Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Utility Patent
1998-07-01
2001-01-02
Mai, Lanna (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
Utility Patent
active
06168187
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cover for an air bag. More particularly, the present invention relates to a structure in which an ornament is attached to a door section is attached to a cover, which can be opened when an air bag is expanded. The air bag device of this invention is mountable on a steering wheel of an automobile or a front portion of an assistant driver's (passenger's) seat. Further, the air bag device of this invention is mountable on a door or a seat of an automobile.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a cover having a door section opens when an air bag is expanded from a folded state. The cover is constituted in the following manner. The ornament is attached to the door section of the cover by sewing; a leg section extending from the ornament penetrates the door section and is bent so that the leg section can be attached by under-cutting; or the ornament is attached to the door section by a rivet. These techniques are disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei. 1-81351 and so forth.
In the case of a cover disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei. 1-81351, the door section of the cover in which the ornament is arranged is made of soft synthetic resin in which a net insert is arranged, and the ornament is sewn to the net insert by elastic threads.
However, when the ornament is attached to the door section by sewing, sewing scams are exposed, thereby deteriorating the artistic design and appearance of the ornament.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems by providing a cover for an air bag, the cover having an ornament attached to a door section of the cover and covering an air bag of an air bag device. The ornament can be stably attached to the door without deteriorating the artistic design of the cover. Also, a reduction of the space on the surface side of the cover is suppressed, and it is possible to attach the ornament to the door simply and easily.
In accordance with an embodiment the present invention, the cover has a door section capable of opening when a folded air bag is expanded, the cover comprising: an ornament having an ornamenting section and a fixing section; and a fixing means for attaching the fixing section to the door section, wherein the ornamental or ornamenting section of the ornament is attached onto a surface of the door section so that the ornamental section covers the fixing means.
It is preferable that the fixing means is formed of a first leg section extending from a side of the ornamental section, and a connecting portion between the first leg section and the ornamental section is bent so that the ornamental section covers the fixing means.
It is also preferable that the fixing means includes a rivet for attaching the first leg section to the door section on a reverse or rear side of the ornamental section.
In the air bag cover according to the present invention, on a reverse (or rear) side of the door section into which the leg section of the ornament is inserted via an insertion hole from a surface side of the door section, the leg section of the ornament is attached to the door section by a rivet which penetrates an attaching hole of the leg section and a through-hole of the door section. The ornamental section of the ornament covers a head portion of the rivet on the front surface side of the door section.
Thus, the leg section of the ornament, in which the attaching hole is formed, is attached to the door section by the rivet. However, the head portion of the rivet on the front surface side of the door section is covered with the ornamental section of the ornament. Therefore, the artistic design of the door section of the cover is not deteriorated by the rivet.
It is preferable that the ornamental section of the ornament is arranged so that the head portion of the rivet facing the front surface side of the door section is covered with the ornamental section after the leg section of the ornament has been attached to the door section by the rivet. Due to the above arrangement, before the rivet is covered with the ornamental section, it is possible to visually check the head portion of the rivet on the front surface side of the door section as well as a head portion of the rivet on the reverse side of the door section. Accordingly, when the rivet is fastened defectively, it is possible to rivet again, or to remove the defective rivet. In this way, the ornament can be attached to the cover with greater reliability. Since the ornament is attached by riveting, even if the cover is made of thermoplastic elastomer, the ornament can be stably and strongly attached to the cover.
Consequently, according to the present invention, when the ornament is attached to the door section of the cover which covers an air bag of an air bag device, the ornament can be stably attached to the cover without deteriorating the artistic design of the cover.
In the ornament, there is provided a second leg section, which extends from a portion of the periphery of the ornamental section and is substantially symmetrical to the first leg section. There is provided a second inserting hole in the cover door section into which the second leg section can be inserted. When the second leg section is engaged in the second inserting hole to attach the ornament to the door section, both of the leg sections of the ornamental section, which are substantially symmetrically arranged to each other, can be attached to the door section. Therefore, even if the door section is opened at high speed due to expansion of the air bag, it is possible to prevent the ornamental section of the ornament from peeling off from the door section.
A rib protruding from the door section can be provided in the periphery of the leg section of the ornament on the reverse side of the door section to cover the rivet. Even if the folded air bag can extend far enough to reach the head portion of the rivet on the reverse side of the door section, it is difficult for the air bag to contact the head portion of the rivet because of the rib. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the air bag from interfering with the rivet.
After the leg section is sewn to the door section and the ornamental section is adhered to the door section or the leg section to cover the sewing portion, the attaching of the ornament to the door section is complete. As such, the ornament can be simply attached to the door section.
After completion of the attaching operation, the ornamental section adheres to the door section or the leg section in the sewn portion of the leg section, and the ornamental section is connected with the leg section sewn to the door section via the connecting portion. Therefore, even if the adhesion is peeled off, the connection between the ornament and the leg section can be maintained. Accordingly, the ornament is not disconnected from the door section, that is, the ornament can be attached to the door section together with the leg section while a sufficiently high mechanical strength is maintained in the attaching section.
After the ornament is attached, the ornamental section of the ornament adheres to the door section and the leg section, and the connecting portion with the leg section is bent so that the sewing portion is covered with the ornamental section. Accordingly, even if the leg section of the ornament is sewn to the door section, the sewn portion is not exposed to the outside, so that the artistic design is not deteriorated.
After the completion of attaching the ornament, only the seams and the leg section appear on the reverse (rear) side of the cover. The leg section is made of a flexible plate-shaped sheet, not metal. Accordingly, a space on the reverse side of the cover is not decreased, and even if the seams interfere with the folded air bag, there is no possibility of the air bag being damaged.
Therefore, according to the above structure of attaching an ornament, while the artistic design of the cover is not deteriorated and a decr
Koyama Toru
Yamada Tadashi
Yamamoto Tadashi
Jasmin Lynda
Mai Lanna
Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP
Toyoda Gosei Co,., Ltd.
LandOfFree
Cover for an air bag does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Cover for an air bag, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cover for an air bag will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2542281