COVER FOR AIRBAG DEVICE, AND AIRBAG DEVICE

• US 20130300091A1
• Filed: 12/19/2011
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kim, Minhun, Piao, Jinhua, Yamada, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 9,022,415 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24008 including fastener for attaching to external surface

Abstract

A cover for an airbag device, which includes: a cover portion configured to cover an airbag in a folded state; a hollow insertion portion configured to be inserted into an attachment hole on the vehicle; a locking portion inserted into the attachment hole together with the insertion portion and locked at the vehicle; and a connecting portion provided inside the insertion portion and connecting inner surfaces of the insertion portion with each other so as to reinforce the insertion portion. The cover portion, the insertion portion, the locking portion, and the connecting portion are integrally formed, and the connecting portion is present at least at a position closer to a distal end side of the insertion portion in an insertion direction than the position of the attachment hole when the locking portion is locked.

Claims

1. A cover for an airbag of an airbag device, the cover to be attached via an attachment hole to a vehicle, comprising:

a cover portion configured to cover the airbag in a folded state;

a hollow insertion portion configured to be inserted into the attachment hole on the vehicle;

a locking portion for insertion into the attachment hole together with the insertion portion and locking the cover at the vehicle; and

a reinforcing portion provided inside the insertion portion so as to reinforce the insertion portion, wherein

the cover portion, the insertion portion, the locking portion, and the reinforcing portion are integrally formed, and

the reinforcing portion extending from an inner surface of the insertion portion so that when the locking portion is locked, the reinforcing portion is present at least at a position closer to a distal end side of the insertion portion in an insertion direction than the position of the attachment hole.

2. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 1, wherein

the reinforcing portion is a connecting portion that connects the inner surface of the insertion portion with another inner surface of the insertion portion.

3. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 2, wherein

the insertion portion has cross-sectional shape with a length in a horizontal direction that is longer than a length in a vertical direction, and

the connecting portion includes a plurality of vertical connecting portions spaced from each other in the horizontal direction so as to connect the inner surface of the insertion portion with another inner surface of the insertion portion in the vertical direction.

4. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 3, wherein

the connecting portion further includes a horizontal connecting portion that extends from the plurality of vertical connecting portions in the horizontal direction so as to connect the plurality of vertical connecting portions with each other.

5. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 4, wherein

an end surface of the horizontal connecting portion closer to the airbag is accessible when an operator inserts the insertion portion into the attachment hole.

6. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a base portion provided in a region where the airbag is not deployed, the base portion extending from the cover portion, wherein

the base portion includes;

a first surface in which the insertion portion is formed so as to protrude; and

a second surface on a side opposite to the first surface, having the end surface of the horizontal connecting portion closer to the airbag.

7. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a base portion provided in a region where the airbag is not deployed, the base portion extending from the cover portion, wherein

the base portion includes;

a first surface in which the insertion portion is formed so as to protrude from the first surface; and

a second surface on a side opposite to the first surface, and

the vertically extending connecting portion connected to the first surface.

8. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 6, wherein

the base portion has a penetration hole that penetrates through the first and second surfaces, and

the penetration hole is formed at such a position that the locking portion can be seen from the second surface through the penetration hole and that the locking portion can be operated through the penetration hole to be in an unlocked state.

9. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 6, wherein

a noise suppression portion formed on the first surface for suppressing noise generated when the base portion makes contact with a portion on the vehicle.

10. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 9, wherein

the noise suppression portion includes a plurality of portions formed so as to protrude from the first surface.

11. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a base portion provided in a region where the airbag is not deployed, the base portion extending from the cover portion, wherein

a noise suppression portion formed on the base portion for suppressing noise generated when the base portion makes contact with a portion on the vehicle.

12. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 11, wherein

the base portion has a surface in which the insertion portion is formed so as to protrude, and

the noise suppression portion includes a plurality of portions formed so as to protrude from the surface of the base portion.

13. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 4, wherein

the locking portion is, when being locked to the vehicle, bent and deformed in a direction closer to the horizontal connecting portion and is then deformed in a direction away from the horizontal connecting portion due to elastic restoration, whereby the locking portion is locked to the vehicle, and

the horizontal connecting portion is located so as to restrict a maximum amount of bending by the locking portion.

14. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 13, wherein

a pair of the locking portions is provided so as to face each other with the horizontal connecting portion being interposed between the pair of the locking portions.

15. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 1, wherein

the reinforcing portion is also present at the position of the attachment hole and at a position closer to a rear end of the insertion portion in the insertion direction than the position of the attachment hole.

16. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 1, wherein

the reinforcing portion is only formed in a rear end portion of the insertion portion and is located in a position away from a distal end portion of the insertion portion in the insertion direction.

17. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 1, wherein

the cover portion, the insertion portion, the locking portion, and the reinforcing portion are integrally formed from a thermoplastic elastomer.

18. The cover for an airbag device according to claim 1 incorporated into an airbag device having

an airbag, the airbag being covered by the cover portion.