Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-30
2001-03-06
Rice, Kenneth R. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S731000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196573
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to inflatable restraint systems for vehicles and, more particularly, to a mounting mechanism for an inflatable restraint system of a vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known to provide an inflatable restraint system in a vehicle to augment protection traditionally afforded vehicle occupants through the use of seat belt restraints. In some vehicles, the inflatable restraint system may be an air bag system disposed within an occupant compartment in the vehicle in close proximity to either a driver occupant or one or more passenger occupants. Typically, the air bag system includes an air bag module attached to vehicle structure such as a steering wheel and having an air bag for deployment through an opening in a cover to extend in the occupant compartment of the vehicle. The deployed air bag restrains movement of the occupant to help protect the occupant during a result of a collision.
Various mounting mechanisms have been used for securing the inflatable restraint module to a support structure in a vehicle, such as a steering wheel or dashboard. In one known mounting mechanism, mounting bolts are provided passing from a rear of the support structure and threadably engaging nuts mounted on the inflatable restraint module. In another known mounting mechanism for a vehicle steering wheel, sleeve members mounted to the inflatable restraint module and surrounding the mounting bolts may be forced into contact with a plate forming the supporting structure on a hub portion of the steering wheel to complete a circuit for actuating a horn.
An example of a mounting mechanism for an inflatable restraint module is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,037 to Worrell et al. In this patent, a mounting mechanism is used in mounting an inflatable restraint module to a support structure such as a hub portion of a steering wheel. The steering wheel has a support plate attached to the hub portion and opposing front and rear faces with a plurality of apertures therethrough. The inflatable restraint module has a plurality of mounting members that are adapted to pass through and be retained within the apertures in the support plate. Each of the mounting members is individually cold-formed and broached into a solid, round steel pin having a head portion and an opposing distal. Each of the head portions of the mounting members, typically four, must be separately pressed or welded onto a metal base plate. Each of the mounting members includes a slot for receiving a spring that traverses across the apertures of the support plate.
As a result, it is desirable to provide a mounting mechanism for an inflatable restraint system that does not require mounting members to be individually formed and individually attached to the base plate, which is relatively expensive. It is also desirable to provide a mounting mechanism for an inflatable restraint system with a flat formed pin as the mounting member to reduce mass and cost. It is further desirable to provide a mounting mechanism for an inflatable restraint system with a flat mounting member and a bushing that allows the flat mounting member to be transformed into a round pin.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a mounting mechanism for an inflatable restraint system of a vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mounting mechanism for an inflatable restraint system having a flat formed pin as a mounting member.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a bushing that interacts with a flat mounting member to transform the flat mounting member into a round pin.
To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is a mounting mechanism for an inflatable restraint system including at least one pair of flat mounting members extending from an inflatable restraint module and adapted to extend through at least one pair of apertures in a support structure. The mounting mechanism also includes a bushing disposed over and cooperating with each of the at least one pair of flat mounting members to form a round pin. The mounting mechanism further includes a spring housing adapted to be disposed adjacent the support structure and a spring disposed in the spring housing to engage the flat mounting members to attach the inflatable restraint module to the support structure.
One advantage of the present invention is that an improved mounting mechanism is provided for an inflatable restraint system. Another advantage of the present invention is that the mounting mechanism provides a plurality of flat mounting members that reduce mass and cost for assembly of an inflatable restraint module to a steering wheel. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the mounting mechanism provides a bushing which is snapped onto the flat mounting member to transform the flat mounting member into a round pin. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the mounting mechanism has a flat mounting member and snap-on bushing which interact with a support plate on the steering wheel in a similar fashion to the steel round pin while still retaining the mass and cost benefits of the flat mounting member. A further advantage of the present invention is that the mounting mechanism has a bushing which helps to reduce insertion force, assists in vibration dampening and reduces cost by eliminating steel round pins. Yet a further advantage of the present invention is that the mounting mechanism has a bushing which occupies the openings in the support plate of the steering wheel, not achievable alone by the flat formed pins. Still a further advantage of the present invention is that the mounting mechanism has a bushing does not interfere with the flat mounting member in retaining the module to the steering wheel.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5380037 (1995-01-01), Worrell et al.
patent: 5501484 (1996-03-01), Saderholm et al.
patent: 5615907 (1997-04-01), Stanger
patent: 5692773 (1997-12-01), Ono
patent: 5775725 (1998-07-01), Hodac et al.
Pinsenschaum Ryan Todd
Schatz Patrick W.
Worrell Barry Christian
Delphi Technologies Inc.
Marra Kathryn A.
Rice Kenneth R.
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