Hand grip bracket and assembly comprising a hand grip bracket and a head side gas bag module

• US 6,340,169 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2000
• Issued: 01/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Tietze, Hans-Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sliteris, Joselynn Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/647,375
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/728.3, 280/732, 248/222.11, 248/222.12, 248/300, 296/153, 296/152
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/02 of hand grips or straps
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars

Abstract

A hand grip bracket for the attachment of a hand grip in the vehicle also serves to hold a head side gas bag module (50). For this purpose, the hand grip bracket has a bow-shaped holder (22) in which the housing (52) of the side gas bag module (50) has been inserted and to which it is attached.

Claims

1. A hand grip bracket having a hand grip attachment in a motor vehicle, characterized in that said bracket further includes a side gas bag module holder (22).

2. The hand grip bracket (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the holder (22) for the side gas bag module is formed in one piece with the hand grip bracket (10).

3. The hand grip bracket (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the hand grip bracket (10) is made of sheet metal.

4. The hand grip bracket as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the hand grip bracket (10) is made of a holding plate (12) with a 90°

bend, a plurality of sections (24) bent out against a main bending direction being provided in an area of a bending region.

5. The hand grip bracket (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the holder (22) has mounting holes in the form of bent-out sections (24).

6. The hand grip bracket (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that recesses (28) have been punched into the holder (22).

7. The hand grip bracket as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the holder (22), as seen in a cross-section perpendicular to a bending edge of a holding plate (12), extends in a shape of an arc.

8. The hand grip bracket (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the holder (22) extends towards the inside of the vehicle.

9. An assembly of a hand grip bracket (10) as claimed in claim 1 and a side gas bag module (50) attached thereto in a form-fitting manner, which side gas bag module has an elongate accommodation housing (52) with a head side gas bag (60) contained therein, and the accommodation housing (52) is adapted for being attached to the roof frame of a vehicle via the hand grip bracket (10).

10. The assembly as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that at least one holding means projects from the housing (52), which holding means penetrates into a corresponding mounting hole (24;

124) and fixes the housing (52) at the holder (22).

11. The assembly as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the holding means is a latching nose (70) projecting from the outside of the housing (52).

12. The assembly as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that in the holder (22) a guideway (90) is provided, which accommodates a holding means laterally projecting from the housing (52) and guides the same into a mounting hole (124) in the holder (22) when the housing (52) and the hand grip bracket (10) are pushed together.

13. The assembly as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that a mounting hole (224) in the holder (22) constitutes an oblong hole which has its maximum dimension in a direction of a longitudinal extent of the housing (52).

14. The assembly as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that a holding means is provided which connects opposing wall portions (54) of the housing (52) with each other and constitutes a hollow rivet (94) or spacer sleeve (82).

15. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the holding means is a hollow rivet (94) and the holder (22) is connected with the housing (52) via a screw (96) which has been screwed into the hollow rivet (94).

16. Apparatus comprising:

a bracket having structure for attachment of the bracket to a vehicle;

said bracket having a hand grip attachment for attaching a hand grip to said bracket; and

said bracket having an air bag module attachment for attaching an air bag module to said bracket.