Horn switch for motor vehicles steering wheels

Claim 2

A horn switch for a motor vehicle steering wheel for controlling a horn-operating circuit of the vehicle, said steering wheel having a frame including a hub and a rim rigidly interconnected by spokes, said frame having an upper side facing a driver of the vehicle and an underside, said horn switch comprising: a horn-operating element; means mounting said horn-operating element on the upper side of the steering wheel frame for rotation therewith and depression relative thereto; means for upwardly biasing said horn-operating element; a pair of opposed normally separated electrical contacts located on the underside of the steering wheel frame, one of said contacts being fixed and the other of said contacts being movable in rotation with the steering wheel frame and axially with said horn-operating element; and connecting leg means extending from the upper side to the lower side of the steering wheel frame to connect said horn-operating element and said other movable contact; said other movable contact being of annular form centered on the axis of the steering wheel such that depression of said horn-operating element causes said other movable contact to cooperate with said fixed contact to close the horn-operating circuit in any position of rotation of the steering wheel frame.

Claim 3

A horn switch according to claim 1, wherein said connecting leg means passes through the hub of the steering wheel frame.

Claim 4

A horn switch according to claim 2, wherein said connecting leg means comprises a spider member having a base and a plurality of legs upstanding from the base, the upper ends of said legs being formed with abutments for engaging said horn-operating element, and said upwardly biasing means comprises a spring acting between the steering wheel frame and the underside of said abutments on said legs of said spider member.

Claim 5

A horn switch according to claim 3, wherein said spider member is made of electrically conductive material and its base is integrally formed with said other movable contact, said spider member being connected to ground, and means is provided for connecting said fixed contact through said horn-operating circuit and the battery of the vehicle to ground.

Claim 6

A horn switch according to claim 3, wherein said spider member is made of electrically insulating material and its base is fixedly assembled with said other movable contact, whereby said spider member acts to insulate the steering wheel frame from the horn-operating circuit.

Claim 7

A horn switch for a motor vehicle steering wheel for controlling a horn-operating circuit of the vehicle, said steering wheel having a frame including a hub and a rim rigidly interconnected by spokes, said frame having an upper side facing a driver of the vehicle and an underside, said horn switch comprising: a horn-operating bar spanning the hub of the steering wheel frame; means mounting said horn-operating bar on the upper side of the steering wheel frame for rotation therewith and depression relative thereto; means for upwardly biasing said horn-operating bar; a pair of opposed normally separated electrical contacts located on the underside of the steering wheel frame, one of said contacts being fixed and the other of said contacts being movable in rotation with the steering wheel frame and axially with the horn-operating bar; and funnel means extending from the upper side to the lower side of the steering wheel frame outside the hub to connect said horn-operating bar and the other of said contacts; said other movable contact being of annular form centered on the axis of the steering wheel such that depression of said horn-operating bar causes said other movable contact to cooperate with said fixed contact to close the horn-operating circuit in any position of rotation of the steering wheel frame.

Claim 8

A horn switch for a motor vehicle steering wheel for controlling a horn-operating circuit of the vehicle, said steering wheel having a frame including a hub and a rim rigidly interconnected by spokes, said frame having an upper side facing a driver of the vehicle and an underside, said horn switch comprising: a horn-operating bar spanning the hub of the steering wheel frame; means mounting said horn-operating bar on the upper side of the steering wheel frame for rotation therewith and depression relative thereto; means for upwardly biasing said horn-operating bar; a pair of opposed normally separated electrical contacts located on the underside of the steering wheel frame, one of said contacts being fixed and the other of said contacts being movable in rotation with the steering wheel frame and axially with the horn-operating bar; and funnel means extending from the upper side to the lower side of the steering wheel frame outside the hub to connect said horn-operating bar and the other of said contacts; said other movable contact being of annular form centered on the axis of the steering wheel such that depression of said horn-operating bar causes said other movable contact to cooperate with said fixed contact to close the horn-operating circuit in any position of rotation of the steering wheel frame.

Claim 9

A horn switch according to claim 6, wherein said funnel means comprises a protective funnel of insulating material, the upper end of said funnel being connected to said horn-operating bar and said funnel tapering inwardly towards its lower end, said funnel having slots therein to pass the spokes of the steering wheel frame, directly carrying said other movable contact at said lower end.

Claim 10

A horn switch according to claim 7, having two fixed contacts, the first fixed contact being a rigid contact connected through the horn to the live battery terminal of the vehicle and the second fixed contact being a grounded resilient contact permanently engaged by said other movable contact and yielding when said horn-operating bar is depressed to permit engagement of said other movable contact with said first fixed contact.

Claim 11

A horn switch for a motor vehicle steering wheel for controlling a horn-operating circuit of the vehicle, said steering wheel having a frame including a hub and a rim rigidly interconnected by spokes, said frame having an upper side facing a driver of the vehicle and an underside, said horn switch comprising: a horn-operating element; means mounting said horn-operating element on the upper side of the steering wheel frame for rotation therewith and depression relative thereto; means for upwardly biasing said horn-operating element; a pair of opposed normally separated electrical contacts located on the underside of the steering wheel frame, one of said contacts being fixed; extension means connected to said horn-operating element to extend from the upper side to the lower side of the steering wheel frame; a non-rotatable depressable supporting member beneath the steering wheel frame for the other of said contacts; said extension means being rotatable with the steering wheel frame relative to said supporting member and engaging therewith to depress said other contact when said horn-operating element is depressed; and at least one of said extension means and said other contact being of annular form centered on the axis of the steering wheel such that depression of said horn-operating element will cause said other contact to cooperate with said fixed contact to close the horn-operating circuit in any position of rotation of the steering wheel frame.

Claim 12

A horn switch for a motor vehicle steering wheel for controlling a horn-operating circuit of the vehicle, said steering wheel having a frame including a hub and a rim rigidly interconnected by spokes, said frame having an upper side facing a driver of the vehicle and an underside, said horn switch comprising: a horn-operating element; means mounting said horn-operating element on the upper side of the steering wheel frame for rotation therewith and depression relative thereto; means for upwardly biasing said horn-operating element; a pair of opposed normally separated electrical contacts located on the underside of the steering wheel frame, one of said contacts being fixed; extension means connected to said horn-operating element to extend from the upper side to the lower side of the steering wheel frame; a non-rotatable depressable supporting member beneath the steering wheel frame for the other of said contacts; said extension means being rotatable with the steering wheel frame relative to said supporting member and engaging therewith to depress said other contact when said horn-operating element is depressed; and at least one of said extension means and said other contact being of annular form centered on the axis of the steering wheel such that depression of said horn-operating element will cause said other contact to cooperate with said fixed contact to close the horn-operating circuit in any position of rotation of the steering wheel frame.

Claim 13

A horn switch according to claim 9, including a flexible envelope enclosing the space between said other contact and said fixed contact.