Inc. Dispositif de retenue d'occupant de véhicule
US5259641A (en) * 1992-02-25 1993-11-09 General Motors Corporation Air bag attachment device
US5320379A (en) * 1993-05-05 1994-06-14 Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc. Inflator mounting system
US5398962A (en) * 1994-02-14 1995-03-21 Force Imaging Technologies, Inc. Horn activator for steering wheels with air bags
US5465998A (en) * 1995-03-17 1995-11-14 Larry J. Winget Air bag cover having a tear seam membrane switch
US5501484A (en) * 1995-03-20 1996-03-26 Morton International, Inc. Rivetless cushion retaining ring with tabs which lock the ring in place after rotation
US5520412A (en) * 1995-06-02 1996-05-28 Larry Winget Thermoplastic air bag cover having a membrane switch

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2010037462A1 (fr) * 2008-10-01 2010-04-08 Autoliv Development Ab Dispositif d’activation de l’avertisseur sonore d’un véhicule à moteur

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2318101B (en) 2000-11-01
GB2318101A (en) 1998-04-15
GB9720035D0 (en) 1997-11-19
GB9619547D0 (en) 1996-10-30

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