Passenger airbag module

• US 10,363,897 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2017
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Citko, Steven M., Burney, Shawn D., Phelps, Christopher R., McPeck, Brian, Schlenke, Robert J., Helou, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Karen
• Application Number:
  US15/722,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20190100164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/21506 comprising tearing tabs, legs or the like for holding the lid before deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2177 Reaction canisters characterised by material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21 in vehicle side panels, e.g. doors pillar mounted arrangements B60R21/213
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence

Abstract

One general aspect includes an airbag module, including: a housing. The airbag module also includes a cushion disposed within the housing. The airbag module also includes a chute having a first side and a second side with a seam centrally formed therebetween, where each of the first and second sides include a plurality of fingers which operatively cooperate to define a track configured to slidably attach the housing to the chute such that the chute sufficiently encloses the cushion within the housing, and where the chute is configured to open during deployment of the cushion.

Claims

1. An airbag module, comprising:

a housing comprising a retaining tab;

a cushion disposed within the housing; and

a chute having a first side and a second side with a seam centrally formed therebetween, wherein each of the first and second sides comprise a plurality of fingers which operatively cooperate to define a track configured to slidably attach the housing to the chute such that the housing is pressed against the chute and moved in a direction parallel to the seam of the chute until the chute sufficiently encloses the cushion within the housing, and wherein the chute is configured to open during deployment of the cushion, the chute further having a retaining base; and

wherein, when the housing is sufficiently slidably attached to the chute, the retaining tab and retaining base are operatively positioned to receive a joining mechanism which affixes the housing to the chute.

2. The airbag module of claim 1, wherein each of the fingers have a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the first or second side of the chute, and the second end laterally projecting from the finger towards the centrally formed seam so as to provide the finger with an inverted-L shape.

3. The airbag module of claim 2, wherein the first and second side comprise five fingers.

4. The airbag module of claim 2, wherein housing comprises a plurality of protuberances configured to align with the second ends of the fingers when the housing is sufficiently slidably attached to the chute, wherein each protuberance of the plurality of protuberances is formed to fit snugly underneath the second end of a corresponding finger of the plurality of fingers when the housing is sufficiently slidably attached to the chute.

5. The airbag module of claim 1, wherein the housing and chute are constructed from a rigid material.

6. The airbag module of claim 5, wherein the rigid material is steel, fiberglass, or thermal plastic.

7. The airbag module of claim 1, wherein the chute comprises a first plate perforationably connected to the first side and a second plate perforationably connected to the second side, wherein the seam is centrally formed between the first and second plates, and wherein the first and second plates and seam correspond to define a door configured to open during deployment of the cushion.

8. The airbag module of claim 7, wherein a lattice pattern reinforces the structural integrity of the first and second plates, wherein the lattice pattern comprises diagonally crossed ridges molded to one side of the first and second plates.

9. The airbag module of claim 1, wherein the chute is affixed to an instrument panel assembly.

10. An airbag module, comprising:

a rigid housing comprising a retaining tab and a plurality of peripherally extending protuberances;

a cushion disposed within the housing; and

a rigid chute comprising a retaining base, the chute having a first side with a perforationably connected first plate and a second side with a perforationably connected second plate and a seam centrally formed between the first and second plate, wherein the first and second plates and seam correspond to define a door configured to open during deployment of the cushion, and wherein each of the first and second sides comprise at least five inverted-L shape fingers with a first and second end, wherein the second end laterally projects from its finger towards the centrally formed seam so as to provide the finger with the inverted-L shape, the fingers operatively cooperate to define a track configured to slidably attach the housing to the chute such that the housing is pressed against the chute and moved in a direction parallel to the seam of the chute until the chute sufficiently encloses the cushion within the housing;

when the housing is sufficiently slidably attached to the chute, the protuberances align with the second ends of the fingers and the retaining tab and retaining base are operatively positioned to receive a joining mechanism which affixes the housing to the chute, wherein each protuberance of the plurality of protuberances is fit snugly underneath the second end of a corresponding finger of the plurality of fingers when the housing is sufficiently slidably attached to the chute; and

wherein a lattice pattern reinforces the structural integrity of the first and second plates, and wherein the lattice pattern comprises diagonally crossed ridges molded to one side of the first and second plates.

11. The airbag module of claim 10, wherein the housing and chute are constructed from steel, fiberglass, or thermal plastic.

12. The airbag module of claim 10, wherein the chute is affixed to an instrument panel assembly.

13. A method of constructing an airbag module, the method comprising:

providing a rigid housing comprising a retaining tab and a plurality of peripherally extending protuberances;

disposing a cushion within the housing;

providing a rigid chute comprising a retaining base, the chute having a first side with a perforationably connected first plate and a second side with a perforationably connected second plate and a seam centrally formed between the first and second plate, wherein the first and second plates and seam correspond to define a door configured to open during deployment of the cushion, and wherein each of the first and second sides comprise a plurality of inverted-L shape fingers with a first and second end, wherein the second end laterally project from its finger towards the centrally formed seam so as to provide the finger with the inverted-L shape, the fingers operatively cooperate to define a track;

sliding the housing along the chute via the track such that the housing is pressed against the chute and moved in a direction parallel to the seam of the chute until the cushion is sufficiently enclosed within the housing;

aligning the protuberances with the fingers such that each protuberance is positioned to fit snugly underneath the second end of a corresponding finger of the plurality of fingers;

aligning the retaining tab and retaining base; and

affixing the housing to the chute by operatively attaching the retaining tab and retaining base via a joining mechanism.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising affixing the chute to an instrument panel assembly.

15. The method of claim 13, reinforcing the structural integrity of the first and second plates with a lattice pattern, wherein the lattice pattern comprises diagonally crossed ridges molded to one side of the first and second plates.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the housing and chute are constructed from steel, fiberglass, or thermal plastic.