Airbag module mounting bracket with bendable mounting arms
First Claim
1. An airbag module mounting bracket for mounting an airbag module within a steering wheel assembly in a vehicle, the airbag module having an inflatable airbag cushion and a cylindrical airbag inflator extending out of a bottom surface of the airbag module, the airbag module mounting bracket comprising:
- a main body plate securable to the bottom surface of the airbag module and defining a generally circular inflator-receiving aperture for fitting around the cylindrical airbag inflator of the airbag module, the generally circular inflator-receiving aperture having a center point; and
the mounting bracket attachable to the steering wheel assembly at only two spaced-apart, opposing attachment points, with the attachment points positioned so that an imaginary straight line intersecting both attachment points is radially offset from the center point of the inflator-receiving aperture of the main body plate, a portion of the mounting bracket between the imaginary straight line and the center point of the inflator-receiving aperture being rigid yet bendable under torque caused by inflation of the airbag cushion in the airbag module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An airbag module mounting bracket for mounting an airbag module within a steering wheel assembly in a vehicle. The mounting bracket includes a main body plate securable to the airbag module and defining a generally circular inflator-receiving aperture for fitting around a cylindrical airbag inflator of the airbag module, with the inflator-receiving aperture having a center point. The mounting bracket is attachable to the steering wheel at only two spaced-apart, opposing attachment points, with the attachment points positioned so that an imaginary straight line intersecting both attachment points is radially offset from the center point of the inflator-receiving aperture of the main body plate. A portion of the mounting bracket between the imaginary straight line and the center point of the inflator-receiving aperture is rigid yet bendable under torque caused by inflation of an airbag cushion in the airbag module, whereby the mounting bracket bends to allow the airbag module to rotate in order to place the inflated airbag cushion in an optimum position with respect to a vehicle driver.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An airbag module mounting bracket for mounting an airbag module within a steering wheel assembly in a vehicle, the airbag module having an inflatable airbag cushion and a cylindrical airbag inflator extending out of a bottom surface of the airbag module, the airbag module mounting bracket comprising:
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a main body plate securable to the bottom surface of the airbag module and defining a generally circular inflator-receiving aperture for fitting around the cylindrical airbag inflator of the airbag module, the generally circular inflator-receiving aperture having a center point; and the mounting bracket attachable to the steering wheel assembly at only two spaced-apart, opposing attachment points, with the attachment points positioned so that an imaginary straight line intersecting both attachment points is radially offset from the center point of the inflator-receiving aperture of the main body plate, a portion of the mounting bracket between the imaginary straight line and the center point of the inflator-receiving aperture being rigid yet bendable under torque caused by inflation of the airbag cushion in the airbag module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An airbag module for mounting in a steering wheel assembly of a vehicle, the airbag module comprising:
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A) a module baseplate; B) a module cover secured to the module baseplate; C) an inflatable, folded airbag cushion secured to the module baseplate and contained between the module baseplate and the module cover; D) a cylindrical airbag inflator secured to the module baseplate and positioned within an opening in the module baseplate with a portion of the airbag inflator defining a plurality of gas exhaust ports positioned within the airbag cushion; and E) a mounting bracket including, a main body plate secured to the module baseplate and defining a generally circular inflator-receiving aperture fitting around the cylindrical airbag inflator, the generally circular inflator-receiving aperture having a center point, and the mounting bracket attachable to the steering wheel assembly at only two spaced-apart, opposing attachment points, with the attachment points positioned so that an imaginary straight line intersecting both attachment points is radially offset from the center point of the inflator-receiving aperture of the main body plate, a portion of the mounting bracket between the imaginary straight line and the center point of the inflator-receiving aperture being rigid yet bendable under torque caused by inflation of the airbag cushion. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification