Morton International, Inc.

Marc D Folsom

Mark Ludwig Enders

Donald James Paxton

Brett R Garner

Attila Szigethy

Timothy M Martersteck

Brian C Jenkins

Dwaine K Palmer

An airbag module case for use with a side-impact airbag module also including an airbag cushion containing an inflator assembly having two mounting projections extending through the airbag cushion. The airbag module case includes a lower shell and an upper shell for substantially containing the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly. A tear seam hinge joins the lower shell to the upper shell and allows the upper and the lower shells to open and receive the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly, and to close with an inflator seat of the bottom shell receiving the inflator assembly and airbag cushion and an inflator closure of the upper shell overlapping the inflator seat of the lower shell. The two spaced-apart mounting studs of the inflator assembly extend through two spaced-apart mounting apertures of the inflator seat and through two spaced-apart mounting apertures of the inflator closure to secure the upper and the lower shells in a closed position containing the airbag cushion and the inflator assembly. The tear seam hinge is rupturable upon inflation of the folded airbag cushion within the closed and secured upper and lower shells and the module case opens along the tear seam hinge to release the inflating airbag cushion, with the upper and the lower shells remaining secured to the mounting projection.

Module case for side impact airbag module

A fully extended pleat for a passenger side air bag cushion employs folds which extend fully across the folded cushion rather than terminating near the center of the folded cushion. A packing advantage of this fold is that there is no free volume or dead space between the pleats thereby reducing the pack size. A performance advantage is that surface friction between the pleats acts to retards somewhat the cushion deployment to reduce hitting and slapping of the occupants in the event of a crash. Finally, a process advantage is that the pleats do not have to be controlled to a specific depth, thereby allowing the folding mechanisms to be concerned only with the final width of the pleats and allowing one less control in the folding operation.

Fully extended pleat for passenger air bag fold

A retainer ring having expandable sides for attaching a passenger side air bag to a air bag module canister. The retainer ring accommodates slight variations in the canister thus permitting the air bag cushion to be securely fastened to the canister without the formation of gaps between the air bag cushion and the canister. This reduces gas leakage from the canister during deployment of the air bag cushion. A self-locking mechanism is also provided to permit assembly of the retainer ring without the need for fasteners or special tools.

Sliding cushion retainer with self-locking device

A retainer for attaching an inflator having a substantially constant cross section to an air bag canister is disclosed. The retainer comprises a coupling ring having a first rim adjacent to one end of the coupling ring and a second rim adjacent to the other end of the coupling ring. A band having a diameter less than the diameter of the rims is formed by a gap between the two rims. The coupling ring is inserted over one end of the inflator and the inflator is installed into an air bag canister through an aperture in one end of the canister. The canister side wall surrounding the aperture is held between the two rims thereby coupling one end of the inflator to the canister. The other end of the inflator is secured to the canister by a mounting stud integral to the inflator which stud passes through an opening in the other side wall of the canister.

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Mitaka, Japan

Marc D Folsom