Alliedsignal Inc.

Darin J Turner

Gregory N Goestenkors

Daniel Gene Zelenak

Mohamed Boumarafi

John A Musiol

Robert B Rion

A snap-on steering wheel assembly is provided with an integral airbag housing. The assembly includes a steering wheel having a hub, a plurality of support arms extending from the hub, and a rim connected to the support arms. An airbag housing is formed integrally with the hub for supporting the airbag. The hub is adapted for mating with a steering column shaft. A snap-on attachment arrangement is provided in cooperation between the hub and the steering column shaft so that the steering wheel may be snapped onto the steering column shaft.

Snap-on steering wheel with integral airbag housing

An airbag module assembly includes an airbag, deployment housing, manifold, and inflator. The airbag has a plurality of apertures formed therethrough adjacent the airbag opening. The apertures of the airbag cooperate with tabs on the airbag deployment housing to secure the bag to the housing. The tabs of the airbag deployment housing snap into position between a pair of ears extending from the manifold. The ears are swaged and the manifold chamfered in order to hold the airbag deployment housing in position laterally along the manifold. Accordingly, for assembly, the airbag apertures are mated with the respective airbag deployment housing tabs, and the airbag deployment housing is snapped into position between the ears of the manifold. Alternatively, the ears are spaced sufficiently apart to allow the housing tabs to be placed therebetween, and the ears are then crimped, staked or swaged over the tabs.

Extruded manifold with plastic housing

A snap-on steering wheel assembly (10) is provided with an integral air bag housing (38) for supporting an air bag (50) therein. The assembly includes a steering wheel having a hub. An inflator (100) is threadably connected to an insert member (60) and longitudinally extends from the hub or insert member. A collar (80) mounted relative the insert provides a snap-fit engagement to a steering column (12).

Snap-on, removable steering wheel with integral airbag housing

An air bag module (200) comprising: a housing (204) having an open top and a plurality of tabs (270) extending from an outer wall (102) proximate the open top, each tab including a slot (280); a deployment door (202) including a top portion (208) for enclosing the open top of the housing, a flange portion (220) engageable with the tabs and a hinge portion (210) securely fastened to the housing 204; the flange portion including openings (222) for receiving a corresponding one of the tabs, and a boss (290) that extends into each opening restricting a portion of each opening, such that upon full insertion of a tab within a corresponding opening the boss enters it s slot (280) securing the flange portion to the housing and; a tear seams, formed on the door which when torn permits the door to rotate about the hinge portion (210).

Air bag module with cover

An assembly for an air bag (56) adapted to fit within an opening (22) in a panel in the vehicle interior such as an instrument panel. The assembly comprises a housing (44) including a first wall (100) and an opposite second wall (102), a flexible wall member (106) secured to the first wall (100) defining a space (132) therebetween to receive a hinge portion of the deployment door. One of the first wall (100) and flexible wall members (106) includes a plurality of depressions or first tabs (112) which extend into the space (132) to provide a mechanism to engage and lock the hinge portion of the deployment door in place. The second wall (102) includes at least one louver (122) forming a pocket (123) and a plurality of outwardly extending tabs (120) which provide a mechanism to engage and lock in place a tear seam portion of the deployment door.

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Warren, MI, United States of America

Darin J Turner