Module case for side impact airbag module

• US 5,810,390 A
• Filed: 12/09/1996
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Morton International Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Martersteck, Timothy M., Folsom, Marc D., Enders, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US08/760,663
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/728.3, 280/732, 280/728.2, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2176 the air bag components being completely enclosed in a soft or semi-rigid housing or cover

Abstract

An airbag module case for use with a side-impact airbag module also including an airbag cushion containing an inflator assembly having two mounting projections extending through the airbag cushion. The airbag module case includes a lower shell and an upper shell for substantially containing the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly. A tear seam hinge joins the lower shell to the upper shell and allows the upper and the lower shells to open and receive the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly, and to close with an inflator seat of the bottom shell receiving the inflator assembly and airbag cushion and an inflator closure of the upper shell overlapping the inflator seat of the lower shell. The two spaced-apart mounting studs of the inflator assembly extend through two spaced-apart mounting apertures of the inflator seat and through two spaced-apart mounting apertures of the inflator closure to secure the upper and the lower shells in a closed position containing the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly. The tear seam hinge is rupturable upon inflation of the folded airbag cushion within the closed and secured upper and lower shells and the module case opens along the tear seam hinge to release the inflating airbag cushion, with the upper and the lower shells remaining secured to the mounting projection.

Claims

1. An airbag module case for substantially containing an inflatable airbag cushion and an inflator assembly as part of a side airbag module, the inflator assembly having an airbag inflator and at least one mounting projection extending from the inflator assembly, the inflatable airbag cushion having a mouth containing the inflator assembly so that inflation gas produced by the inflator will inflate the airbag cushion, with the at least one mounting projection of the inflator assembly extending through the airbag cushion, a portion of the inflatable airbag cushion folded and nestled against the inflator assembly, the airbag module case comprising:

an upper shell and a lower shell for substantially containing the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly, the lower shell includes a bottom wall, and a hinge sidewall and an opposing mount sidewall extending from the bottom wall;

the upper shell includes a top wall, and a hinge sidewall and an opposing mount sidewall extending from the top wall; and

a tear seam hinge connects the hinge sidewall of the lower shell to the hinge sidewall of the upper shell;

at least one bridge extends between the hinge sidewall of the lower shell and the hinge sidewall of the upper shell and defines the tear seam hinge connecting the upper shell to the lower shell and allowing the upper and the lower shell to open about the tear seam hinge for receiving the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly and to close about the tear seam hinge for substantially containing the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly; and

each of the upper and the lower shells configured with at least one mounting aperture generally opposite the tear seam hinge to receive and engage the at least one mounting projection of the inflator assembly, thereby securing the upper and lower shells in a closed position with the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly substantially contained therebetween and for securing each of the upper and the lower shells to the at least one mounting projection and wherein the at least one mounting aperture of the lower shell is defined by the bottom wall adjacent the mount sidewall and the upper shell is configured with at least one inflator closure extending from the mount sidewall of the upper shell for extending over the at least one mounting aperture defined by the lower shell, the at least one inflator closure defining the at least one mounting aperture of the upper shell;

wherein the bottom wall of the lower shell forms an elongated inflator seat adjacent the mount sidewall for receiving the inflator assembly and the mouth of the inflatable airbag cushion, with the inflator seat defining the at least one mounting aperture of the lower shell, the bottom wall between the inflator seat and the hinge sidewall for receiving the folded portion of the inflatable airbag cushion;

whereby the tear seam hinge ruptures upon inflation of the airbag cushion within the closed and secured upper and lower shells and the module case opens along the tear seam hinge to release the inflating airbag cushion, with the upper and the lower shells remaining secured to the mounting projection.

2. An airbag module case according to claim 1 wherein at least one bridge extends from the lower shell to the upper shell and defines the tear seam hinge.

3. An airbag module case according to claim 2 wherein the at least one bridge is in the form of three spaced-apart bridges, with each bridge defining the tear seam hinge.

4. An airbag module case according to claim 1 for substantially containing said airbag cushion and said inflator assembly wherein the at least one mounting projection extending from the inflator assembly is two spaced-apart studs and wherein:

the at least one mounting aperture defined by the inflator seat of the lower shell being two spaced-apart mounting apertures; and

the at least one inflator closure extending from the mount sidewall of the upper shell being two spaced-apart inflator closures, with the at least one mounting aperture defined by each inflator closure being one mounting aperture.

5. An airbag module comprising:

A) an inflator assembly including an inflator and at least two spaced-apart mounting studs extending therefrom;

B) an inflatable airbag cushion having a mouth containing the inflator assembly so that inflation gas produced by the inflator will inflate the airbag cushion, with the at least two spaced-apart mounting studs of the inflator assembly extending through the airbag cushion, a portion of the inflatable airbag cushion folded and nestled against the inflator assembly; and

C) a module case for substantially containing the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly, the airbag module case including,

1) a lower shell having a bottom wall, a hinge sidewall extending generally perpendicular from the bottom wall, the bottom wall forming an elongated inflator seat, the inflator seat defining at least two spaced-apart mounting apertures,

2) an upper shell having a top wall, a mount sidewall extending from the top wall and an elongated inflator closure extending from the mount sidewall, the elongated inflator closure defining at least two spaced-apart mounting apertures,

3) a tear seam hinge joining the hinge sidewall of the lower shell to the top wall of the upper shell generally opposite the mount sidewall, the tear seam hinge allowing the upper and the lower shells to open about the tear seam hinge and receive the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly through an open end defined between the top wall, the mount sidewall and the elongated inflator closure of the upper shell and the inflator seat, the bottom wall and the hinge sidewall of the lower shell,

4) the tear seam hinge allowing the upper and the lower shells to close about the tear seam hinge with the top wall of the upper shell and the hinge sidewall and the bottom wall of the lower shell containing the folded portion of the airbag cushion adjacent the tear seam hinge, and the inflator seat of the bottom shell receiving the inflator assembly and the airbag cushion mouth, with the elongated inflator closure of the upper shell overlapping the at least two mounting apertures of the inflator seat of the lower shell, and the at least two spaced-apart mounting studs of the inflator assembly extending through the at least two spaced-apart mounting apertures of the inflator seat and through the at least two spaced-apart mounting apertures of the elongated inflator closure, securing the upper and the lower shells in a closed position containing the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly, the tear seam hinge rupturable upon inflation of the folded airbag cushion within the closed and secured upper and lower shells, and

5) an endwall joining the bottom wall and the hinge sidewall of the lower shell to the top wall and the mount sidewall of the upper shell opposite the open end, with the inflator seat and the inflator closure spaced-apart from the endwall, an inflator endcap formed by the bottom wall of the lower shell extending from the endwall to adjacent the inflator seat, and extending to the mount sidewall of the upper shell between the endwall and the inflator closure.

6. An airbag module comprising:

A) an inflator assembly including an inflator and at least two spaced-apart mounting studs extending from the inflator assembly;

B) an inflatable airbag cushion having a mouth containing the inflator assembly so that inflation gas produced by the inflator will inflate the airbag cushion, with the at least two spaced-apart mounting studs of the inflator assembly extending through the airbag cushion, a portion of the inflatable airbag cushion folded and nestled against the inflator assembly; and

C) a module case for substantially containing the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly, the airbag module case including,

1) a generally rectangular lower shell forming a bottom wall, a mount sidewall and an opposing hinge sidewall extending from the bottom wall, and two opposed endwalls extending from the bottom wall between the mount sidewall and the hinge sidewall, the bottom wall defining an elongated inflator seat adjacent the mount sidewall and extending between the opposing endwalls with the inflator seat defining at least two spaced-apart mounting apertures,

2) a generally rectangular upper shell forming a top wall, an mount sidewall and an opposing hinge sidewall extending from the top wall, and two opposed endwalls extending from the top wall between the mount sidewall and the hinge sidewall, at least two spaced-apart narrow inflator closures extending from the mount sidewall with each narrow inflator closure defining a mounting aperture, and

3) three spaced-apart bridges extending between the hinge sidewall of the lower shell to the hinge sidewall of the upper shell, with the three spaced-apart bridges defining a tear seam hinge allowing the upper and the lower shells to open about the tear seam hinge, with the inflator seat of the bottom wall of the lower shell receiving the inflator assembly and the airbag cushion mouth, with the at least two spaced-apart mounting studs of the inflator assembly extending through the at least two spaced-apart mounting apertures of the inflator seat, and the lower shell between the inflator seat and the three spaced-apart bridges receiving the folded portion of the airbag cushion,

4) the tear seam hinge allowing the upper shell to close about the tear seam hinge over the inflator assembly and the airbag cushion, with the at least two inflator closures of the upper shell overlapping the at least two mounting apertures of the inflator seat of the lower shell and receiving the at least two spaced-apart mounting studs of the inflator through their respective mounting apertures, securing the upper and the lower shells in a closed position containing the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly, the tear seam hinge rupturable upon inflation of the folded airbag cushion within the closed and secured upper and lower shells.

7. An airbag module case for substantially containing an inflatable airbag cushion and an inflator assembly as part of a side airbag module, the inflator assembly having an airbag inflator and at least one mounting projection extending from the inflator assembly, the inflatable airbag cushion having a mouth containing the inflator assembly so that inflation gas produced by the inflator will inflate the airbag cushion, with the at least one mounting projection of the inflator assembly extending through the airbag cushion, a portion of the inflatable airbag cushion folded and nestled against the inflator assembly, the airbag module case comprising:

an upper shell and a lower shell for substantially containing the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly;

the lower shell includes a bottom wall and a hinge sidewall extending from the bottom wall;

the upper shell includes a top wall, and a mount sidewall extending from the top wall;

a tear seam hinge connecting the top wall of the upper shell generally opposite the mount sidewall to the hinge sidewall of the lower shell and allowing the upper and the lower shell to open about the tear seam hinge for receiving the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly and to close about the tear seam hinge for substantially containing the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly; and

each of the upper and the lower shells configured generally opposite the tear seam hinge to receive and engage the mounting projection of the inflator assembly, thereby securing the upper and lower shells in a closed position with the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly substantially contained therebetween and for securing each of the upper and the lower shells to the at least one mounting projection and wherein the at least one mounting aperture of the lower shell is defined by the bottom wall adjacent the mount sidewall and the upper shell is configured with at least one inflator closure extending from the mount sidewall of the upper shell for extending over the at least one mounting aperture defined by the lower shell, the at least one inflator closure defining the least one mounting aperture;

wherein the lower shell includes an elongated inflator seat extending from the bottom wall generally opposite the hinge sidewall for receiving the inflator assembly and the mouth of the inflatable airbag cushion, with the inflator seat defining the at least one mounting aperture of the lower shell, the bottom wall between the inflator seat and the hinge sidewall for receiving the folded portion of the inflatable airbag cushion; and

whereby the tear seam hinge ruptures upon inflation of the airbag cushion within the closed and secured upper and lower shells and the module case opens along the tear seam hinge to release the inflating airbag cushion, with the upper and the lower shells remaining secured to the mounting projection.

8. An airbag module case according to claim 7 for substantially containing said airbag cushion and said inflator assembly wherein the at least one mounting projection extending from the inflator assembly is two spaced-apart studs and wherein:

the at least one mounting aperture defined by the inflator seat of the lower shell being two spaced-apart mounting apertures; and

the at least one inflator closure extending from the mount sidewall of the upper shell being an elongated inflator closure, with the at least one mounting aperture defined by the elongated inflator closure being two spaced-apart mounting apertures.