MXPA96004836A - Accommodation of art type air bag - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to tundish-like housing made by casting in a mold, with a U-shaped cross-section, and the same through its entire length, and with flat end side walls to accommodate a gas generator and an air bag for a passenger protection system in a motor vehicle, comprising two half protections of a substantially mirror image configuration, with integrally molded side wall halves and means for attaching the two half protections comprising eyelashes which project outwards in contact with each other when they are assembled and formed on the half-protections in the area of inferior connection.

Description

ACCOMMODATION OF ARTESA TYPE AIR BAG DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a tundish-like housing made by casting in a mold, having a U-shaped cross-section, which is equal along its length, and flat end walls to accommodate a gas generator and a airbag for a system to protect a passenger from the front seat in a motor vehicle. To a greater degree, car manufacturers are offering air bags for the passenger to hoist extra equipment, or even as normal equipment. Its objective is to manufacture such airbag modules as cheaply as possible in order to offer the consumer additional security at the lowest possible cost. All the elements of the airbag module are critically analyzed and examined for possible cost savings. In the case of accommodation, the savings can be achieved especially not only by adapting it to existing installation conditions, sometimes narrow and angular, but vice versa by configuring the areas of the body of the vehicle, especially the instrument panel, for insr? l: L; of an air bag. In this way, the posibi is created. i daii to design an individual housing for a plurality of applications and to exploit the manufacturing advantages for the production of large numbers of units. German Patent 43 38 666 A1 discloses a retraction of an air bag of the above-mentioned type, wherein clamping means are integrally formed in order to be adapted to a specific installation situation. In addition, all air bag housing will be manufactured in one piece by injection molding. This requires a very complex mold, which can also be used only for a particular application, and which is greatly determined by the idea that the air bag housing must be adapted to a particular application. It is not possible, in this way, to achieve and offer a protective device for the passenger of the front seat, especially effective in cost. The invention is directed to the problem of providing a housing of the type mentioned above, which, while providing the aforementioned considerations, will be as simple and inexpensive as possible to make it and which is as light as possible without having to present it with the disadvantages operational. For the solution of this problem, the invention proposes a trough-like housing, which is characterized by protections of two halves of a substantially mirror image configuration, and made by casting in a mold, having integrally joined side wall halves, as well as means for joining the two half protections. The invention is based on the idea of creating an air bag housing with the least possible parts, which due to their manufacturing method will be flexible as their configuration on the one hand, but on the other hand they will be suitable for modern mass production . The proposed housing consists of only two components, in addition to the joining means, which can be produced by casting in a mold. In particular, it is possible to consider aluminum alloys for pressure casting, as well as plastics. If plastics are used, it is convenient to use a double mold where the protections of halves can be made simultaneously, and with which a film hinge can be formed in the lower joint surface so that the half protections that belong to one the other connect loosely together. This presents the advantage only the half protections will be assembled, which originate from the same batch of material. Taking this freedom of configuration into account, it is easily possible that the side wall halves have openings for mounting a cylindrical gas generator. Also, it is easily possible for the protections of half have a bottom, which is of a quarter circular configuration in cross section, and thus can be optimally adapted to the cylindrical gas generator. In the lower joining part of the half protections, it is convenient to form projection flanges outwards and to be placed together in the assembled state. These extend substantially only parallel to the plane of division of the housing and are configured for the insertion of self-tapping screws that penetrate both tabs. Alternatively, tabs may be provided, which have a section running substantially parallel to the plane of division of the housing, or to a section projecting outward therefrom at right angles, the tabs joining together by means of a bra that slides over the sections that project outwards. The fastener may extend over the entire length of the housing, or it may consist of a plurality of sections distributed over the length of the housing. At the ends, the two half protections are joined together and advantageously by mounting plates, which are attached to the side wall halves and serve simultaneously to hold the housing in the car body.

An additional advantage of the chosen manufacturing process is that the walls of the half protections can be reinforced internally and / or externally by a rib pattern, the thickness and the distribution of the ribs being exactly adaptable to the local stresses affecting the housing . For the precise positioning of the two protections halfway with respect to one another, projection projections are desirably provided towards the center on one of the joining surfaces, and of pressures consistent on the other joining surface. In another embodiment of the invention, provision is made for the walls of the half guards so that they have about half of their height on the inside, slot-like openings that face each other and extend perpendicular to the wall and especially to the length of the housing, in which the side canisters of a plate can be inserted to hold the air bag, and are secured without any other means. During assembly, the air bag with its support plate and the gas generator can be inserted into one of the two half protections, and then the other half protection can be attached. Due to the repressions for the support plate and the gas generator, the last components can be placed and maintained in the housing simply placing them together if there is a need for other means of restraint. The depressions for the support plate are conveniently formed by two elongated, inwardly projecting ribs, which are hardened by ribs disposed perpendicular to them. The casting method used is the most suitable for this mode. At the upper end of the half protections, holes may be provided over the entire periphery for the insertion of the self-tapping screws to hold a cover. Furthermore, it is advantageous to provide posts provided with holes for the insertion of the self-tapping screws for joining the mounting plate. Thus it can be found ouß, according to the basic idea of the invention, can create a trough-type air housing, which by its freedom of configuration is easily adapted to all purposes and is equally suitable for the Major and minor production in series. Additional details will be given with the aid of the embodiment presented in Figures 1 to 3, wherein: Figure 1 is a side list and a longitudinal section of a modality, Figure 2 is a cross section through the modality of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a cross-section of the embodiment in figure 1, with an alternative to join together the two half protections. The trough type housing of figure 1 is of a half-flange protection 1 and a rear half protection 2, the outer side of the half-protection 1 appearing on the left, and the inner side of the half-protection 2 appearing on the right. In the modality, a rib arrangement 15,16 is created, both on the external side (left) and on the inner side (right). In the lower area, the half protections 1 and 2 each have flanges 10 and 11 extending parallel to the joining surface, the two halves being joined in this area by self-tapping screws 5. The end of the side wall halves 3 and 4, have openings 7 for mounting the gas generator 8. Also in FIG. 1 it can be seen that centering projections 17 and matching depressions 18 are provided. In addition, a row of holes 23 is provided on the top margin of the housing. which can be inserted the self-tapping screws to hold a cover. At the end of the side wall halves 3 and 4, elevated portions 26 are formed, which also have holes for inserting screws v; Screws 24 for ing the mounting plates. The walls of the protections of half 1 and 2 have their envelope inner side grooves 19 running over the entire length approximately half of its height over the entire length of the housing, into which the lateral margins of a mounting plate 20 for the uc axi c - bag can be inserted. - > . í-ici LfGxoa uc a? _ c: -. c o U I- CI nicua-aii tc L Í ÍI X J. X - > 27 to the mounting plate 20. In the representation in sections in Figures 2 and 3, one can especially see the shape of the ribs 15 and 16 and of the ribs 21 and 22, which form the groove 19. The halves of wall alters 3 and 4 have an opening 7 for mounting the gas generator (not seen here). The half protections 1 and 2 are held together by means of self-tapping screws 5 inserted in the lower flanges 10 and 11 and by means of the mounting plates 14. The projections 17 and the depressions 18 serve to center. In figure 2, it can also be seen that the lower area 9 is of a square-circular shape, and that holes are provided running around the upper margin of the protections 1 and 2 to join a cover. Figure 3 differs from Figure 2 only in that, instead of the screws 5, a fastener 6 is provided for a joint with the half protections 1 and 2. For this purpose, the flanges have a section that runs parallel to the division plan of the accommodation, as well as a section 13 that extends outward at right angles to it. The fastener can be placed along the length of the flanges to join the two half-protections 1 and 2. Also, to save material, the fastener can consist of a plurality of sections distributed over the length of the housing. Otherwise the representation in figure 3 corresponds to that in figure 2, so that the repetition of the given explanations is not necessary. The invention allows a simple and inexpensive configuration of a housing of an air bag, which takes into account the requirements set forth above, and which, due to the training method enabled. s easily adhered to different requirements. The cost of the materials can be considerably reduced compared to conventional designs, since it is possible to match the necessary wall thicknesses with local stresses. This purpose is also aided by the finish, whose provision can be made in each part for the necessary rigidity and strength of the accommodation. Since aluminum and plastic alloys are preferentially used, the air bag housing of the invention can also be made especially light in weight to meet the need to save weight on motor vehicles. On the other hand, Half protections can also be designed to meet functional requirements.

Claims (18)

1. A trough-like housing made by casting in a mold, with a U-shaped cross section, having the same length in each part, and with extreme, flat side walls for adapting a gas generator and an air bag for a passenger protection system in a motor vehicle, characterized in that it has half protections of a substantially mirror image configuration, with integrally molded side wall halves and by means for joining the two mita guards. __. . _J __ - ILLJL > _y_Cl < --- > > _._ J_ C _1_ V nv .-.

Wa'w .v-l 1, further characterized in that the side wall halves have openings for mounting a cylindrical gas generator.

The housing according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that the half protections each have a lower portion of square-circular shape.

The housing according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that the flanges projecting outwardly in contact with each other in the assembled state are formed on the protections in the middle in the lower joint area.

5. The housing according to claim 4, further characterized in that the flanges extend essentially only parallel to the plane of division of the housing and are configured for the insertion of self-tapping screws that pass through both flanges.

The housing according to claim 4, further characterized in that the flanges have a section that runs substantially parallel to the plane of division of the housing as well as a section projecting out of them at right angles, and which are joined together by means of a fastener that transversally reaches the section projecting outwards.

The housing according to claim 6, further characterized in that the fastener extends over the entire length of the housing.

The housing according to claim 6, further characterized in that the fastener consists of a plurality of exceptions distributed over the length of the housing.

9. The housing according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further characterized in that the half protections are joined together by means of clamping plates applied to the side wall halves,? 3 which simultaneously serve to mount the housing in the vehicle body.

The housing according to any of claims 1 to 9, further characterized in that the half protections consist of a casting alloy under aluminum pressure.

The housing according to any of claims 1 to 9, further characterized in that the half protections consist of plastic.

12. The housing according to claim 11, further characterized in that the two half protections are made simultaneously and are joined together by a gosne ce pc-.?cu?a in rea ^ ¿_. lower joining surface.

The housing according to some of the claims 1 to 12, further characterized in that the walls of the half guards are reinforced internally and / or externally by a rib pattern.

The housing according to some of the claims 1 to 13, further characterized in that the half protections have on one of the projection center projecting attachment surfaces and on the other corresponding pressure joint surface.

15. The accommodation in accordance c ~ > n I- I: 1.! of claims 1 to 14, further characterized in that walls of the half protections have on the lower one, at about half their height, pressures of the comforting slot type that extend over the entire length of the housing perpendicular to the walls, and in which lateral edges of the walls can be inserted. a support plate for the airbag and can be fastened by any other means.

16. The housing according to claim 15, further characterized in that the depressions are formed by two elongated ribs projecting inwardly, which are reinforced by ribs disposed perpendicular thereto.

17. The housing according to any of claims 1 to 16, further characterized in that holes are provided at the upper end of the half guards over the entire periphery, for the insertion of self-tapping screws for fastening a cover. The housing according to any of claims 1 to 17, further characterized in that the raised portions provided with holes are provided on the side wall halves for the insertion of self-tapping screws for joining the mounting plates.