Abstract A cover and housing assembly for a module of a vehicle safety restraint system including a cover (14) having a pair of doors (32, 34). Each of the doors has an upper edge and a lower edge, joined by a seam of frangible material. An extruded housing (12) includes a pair of sidewalls (18, 20), each of the sidewalls having a free edge (26) extending along a length thereof. A plurality of attachment segments (42) are formed integrally with and spaced along a length of each of the doors, with open sections (44) between respective pairs of attachment segments. A plurality of attachment portions (24) are formed integrally with and spaced along a length of each of the sidewalls (32, 34) with recessed sections (28) between respective pairs of attachment portions. Upon assembly of the cover and housing, the attachment segments of the doors interdigitate with the attachment portions of the housing. Grooves or bores (25, 45) in the attachment segments and portions are thus axially aligned to form a channel between each of the housing sidewalls and a respective cover door. An attachment rod (50) extends through each channel to form a direct hinged connection between the sidewalls of the housing and the doors of the cover deployment of the module, the doors separate along the frangible seam (40) and pivot outwardly opening the housing, without causing material stress to the cover at the hinged connection.
A cover and housing attachment assembly (10) for a module of a vehicle safety restraint system comprising: a one-piece cover (14) having a pair of integral doors (32, 34) connected together at one edge by a frangible seam (40) and each of the doors having an opposed free edge (36); a one-piece housing (12) including a pair of monolithic sidewalls (18, 20), each of the sidewalls including a free edge (26) extending along a length thereof; a plurality of attachment segments (42) formed integrally with and extending from the free edge of each of the cover doors; a plurality of attachment portions (24) formed integrally with and extending from the free edge of each of the sidewalls; and means (50) for hingedly connecting the attachment segments of the cover doors directly to the attachment portions of the sidewalls and for preventing the cover doors from being separated from the housing sidewalls during deployment, wherein upon deployment of the module, the cover doors separate along the frangible seam and pivot outwardly opening the housing, causing no material stress to the cover.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
41 words
An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of attachment segments (42) are spaced along a length of each of the cover doors (32, 34) so as to form an open section (44) between a respective pair of attachments segments.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of attachment portions (24) are spaced along a length of each of the sidewalls (18, 20) so as to form a recessed section (28) between a respective pair of attachment portions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
72 words
An assembly according to claim 3, wherein each of the attachment segments (42) and attachment portions (24) include a bore or groove (25, 45), wherein upon assembly of the cover (14) and housing (12) the attachment segments of the doors and the attachment portions of the housing interdigitate so that their respective bores or grooves are aligned to form a channel between each of the housing sidewalls and a respective cover door.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
An assembly according to claim 4, wherein the connecting means comprises an attachment rod (50) extending through each channel to form a direct hinged connection between the sidewalls (18, 20) of the housing (12) and the doors (32, 34) of the cover (14).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
An assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the housing (12) is a one-piece extruded housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the cover (14) is made of a thermoplastic urethane.
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