Rigid airbag plate attachment system

• US 20040080144A1
• Filed: 10/24/2002
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Enders, Mark L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,951,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/206 in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees

Abstract

A module configured to be mounted in a vehicle instrument panel is disclosed. In one embodiment, the module has a reaction plate and a plurality of snap locking fasteners that extend from the reaction plate and are engagable to a vehicle mounting member. The module may be used to attach an airbag to an instrument panel. The module provides for a module cover without fastener openings or holes. The invention also includes a module having a mounting bracket that is pivotally attachable to a vehicle mounting member. The pivotal attachment may include tongue and groove members.

Claims

1. A mounting system for attaching a knee bolstering airbag to an instrument panel, comprising:

a base member having a front surface and a rear surface; and

a plurality of snap-locking fasteners extending from the rear surface of the base member, wherein the snap-locking fasteners are attachable to a vehicle mounting member having a corresponding snap-locking engagement member.

2. The mounting system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the base member has a plurality of stops.

3. The mounting system, as recited in claim 2, wherein the stops are abuttable against the vehicle mounting member.

4. The mounting system, as recited in claim 2, wherein the stops are stamped into the base member.

5. The mounting system, as recited in claim 2, wherein elastic spacers are located on the stops.

6. The mounting system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the snap-locking fasteners have a male end.

7. The mounting system, as recited in claim 6, wherein the male end extends away from the base member.

8. The mounting system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the snap-locking fasteners lock to the vehicle mounting structure.

9. The mounting system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the snap-locking fasteners lock to the base member.

10. The mounting system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the base member has an inflator mount.

11. The mounting system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the knee bolstering airbag is positionable on the base member independent of the location of the snap-locking fasteners.

12. The mounting system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the knee bolstering airbag is a metal foil airbag.

13. A mounting system for attaching a knee bolstering airbag to an instrument panel, comprising:

a reaction plate having a front surface and a rear surface; and

a plurality of snap-locking fasteners extending from the rear surface of the reaction plate, such that the knee bolstering airbag is positionable independently of the position of the snap-locking fasteners.

14. The mounting system, as recited in claim 13, wherein the knee bolstering airbag is a metal foil airbag.

15. The mounting system, as recited in claim 13, wherein the reaction plate has a plurality of stops.

16. The mounting system, as recited in claim 14, wherein the stops are abuttable against the vehicle mounting member.

17. The mounting system, as recited in claim 14, wherein the stops are stamped into the reaction plate.

18. The mounting system, as recited in claim 14, wherein elastic spacers are located on the stops.

19. The mounting system, as recited in claim 14, wherein two snap-locking fasteners extend from the reaction plate.

20. The mounting system, as recited in claim 13, wherein the snap-locking fasteners have a male end.

21. The mounting system, as recited in claim 20, wherein the male end extends away from the reaction plate.

22. The mounting system, as recited in claim 13, wherein the snap-locking fasteners lock to the vehicle mounting structure.

23. The mounting system, as recited in claim 13, wherein the snap-locking fasteners lock to the reaction plate.

24. The mounting system, as recited in claim 13, wherein the knee airbag has an airbag perimeter and the snap-locking fasteners define a fastener perimeter.

25. The mounting system, as recited in claim 24, wherein the airbag perimeter is larger than the fastener perimeter.

26. An instrument panel mountable knee airbag module comprising:

a reaction plate having a front surface, a rear surface, and a plurality of stops, wherein the plurality of stops are abuttable against a vehicle mounting member;

a knee airbag coupled to the front surface of the reaction plate; and

a plurality of snap-locking fasteners extending from the rear surface of the reaction plate that are attachable to the vehicle mounting member, wherein the snap-locking fasteners allow the airbag module to be coupled to the instrument panel such that the fasteners are substantially concealed.

27. The airbag module, as recited in claim 26, wherein the stops are stamped into the reaction plate.

28. The airbag module, as recited in claim 26, wherein elastic spacers are located on the stops.

29. The airbag module, as recited in claim 26, wherein the snap-locking fasteners have a male end.

30. The airbag module, as recited in claim 26, wherein the knee airbag has an airbag perimeter and the snap-locking fasteners define a fastener perimeter.

31. The airbag module, as recited in claim 30, wherein the airbag perimeter is larger than the fastener perimeter.

32. A mounting system for attaching a knee bolstering airbag module to an instrument panel comprising:

a base member having a front surface and a rear surface;

a mounting bracket coupled to the rear surface of the base member, wherein the mounting bracket is pivotably attachable to a vehicle mounting member, and wherein the mounting bracket allows the airbag module to pivot into an assembled position; and

at least one fastener to lock the airbag module into the assembled position.

33. The module, as recited in claim 32, further comprising an airbag coupled to the front surface of the base member.

34. The mounting system, as recited in claim 33, wherein the airbag is a metal foil airbag.

35. The mounting system, as recited in claim 32, wherein the bracket has a first end and a second end.

36. The mounting system, as recited in claim 35, wherein the first end has a tongue member that is attachable to a corresponding groove member of the vehicle mounting member.

37. The mounting system, as recited in claim 36, wherein the tongue and groove attachment provides pivotal attachment of the airbag module to the vehicle mounting member.

38. The mounting system, as recited in claim 37, wherein the airbag module attached to the vehicle mounting member by an arched hand.

39. The mounting system, as recited in claim 35, wherein the first end has a groove member that is attachable to a corresponding tongue member of the vehicle mounting member.

40. The mounting system, as recited in claim 39, wherein the tongue and groove attachment provides pivotal attachment of the module to the vehicle mounting member.

41. The mounting system, as recited in claim 35, wherein the fastener is located at the second end of the bracket.

42. The mounting system, as recited in claim 41, wherein the fastener is a snap-locking fastener.

43. The mounting system, as recited in claim 41, wherein the fastener is a threaded fastener.

44. The mounting system, as recited in claim 35, wherein the second end has an arched hand.

45. The mounting system, as recited in claim 44, wherein the arched hand allows the airbag module to pivot about the vehicle mounting member.

46. The mounting system, as recited in claim 44, wherein the pivotal motion of the arched hand is controllable by a mounting member stop selectively positioned on the vehicle mounting member.

47. The mounting system, as recited in claim 44, wherein the fastener is located at the first end of the bracket.

48. The mounting system, as recited in claim 47, wherein the fastener is a tongue and groove member.

49. The mounting system, as recited in claim 47, wherein the fastener is a snap-locking fastener.

50. An instrument panel mountable airbag module comprising:

a reaction plate having a front surface and a rear surface;

a knee airbag coupled to the front surface of the reaction plate;

a mounting bracket coupled to the rear surface of the reaction plate, wherein the mounting bracket has one of a tongue or groove member at a first end, and wherein the mounting bracket has an attachment member at a second end, such that the airbag module is pivotably attachable to the instrument panel.

51. The airbag module, as recited in claim 50, wherein the attachment member is a snap-locking fastener.

52. The airbag module, as recited in claim 50, wherein one of the tongue and groove members is attachable to a corresponding tongue and groove member located on the vehicle mounting member.

53. The airbag module, as recited in claim 52, wherein the airbag module is pivotably attachable by a tongue and groove attachment with the vehicle mounting member.

54. The airbag module, as recited in claim 50, wherein the second end has an arched hand that is pivotably attachable to a vehicle mounting member.

55. The airbag module, as recited in claim 54, wherein the pivotal motion of the arched hand is controllable by a mounting member stop selectively positioned on the vehicle mounting member.

56. A process for attaching a knee airbag module to an instrument panel comprising:

pivotably attaching a first end of the knee airbag module to a vehicle mounting member;

pivoting the airbag module into a substantially flush alignment with the instrument panel; and

fastening a second end of the airbag module to the vehicle mounting member.

57. The process, as recited in claim 56, wherein the first end of the airbag module is pivotably attached by a tongue and groove connection.

58. The process, as recited in claim 56, wherein the second end is fastened to the vehicle mounting member by a snap-locking fastener.

59. The process, as recited in claim 56, wherein the airbag is a metal foil airbag.