INTEGRATED STEERING WHEEL, VIBRATION ABSORBER, AND DRIVER AIRBAG

• Main Authors: Furtado, Roland, Gothekar, Abhishek, O'Mara, Patrick, Spencer, Byron
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 18.06.2020
• Subjects: BLASTING; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS; LIGHTING; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MOTOR VEHICLES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; SPRINGS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRAILERS; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISEPROVIDED FOR; WEAPONS

A steering wheel assembly (10) contains a dampening system for mitigating vibrations transferred from a vehicle to the steering wheel assembly (10). A plurality of damper spring elements or grommets or damper spring elements (22) are each retained within a corresponding steering wheel support member (330). An air bag module (14) is fixed to a steering wheel (18) while resting upon the damper spring elements (22) for eliminating and/or reducing lateral displacement/vibrations normally attendant to vehicle operation. A horn switch (16) containing a plurality of annular support members (76, 176) may be positioned over the damper spring elements (22), wherein each annular support member (76, 176) is coaxially aligned and positioned over a corresponding grommet (22) to also manage vertical displacement; the air bag module (14) is then fixed over the horn switch 16 and to the steering wheel (18). Movement of the airbag module can actuate the horn switch.