Cover element composed of plastic for a driver's airbag module and cover consisting of such a cover element and a casing arranged on the latter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9248801-B2
Application number	US-201214368141-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2012
Priority date	Dec 24, 2011
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A plastic cover element ( 10 ) for a driver airbag module having a side wall ( 22 ) extending from a lower end ( 22 a ) to an upper end ( 22 b ), enclosing an interior space. The upper end ( 22 b ) is covered by an overlap ( 30 ) which extends in a radial direction across the side wall ( 22 ) and in an axial direction back toward the lower end ( 22 a ) of the side wall ( 22 ), forming a screen section ( 32 ) extending generally parallel to the side wall. The outside surface of the overlap has at least one groove ( 40 ) to receive the sewn edge of a casing. An axial section ( 44 ) of the groove ( 40 ) extends into the lower end area of the screen section ( 32 ) and in the area of this axial section ( 44 ) and at least one reinforcing rib extends parallel to it between the screen section ( 32 ) and the side wall ( 22 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A plastic cover element for a driver airbag module having an airbag comprising;
a side wall extending circumferentially from a lower end to an upper end and enclosing an interior space adapted to receive the airbag,
an overlap covering the upper end of the side wall, which extends in a radial direction across at least a portion of the side wall and in an axial direction back toward the lower end of the side wall, thereby forming a screen section extending generally parallel to the side wall,
an outward facing surface of the overlap forming at least one groove having an axial section of the groove extending to a lower end of the screen section, and the cover forming at least one reinforcing rib on an inward facing surface of the overlap extending in the area of the axial section of the groove and parallel to the axial section between the screen section and the side wall.

2. The cover element according to claim 1 that the reinforcing rib is a first reinforcing rib and further comprising a second reinforcing rib aligned with the axial section of the groove.

3. The cover element according to claim 2 further comprising in that the first and the second reinforcing ribs running generally parallel to each other, wherein the axial section of the groove is located between radial projections of the first and the second reinforcing ribs.

4. The cover element according to claim 3 further comprising in that the separation between the first and the second reinforcing ribs corresponds basically to the width of the axial section of the groove.

5. The cover element according to claim 1 further comprising in that the reinforcing rib extends from a transition area between the side wall and the overlap at least into a lower one third of the screen section.

6. The cover element according to claim 1 further comprising that the cover element is constructed as single injection-molded piece.

7. The cover element according to claim 1 further comprising in that a wall thickness is increased in a transition area between the side wall and the overlap at least in sections with respect to the lower area of the screen section.

8. The cover element according to claim 1 adapted for use with a casing arranged on the overlap thereby forming a covering for the airbag module, the casing composed of several blanks, wherein connection areas of the blanks lie in the at least one groove.

9. The cover element for an airbag module according to claim 8 wherein the connection areas include stitching.

10. The cover element according to claim 8 further comprising the at least one groove further including a ring-shaped portion and the connection areas overlay the ring-shaped portion.

11. The cover element according to claim 1 forming a cover assembly with a casing applied to an outer surface of the cover element.

Assignees

• Autoliv Develpement AB
• Autoliv Dev

Inventors

• Bichler Rainer
• Wallat Nico

Classifications

• B60R21/215 Primary

  characterised by the covers for the inflatable member {(B60R21/2176 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R21/2035

  using modules containing inflator, bag and cover attachable to the steering wheel as a complete sub-unit (steering wheel covers with tear lines B60R21/21656; assembling of modules B60R21/217) · CPC title

• B60R21/203

  in steering wheels or steering columns · CPC title

• B60R2021/21506

  comprising tearing tabs, legs or the like for holding the lid before deployment · CPC title

• B60R21/21656 Primary

  Steering wheel covers or similar cup-shaped covers · CPC title