Windowed airbag cover

• US 5,516,143 A
• Filed: 06/20/1994
• Issued: 05/14/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Morton International Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lang, Gregory J., Harris, Bradley D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US08/262,883
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728 B, 280/731, 280/728 R, 280/730 R, 280/732, 280/728.3, 280/728.1, 280/730.1, 280/, 362/80, 362/83.3, 362/95, 200/313, 200/314, 200/315, 200/317, 200/61.54
• US Class Current: 280/728.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0082 mounted on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence

Abstract

A molded cover for an automotive airbag module is provided with one or more windows therethrough to transmit light from a light source within said module. The light source is typically used to indicate the location or identify function switches under the molded cover.

Claims

1. An automotive vehicle airbag module having a light emitter incorporated therein and a cover for said airbag module having at least one light transmitting window integral with a front surface of said cover for transmitting light from said light emitter within said module to a vehicle occupant and wherein a portion of the cover immediately adjacent each said window is thinned to increase its flexibility.

2. The airbag module of claim 1 comprising a plurality of windows in said cover.

3. The automotive vehicle airbag module of claim 2 wherein the light emitter is a light emitting diode.

4. The airbag module of claim 1 wherein said cover and the at least one window are thermoplastic polymeric materials and the cover is of a different thermoplastic polymeric material than that of the at least one window.

5. The automotive vehicle airbag module of claim 4 wherein the light emitter is a light emitting diode.

6. The automotive vehicle airbag module of claim 1 wherein the light emitter is a light emitting diode.

7. The airbag module of claim 6 wherein the cover has a thickness greater than a thickness of the at least one window.

8. The airbag module of claim 1 wherein said at least one window comprises a light transmitting body surrounded by a flange secured to the cover.

9. The airbag module of claim 8 wherein the light emitter is a light emitting diode.

10. The airbag module of claim 1 wherein the cover has a thickness greater than a thickness of the at least one window.

11. The airbag module of claim 10 wherein the light emitter is a light emitting diode.

12. An automotive vehicle airbag module having a light emitter incorporated therein and a cover for said airbag module having at least one light transmitting window integral with a front surface of said cover for transmitting light from said light emitter within said module to a vehicle occupant, wherein said cover and the at least one window are thermoplastic polymeric materials and the cover is of a different thermoplastic polymeric material than that of the at least one window.

13. The automotive vehicle airbag module of claim 12 wherein the light emitter is a light emitting diode.

14. An automotive vehicle airbag module having a cover, said cover having incorporated therein at least one window portion unitary with a front surface of said cover for transmitting light from a light emitter within said module to a vehicle occupant, wherein said cover is made of a transparent thermoplastic and wherein non-window portions of said thermoplastic cover have been painted.

15. The airbag module of claim 14 wherein a portion of the cover immediately adjacent said at least one window portion is thinned to increase its flexibility.

16. The airbag module of claim 15 wherein the light emitter is a light emitting diode.

17. The airbag module of claim 15 wherein the light emitter is a light emitting diode.

18. The airbag module of claim 17 wherein a portion of the cover immediately adjacent said at least one window portion is thinned to increase its flexibility.