Means for fastening an airbag module

A mechanism for the releasable, positive fastening of a back wall of a housing of an airbag module to a supporting component of a motor vehicle body, wherein at least two fastening points are formed, wherein for each fastening point a pin is provided on one of the back wall of the housing and the supporting component and an opening to receive the pin is provided on the other of the supporting component and the back wall of the housing, wherein a resiliently biased catch means is disposed in the area of the opening, and wherein the pin has one of a wedge and cone-shaped front portion and a detent on the pin shaft, wherein the catch means is biased transversely of the longitudinal axis by the front portion of the pin when the latter is inserted, from a closed position to an open position, when the pin has reached the given fastening position in the opening, wherein the pin is inserted into the opening beyond the given fastening position by compression of a resilient element acting lengthwise of the pin, and after the catch means has been restored to the catching position by the resilient element, the pins is restored to the given fastening position while maintaining a bias between the back wall of the housing and the supporting component, and wherein the pin is joined rotatably and outwardly protruding with one of the housing back wall and the supporting component, and the detent on the pin is configured such that by rotating the pin with a tool about its longitudinal axis, the catch means is biased into the open position, while the catch means disengages the detent under the influence of the resilient element and wherein the catch means comprises a hairpin spring having legs biased transversely of the longitudinal axis of the pin toward a closed position and is stretched to an open position, and wherein the front portion of the pin is conically tapered and the pin has a groove area with a lens-shaped residual cross section, and when the pin is pushed into the open position and snap into the detent in the form of the groove area when the pin has reached the given fastening position, and the legs of the hairpin spring are biased to the open position by rotating the pin by 90.degree. on its longitudinal axis, releasing the catch means.