Cable conduit device for connection cables of an airbag module, wiring system, airbag module, and steering wheel or vehicle comprising a cable conduit device of said type

Abstract

The invention relates to a cable conduit device for connection cables of an airbag module, comprising at least one cable duct (10) that includes retaining means (11) for at least one cable (30), and at least one contact plug (20) to be connected to a coil spring on a steering column; the contact plug (20) is or can be coupled in a twist-proof manner to the cable duct (10).

Claims

1. A cable conduit device for connection cables of an airbag module, comprising: at least one cable duct (10) that includes retaining means (11) for at least one cable (30); and at least one contact plug (20) is coupled in a rotationally fixed manner to the at least one cable duct (10); wherein the at least one cable duct (10) extends through the at least one contact plug (20).

2. The cable conduit device according to claim 1, wherein the cable duct (10) includes a conduit portion (12) and a connecting portion (13), and wherein the contact plug (20) is configured to be coupled to the connecting portion (13).

3. The cable conduit device according to claim 2, wherein the connecting portion (13) includes snap hooks (14) or clip connectors for connection to the contact plug (20), wherein the connecting portion (13) has a bottom plate (19) on which the snap hooks (14) or clip connectors are disposed so that the snap hooks (14) or clip connectors laterally encompass the contact plug (20) in a coupled state.

4. The cable conduit device according to claim 2, wherein the connecting portion (13) extends through the contact plug (20), the contact plug (20) comprising a plug cover (22) and a plug body (21), and wherein the connecting portion (13) is configured to be arranged between the plug cover (22) and the plug body (21).

5. The cable conduit device according to claim 2, wherein the connecting portion (13) includes a bottom plate (19) having a width that is smaller than the width of the contact plug (20), and/or wherein the contact plug (20) and/or the connecting portion (13) is arranged at a longitudinal end or between longitudinal ends of the cable duct (10).

6. A wiring system of the airbag module comprising the cable conduit device according to claim 1 and comprising one or more electrically conducting cables (30) that are arranged in the cable conduit device and are positively fixed by the retaining means (11).

7. The wiring system according to claim 6, wherein the cables (30) comprise module connection cables (31), comprising at least one of: at least one release cable for at least one pyrotechnical actuator, and at least one horn contact cable (23), steering wheel connection cables (32), at least one multi-function switch cable (26), at least one lighting cable.

8. The airbag module comprising the cable conduit device of claim 1.

9. The airbag module according to claim 8, wherein the cable conduit device bundles all or a first part of the connection cables (30) of the airbag module.

10. A steering wheel comprising the cable conduit device according to claim 1.

11. The cable conduit device according to claim 1, wherein the cable conduit (10) and the contact plug (20) are adhesively coupled to one another.

12. The cable conduit device according to claim 1, wherein the cable duct (10) is formed integrally as a plastic injection molded part.

13. The airbag module comprising the wiring system of claim 6.

14. The wiring system according to claim 7, wherein the steering wheel connection cables (32) end in the contact plug (20).

15. The wiring system according to claim 14, wherein the steering wheel plug is connected to the contact plug (20) by a conduit portion (12) of the cable duct (10).

16. A steering wheel comprising a wiring system of claim 6.

17. A steering wheel comprising the air bag module of claim 8.

18. The cable conduit device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one contact plug (20) has a plug cover (22) and a plug body (21), and wherein the at least one cable duct (10) is disposed between the plug cover (22) and the plug body (21).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) Hereinafter, the invention will be illustrated in detail by way of embodiments with reference to the enclosed schematic drawings, wherein

(2) FIG. 1 shows a front view onto a cable conduit device according to the invention in accordance with a preferred embodiment, the cable duct including one single conduit portion;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the cable conduit device according to FIG. 1;

(4) FIGS. 3 and 4 show a perspective view of the cable duct of the cable conduit device according to FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 5 shows a top view onto a cable duct of a cable conduit device according to the invention in accordance with a further preferred embodiment, the connecting portion including snap hooks for encompassing a contact plug;

(6) FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the cable conduit device according to FIG. 5;

(7) FIG. 7 shows a sectional view across the cable conduit device according to FIG. 8 in the area of the contact plug;

(8) FIG. 8 shows a top view onto a cable duct of a cable conduit device according to the invention in accordance with a further preferred embodiment, wherein the connecting portion is configured for being positioned between a plug body and a plug cover of the contact plug;

(9) FIG. 9 shows a top view onto the cable conduit device including the cable duct according to FIG. 8;

(10) FIG. 10 shows a perspective sectional representation across the cable conduit device according to FIG. 9; and

(11) FIG. 11 shows a sectional view across the cable conduit device according to FIG. 10 in the area of the contact plug.

DESCRIPTION

(12) FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a cable conduit device for connection cables of an airbag module comprising a cable duct 10 and a contact plug 20. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the cable duct 10 without the contact plug 20.

(13) The cable duct 10 comprises a conduit portion 12 and a connecting portion 13. The conduit portion 12 serves for guiding cables 30 along a predetermined guide path. For this purpose, the conduit portion 12 encloses the cables 30 at least in part. Especially, the conduit portion 12 has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile in which the cables 30 are arranged. The conduit portion 12 concretely comprises a duct bottom 15 and two sidewalls 16 which are disposed substantially normal to the duct bottom 15 and in parallel to each other. Furthermore, in the conduit portion 12 retaining means 11 of the cable duct 10 are provided for preventing the cables 30 from slipping out of the conduit portion 12. In the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4, the retaining means 11 are in the form of tabs being articulated to the cable duct 10, especially to the duct bottom 15, and extending in a closed state over the conduit portion 12, especially over the sidewalls 16.

(14) A connecting portion 13 is integrally connected to the conduit portion 12. The connecting portion 13 comprises a bottom plate 19 orientated substantially in parallel to the duct bottom 15. The bottom plate 19 supports snap hooks 14 that are formed integrally with the bottom plate 19. The snap hooks 14 are arranged at the edges of the bottom plate 19 and extend especially normal to the bottom plate 19. The bottom plate 19 is dimensioned so that it forms a seat for the contact plug 20. Especially, the width of the bottom plate 19 is larger than the width of the contact plug 20 so that the snap hooks 14 can laterally encompass the contact plug 20. The snap hooks 14 engage in corresponding recesses on the contact plug 20 so as to fix the contact plug 20 in a twist-proof manner to the cable duct 10. Concretely speaking, the connecting portion 13 of the cable duct 10 is provided to have a contour which substantially corresponds to the outer contour of the contact plug 20.

(15) It is evident from FIGS. 2 and 3 that in the bottom plate 19 a recess 17 is arranged. Through the recess 17 there may extend portions or additional parts of the contact plug 20 which protrude from a rear wall and, resp., a plug cover 22 of the contact plug 20. The recess 17 also enables access to components disposed within the contact plug 20, such as a battery, an electric fuse or a relay.

(16) In the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4, the cable duct 10 includes one single connecting portion 13 that is connected to a longitudinal end of the single conduit portion 12. In other words, the connecting portion 13 is arranged on a longitudinal end of the cable duct 10. Different configurations of the cable duct 10 are possible. For example, the connecting portion 13 may be arranged in the center of the cable duct 10, especially between two conduit portions 12. Such embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7.

(17) FIG. 5 illustrates a cable duct 10 including two conduit portions 12. A first connecting portion 13a is disposed between the conduit portions 12. There is provided a first conduit portion 12a which, on the one hand, is integrally connected to the first connecting portion 13a und, on the other hand, has a free end 12c. A second conduit portion 12b extends between the first connecting portion 13a and a second connecting portion 13b. The second connecting portion 13b is disposed at a longitudinal end of the cable duct 10, whereas the first connecting portion 13a is positioned between the first conduit portion 12a and the second conduit portion 12b. Each of the conduit portions 12a, 12b includes retaining means 11 in the form of projections of the sidewalls 16. The projections of the sidewalls 16 substantially extend in parallel to the duct bottom 15 and thus form a form-fit holding fixture for cables 30. In so far, also in the embodiment according to FIGS. 5 to 7 the conduit portions 12 are provided to have respective U-shaped cross-sectional profiles.

(18) The first connecting portion 13a serves for accommodating the contact plug 20. The first connecting portion 13a includes a bottom plate 19 supporting snap hooks 14. In contrast to the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4, the bottom plate 19 includes an outwardly open recess 17 that is delimited by two plate extensions 18. The plate extensions 18 end in snap hooks 14 which are orientated substantially normal to the bottom plate 19. The plate extensions 18 extend in the plane of the bottom plate 19. In total, there are provided four snap hooks 14 being orientated and arranged spaced apart from each other so that they the encompass sidewalls of the contact plug 20 and fix the contact plug by form fit to the first connecting portion 13a, especially to the cable duct 10.

(19) The second connecting portion 13b is disposed on a longitudinal end of the cable duct 10, especially on a longitudinal end of the second conduit portion 12b and serves for accommodating a further plug which can especially be used to connect cables to the steering wheel.

(20) FIG. 6 illustrates the cable conduit device including the cable duct 10 from FIG. 5. In the first connecting portion 13a the contact plug 20 that is used for coupling the cable conduit device to a coil spring on a steering column is arranged. Plural cables 30 extend in the conduit portions 12, wherein module connection cables 31 are provided for establishing an electrical connection between the contact plug 20 and an airbag module. The module connection cables 31 especially extend to plug connectors which can be connected to the airbag module. FIG. 6 especially illustrates a gas generator plug 24, a TAU plug 25 as well as horn contact plugs 23. The gas generator plug 24 serves for electrical contacting of a gas generator which contains a pyrotechnical charge for deployment of an airbag. The TAU plug 25 allows for electrical contacting of a Tether Activation Unit (TAU) that is used, for example, for severing a tether for the airbag. The horn contact plugs 23 are connectable to horn contacts provided on the airbag module. Further, at least one horn contact plug 23 that is connectable to a horn contact on the steering wheel may be provided.

(21) In general, in the conduit portions 12 of the cable duct 10 also steering wheel connection cables 32 may be disposed. In the embodiment shown here, the steering wheel connection cables 32 extend especially through the first conduit portion 12a and end up in a multi-function plug 26. The multi-function plug forms an electrical connecting option for multi-function keys on the steering wheel.

(22) From the cross-sectional view according to FIG. 7 it is clearly evident in which way the snap hooks 14 laterally encompass the contact plug 20 at the first connecting portion 13a and thus fix the same on the bottom plate 19. It is further clearly visible that the snap hooks 14 are arranged at the edge of the bottom plate 19. The snap hooks 14 are especially integrally formed with the bottom plate 19.

(23) In FIGS. 8 to 11 another variant of a cable conduit device is illustrated, with FIG. 8 showing the cable duct 10 of the cable conduit device in a top view. The cable conduit device and, resp., the cable duct 10 is substantially configured similarly to the embodiment according to FIGS. 5 to 7. In particular, the cable duct 10 includes two conduit portions 12a, 12b being interconnected by a first connecting portion 13a. At a longitudinal end of the second conduit portion 12b a second connecting portion 13b adapted to support another plug for connection to the steering wheal is arranged. The shape of the conduit portions 12a, 12b is configured equally analogously to the second embodiment according to FIGS. 5 to 7. In particular, the second conduit portion 12b is substantially hook-shaped or J-shaped so as to guide the cables 30 around a gas generator of the airbag module. The first conduit portion 12a is substantially curved in S-shape.

(24) The embodiment according to FIGS. 8 to 11 differs from the embodiment according to FIGS. 5 to 7 substantially by the shape of the first connecting portion 13a. In the embodiment according to FIGS. 8 to 11, the first connecting portion 13a is constituted by a bottom plate 19 having a width that is smaller than the width of the contact plug 20. The bottom plate 19 and, resp., the connecting portion 13a is substantially beam-shaped and exhibits a straight extension.

(25) The contact plug 20 is coupled to the cable duct 10 by a splitting of the contact plug 20. In particular, the contact plug 20 is formed by a plug body 21 that is closed by a plug cover 22. The plug cover 22 thus forms a rear wall of the contact plug 20. Between the plug body 21 and the plug cover 22 a clearance is provided through which the first connecting portion 13a of the cable duct 10 extends. The first connecting portion 13a of the cable duct 10 in this way is positively enclosed by the contact plug 20. This is clearly evident from FIG. 11. The plug cover 22 preferably includes clamp spring elements 27 for applying a clamping force to the cable duct 10 and, resp., to the first connecting portion 13a. In this way, the cable duct 10 may be coupled by clamping to the contact plug 20.

(26) The embodiments according to FIGS. 5 to 11 comprising the second connecting portion 13b that is adapted to accommodate another plug offer the advantage that for connecting the steering wheel and, resp., the electric steering wheel functions to the coil spring on a steering column merely the contact plug 20 has to be connected to the coil spring. All of the further connections can be made in advance already by the cable conduit device. In this way, the assembly of the steering wheel in a vehicle is considerably facilitated.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(27) 10 cable duct 11 retaining means 12 conduit portion 12a first conduit portion 12b second conduit portion 12c free end 13 connecting portion 13a first connecting portion 13b second connecting portion 14 snap hook 15 duct bottom 16 sidewall 17 recess 18 plate extension 19 bottom plate 20 contact plug 21 plug body 22 plug cover 23 horn contact plug 24 gas generator plug 25 TAU plug 26 multi-function plug 27 clamp spring element 30 cable 31 module connection cable 32 steering wheel connection cable