Passenger airbag module
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsSteven M. Citko, Shawn D. Burney, Christopher R. Phelps, Brian McPeck, Robert J. Schlenke, George Helou
Life of this patent
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Abstract
One general aspect includes an airbag module, including: a housing. The airbag module also includes a cushion disposed within the housing. The airbag module also includes a chute having a first side and a second side with a seam centrally formed therebetween, where each of the first and second sides include a plurality of fingers which operatively cooperate to define a track configured to slidably attach the housing to the chute such that the chute sufficiently encloses the cushion within the housing, and where the chute is configured to open during deployment of the cushion.
Claims17
An airbag module, comprising:
- a housing;
- a cushion disposed within the housing;
- and
- a chute having a first side and a second side with a seam centrally formed therebetween, wherein each of the first and second sides comprise a plurality of fingers which operatively cooperate to define a track configured to slidably attach the housing to the chute such that the chute sufficiently encloses the cushion within the housing, and wherein the chute is configured to open during deployment of the cushion.
An airbag module, comprising:
- a rigid housing comprising a retaining tab and a plurality of peripherally extending protuberances;
- a cushion disposed within the housing;
- and
- a rigid chute comprising a retaining base, the chute having a first side with a perforationably connected first plate and a second side with a perforationably connected second plate and a seam centrally formed between the first and second plate, wherein the first and second plates and seam correspond to define a door configured to open during deployment of the cushion, and wherein each of the first and second sides comprise at least five inverted-L shape fingers that operatively cooperate to define a track configured to slidably attach the housing to the chute such that the chute sufficiently encloses the cushion within the housing;
- when the housing is sufficiently slidably attached to the chute, the protuberances align with the fingers and the retaining tab and retaining base are operatively positioned to receive a joining mechanism which affixes the housing to the chute;
- and
- wherein a lattice pattern reinforces the structural integrity of the first and second plates.
A method of constructing an airbag module, the method comprising:
- providing a rigid housing comprising a retaining tab and a plurality of peripherally extending protuberances;
- disposing a cushion within the housing;
- providing a rigid chute comprising a retaining base, the chute having a first side with a perforationably connected first plate and a second side with a perforationably connected second plate and a seam centrally formed between the first and second plate, wherein the first and second plates and seam correspond to define a door configured to open during deployment of the cushion, and wherein each of the first and second sides comprise a plurality of inverted-L shape fingers that operatively cooperate to define a track;
- sliding the housing along the chute via the track until the cushion is sufficiently enclosed within the housing;
- aligning the protuberances with the fingers such that each protuberance is positioned beneath a portion of the respective finger;
- aligning the retaining tab and retaining base;
- and
- affixing the housing to the chute by operatively attaching the retaining tab and retaining base via a joining mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.