Attachment for an airbag

• US 7,261,315 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2004
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hofmann, Volker, Gromodka, Gregor
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan; Ruth
• Application Number:
  US10/940,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20050077709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/728.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23 Inflatable members B60R21/18 takes precedence; connection to inflation fluid source retainers B60R21/217
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

An airbag is fastened to a structural member of a motor vehicle. The airbag has at least one strap arranged on a border region of the airbag. The strap has a portal therethrough for receiving a hanger element that is a part of the structural member of the vehicle. The hanger element projects at least partly through the portal in the airbag strap. A fastener is attached to the hanger element, so that the airbag is arranged between the structural member and the fastener. The airbag may have a plurality of straps and the portals are arranged in pairs and the fastener is a handle that extends through the portals arranged in pairs.

Claims

1. An assembly of a motor vehicle including a structural member having at least one hanger element for an airbag;

and an airbag comprising at least one strap arranged on a border region of the airbag, said strap having a portal therethrough for connecting said airbag to said vehicle structural member through the at least one hanger element by extending the strap over the at least one hanger element through the portal such that the airbag is securable wherein the shape of said at least one hanger element and the shape of said portal provide an interlocking of said portal and at least one hanger element for avoiding the slipping of the airbag from the hanger element during installation of the airbag without the use of an additional fastener disposed on the airbag, and a fastener arranged on the side of the hanger element turned away from the structural member, to secure the airbag in its position between the structural member and the fastener; and

a cover that is arranged between the fastener and at least one part of the airbag.

2. The meter-vehicle assembly according to claim 1,

wherein the size of the portal is smaller or equal to the cross section of the at least one hanger element.

3. The assembly according to claim 1,

wherein the airbag has a plurality of straps and wherein the portals are arranged in pairs and the fastener is a handle that extends through the portals arranged in pairs.

4. A method of fastening an airbag to a structural member of a vehicle comprising the steps of:

providing a vehicle having a structural member with at least one hanger element for an airbag, the hanger element having a fastener thereon;

providing a side curtain airbag module an airbag comprising at least one strap arranged on a border region of the airbag, said at least one strap each having a portal therethrough for receiving a hanger element therethrough; and

making a preliminary assembly of the airbag and said at least one hanger element of the structural member, so that the airbag is arranged between the structural member and the fastener and the at least one hanger member projects at least partly through the at least one portal to provide an interlocking of said portal and said at least one hanger element for avoiding the slipping of the airbag from the hanger element during installation of the airbag without the use of an additional fastener disposed on the airbag.

5. The method for fastening an airbag to a structural member of a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the step of making a preliminary assembly of the airbag and said at least one hanger element is carried out by sliding at least one of the airbag straps onto the hanger element.

6. The method for fastening an airbag to a structural member of a vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising the step of arranging a cover between the fastener and at least one part of the airbag.