EP1365946A2 - Enveloppe pour coussin d'air passager integree dans une planche de bord en materiau tendre sans raccord - Google Patents

Enveloppe pour coussin d'air passager integree dans une planche de bord en materiau tendre sans raccord

Info

Publication number
EP1365946A2
EP1365946A2 EP02706497A EP02706497A EP1365946A2 EP 1365946 A2 EP1365946 A2 EP 1365946A2 EP 02706497 A EP02706497 A EP 02706497A EP 02706497 A EP02706497 A EP 02706497A EP 1365946 A2 EP1365946 A2 EP 1365946A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
instrument panel
airbag
covering
housing
substrate
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP02706497A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Jeffrey L. Soncrant
Richard A. Hager
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Intier Automotive Inc
Original Assignee
Intier Automotive Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Intier Automotive Inc filed Critical Intier Automotive Inc
Publication of EP1365946A2 publication Critical patent/EP1365946A2/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/20—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
    • B60R21/205—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components in dashboards
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/20—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
    • B60R21/215—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components characterised by the covers for the inflatable member
    • B60R21/2165—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components characterised by the covers for the inflatable member characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an instrument panel and, more particularly, to an airbag module integrated into a substrate of a foam in place instrument panel.
  • the airbag module typically includes a canister for housing an inflatable bag and inflator assembly for inflating the bag from the canister.
  • the instrument panel typically includes a substrate covered by a foam in place soft covering.
  • the canister is independently affixed to the substrate of the instrument panel after the instrument panel is formed and assembled.
  • the instrument panel must be formed with a cavity for receiving the canister and an opening for allowing the inflatable bag to exit therethrough.
  • the canister must also be structurally affixed to the instrument panel and supported thereby.
  • the assembly of the canister and airbag module to the instrument panel increases the complexity of assembly and the cost of the instrument panel due to the excessive structure required and associated with the airbag module.
  • an instrument panel having the canister portion of the airbag module integrated into the substrate of the instrument panel such that the airbag module may be assembled to the substrate prior to the foam in place process of forming the covering over the substrate and airbag module.
  • an instrument panel assembly for an automotive vehicle comprising an instrument panel substrate having an upper wall spaced from a lower wall to define a cavity therebetween.
  • the substrate includes an airbag housing secured in the cavity and having opposing sides extending from a closed end adjacent the lower wall and an open end adjacent the upper wall.
  • An airbag module is provided including an inflatable bag and an inflator for inflating the bag.
  • the airbag module is housed within the airbag housing between the closed end and the open end.
  • An airbag covering is operatively coupled to the airbag housing to cover the open end of the airbag housing.
  • An instrument panel covering is affixed to the upper wall and the airbag covering for covering and concealing the substrate and the airbag module.
  • Figure 1 is a sectional view of the instrument panel assembly and integrated airbag module.
  • an instrument panel assembly is generally shown at 10 for use in an automotive vehicle.
  • the instrument panel assembly 10 includes a preformed, one piece, instrument panel substrate 12 which is typically molded of plastic and adapted to be fixedly secured within the interior compartment of the vehicle to form the dash/instrument panel of the vehicle.
  • the substrate 12 includes an upper wall 14 and a lower wall 16 spaced from the upper wall 14 to form a cavity therebetween.
  • a generally U-shaped airbag housing 18, defined by spaced apart opposing sides 20, 22, extends from a closed first end 24 adjacent the lower wall 16 to an open second end 26 adjacent the upper wall 14.
  • the open end 26 is defined by flanges 28, 30 extending outwardly from the respective sides 20, 22 and attached to the upper wall 14 of the substrate 12.
  • the airbag housing 18 may be integrally formed with the substrate 12 to form a one piece instrument panel substrate, or may be attached to one or both of the upper and lower walls 14, 16.
  • the airbag housing 18 supports and houses a soft pack airbag module 32 therein.
  • the airbag module 32 is fixedly secured to the housing 18 by a pair of side fasteners 34 and a lower fastener 36.
  • the lower fastener 36 also extends through the lower wall 16 of the substrate 12 for securing the module 32, housing 18 and substrate 12 to the vehicle.
  • the airbag module 32 includes an inflatable bag 38 and an inflator 40, as is commonly known to one having ordinary skill in the art.
  • the instrument panel assembly 10 further includes an airbag covering 42 operatively coupled to the airbag housing 18 to cover the open end 26 of the housing 18. More specifically, the covering 42 is a generally planar panel extending between the sides 20, 22 of the housing 18 to cover the open end 26. A first end 44 of the covering 42 is fixedly attached to the flange 28 of the housing 18 by a fastener 46, while an opposite second end 48 abuts the flange 30, but is free from attachment to the housing 18.
  • the assembly 10 also includes an instrument panel covering 50 attached to the upper wall 14 of the substrate 12 for covering the substrate and airbag module 32.
  • the instrument panel covering 50 may be a urethane foam layer having a soft, cosmetic, textile outer surface or trim cover wrapping, as is commonly known in the art.
  • the instrument panel covering 50 is attached to the substrate 12 by a foam in place process, thermoforming operation, or other conventional manufacturing method.
  • the substrate 12 is preformed by molding, injecting, or the like, the upper and lower walls 14, 16 and the airbag housing 18.
  • the airbag module 32 is then assembled in the airbag housing 18 and secured thereto by the fasteners 34, 36.
  • the airbag covering 42 is attached to the housing 18 by the fastener 46 to cover the open end 26 and the airbag module 32.
  • the covering 42 protects the airbag module 32 during the foam in place process and provides a door for allowing the inflatable bag 38 to expand therethrough.
  • the covering 42 is attached to the substrate 12 to cover and protect the airbag module 32, the substrate 12 and covering 42 are covered by the instrument panel covering 50 via the foam in place process.
  • This assembly forms an integrated airbag module into a seamless soft instrument panel while eliminating an independent canister to house the airbag module within the instrument panel substrate. That is, the housing 18 for the airbag module 32 is integrated into the substrate 12 and then covered by the airbag covering 42 to allow foaming of the soft instrument panel covering 50.
  • the above-described embodiment of the invention is intended to be an example of the present invention and alterations and modifications may be effected thereto, by those of skill in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Air Bags (AREA)

Abstract

Cette invention concerne un ensemble planche de bord pour véhicule automobile comprenant un substrat dont les cloisons supérieure et inférieure définissent entre elles une cavité. Dans cette cavité se trouve une enveloppe pour coussin d'air dont les côtés opposés séparent une extrémité fermée adjacente à la cloison inférieure et une extrémité ouverte adjacente à la cloison supérieure. Un module de coussin d'air comprend un coussin gonflable et un gonfleur. Le module de coussin gonflable est logé dans une enveloppe disposée entre l'extrémité fermée et l'extrémité ouverte. Un couvercle de coussin gonflable, présentant une première extrémité fixée à l'un des côtés de l'enveloppe et une seconde extrémité en contact avec l'extrémité opposée de l'enveloppe, recouvre l'extrémité ouverte de l'enveloppe. Un revêtement de planche de bord, fixé à la cloison supérieure et au couvercle de coussin d'air par moussage in situ, recouvre et occulte le substrat et le module de coussin d'air.
EP02706497A 2001-03-06 2002-03-06 Enveloppe pour coussin d'air passager integree dans une planche de bord en materiau tendre sans raccord Withdrawn EP1365946A2 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US27389201P 2001-03-06 2001-03-06
US273892P 2001-03-06
PCT/US2002/006961 WO2002070308A2 (fr) 2001-03-06 2002-03-06 Enveloppe pour coussin d'air passager integree dans une planche de bord en materiau tendre sans raccord

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1365946A2 true EP1365946A2 (fr) 2003-12-03

Family

ID=23045858

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP02706497A Withdrawn EP1365946A2 (fr) 2001-03-06 2002-03-06 Enveloppe pour coussin d'air passager integree dans une planche de bord en materiau tendre sans raccord

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1365946A2 (fr)
CA (1) CA2440081A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2002070308A2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8336908B1 (en) * 2011-08-08 2012-12-25 Ford Global Technologies, Llc Insert molded TPO chute for automotive air bag system

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4209604C2 (de) * 1991-04-04 1996-12-12 Volkswagen Ag Behälterdeckel in einem Fahrzeugraum, insbesondere Handschuhfachdeckel
DE4421820A1 (de) * 1994-06-22 1996-01-04 Ebers & Mueller Fibrit Instrumententafel
JP3011888B2 (ja) * 1996-07-19 2000-02-21 株式会社イノアックコーポレーション インストルメントパネルのエアバッグドアの構造
JP3309178B2 (ja) * 1998-01-19 2002-07-29 三光合成株式会社 助手席用エアーバッグ装置

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO02070308A2 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2002070308A3 (fr) 2002-12-19
WO2002070308A2 (fr) 2002-09-12
CA2440081A1 (fr) 2002-09-12

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