AIR BAG BRACKET/FASTENER

• US 20080238046A1
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Newfrey Llc (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Newfrey Llc (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lerch, Thomas J., Giddings, Joshua J., Werner, Wolfgang, Patt, Patricia E., Wernert, Terri L., Lesser, Carl, Lautner, Siegfried
• Granted Patent: US 7,669,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/20 Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/09 Releasable fastening devices with a stud engaging a keyhole slot

Abstract

An airbag installation fastener includes first and second fastener members connected by a hinge member. The first and second fastener members rotate from a fastener open condition to engage each other in a fastener closed position. The fastener closed position provides for an air bag member positioned between the first and second fastener members. The first and second fastener members have an aperture receiving a vehicle connected stud to support both the airbag installation fastener and the air bag member from the stud. An arm extending from the second fastener member rotates with respect to the second fastener member. The arm extends from the second fastener member in the fastener closed condition and both engages the second fastener member and abuts the stud to visually indicate a fastener completed installation condition.

Claims

1. An airbag installation fastener, comprising:

first and second fastener members connected by a hinge member, the first and second fastener members adapted to rotate from a fastener open condition to engage each other in a fastener closed position, the fastener closed position having an air bag member positioned between the first and second fastener members, each of the first and second fastener members having an aperture adapted to receive a vehicle connected stud to support both the airbag installation fastener and the air bag member from the stud; and

an arm extending from the second fastener member adapted to rotate with respect to the second fastener member, the arm extended from the second fastener member in the fastener closed condition and operable to both engage the second fastener member and to abut the stud to visually indicate a fastener completed installation condition.

2. The airbag installation fastener of claim 1, further comprising:

a raised engagement ring of the first fastener member having the aperture extending through the raised engagement ring; and

a recessed receiving ring of the second fastener member adapted to receive the raised engagement ring in the fastener closed position.

3. The airbag installation fastener of claim 2, further comprising:

a plurality of keys radially extending away from the raised engagement ring; and

a plurality of key slots created in the recessed receiving ring positioned to correspond to and receive individual ones of the keys of the raised engagement ring in the fastener closed position;

wherein the air bag includes an aperture aligned with the raised engagement ring and the air bag is partially engaged by the plurality of keys.

4. The airbag installation fastener of claim 1, wherein the arm comprises:

at least one hooked member adapted to be received in the aperture of the second body member; and

a notch adapted to partially receive a head of the stud, the notch positioned in a side-by-side configuration with the stud allowing visibility of the stud and the arm in the completed installation condition.

5. The airbag installation fastener of claim 1, wherein the arm includes each of a first thickness portion and a second thickness portion, the first thickness portion homogenously connected to the second fastener member and being thinner than the second thickness portion to promote bending of the arm in the first thickness portion, the second thickness portion freely extending away from the second fastener member.

6. The airbag installation fastener of claim 1, wherein the first fastener member includes an extending deflectable member having a hooked end adapted to be received in an aperture of the second fastener member to engage the first and second fastener members in the fastener closed position.

7. The airbag installation fastener of claim 1 wherein the second fastener member includes an extending deflectable member having a hooked end adapted to be received in a slot of the first fastener member to engage the first and second fastener members in the fastener closed position.

8. The airbag installation fastener of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second apertures define a keyway aperture having a substantially circular aperture in communication with an elongated slot.

9. The airbag installation fastener of claim 1, wherein the first and second fastener members, the hinge member, and the arm are all homogenously joined in the fastener open condition and created from a moldable polymeric material.

10. The airbag installation fastener of claim 1, wherein the at least one hooked member comprises opposed first and second hooked members each having a ramped surface operable to promote deflection of the first and second hooked members.

11. An airbag installation fastener for connecting an airbag to an automobile vehicle, comprising:

a polymeric body having homogenously connected members in a fastener open condition, the body including first and second fastener members and a hinge member between the first and second fastener members;

at least one deflectable engagement post homogenously extending from one of the first and second fastener members, the other one of the first and second fastener members having an aperture adapted to receive the engagement post to engage the first and second fastener members;

a hinge pin homogenously connected to the second fastener member received in a hinge pin aperture of a hinge arm homogenously connected to the first fastener member;

wherein the first and second fastener members are adapted to rotate from the fastener open condition to a fastener closed condition frangibly disconnecting the hinge pin from the hinge arm, the fastener closed condition having the first and second fastener members engaged to each other by the engagement post and adapted to receive an air bag member between the first and second fastener members.

12. The airbag installation fastener of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second fastener members include an aperture adapted to receive a vehicle connected stud to support both the airbag installation fastener and the air bag member from the stud.

13. The airbag installation fastener of claim 11, further comprising an arm member homogenously extending from the second fastener member adapted to rotate with respect to the second fastener member, the arm member extended from the second fastener member in both the fastener open condition and the fastener closed condition, and operable to both engage the second fastener member and to abut the stud in a completed fastener installation condition.

14. The airbag installation fastener of claim 11, wherein the hinge pin defines a triangular shape.

15. The airbag installation fastener of claim 11, wherein the hinge pin aperture defines a triangular-shape adapted to frictionally receive the hinge pin as the hinge pin rotates.

16. An airbag installation fastener for connecting an airbag to an automobile vehicle, comprising:

a first fastener member having a raised surface;

a second fastener member adapted to engage the first fastener member, the second fastener member having a recessed surface adapted to receive the raised surface of the first fastener member;

wherein the first and second fastener members are adapted to receive an air bag member having an aperture aligned with respect to the raised surface when the raised surface is received in the recessed surface.

17. The airbag installation fastener of claim 16, further comprising an engagement post having a barbed end extending from one of the first and second fastener members, the barbed end of the engagement post adapted to be received by an aperture of the other one of the first and second fastener members to engage the first and second fastener members.

18. The airbag installation fastener of claim 16, further comprising an arm homogenously extending from the second fastener member, the arm having at least one engagement post homogenously and transversely extending from the arm adapted to engage a receiving aperture of the second fastener member.

19. The airbag installation fastener of claim 16, further comprising a hinge section coupling the first and second fastener members, the hinge section having opposed triangular-shaped hinge pins received in triangular-shaped hinge pin apertures of opposed hinge arms.

20. The airbag installation fastener of claim 16, further comprising:

a plurality of keys radially extending from the raised surface;

a plurality of key slots radially extending from and in communication with the recessed surface, the key slots adapted to receive individual ones of the keys when the first fastener member is engaged with the second fastener member.

21. The airbag installation fastener of claim 16, further comprising a keyway shaped aperture created in each of the first and second fastener members located within each of the raised and recessed surfaces, respectively, the keyway shaped apertures coaxially aligned when the first fastener member is engaged with the second fastener member, and adapted to receive a vehicle body mounted fastener to support the airbag installation fastener.

22. The airbag installation fastener of claim 21, further comprising a ramped surface positioned proximate to the keyway shaped aperture of the second fastener member, the ramped surface operable to engage a head of the vehicle body mounted fastener and force the first fastener member toward the second fastener member to frictionally sandwich the air bag member.

23. A method for installing an airbag installation fastener, the airbag installation fastener including a polymeric body having homogenously connected members in a fastener open condition, the body including first and second fastener members connected by a hinge member;

a raised engagement ring of the first fastener member;

a recessed ring of the second fastener member;

a deflectable engagement post homogenously extending from one of the first and second fastener members; and

an arm member homogenously extending from the second fastener member, the method comprising;

rotating the first and second fastener members toward each other about the hinge member until the deflectable engagement post is received by an aperture of the other one of the first and second fastener members to engage the first and second fastener members with an air bag member sandwiched in between;

attaching the first and second fastener members with the air bag member sandwiched between to a vehicle connected fastener; and

swinging the arm member to engage the arm member with the second fastener member and to position the arm member proximate to the vehicle connected fastener to visually indicate a completed installation of the air bag installation fastener.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising aligning an aperture of the air bag member with the raised engagement ring prior to the rotating step.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising homogenously connecting a hinge pin to the second fastener member adapted to be received in a hinge pin aperture of a hinge arm homogenously connected to the first fastener member.