Air bag module with adjustable cover
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An air bag module for installment in a vehicle comprising:
- a canister; and
a cover coupled to said canister, said canister and cover defining a cavity, one of said cover and canister having a projection and the other of said cover and canister having a projection-receiving area, said projection engaging said projection-receiving area and being movable relative to said projection-receiving area to a final installed position, said final installed position being between a point of initial attachment of said projection and said projection-receiving area and a stopped point whereby unlimited movement of said cover relative to said canister between said point of initial attachment and said stopped point is allowed during installation of the module into the vehicle while creating a frictional force acting to resist movement of said cover relative to said canister, wherein said final installed position may be anywhere between and including said point of initial attachment and said stopped point.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An air bag module including a canister and a cover coupled to said canister. One of the cover and canister has a projection and the other of the cover and canister has an opening. The projection is disposed in the opening and engages the other of the cover and canister to restrict movement of the cover relative to the canister and create a frictional force acting to resist movement of the cover relative to the canister.
33 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An air bag module for installment in a vehicle comprising:
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a canister; and
a cover coupled to said canister, said canister and cover defining a cavity, one of said cover and canister having a projection and the other of said cover and canister having a projection-receiving area, said projection engaging said projection-receiving area and being movable relative to said projection-receiving area to a final installed position, said final installed position being between a point of initial attachment of said projection and said projection-receiving area and a stopped point whereby unlimited movement of said cover relative to said canister between said point of initial attachment and said stopped point is allowed during installation of the module into the vehicle while creating a frictional force acting to resist movement of said cover relative to said canister, wherein said final installed position may be anywhere between and including said point of initial attachment and said stopped point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An air bag module comprising:
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a cover having a plurality of cutouts each with a center opening and a lateral cavity, a canister having an outer surface and a plurality of tabs each with a leg and a wing extending from said leg and spaced from said outer surface to define a passage, each of said tabs being disposable in one of said cutouts with said wings aligned with said lateral cavities when said cover is in an initial position relative to said canister, said cover being movable relative to said canister in the direction toward a final installed position from said initial position to a neutral position wherein areas of said cover proximate said cutouts are disposed into said passages such that the wings are not aligned with said lateral cavities and said cover engages said tabs such that said tabs are resiliently biased against said cover to create a frictional engagement force acting to resist movement of said cover relative to said canister. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. An airbag module comprising:
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a canister; and
a cover coupled to said canister, said canister and cover defining a cavity, one of said cover and canister having a nub with a width and the other of said cover and canister having a slot with a receiving section and a tapered section extending from said receiving section, said receiving section having a width larger than said nub width and said tapered section having a width that narrows as said tapered section extends from said receiving section;
wherein said nub is disposed in said receiving section when said cover is in a neutral position relative to said canister and, when said cover is moved relative to said canister in the direction toward a final installed position from said neutral position, said nub is moved into said tapered section to create an increasing frictional force resisting movement of said cover relative to said canister. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. An airbag module comprising:
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a canister; and
a cover coupled to said canister, said canister and cover defining a cavity, one of said cover and canister having a nub and the other of said cover and canister having a slot with a receiving section and an engaging section extending from said receiving section;
wherein said nub is disposed in said receiving section when said cover is in a neutral position relative to said canister and, when said cover is moved relative to said canister in the direction toward a final installed position from said neutral position, said nub engages said engaging section to create a frictional force resisting movement of said cover relative to said canister.
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22. An instrument panel comprising
a panel frame; - and
an air bag module fixed to said panel frame, said air bag module including a canister having a side wall and a plurality of tabs extending from said side wall, each of said tabs having a leg and a wing extending from said leg and spaced from said side wall to define a passage;
a cover having a plurality of cutouts each having a center opening and a lateral cavity extending from said center opening, wherein one of said cover and canister further includes a nub having a width and the other of said cover and canister further including a slot having a receiving section and a tapered section extending from said receiving section, said receiving section having a width larger than said nub width and said tapered section having a width that narrows as said tapered section extends from said receiving section, said width of said tapered section at said receiving section is greater than said width of said nub and the width of said tapered section remote from said receiving section is less than said width of said nub, wherein each of said tabs is disposable in a cutout with said wings aligned with said lateral cavities when said cover is in an initial position relative to said canister, wherein said cover is movable relative to said canister in the direction toward a final installed position from said initial position to a neutral position wherein said nub is disposed in said receiving section and said wings are offset from said lateral cavities, wherein said cover is further movable relative to said canister in said assembly direction from said neutral position such that said nub is disposed in said tapered section to create a frictional force resisting movement of said cover relative to said canister in said direction toward a final installed position. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A method of assembling an airbag canister within a vehicle instrument panel comprising:
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coupling a cover to a canister by displacing the cover to a neutral position relative to the canister;
placing the canister with the cover in said neutral position within a cavity defined by an instrument panel of a vehicle;
connecting the canister to the instrument panel with a fastener assembly; and
tightening the fastener assembly to securely couple the canister to the instrument panel and displace the cover to a final installed position relative to the canister. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An air bag module adapted to a vehicle instrument panel comprising:
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a canister;
a cover coupled to said canister and having a shoulder disposed on the instrument panel, said canister and cover defining a cavity;
an inflator disposed in said cavity; and
an air bag disposed in said cavity and operably associated with said inflator, whereby said cover and said canister restrict movement of said cover relative to said canister and create a frictional force acting to resist said movement, said frictional force increasing as said canister effects relative movement in a direction away from said cover.
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Specification