Patent · US Expired

Driver-side air bag module assembly

US5409256A · kind A · utility

62Cited by
10References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 4, 1994
Grant dateApr 25, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 4, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T403/7007
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A driver-side air bag module is mounted to a steering wheel assembly mounting bracket having three mounting apertures. The module comprises a cover, an inflator and a base plate, which are assembled without using fasteners. The base plate has a plurality of arcuately-spaced mounting apertures and mounts three studs. The cover includes a plurality of mating flexible tangs having locking shoulders. The inflator has a peripheral mounting flange which includes three arcuately-spaced locking blades and a plurality of locking tabs projecting from its surface. The base plate has three mating openings each having an adjacent locking abutment. The studs are first staked to the base plate. The cover is assembled by inserting the tangs through the base plate mounting apertures so that the shoulders snap over to engage the base plate. The inflator locking blades are pushed through the base plate mating openings and twisted to pass them over the locking abutments. This traps the base plate between the blades and the mounting flange and abuts the locking tabs with the cover tangs, preventing their removal. Three inflator mounting flange slots receive the studs during assembly. The air bag module…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.