Gas bag module

Details Gas bag module Gas bag module

1999-08-20

2002-04-16

Rice, Kenneth R. (Department: 2167)

Land vehicles

Wheeled

Attachment

C280S731000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06371508

ABSTRACT:

The invention relates to a gas bag module for motor vehicles comprising a housing for a folded together inflatable gas bag and a holder element which can be locked at the housing.
Modules of this kind are known in principle and serve to mount a folded together inflatable gas bag together with a gas generator which inflates the gas bag in the event of a collision as a unit in the vehicle, e.g. as a driver's, a driver's mate's or a side airbag.
The problem (object) lying at the basis of the invention is to provide a gas bag module for motor vehicles which is as simply constructed and easy to assemble as possible.
This object is satisfied by the features of claim
1
and in particular in that the holder element extends in the locked state with at least one holder section through the side wall of the housing in the region of a lug of the side wall which can be bent aside relative to the side wall.
The lug, which can be bent aside relative to the side wall, permits the passing through of the holder section through the side wall so that the invention enables the holder element to be locked to the housing in that the holder section is brought into engagement with the side wall of the housing without it being necessary that a sufficiently large opening for this is formed in the side wall. In this the lug prevents the holder section from arriving out of engagement with the housing by itself. In addition separate connection means such as screws, clamps etc. can be dispensed with.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention the lug is designed as a constituent of the side wall, with the outline of the lug being determined by a preferably slit-like cut-out and/or by an incision in the side wall.
Through this the side wall of the housing can be designed in a particularly simple manner for the locking with the holder element.
In accordance with a further preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention the holder section of the holder element is clamped in the locked state between the lug, which extends approximately parallel to the side wall, and the edge of the side wall facing the lug.
In this way the holder section and thus the holder element is secured in the locked state by the lug in such a manner that the holder section can not arrive out of engagement with the side wall by itself.
In accordance with a further preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention the lug, at least region-wise, has a lower material strength or thickness than at least regions of the side wall surrounding the lug.
The force required to move the lug relative to the side wall of the housing is reduced in this way.
In accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the invention the lug can be bent aside relative to the side wall against a restoring force from a position extending approximately parallel to the side wall.
Through this the lug can move resiliently back to its initial position, in which the lug extends approximately parallel to the side wall, after the holder section has been passed through the side wall, through which the lug automatically arrives into a position which secures the holder section.
Further embodiments of the invention are set forth in the subordinate claims, in the description and in the drawings.


REFERENCES:
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patent: 5482313 (1996-01-01), Ikeya et al.
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patent: 195 22 313 (1996-01-01), None
patent: 197 31 973 (1998-01-01), None
patent: 197 31 314 (1999-01-01), None
patent: WO 98/14352 (1998-04-01), None

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