Module cover of air bag system

• US 5,062,663 A
• Filed: 08/27/1990
• Issued: 11/05/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Satoh, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DICKSON, PAUL N
• Application Number:
  US07/572,458
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730, 280/731, 280/732, 280/728, 280/743
• US Class Current: 280/728.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence

Abstract

A module cover of an air bag system comprises a pair of cut-in-half bodies, end of each of which is fixed to the body side of the air bag system and the other ends which are free end engaged with each other openably, and a resin film disposed along the rear face of both cut-in-half bodies so as to stretch over both cut-in-half bodies. By the resin film attached to both cut-in-half bodies, the engagement state of the free ends of both cut-in-half bodies is maintained.

Claims

1. A module cover adapted for covering a front opening of a case in which a folded air bag is confined and an inflator for providing gas to inflate and expand the air bag is disposed, comprising;

a pair of cut-in-half bodies each of which covers half of said front opening of said case and has a rear face and one edge, said one edge of one of said cut-in-half bodies contacting with one edge of the other of said cut-in-half bodies, edge portions of the cut-in-half bodies opposite to said one edges being attached to said case, at least one of said cut-in-half bodies having protrusions protruding from said rear face; and

a resin film disposed so as to stretch over the rear face of one of said cut-in-half bodies and the rear face of the other of said cut-in-half bodies, said resin film having holes in which said protrusions are inserted so that said film is engaged with the cut-in-half bodies, and when said inflator is not actuated, said film maintaining contact with the cut-in-half bodies and allowing engagement state between said cut-in-half bodies for making said cut-in-half bodies an integral module cover, and when said inflator is actuated and said air bag is expanded, said film permitting said engagement between said cut-in-half bodies to be released and said one edges of said cut-in-half bodies to be opened so as to move away from said case.

2. The module cover of claim 1 wherein said protrusions are disposed at said one edges of both cut-in-half bodies, said protrusions of both cut-in-half bodies overlap each other, and said overlapped protrusions are inserted in one of said holes of said film.

3. The module cover of claim 1 wherein said protrusions are disposed only at said one edge of one of said cut-in-half bodies.

4. The module cover of claim 1 wherein said protrusions are disposed between said one edges and edge portions opposite to said edges.

5. The module cover of claim 1 wherein slits are formed on said film to be disposed along said one edges of said cut-in-half bodies contacting with each other and said slits promote said film to tear along said one edges when said air bag expands and pressure from said air bag is given to said film.

6. The module cover of claim 1 wherein said resin film is covered with a cover film.

7. The module cover of claim 6 wherein said cover film is made of a material which is softer and easier to tear than the material of said resin film.