GB2300159A

GB2300159A - Fastener for an air bag housing cover

Info

Publication number: GB2300159A
Application number: GB9608083A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hubert Rene Ross
Original assignee: AlliedSignal Deutschland GmbH
Current assignee: Honeywell Deutschland GmbH
Priority date: 1995-04-26
Filing date: 1996-04-18
Publication date: 1996-10-30
Also published as: IT239726Y1; GB9608083D0; ITTO960093V0; ES1034025Y; DE29607536U1; ES1034025U; ITTO960093U1; GB9508470D0; JP3031539U

Abstract

A fastener 1 for attaching a vehicle air bag housing cover 4 to a tether 5 comprises a rivet which displays an emblem, logo or other like advertising or trade mark material on its head portion 2. The tether 5 is fastened to a fixed part of the vehicle to restrain the cover 5 during deployment of the air bag. The arrangement is strengthened by incorporating a shim or backplate 6 to spread the load through an over-stitched double piece of tether. The logo or advertising material may be embossed, glued or etched onto the fastener which may be of a plastics or aluminium material.

Description

FASTENER DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a fastener and particularly to a fastener for holding an air bag cover to an air bag housing in a vehicle, against the forces generated during deployment of the air bag in a crash situation.

An air bag is a restraint cushion for a vehicle occupant, and comprises a hollow bag of woven material which is inflated by gas, when a crash condition of the vehicle is sensed, to provide a buffer between a vehicle occupant and the vehicle steering wheel, or in the case of a passenger the dashboard. The air bag is stored in a folded deflated condition in an air bag housing either in the steering wheel or the dashboard. A cover, usually of plastics or other synthetic material is fitted over the air bag in the housing for cosmetic reasons and it also prevents the ingress of dust and any small items which could affect the efficient operation of the air bag, and protects the air bag, e.g.

from puncture.

On deployment of the air bag the cover is forced out of engagement with the housing with a component of motion in the direction towards the passenger. Obviously this can be dangerous unless the cover is hinged to the housing.

Usually such covers are hinged to the housing or instrument panel. Alternatively some form of tether could be used to limit the forward motion of the cover on air bag deployment.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cheap and reliable way of fixing the cover to a housing in a way which facilitates incorporation of a manufacturer's logo into the steering wheel.

According to the present invention there is provided a fastener for a vehicle air bag housing cover comprising a rivet having a head portion and a body portion, the head portion having displayed thereon an emblem, logo or other like advertising or trade mark material, and the body portion being adapted to extend through the cover and through a tether the other end of which tether is fastened to a fixed part of the vehicle so that the fastener holds the cover connected to the vehicle against forces generated during deployment of the air bag stored in the housing.

The logo or advertising material may be formed in plastics material or in metal and is preferably embossed on the head portion of the rivet or may be integral therewith.

One or more such fasteners may be used to attach one or more tethers, (e.g. bands or straps) to the air bag cover.

The other end(s) of the tethers are mounted (e.g. rivetted or moulded or soldered) to the air bag housing so as to effectively hold the cover close to the housing and thus to the steering wheel or instrument panel for safety.

A fastener constructed according to the invention can afford a cheap and reliable means of mounting a tether to a cover so as to hold the cover during air bag deployment.

The invention is particularly applicable to driver's side air bag arrangements since the steering wheel has traditionally incorporated manufacturer's logos, but it could equally be used for passenger side air bag arrangements or even side air bag or child seat air bags.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-section of a fastener according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a cross-section of a fastener according to another embodiment of the invention.

In Figure 1 a fastening rivet shown generally at 1 comprises a head part 2 comprising an emblem or logo or other advertising or trade mark material. The emblem or logo may be embossed on the head portion or glued or etched or attached in any other way.

The fastening rivet has two prongs 3 extending from the head through an air bag housing cover or door 4 and a tether 5. After insertion of the rivet, the ends of the prongs 3 are bent over so as to secure the rivet and to firmly attach the air bag cover to the tether 5. The other end of tether 5 is attached to an air bag housing (not shown) or instrument panel or other fixed part of the vehicle so that the air bag cover is securely attached to the housing even when the air bag is deployed. Preferably the ether is bent double at the region of attachment by the rivet 1 to the cover 4, for additional strength. This double portion may be stitched.

A shim or backplate 6 is interposed between the tether 5 and the ends of prongs 3 so as to distribute loads and hence effectively strengthen the fastening further. This shim 6 may be any size or shape but is shown in the Figures approximately the same size as the rivet head 2.

In Figure 2 a fastening rivet 1 is shown again with head portion 2 covered with a logo. In this embodiment two sets of prongs 3 are shown extending through the air bag cover 4 and the tether 5 so as to more securely hold the cover and the tether.

The fastening rivet may be made of any one of a variety of materials, for example plastic, aluminium or steel.

Claims

1. A fastener for a vehicle air bag housing cover comprising a rivet having a head portion and a body portion, the head portion having displayed thereon an emblem, logo or other like advertising or trade mark material, and the body portion being adapted to extend through the cover and through a tether the other end of which tether is fastened to a fixed part of the vehicle so that the fastener holds the cover connected to the vehicle against forces generated during deployment of the air bag stored in the housing.

2. A fastener according to claim 1, wherein the emblem or logo is embossed on the head portion.

3. A fastener according to claim 1, wherein the emblem or logo is glued to the head portion.

4. A fastener according to claim 1, wherein the emblem or logo is etched on the head portion.

5. A fastener according to any one of the preceding claims formed from plastics material.

6. A fastener according to any one of claims 1 to 4 formed of aluminium.

7. A fastener according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body portion comprises at least one prong extending generally perpendicular to the head portion and adapted to penetrate the cover and the tether and having a deformable end portion which can be bent outwardly or otherwise deformed or splayed to hold the fastener in place.

8. A fastener according to claim 7 comprising two spaced apart prongs each of which extends away from the head portion and is adapted for penetrating the cover and the tether and has a deformable end portion for securing the fastener in place.

9. A fastener according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a load distributing shim positioned adjacent the underside of the tether and through which the fastener body portion extends.

10. A fastener substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.