Air bag housing and method of making
OwnerTimothy G. Basner, Bassam G. Khoudariinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An air bag housing for use with an air bag inflator is provided. The air bag housing is formed from an elastically deformable material. The air bag housing comprises a cushion area, an inflator area, and an inflator locking mechanism. The cushion area is configured to receive an inflatable cushion in an un-inflated state. The inflator area is configured to receive the air bag inflator. The inflator area defines a receiving area that conforms to a cross section or exterior configuration of the inflator. The housing and the receiving area flex and elastically deform from an open position to a closed position. The inflator locking mechanism locks the housing and receiving area in the closed position securing the inflator therein.
Claims20
A method of securing an inflator in an air bag module, comprising:
- inserting an inflator into a housing;
- elastically deforming a portion of said housing about said inflator and causing a plurality of locking members to move from a first position to a second position, said locking members being configured to retain said housing in a configuration as said housing is deformed and said members move towards said second position.
An air bag housing, comprising:
- a pair of sidewalls being in a facing spaced relationship;
- a connecting portion being configured to connect said pair of sidewalls;
- a receiving area configured to receive an air bag inflator therein, said pair of sidewalls and said connecting portion being constructed out of a resilient material that allows said pair of sidewalls and said connecting portion to be deformed from a first position to a second position, said receiving area decreasing in size as said pair of sidewalls and said connecting portion are deformed to said second position and said receiving area secures said air bag inflator therein as said pair of sidewalls and said connecting portion are deformed to said second position;
- and
- a plurality of first locking members depending from one of said pair of sidewalls and a plurality of second locking members depending from the other one of said pair of sidewalls, said plurality of first locking members being secured to said plurality of second locking members as said pair of sidewalls and said connecting portion is deformed to said second position from said first position.
An air bag housing, comprising:
- a pair of sidewalls and a connecting portion connecting said pair of sidewalls to each other, said pair of sidewalls defining a portion of a cushion area configured to receive an inflatable cushion in an un-inflated state;
- an inflator area, said pair of sidewalls and said connecting portion defining a portion of said inflator area, said inflator area being configured to receive an inflator for inflating said inflatable cushion, said inflator area defining a receiving area, said receiving area being configured to conform to a cross section of said inflator, said pair of sidewalls and said connecting portion being configured to flex or elastically deform from an open position to a closed position upon the application of a closing force to said housing;
- and
- an inflator locking mechanism being configured to lock said pair of sidewalls and said connecting portion in said closed position to secure said inflator in said receiving area.
An air bag housing, comprising:
- a pair of sidewalls and a connecting portion connecting said pair of sidewalls to each other, said pair of sidewalls defining a portion of a cushion area configured to receive an inflatable cushion in an uninflated state;
- an inflator area, said pair of sidewalls and said connecting portion defining a portion of said inflator area, said inflator area being configured to receive an inflator for inflating said inflatable cushion, said inflator area defining a receiving area, said receiving area being configured to conform to a cross section of said inflator, said pair of sidewalls and said connecting portion being configured to flex or elastically deform from an open position to a closed position upon the application of a closing force to said housing;
- and
- an inflator locking member being configured to lock said pair of sidewalls and said connecting portion in said closed position to secure said inflator in said receiving area, said inflator locking member passing through a pair of openings in said pair of sidewalls, said pair of openings being axially aligned when said housing is in said closed position.
A method for increasing the structural integrity of an air bag housing, comprising:
- forming an air bag housing and at least one locking mechanism out of a resilient material, said housing defining an inflator area and a cushion area, said at least one locking mechanism being disposed between said inflator area and said cushion area, said locking mechanism being configured to secured said housing in a closed position as said air bag housing is moved from an open position to a closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.