Steering wheel with video screen and airbag

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10144383-B2
Application number	US-201615279487-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2016
Priority date	Sep 29, 2016
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A steering assembly includes a steering wheel and display interface. The steering wheel has an airbag module disposed within a hub of the steering wheel. The display interface is disposed on the steering wheel over the airbag module. The display interface has a first display segment disposed adjacent to a second display segment.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A steering assembly, comprising:
a steering wheel selectively coupled to a steering shaft, the steering wheel having a hub that is configured to receive an airbag module and an airbag cover disposed on the hub; and
a display interface disposed within the airbag cover over the airbag module, the display interface being configured to split along a predicted tear path that extends from a first side of the display interface towards a second side of the display interface in response to expansion of an airbag of the airbag module, wherein the display interface is configured as a frangible display interface.

2. The steering assembly of claim 1 , wherein the display interface defines a display area having a viewing area completely disposed within the display area.

3. The steering assembly of claim 2 , wherein the display interface defines a tear initiator that is aligned with the predicted tear path and extends from an edge of the display area towards the viewing area.

4. The steering assembly of claim 3 , wherein the tear initiator is spaced apart from the viewing area.

5. The steering assembly of claim 4 , wherein in response to expansion of the airbag of the airbag module the tear initiator facilitates formation of a split within the display interface that extends from the edge towards an opposite edge of the display area disposed opposite the edge.

6. A steering assembly provided with an autonomous vehicle, comprising:
a steering wheel having an airbag module disposed within a hub of the steering wheel; and
a display interface disposed on the steering wheel over the airbag module, the display interface having a first display segment disposed adjacent to a second display segment, the first display segment directly abuts the second display segment.

7. The steering assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first display segment has a first display segment first side that is hingedly connected to the steering wheel and a first display segment second side that is disposed opposite the first display segment first side.

8. The steering assembly of claim 7 , wherein the second display segment has a second display segment first side that is hingedly connected to the steering wheel and a second display segment second side that is disposed opposite the second display segment first side.

9. The steering assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first display segment second side abuts the second display segment second side to define a split.

10. The steering assembly of claim 9 , wherein in response to expansion of an airbag of the airbag module, at least one of the first display segment and the second display segment hingedly moves from a closed position towards an open position.

11. A steering assembly provided with an autonomous vehicle, comprising:
a steering wheel having an airbag module disposed within a hub of the steering wheel;
a display interface disposed on the steering wheel over the airbag module, the display interface having a first display segment disposed adjacent to a second display segment, the first display segment has a first display segment first side that is hingedly connected to the steering wheel and a first display segment second side that is disposed opposite the first display segment first side, the second display segment has a second display segment first side that is hingedly connected to the steering wheel and a second display segment second side that is disposed opposite the second display segment first side, the first display segment second side abuts the second display segment second side to define a split; and
a frame member disposed on the steering wheel, the first display segment and the second display segment slidably attached to the frame member.

12. The steering assembly of claim 9 or 11 , wherein the first display segment and the second display segment are movable between a first position in which the first display segment second side abuts the second display segment second side and a second position in which the first display segment second side is spaced apart from the second display segment second side.

13. The steering assembly of claim 12 , wherein movement of the first display segment and the second display segment from the first position towards the second position provides an expanded viewing area of the display interface.

Assignees

• Steering Solutions Ip Holding

Inventors

• Bodtker Joen C
• Schulz John F

Classifications

• B60K2360/652

  Crash protection features · CPC title

• B60K2350/2004

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60K2350/407

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60K35/00

  Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles · CPC title

• B62D1/10

  Hubs; Connecting hubs to steering columns, e.g. adjustable (B62D1/11 takes precedence) · CPC title