Tethered air bag cover
First Claim
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1. An air bag module for a vehicle, comprising:
- a receptacle;
a folded air bag in the receptacle, said air bag being positioned to be deployed from aid receptacle in an emergency situation;
a cover which closes said receptacle; and
tether structure coupled to said cover and to said air bag, said tether structure enabling said cove to separate from said receptacle and maintaining said cover tethered to said air bag as said air bag is being deployed from said receptacle.
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Abstract
A vehicle air bag module includes a new and useful tether structure for incorporating a cover into the air bag module. The tether structure enables the cover to separate from the remainder of the module but remain tethered to the air bag as the air bag is being deployed from the module.
30 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An air bag module for a vehicle, comprising:
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a receptacle; a folded air bag in the receptacle, said air bag being positioned to be deployed from aid receptacle in an emergency situation; a cover which closes said receptacle; and tether structure coupled to said cover and to said air bag, said tether structure enabling said cove to separate from said receptacle and maintaining said cover tethered to said air bag as said air bag is being deployed from said receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An air bag module for a vehicle, comprising:
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a receptacle; a folded air bag in the receptacle, said air bag being positioned to be deployed from said receptacle in an emergency situation; a cover which closes said receptacle; and tether structure coupled to said dover and to said air bag, said tether structure enabling said cover to separate from said receptacle and maintaining said cover tethered to said air bag as said air bag is being deployed from said receptacle; wherein said locator portion comprises a resilient clip which engages a portion of said receptacle to couple said cover with said receptacle; wherein said air bag module further includes fastening means for fastening a predetermined portion of said air bag to said receptacle, and said resilient clip engaging a portion of said fastening means to couple said cover with said receptacle.
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13. An air bag module for a vehicle, comprising:
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a receptacle; a folded air bag in the receptacle, said air bag being positioned to be deployed from said receptacle in an emergency situation; a cover which closes said receptacle; and tether structure coupled to said cover and to said air bag, said tether structure enabling said cover to separate from said receptacle and maintaining said cover tethered to said air bag as said air bag is being deployed from said receptacle; wherein said tether structure includes a locator portion which engages said receptacle to couple said cover with sad receptacle in a predetermined position relative to said receptacle when said air bag is in said receptacle, said locator portion separating from said receptacle when said air bag is being deployed from said receptacle; and wherein said tether structure includes (a) at least one flexible tether strap coupled to said cover and to said air bag, and (b) a bicomponent staple fibrous material forming a base and said locator portion, said tether strap being sewn to said bicomponent staple fibrous material to complete said tether structure. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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- 15. Apparatus comprising (a) a cover for a vehicle air bag module and (b) tether structure coupled to said cover and (c) means for coupling said tether structure to a vehicle air bag in a manner which maintains said cover tethered to the air bag as the air bag is being deployed from the vehicle air bag module.
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25. Apparatus comprising (a) a cover for a vehicle air bag module and (b) tether structure coupled to said cover and (c) means for coupling said tether structure to a vehicle air bag in a manner which maintains said cover tethered to the air bag as the air bag is being deployed from the vehicle air bag module;
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wherein said tether structure includes a locator portion for engaging a selected portion of the vehicle air bag module to couple said cover to said selected portion, said locator portion separating from the selected portion of the vehicle air bag module when the air bag is being deployed therefrom; and wherein said tether structure includes (a) at least one flexible tether strap coupled to aid cover and to said air bag and (b) a bicomponent staple fibrous material forming a base and said locator portion, said tether strap being sewn to said bicomponent staple fibrous material to complete said tether structure. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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Specification