Gas bag module with cover

• US 6,283,498 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2000
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Breitweg, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUM VANNUCCI, LEE SIN YEE
• Application Number:
  US09/605,038
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728--72
• US Class Current: 280/728.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2163 with energy absorbing or elastic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/216 comprising tether means for limitation of cover motion during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence

Abstract

A gas bag module includes a housing for accommodating a folded gas bag, a cover connected to said housing by at least one tether and a fastener element on said housing for connection of said tether to said housing. To counteract extreme loading of the cover and other vehicle parts on deployment of the gas bag, said fastener element is plastically deformable when loaded by tensile forces in said tether as generated by inertial forces of said cover occurring on deployment of said gas bag.

Claims

1. A gas bag module including a housing for accommodating a folded gas bag, a cover connected to said housing by at least one tether and a fastener element on said housing for connection of said tether to said housing, said fastener element being plastically deformable when loaded by tensile forces in said tether as generated by inertial forces of said cover occurring on deployment of said gas bag.

2. A bag module including a housing for accommodating a folded gas bag, a cover connected to said housing by at least one tether and a fastener element on said housing to connect said tether to said housing, said fastener element being plastically deformed when subjected to tensile forces from said tether generated by inertial forces of said cover during deployment of said gas bag, said fastener element comprising a bracket having a base connected to the housing and a bent-off web integrally formed with said base and having a slot for looping in said tether, wherein said web is engaged by an end of said tether and oriented at a predetermined angle to a direction of tensile forces occurring in said tether upon deployment of said gas bag, said web being positioned approximately 90°

to the direction of tensile forces within said tether upon completion of plastic deformation of the fastener element.