T K Holdings, Inc.

Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Jonathan McDonnell

Gary Andrew Card

Garry Hayes

Richard Bryan Cox

David L Guyton

Prabhakar M Padiyar

Dennis R Rogers

William C Haps, Jr

Steve Moon

Nicholas S Penchoff

An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle comprising an inflatable curtain airbag configured to deploy between an occupant and an interior side of the vehicle; an inflator for providing inflation gas for the airbag; a housing configured to surround the airbag; and a strap configured to retain the airbag in the housing prior to inflation and deployment of the airbag; wherein at least one end of the strap is connected to the housing.

Airbag module

An airbag module assemblycomprises a module housingclosed by an airbag module door assembly. A panelforms an airbag module door' for release of an airbagupon activation of the airbag module assembly. Attachment membersare connected to opposing peripheral edgesandof the panel. In another aspect, a tear seammay be incorporated on an attachment memberadjacent the peripheral edgeof the door&#x2032;, rather than on the panel. In yet another aspect, slotswithin the attachment memberwith upwardly angled surfacesadjacent the edgeinterface with corresponding armsprotruding from the edgeof the instrument panel, which provides enhanced leverage for a smooth tear along the attachment memberand a smooth deployment of the airbag

Airbag module door assembly

A vehicle occupant safety apparatus ( ) for inserting into and covering an opening ( ) of an instrument panel ( ) comprises an air bag module ( ). The air bag module ( ) has an air bag ( ), which is inflatable through the opening ( ) in the instrument panel ( ) for protecting a vehicle occupant during a crash condition. The apparatus ( ) further comprises a door ( ) for covering the opening ( ) in the instrument panel ( ). The door ( ) is attached to the air bag module (14) and is movable relative to the air bag module ( ) to locate the door ( ) relative to the instrument panel ( ). The door ( ) and the instrument panel ( ) have respective interlocking portions ( and ), which snap together to attach the door ( ) to the instrument panel ( ). The interlocking portions ( and ) snap together when the air bag module ( ) is inserted into the opening ( ) in the instrument panel ( ) and the door ( ) is moved relative to the air bag module ( ) into a position to cover the opening ( ). The interlocking portions ( ) of the instrument panel ( ) are deflected when the respective interlocking portions ( and ) of the door ( ) and the instrument panel ( ) snap together.

Air bag module deployment door with snap-in feature

Growing community of inventors

Berkley, MI, United States of America

Jonathan McDonnell