Configuration of an airbag module and airbag assembly process
AssigneeBayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsOlaf Weiss, Martin Heinl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a configuration for an airbag module behind the instrument panel of a motor vehicle, a charge channel for the airbag is mounted on the back side of the instrument panel, while the airbag module is held by an axle tube of the vehicle body. The charge channel loosely encompasses the airbag deployment opening of the airbag module. A catch on the charge channel acts in conjunction with a hook component fastened to the suspension tube in such a way that bending of the instrument panel in the direction of the passenger compartment is limited when the airbag is deployed. In this manner, an orderly unfolding of the airbag is ensured. Additionally, the separate configuration of the charge channel and the airbag module is not susceptible to component tolerances.
Claims11
A configuration of an airbag module behind an instrument panel of a motor vehicle, the airbag module comprising a gas generator and an airbag folded within a housing, wherein a charge channel is positioned in front of the airbag module, mounted on a back side of the instrument panel, and adapted to guide the airbag as it unfolds upon deployment, wherein, in an area of an airbag deployment opening, the charge channel loosely encompasses the housing, and wherein the charge channel is equipped with a catch on its outer side which, when the instrument panel is mounted, is positioned behind at least a portion of a hook component mounted to a part of a forward body structure of the motor vehicle such that, when the airbag deploys, the catch is supported against the portion of the hook component.
A configuration of an airbag module behind an instrument panel of a motor vehicle, the airbag module comprising a gas generator and an airbag folded within a housing, wherein a charge channel is positioned in front of the airbag module, mounted on a back side of the instrument panel, and adapted to guide the airbag as it unfolds upon deployment, wherein, in an area of an airbag deployment opening, the charge channel loosely encompasses the housing, wherein the charge channel is equipped with a catch on its outer side which, when the instrument panel is mounted, is positioned behind at least a portion of a hook component mounted to the motor vehicle such that, when the airbag deploys, the catch is supported against the portion of the hook component, wherein the airbag module is mounted on a support tube in forward body structure of the vehicle, wherein the charge channel is a rectangular channel, wherein the catch is provided at least on an outside of one channel wall, and wherein the hook component is mounted to the support tube.
A process of assembling an airbag module behind an instrument panel of a motor vehicle, comprising:
- mounting the airbag module, including at least a gas generator and an airbag folded within a housing, on a part of a forward body structure of the motor vehicle, and
- placing the instrument panel so that a charge channel is positioned in front of the air bag module and over the housing, so that, in an area of an airbag deployment opening, the charge channel loosely encompasses the housing, and so that a catch on an outer side of the charge channel is positioned behind at least a portion of a hook component mounted to the part of the forward body structure of the motor vehicle such that, when the airbag deploys, the catch is adapted to be supported against the portion of the hook component.
A process of assembling an airbag module behind an instrument panel of a motor vehicle, comprising:
- mounting the airbag module, including at least a gas generator and an airbag folded within a housing, on a support tube, and
- placing the instrument panel so that a charge channel is positioned in front of the air bag module and over the housing, so that, in an area of an airbag deployment opening, the charge channel loosely encompasses the housing, and so that a catch on an outer side of the charge channel is positioned behind at least a portion of a hook component mounted to the motor vehicle such that, when the airbag deploys, the catch is adapted to be supported against the portion of the hook component,
- wherein the support tube is in forward body structure of the vehicle, wherein the charge channel is a rectangular channel, wherein the catch is provided at least on an outside of one channel wall, and wherein the hook component is mounted to the support tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.