The occupant protection device comprising: a base portion fixed to a ceiling portion of the vehicle; an operation portion connected to the base portion via a hinge and configured to rotate move back and forth between a first position serving as an initial position and a second position used to suppress movement of the occupant when inertial force acts on the occupant, the operation portion configured to align with the ceiling portion at the first portion; and a control unit. The operation portion is movable repeatedly from the first position to the second position through the movement control by returning to the first position after having moved from the first position to the second position. The occupant protection device further includes an buffering means configured to buffer a collision impact on the occupant against the operation portion when the operation portion moves to the second position.

Methods and systems for operating a vehicle occupant protection device of a steer-by-wire steering system. The system includes a steering wheel and an adjustable steering column connected to the steering wheel which can be adjusted between a retracted position and a deployed position via an adjustment mechanism. The steer-by-wire steering system has a feedback actuator to which a driver's request for a steering angle can be applied by a driver via the steering wheel, and which outputs a feedback signal to the steering wheel in response to the driver's request and a driving state of the motor vehicle. The method includes detecting an accident, detecting a hands-off situation or a hands-on situation, and when a hands-off situation has been detected, moving the steering column into an accident position by means of the adjustment mechanism, and triggering a steering wheel airbag during or after the adjustment process.

Methods and systems for operating a vehicle occupant protection device of a steer-by-wire steering system. The system includes a steering wheel and an adjustable steering column connected to the steering wheel which can be adjusted between a retracted position and a deployed position via an adjustment mechanism. The steer-by-wire steering system has a feedback actuator to which a driver's request for a steering angle can be applied by a driver via the steering wheel, and which outputs a feedback signal to the steering wheel in response to the driver's request and a driving state of the motor vehicle. The method includes detecting an accident, detecting a hands-off situation or a hands-on situation, and when a hands-off situation has been detected, moving the steering column into an accident position by means of the adjustment mechanism, and triggering a steering wheel airbag during or after the adjustment process.

Provided is a steering wheel including a dynamic damper mechanism which does not easily deteriorate over time, in which a resonance frequency to be damped does not easily change. A attaching structure for attaching an airbag device to a steering wheel incudes: a tubular guide member (51) passing through an opening of a fixing plate (25) of the airbag device; a hook (70, 80) engaging with a lock spring (53); a hollow holding member (67) fixed to a main body part (110) of the steering wheel and holding a base end portion (71) of the hook while restricting the base end portion (71) from moving toward a tip end portion (75) of the hook; and a return spring (61), and the base end portion (71) has a bottom portion being a convex spherical shape.

Provided is a steering wheel including a dynamic damper mechanism which does not easily deteriorate over time, in which a resonance frequency to be damped does not easily change. A attaching structure for attaching an airbag device to a steering wheel incudes: a tubular guide member (51) passing through an opening of a fixing plate (25) of the airbag device; a hook (70, 80) engaging with a lock spring (53); a hollow holding member (67) fixed to a main body part (110) of the steering wheel and holding a base end portion (71) of the hook while restricting the base end portion (71) from moving toward a tip end portion (75) of the hook; and a return spring (61), and the base end portion (71) has a bottom portion being a convex spherical shape.

A steering wheel damper may include a plate fastened to a hub of a steering wheel; one or more posts each having one side fixed to a surface of the plate and the other side extending perpendicular to the surface of the plate; a mass body spaced from the plate, attached to the other side of the post, supported by the posts, and having upper and lower portions configured as magnet bodies having different polarities; and an electromagnet made by winding a coil around a core fixed to the surface of the plate.

A steering wheel damper may include a plate fastened to a hub of a steering wheel; one or more posts each having one side fixed to a surface of the plate and the other side extending perpendicular to the surface of the plate; a mass body spaced from the plate, attached to the other side of the post, supported by the posts, and having upper and lower portions configured as magnet bodies having different polarities; and an electromagnet made by winding a coil around a core fixed to the surface of the plate.

A collapsible steering wheel of a motor vehicle, comprising a steering wheel rim having a number of segments that can be moved in relation to each other between a first position and a second position. A first angle is formed between respectively adjacent segments in the first position and a second angle different from the first angle is formed between respectively adjacent segments in the second position. The disclosure also relates to a steering device of a motor vehicle.

The occupant protection device that protects an occupant boarding on a vehicle and includes: a base portion fixed to the vehicle; an operation portion connected to the base portion and configured to move back and forth between a first position serving as an initial position and a second position used to suppress movement of the occupant when inertial force acts on the occupant; and a control unit configured to perform movement control to move the operation portion from the first position to the second position. The operation portion is movable repeatedly from the first position to the second position through the movement control by returning to the first position after having moved from the first position to the second position. The occupant protection device includes an buffering means configured to buffer a collision impact on the occupant against the operation portion when the operation portion moves to the second position.

The occupant protection device that protects an occupant boarding on a vehicle and includes: a base portion fixed to the vehicle; an operation portion connected to the base portion and configured to move back and forth between a first position serving as an initial position and a second position used to suppress movement of the occupant when inertial force acts on the occupant; and a control unit configured to perform movement control to move the operation portion from the first position to the second position. The operation portion is movable repeatedly from the first position to the second position through the movement control by returning to the first position after having moved from the first position to the second position. The occupant protection device includes an buffering means configured to buffer a collision impact on the occupant against the operation portion when the operation portion moves to the second position.