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H-rib fastener for detachably fastening an airbag cover to a vehicle instrument panel

  • US 5,403,034 A
  • Filed: 07/28/1994
  • Issued: 04/04/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. In a vehicular airbag system in which an inflatable airbag is mounted in the instrument panel behind a releasable door which is detachably mounted to the instrument panel by a detachable fastening means, said detachable fastening means comprising:

  • a plurality of slotted channels extending rearwardly from the back of said releasable door and which are open through a slot through an outer extremity thereof and at each end thereof;

    a mounting substrate in said instrument panel having a plurality of holes therein;

    a plurality of H-rib fastening means each having an H-shaped head thereon which is adapted to be inserted and slipped into either end of one said channels in said door for the positioning and releasable retention of said of fastening means in said door;

    each of said H-rib fastening means having a mounting shank extending downwardly from said H-shaped head and adapted to extend through said slot in an outer extremity of said channel and to fit in a hole in said mounting substrate;

    a resilient clip means mounted on the mounting shank of said H-rib fastening means for insertion into one of said holes in said mounting substrate for locking said H-rib fastening means in place in said mounting substrate;

    whereby inflation of the airbag causes the H-rib head to release from said channel, thereby freeing said door from engagement with said H-rib fastening means to thereby enable the door to be released from said instrument panel.

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