Airbag bracket and vehicle airbag system

• US 9,789,837 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ma, Qingsong
• Primary Examiner(s): Freedman, Laura
• Application Number:
  US15/069,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20160297391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

An airbag bracket includes a self-fastening protrusion extending from a plate-like metallic base. The base includes a tongue onto which the protrusion is molded using a polymeric material. The base has at least one through-aperture onto which a fabric tail of an airbag unit may be wound. The base further includes a fastener aperture to receive there-through a fastener. The protrusion and fastener are mounted in respective holes or sockets in a body wall of a vehicle in order to mount the airbag system.

Claims

1. An airbag bracket for mounting an airbag unit to a wall of a vehicle, comprising:

a base including a fastener aperture to receive there-through a fastener, wherein the base comprises a first material formed as a plate having at least one through-aperture for attaching a tail of the airbag unit; and

a protrusion supported on the base and comprising a second material different from the first material, wherein the protrusion extends from the plate for insertion into a hole in the wall of the vehicle, and wherein insertion of the protrusion into the hole aligns the fastener aperture for attaching the fastener through the fastener aperture to the wall of the vehicle;

wherein the base includes a tongue to be at least partially received within the protrusion, wherein the second material is moldable, and wherein the protrusion is molded onto the tongue.

2. The airbag bracket of claim 1, wherein the first material is a metallic material and the second material is a polymeric material.

3. The airbag bracket of claim 1, wherein the tongue is unitarily formed of the first material and projects into the through-aperture for attaching the tail of the airbag unit.

4. The airbag bracket of claim 1, wherein the base defines first and second through-apertures spaced apart from each other, the tongue extending from an edge of the first through-aperture.

5. The airbag bracket of claim 4, wherein the second through-aperture is longer in a width dimension than the first through-aperture.

6. The airbag bracket of claim 5, wherein the first through-aperture is positioned between the fastener aperture and the second through-aperture.

7. The airbag bracket of claim 1, wherein the protrusion includes a first segment with a first cross-section and a second segment with a second cross-section positioned between the base and the first segment, the first cross-section being different from the second cross-section in at least one of circumferential shape and perimeter dimension.

8. The airbag bracket of claim 1, wherein the protrusion includes on its outer surface two or more ribs spaced apart from each other.

9. The airbag bracket of claim 1, wherein the protrusion includes a transverse bar separating first and second cavities.

10. A vehicle airbag system mounted to a wall of a vehicle including an airbag unit and an airbag bracket, the airbag bracket comprising:

a base including a fastener aperture to receive there-through a fastener, wherein the base comprises a first material formed as a plate having at least one through-aperture for attaching a tail of the airbag unit; and

a protrusion supported on the base and comprising a second material different from the first material, wherein the protrusion extends from the plate for insertion into a hole in the wall of the vehicle, and wherein insertion of the protrusion into the hole aligns the fastener aperture for attaching the fastener through the fastener aperture to the wall of the vehicle;

wherein the base includes a tongue to be at least partially received within the protrusion, wherein the second material is moldable, and wherein the protrusion is molded onto the tongue.

11. The vehicle airbag system of claim 10, wherein the tail of the airbag unit connects to the protrusion.

12. The vehicle airbag system of claim 11, wherein the tail of the airbag unit includes an opening to receive there-through the protrusion such that the tail of the airbag unit is between the base and an interior surface of a vehicle body portion in an assembled position.

13. An airbag bracket for mounting an airbag unit to a wall of a vehicle, comprising:

a base including a fastener aperture to receive there-through a fastener, wherein the base comprises a first material formed as a plate having at least one through-aperture for attaching a tail of the airbag unit; and

a protrusion supported on the base and comprising a second material different from the first material, wherein the protrusion extends from the plate for insertion into a hole in the wall of the vehicle, and wherein insertion of the protrusion into the hole aligns the fastener aperture for attaching the fastener through the fastener aperture to the wall of the vehicle;

wherein the base includes a tongue to be at least partially received within the protrusion, wherein the second material is moldable, and wherein the protrusion is molded onto the tongue; and

wherein the base includes first and second stepped areas, the first stepped area being positioned between the fastener aperture and the second stepped area, and wherein at an assembled position, the second stepped area contacts the wall of the vehicle and the first stepped area is spaced apart from the wall of the vehicle.