Airbag to load plate attachment mechanism
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A force distributing airbag module comprising:
- a load plate having a load plate attachment member;
an airbag having an airbag mount comprising a mounting strap, wherein the load plate is positionable over the airbag; and
a fastener having at least one plate defining a substantially enclosed cross-section, wherein the substantially enclosed cross-section of the fastener secures the load plate attachment member and the airbag mount.
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Abstract
A load distributing airbag module having an airbag, a load plate, and a fastener is disclosed. The airbag has an airbag mount and the load plate has a load plate attachment member. The fastener may define a generally enclosed shape to capture the airbag mount and the load plate attachment member. To capture the airbag mount and the load plate attachment member, the fastener has an unfastened and fastened state. In the unfasten state, the fastener may be a “U” shaped channel. In the fastened state, the fastener is generally box shaped.
49 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A force distributing airbag module comprising:
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a load plate having a load plate attachment member; an airbag having an airbag mount comprising a mounting strap, wherein the load plate is positionable over the airbag; and a fastener having at least one plate defining a substantially enclosed cross-section, wherein the substantially enclosed cross-section of the fastener secures the load plate attachment member and the airbag mount. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A process for attaching a load plate to an airbag, wherein the load plate has a load plate attachment member and the airbag has an airbag mount, the process comprising:
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providing a fastener bent to define an open channel; inserting the airbag mount into the open channel of the fastener; inserting the load plate attachment member into the open channel of the fastener; bending the fastener to define a substantially enclosed cross-section, such that the fastener bendably secures the load plate to the airbag. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A process for attaching a load plate to an airbag, wherein the load plate has an opening and the airbag has a mounting strap, the process comprising:
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providing a substantially elongated “
U”
shaped fastener, wherein the “
U”
shaped fastener has an open upper end an a closed lower end;inserting the airbag mounting strap through the open upper end of the “
U”
shaped fastener to positioned the mounting strap in proximity to the closed lower end, such that the open upper end of the fastener points away from the airbag;slidably inserting the upper open end of the “
U”
shaped fastener through the openings in the load plate;bending the upper open ends of the “
U”
shaped fastener to secure the load plate to the airbag. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. A force distributing airbag module comprising:
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a load plate having a load plate attachment member comprising a bridging section defined by two substantially parallel slits in the load plate; an airbag having an airbag mount, wherein the load plate is positionable over the airbag; and a fastener having at least one plate defining a substantially enclosed cross-section, wherein the substantially enclosed cross-section of the fastener secures the load plate attachment member and the airbag mount. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification