Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-08
2001-07-24
Rice, Kenneth R. (Department: 2167)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S731000, C280S732000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264232
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an air bag module for a vehicle, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for installing an air bag module having a crash sensor disposed therein onto a vehicle.
2. Related Art
Air bag modules conventionally include a crash sensor and are mounted on a vehicle in a manner to transmit crash information from the vehicle body to the crash sensor. Diagnostic circuits evaluate the crash information and discriminate between a fire and a no fire condition. In this regard, the airbag module is mounted on the vehicle such that the crash sensor will be subject to forces that indicate a crash condition. For example, the crash sensor usually comprises an accelerometer and the air bag module is rigidly coupled to a portion of the vehicle such that deceleration indicative of a crash condition is transmitted to the crash sensor. When a crash condition requiring air bag deployment is detected, the controller associated with the air bag module sends a signal to ignite an air bag deployment device.
Typically, in order to secure the air bag module to the vehicle, an additional mounting bracket is required to interface between the module and the contour of the vehicle. Standard vehicle mounting technology requires an OEM to supply and properly mount three to four fasteners to join the mounting bracket and module to the vehicle to ensure adequate crash pulse transmission and effective crash discrimination. A disadvantage of this method is that if any number or combination of fasteners is improperly fastened or missing, crash indications may not be properly transmitted to the crash sensor. In that case, the performance of the air bag protection system may be compromised.
The standard mounting technology may also be problematic in terms of maintaining the efficiency of the vehicle assembly process if the air bag module must be mounted in a difficult-to-access location. If the mounting location is difficult to reach, for example, under the dashboard, an assembler may be forced to spend a relatively large amount of time to properly position and mount the air bag module.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a relatively simple mounting arrangement to mount an air bag module to a vehicle. In particular, it is desirable to provide a mounting arrangement which does not require OEMs to supply fasteners, yet provides the appropriate “hard mounts” to promote adequate crash indication transmission and crash discrimination.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to fulfill the need referred to above. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, this objective is obtained by providing an air bag module for sensing a crash condition of a vehicle. The vehicle has a mounting portion for mounting the air bag module thereto. The mounting portion includes at least one slot and a fastener receiving structure coupled to the slot, the air bag module includes a housing assembly having first and second opposing ends. At least one mounting tab extends from the first end of the housing assembly. A fastener is coupled to the second end of the housing. The mounting tab is constructed and arranged such that when the mounting tab is inserted into the slot in the mounting portion of the vehicle and the fastener is inserted into and coupled with the fastener receiving structure, the mounting tab will deflect to be in a corrosive state, whereby the fastener and mounting tab secure the air bag module to the mounting portion of the vehicle.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of mounting an air bag module to a vehicle to sense a vehicle crash condition is provided. The vehicle has a mounting portion for mounting the air bag module thereto. The mounting portion includes at least one slot and a fastener receiving structure spaced from the slot. The method includes providing an air bag module comprising a housing assembly having first and second opposing ends. At least one mounting tab extends from the first end of the housing assembly. A stabilizing member protrudes from a surface of the housing assembly adjacent the first end thereof. A fastener is coupled to the second end of the housing assembly. The method also includes inserting the mounting tab into the slot of the vehicle such that a portion of the mounting tab is disposed on a first side of the mounting portion and another portion of the mounting tab is disposed on a second side of the mounting portion opposite the first side, with the stabilizing member contacting the first side of the mounting portion. Finally, the method includes inserting the fastener into and coupling with the fastener-receiving structure causing the mounting tab and the stabilizing member to be in a compressive state and secure the airbag module to the mounting portion.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5547214 (1996-08-01), Zimmerman, II et al.
patent: 5890733 (1999-04-01), Dillion
patent: 5217018 (1993-09-01), None
patent: WO 9819892 (1998-05-01), None
Rice Kenneth R.
Siemens Automotive Corporation
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