Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-26
2001-04-03
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S730200, C024S543000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209907
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a device for fixing a side gas bag in its folded position and to a side gas bag module.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A device known from the DE 197 52 989 A1 consists of several clip-like plastic bodies arranged distributed over the length of a side gas bag which has a large area. These plastic bodies surround the folded side gas bag, form its housing, as it were, and hold it in its folded position. Furthermore, by means of these clip-like bodies, the gas bag is attached to the vehicle along the roof frame. The clip connection consists of a hook-like extension on a side wall, which is intended to engage into a slit in the other side wall. To close the clip-like body, it is necessary to press the side walls together, which, however, is not possible without greater expenditure of force owing to the low packing dimension and the high packing density of the gas bag.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a device for fixing the gas bag, in which the closing of the body can take place more simply. This is achieved in a device which comprises a one-piece hollow body, which has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile, a first and a second side wall, a connecting web and a flap section formed on the first side wall. A clip connection is provided by means of which the flap section can be connected with the second side wall having a bracket. Two longitudinal slits are incorporated in the flap section and an elastically flexible closure hook is provided which is separated from the flap section by the two longitudinal slits. The closure hook has a thickened free end which when the body is closed engages behind the bracket formed on the second side wall. The device is, due to the slits, only integrally formed with the remainder of the flap section in a portion of the flap section where no slits are provided. In the device according to the invention, the entire side wall or the entire flap section does not have to be bent or elastically deformed in order to achieve an engaging of the clip connection, because a closure hook is worked out from the flap section, so that the entire bending resistance of the flap section does not have to be overcome in order to engage the clip connection.
Preferably, the closure hook projects outwards with respect to the flap section in the non-closed state of the body or is even angled outwards and projects outwards with respect to the flap section. Thus, by pressing onto the outer surface of the closure hook a large distance can be covered for closing the clip connection, in which the closure hook does not have to be pressed with a high resistance into the immediately adjoining gas bag. In addition through this construction, the surface which must be directly pressed against in order to close the body, is able to be reached more easily and can also be better detected.
The body is to be able to be opened by a small but precisely predefined force by the unfolding gas bag. This is achieved for example in that the bracket is very wide with respect to the closure hook. In the previously mentioned prior art, the slit was just as wide as the closure hook, so that the bracket adjoining the slit was automatically very rigid, which made the opening of the body difficult. In the device according to the invention, on the other hand, the bracket is preferably to connect two parallel side edges of the side wall, i.e. is to project up to the side edges. In so doing, it can be approximately twice as wide as the free end of the closure hook, which gives it a high flexibility.
The opening of the body can be achieved in that the bracket yields relative to the closure hook and the clip connection is released, or the bracket can also tear out. In each case, however, by selection of material and material thickness, it must be established exactly when and how the body is opened, so that the unfolding behavior can also be predetermined.
The invention further relates to a side gas bag module for fastening to a vehicle along a roof frame thereof, the module comprising a device for fixing a gas bag in its folded position, at least one body being provided which embraces the gas bag and forms a housing for the gas bag.
Either several bodies are provided distributed over the length of the gas bag and spaced apart from each other, which position the gas bag as it were as clips and hold it in the folded state, or an elongated body receives the gas bag and extends along the roof frame of the vehicle.
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Johnson Brian L.
Sliteris Joselynn Z.
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell Tummino & Szabo L.L.P.
TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
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