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:
Oct. 08, 2002
Filed:
Nov. 20, 2000
Jonathan McDonnell, Berkley, MI (US);
William C. Haps, Jr., Roseville, MI (US);
Garry Hayes, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
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.