US 7,407,183 B2Granted

Driver side air bag module with annular air bag and centrally disposed control module

AssigneeKey Safety Systems, Inc.

InventorsBrian C. Ford, Lawrence R. Langbeen, Mohannad F. Murad, Hossam Almasri, Randal Gosk, John M. Burdock

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An air bag module (20) having a base plate (30) and a toroidal air bag (80) is disclosed. The toroidal air bag (80) defines a pocket (120). The toroidal air bag (80) is coupled to the base plate (30). A control module (40) having a base plate portion (82) and a generally cylindrical portion (86) is coupled to the base and located within the toroidal air bag (80). The control module (40) has a control module cover (90) coupled to said generally cylindrical portion (86) disposed within said pocket (120).

Claims4

Dependent claims

A steering wheel assembly comprising:

a base member (30) with at least one cover retaining flange (26);
a cover (140) defining at least one retaining flange aperture (34) configured to receive at least one cover retaining flange (26);
a steering wheel (14) having an armature (14), the steering wheel having at least one slot (24a) to receive the at least one cover retaining flange (26), wherein the cover (140) is disposed adjacent to the at least one cover retaining flange (26);
and
a control module (40) having a generally cylindrical portion (86) with a grooved portion coupled to an opening of the cover, the control module (40) having a control module cover (90) coupled to said generally cylindrical portion (86).

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/071,943Filed 4 Mar 2005 · division
Priority: 23 Feb 2001
Published: US 2005/0146119 A17 Jul 2005
Granted: 5 Aug 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B60R 21/2037
Using modules containing inflator, bag and cover attachable to the steering wheel as a complete sub-unit: the module or a major component thereof…
B60R 21/2035
In steering wheels or steering columns: using modules containing inflator, bag and cover attachable to the steering wheel as a complete sub-unit
B60R 21/216
Characterised by the covers for the inflatable member: comprising tether means for limitation of cover motion during deployment
B60R 25/00
Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of

Family

Application60/271,133Us provisional application · filed 23 Feb 2001
Application09/870,906Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 31 May 2001
Application10/210,248Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 1 Aug 2002
Application10/280,150Parent of this division · filed 25 Oct 2002
US 2005/0146119 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Jul 2005
US 6,863,301 B2Parent of this division
US 6,994,372 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application10/280,150Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 6,550,804 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2002/0117838 A1Published application
US 2003/0047922 A1Published application
US 2004/0021303 A1Published application
US 7,407,183 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Timeline

Citations

Open elsewhere

Building an agent or pulling many patents? Use the API or MCP server instead of scraping pages. Get an API key