The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 05, 2019
Filed:
Mar. 22, 2017
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Nicholas A. Mazzocchi, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Frank Q. Liu, Canton, MI (US);
Kenneth J. Kwasnik, Shelby Township, MI (US);
Thomas J. Luckett, Saline, MI (US);
James P. Yizze, Macomb, MI (US);
Matthew J. Hickey, Canton, MI (US);
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
An air bag chute assembly mounts a passenger air bag module to an automotive instrument panel. An outer flange collar of the assembly attaches to the instrument panel and defines a windshield-facing side. A tubular chute extends interiorly from the collar to a lower end that attaches to the air bag module. A door flap is disposed in an upper end of the chute. An S-shaped hinge has a first edge attached to the door flap. An apron extends from the collar laterally into the deployment path from the windshield-facing side. A second edge of the hinge attaches to the apron so that a sweep zone of the door flap is shifted by a distance corresponding to a reduction in a width of the deployment path at the upper end caused by the apron, reducing interference between the flap and a windshield during air bag deployment.