Abstract: An occupant restraint system includes a box-like container having a base wall and side walls joined to the base wall and a folded inflatable cushion within the container. Tear lines in the form of a groove are formed on the base wall so as to define a pair of tongues forcibly separable from the container and a pair of flaps integrally hinged to the tongues and forcibly separable from the container for movement between a normally closed position and an open position upon inflation and deployment of the cushion. The tongues and flaps are located substantially entirely within the base wall and are separable from the container and movable to the open position so as to permit deployment of the cushion through the base wall.

Abstract: An air bag cover for a vehicle has a main body formed of a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer and a skin layer applied over the main body. The skin layer is preferably of an `integral skin` reaction type polyurethane and is applied over the main body. Break lines may be formed in the main body portion of the airbag cover for permitting an inflated air bag to rip the cover for emerging into the vehicle cabin. The polyurethane elastomer of the main body preferably has a Shore A hardness rating of over 80.

Abstract: An energy absorbing steering wheel assembly for use with a steering shaft includes an annular rim, a hub connecting the annular rim drivingly with an end portion of the steering shaft, a center covering member positioned at a generally center portion of the annular rim, and an energy absorbing structure positioned between the hub and the center covering member. The energy absorbing structure comprising a first portion connected to the center covering member, a second portion connected to the hub, a third portion which is sandwiched between the first and second portions, and brace members for minimizing displacement of the first portion and the third portion relative to each other and to the second portion when an impact load, exceeding a predetermined magnitude, is applied to the center covering member at an angle to the steering shaft.

Abstract: A horn switch arrangement for a vehicle steering wheel comprises a steering wheel affixed to a steering shaft of a vehicle, a horn plate movably mounted on the steering wheel with a spring urging the horn plate away from the steering wheel. The horn plate is provided with insulating members above and below for resiliently and mounting the horn plate in an insulated condition. A base plate is mounted on the upper insulating member the base plate being normally covered with a pad. The base plate may be further utilized to conveniently mount an airbag module on the steering wheel.

Abstract: In order to permit a steering wheel to be simply connected to a steering shaft having a frusto conical tapered portion, a serrated or splined portion and a threaded portion, in a manner which permits ready adjustment of the wheels' position which respect to the shaft, the central boss of the steering wheel is divided into separate upper and lower boss members. The lower boss member seats on the tapered portion and is rigidly connected with the steering wheel. The upper boss member fits on the serrated portion so that relative rotation is prevented. By tightening a nut on the threaded portion of the steering shaft, force can be applied through the upper boss member to the lower one in a manner which produces a frictional engagement between the lower boss member and the tapered portion which prevents relative rotation.

Abstract: A rotary damper has a hollow cylinder having upper and lower flanges to serve as a pivot. One arm is tightly fitted on one of the upper and lower flanges and extends essentially in a direction tangential to the associated flange. The other arm is pivotal with rotation of the outer pivot and extends essentially in a direction tangential to the outer pivot. A coil spring is wound around the outer periphery of the hollow cylinder. The ends of the coil spring are connected to the arms for exerting spring force in a direction opposite the pivoting direction of the arms.

Abstract: A damper control arrangement employs friction in providing appropriate resistance against motion of a manual operator as manually operated and thereby provide proper stiff feeling for a manual operator. The friction is provided by a resilient or elastic friction member which is coupled with a louver assembly with the manual operator with frictional engagement therewith by a tightening torque of fastener.

Abstract: An automatic flash removing apparatus, according to the present invention, comprises a flash removing cutter edge carried by a cutter holder. The cutter holder is movable with carrying the cutter edge relative to a molded product. On the other hand, the molded product is supported on a product support which can drive the product relative to the cutter edge so that the portion of the product having flash to be removed is placed in opposition to the cutter edge. The cutter holder is associated with a pressure regulator means for adjusting pressure to depress the cutter edge toward the product. Regulated depression pressure may avoid fluctuation of smoothness of the product after removing the flash.

Abstract: An impact absorbing structure for use in steering wheels and the like is formed by slitting a blank and pressing the same in a manner to define a plurality of L-shaped members which are alternatively and mutually inverted with respect to one another. The vertically extending leg portions of the L-shaped members are bent in a manner which facilitates buckling during collisions and the like.

Abstract: A metallic hub of a steering wheel is formed by upper and lower hub members secured together with a portion of a spoke core held therebetween. The hub members have a protrusion and a recess which are press fitted to secure the two hub members together with the spoke core gripped by the two hub members. The portion of the spoke core is welded to the upper and lower hub members so that the three members are rigidly fixed together.

Abstract: An annular rim core of a steering wheel is made from an elongated blank which has, as viewed in cross-section taken in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof, a pair of opposite sides, a first recess formed in one of the sides and sized to fittingly receive a first type of spoke core, and a second recess formed in either one of a bottom of the first recess and the other side and sized to fittingly receive a second type of spoke core. The annular rim core is formed by bending the elongated blank into a circular shape such that the one or the other side of the blank is directed radially inwardly of the circle.

Abstract: The boss of a steering wheel is serrated by setting the steering wheel on a serrating broaching machine, inserting a serrating broach into a through hole defined in the boss of the steering wheel, and then pulling the serrating broach with a broach chuck gripping the serrating broach to cut serrations on an inner surface of the through hole in the boss. The steering wheel is positioned nonrotatably in a prescribed angular orientation on the broaching machine while placing the boss on a holder of the broaching machine. Then, the serrating broach is inserted through the through hole in the boss into the holder of the broaching machine while holding the serrating broach in a prescribed angular orientation around the axis thereof with respect to the broach chuck. Finally, the serrating broach is pulled from the boss with the broach chuck gripping the serrating broach to cut serrations on the inner surface of the boss.

Abstract: A steering wheel having a metallic hub formed by upper and lower hub members secured together with a portion of a spoke core held therebetween. The hub members have protrusions and recesses which are press-fitted with the spoke core therebetween and gripped by the two members.

Abstract: A steering wheel has a rim section, a hub section and a pair of spokes connecting the hub section to the rim section. The hub section includes a hub member of a metal including a cylindrical portion defining therein an axial bore for a steering shaft and an integral flange. The spokes include spoke cores made of a length of metal rod including a central arcuate bend extending along the junction between the cylindrical portion and the flange of the hub member, a pair of radially extending arms or opposite end portions and rising portions interconnecting the end portions and the central arcuate bend. The flange is formed therein with a pair of generally diametrically opposed notches with which the rising portions of the metal rod are engaged to form torque-transmitting connections. The hub member and the metal rod are rigidly secured together by a molded plastic layer surrounding the outer periphery of the hub member and the central arcuate bend and the rising portions of the metal rod.

Abstract: A ventilator grill comprises an outer frame made of synthetic resin having an inlet opening and outlet opening, at least one stationary vane extending across an interior of the outer frame, a plurality of through holes provided in each half of the outer frame, arcuate recess provided in an end face of the respective stationary vane, which opposes the inlet opening of the outer frame, and which has a circular arc, and at least one movable vane extending across the stationary vane, which is provided at opposite sides thereof in opposing side walls of the halves of the outer frame with journal shafts received within the through holes for permitting the movable vane to swing about an axis of swing extending through a center of the circular arc of the arcuate recess, and which is provided at one end portion thereof toward the inlet opening of the outer frame with a portion which is in sliding contact with the arcuate recess.

Abstract: An automotive steering wheel assembly includes a central hub to be secured to a steering shaft and upper and lower hub cover members of a molded plastic material. The lower cover member is secured to the hub and has a bottom wall defining an opening receiving a lower part of the hub and an outer peripheral wall surrounding the hub in radially spaced relationship thereto. The upper cover member is axially movably mounted on a bracket which is secured to the hub and has a radially outer peripheral section disposed in contact with and mechanically connected to the lower cover member peripheral wall adjacent to the upper edge thereof to provide an inner reinforcement operative to prevent radially inward and outward deformation of the lower cover member peripheral wall.

Abstract: A vinyl chloride resin composition made lightweight and delustered and having a superior abrasion resistance and a good microballoon-retainability, and molded products such as steering wheel using the same are provided, which composition comprises 100 parts by weight (hereinafter "by weight" omitted) of a vinyl chloride copolymer consisting of 97.0.about.99.95% of vinyl chloride and 3.0 to 0.05% of a polyethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate having a specified number of ethylene glycol polymerization units and a specified average polymerization degree, 5 to 100 parts of microballoons having a specified s.g., particle diameter and compressive strength, 1 to 20 parts of polyvinyl acetate having a specified average polymerization degree and 30 to 150 parts of a plasticizer.

Abstract: An automotive steering wheel assembly has a hub pad kept stationary during rotation of a steering wheel. The hub pad is attached to an upper annular member rotatable about a hub and coaxial to a non-rotatable lower annular member axially spaced from the upper member. A carrier is fixed to the hub and supports a planet gear for rotation about its own axis and for revolution about the axis of the hub in meshing engagement with internal gear teeth formed on the upper and lower members so that rotation of the hub causes the planet gear to revolve about the hub axis to keep the upper member and thus the hub pad apparently stationary. The planet gear is formed thereon with an annular flange having opposite end faces in slidable engagement with opposed faces of the upper and lower members to prevent the upper member from being distorted by the force exerted by a driver to the hub pad.

Abstract: An automotive steering wheel assembly has a metallic core and an outer covering of a molded soft plastic material in which switch-receiving recesses are formed for horn switch assemblies each including a base of a hard plastic material, a plastic switch button movably mounted on the base and carrying a movable contact thereon and springs disposed between the switch button and the base. The assembly is inserted into an associated recess and secured to a bracket with a stationary contact disposed in alignment with the movable contact and held between the bracket and the base. The bracket is secured to the metallic core of the steering wheel.

Abstract: A two-stage actuator comprises a pair of axially aligned bellows molded from a thermoplastic material and connected at their adjacent ends by a molded link section integral with the bellows. The other end of one of the bellows is designed to be connected to a stationary machine part while the other end of the other bellows is designed to be connected to a movable machine part. Each bellows has an accordion-type convolution section pneumatically connected through a conduit and a valve to a vacuum source so that the convolution section is axially collapsed by vacuum when applied. A link member axially extends over the convolution section of the other bellows and has an end fixed relative to the one bellows. The other end of the other bellows is in the form of an axially elongated protrusion slidably extending through an opening formed in the other end of the link member.