Mystery Piece Behind Driver Airbag

Greetings Toyota Brothers!

I have a 1997 Toyota Tacoma that I've owned since 1999 and it's always been my rock, and still is. But recently I started hearing this clicking noise coming from inside the steering column whenever I made a sharp turn. I found this forum in a Google search and learned how to disassemble the column covers and remove the airbag. Having accomplished that task successfully, I also found the clicking culprit; a mystery piece of metal with rubber dampers had become detached (rubber was deteriorating) was laying loose between the airbag and the steering wheel itself.



My question is, what is this piece of metal for exactly? Having it laying loose and flopping around in there didn't appear to effect the steering of the truck at all, so I am assuming it doesn't really NEED to be there, not in terms of functionality anyway. Possibly it has something to do with the air bag deployment and is a safety device of some sort. But as it stands now, unless someone can identify the mystery piece and share some of their knowledge with me, my plan is to just replace the airbag without the mystery metal and then go on about my business. Below is a photo of where the piece was located before it came dislodged.



Any help would be appreciated, particularly if this is something that is of some importance mechanically. Thanks in advance to anyone taking the time read and answer.

 

This is a guess, it looks to be a back support/spacer for the air bag. In case the airbag is set off, that base is what keeps the air bag from pushing back on/through the steering wheel.

 

Thanks for the input CD20H, that was the only logical conclusion that I could come to, that is was some kind of piece to help direct the airbag at deployment. If you look at the photo below where I zoomed into the area where it was mounted, that area is plastic whereas elsewhere in the airbag area is all metal, and that plastic area also has three or four molded openings (inside the circle I drew) where you can look right on through the steering column housing and down into the area where the pedals are below the dashboard. If that's the case, I have to weigh the options of moving on without it and hoping I never have occasion to need the airbag (or that if deployed it will still function well enough to do its job) or try mounting it back in position using a combination of super glue and 200mph tape and hoping that is a) doesn't work its way loose again and b) doesn't compromise the safety and functionality of the airbag by being jury-rigged into its intended position.