Integrated safety airbag for steering column assembly of vehicle - has electrically fired propellant contained in chamber attached to column with flexible seal connecting chamber to airbag compartment

摘要

A steering assembly for a motor vehicle has a shaft (5) which terminates in a fixing hub (4) for the steering-wheel (1,2) is set below the plane (1) of the wheel-rim (2). An inflatable airbag (10) for impact protection is folded in the intervening wheel (1,2) hub (4) space enclosed by a concave cap (22) designed to fracture in a defined manner from the sides of an anchoring cylinder (21) to which the airbag (10) is attached by rivets (12). The propellant (27) is accommodated in a cylindrical chamber (28) which surrounds the fixed steering column (14). A flexible seal (19) permitting wheel (1, 2) rotation w.r.t. the chamber (28) enables airbag (10) inflation via the expansion space (9) when the propellant (27) is ignited via the contacts (17, 18). USE/ADVANTAGE - Provides integrated construction for airbag safety device.