Air-bag unit mounted on a seat

• US 20040239081A1
• Filed: 04/01/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tredez, Jean Yves
• Granted Patent: US 7,267,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2176 the air bag components being completely enclosed in a soft or semi-rigid housing or cover

Abstract

There is disclosed an air-bag unit mounted on a seat. The air-bag unit is connected to a mounting member which is secured to or forms part of the structure of the seat. The air-bag unit has a first set of locking formations and the mounting member has a second set of locking formations. The locking formations of one of the sets are apertures and the locking formations of the other of the sets are projections. Each aperture at least partially receives a respective projection. There is a spring mounted to either mounting member or air-bag unit so as to extend across each of the apertures and to form a snap-connection between the air-bag unit and the mounting member in the region of each aperture.

Claims

1. An air-bag assembly for a vehicle having an air-bag unit mounted on a seat, the air-bag unit being connected to a mounting member secured to or forming part of the structure of the seat wherein one of the air-bag unit and the mounting member carries a spring, and the other of the air-bag unit and the mounting member carries a plurality of projections, the projections being configured to engage the spring to form a snap connection between the air-bag unit and the mounting member.

2. An air-bag assembly according to claim 1 wherein the air-bag unit has a first set of locking formations and the mounting member has a second set of locking formations, the locking formations of one of the first or second sets being apertures and the locking formations of the other of the first or second sets being projections, the apertures at least partially receiving a respective one of the projection;

the spring being mounted to the mounting member or the air-bag unit to extend across the apertures and to form the snap connection between the air-bag unit and the mounting member in the region of the apertures.

3. An air-bag assembly according to claim 2 wherein the projections have a side recess spaced from a free end of the projections to form the snap connection with the spring when the projection is received within a respective one of the apertures.

4. An air-bag assembly according to claim 2 wherein the apertures are formed through part of the mounting member and at least part of the spring is located inboard of a part of a frame seat on the opposite side of the mounting member to the air-bag unit.

5. An air-bag assembly according to claim 2 wherein the apertures are formed through part of the mounting member and the spring is mounted to the mounting member by a plurality of ears extending from the mounting member.

6. An air-bag assembly according to claim 5 wherein the mounting member comprises a mounting plate, the ears having an initial portion extending from the mounting plate and a terminal portion parallel with the mounting plate.

7. An air-bag assembly according to claim 2 wherein the apertures are formed through part of the mounting member and the spring is mounted between the projections provided on the air-bag unit.

8. An air-bag assembly according to claim 1 wherein the mounting member is provided with a plurality of ears extending from the mounting member to engage the spring to form the snap connections.

9. An air-bag assembly according to claim 1 wherein the mounting member defines part of a frame of the seat.