US5356174A — Vehicle airbag assembly

Claim 1

Independent Claim 111 words

Apparatus comprising an airbag/retainer subassembly for use in forming an airbag assembly; said airbag/retainer subassembly comprising an airbag and a retainer joined with said airbag; said airbag including an inflatable bag which has a mouth defining a fluid inlet and a mating device incorporated into said mouth; said mating device including airbag mating members which extend out of said mouth; said retainer comprising a base member and retainer mating members which are attached to, and extend away from, said base member; and said airbag mating members being mated with said retainer mating members and thereby joining said airbag with said retainer in a predetermined alignment and thereby forming said airbag/retainer subassembly.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 111 words

Apparatus comprising an airbag/retainer subassembly for use in forming an airbag assembly; said airbag/retainer subassembly comprising an airbag and a retainer joined with said airbag; said airbag including an inflatable bag which has a mouth defining a fluid inlet and a mating device incorporated into said mouth; said mating device including airbag mating members which extend out of said mouth; said retainer comprising a base member and retainer mating members which are attached to, and extend away from, said base member; and said airbag mating members being mated with said retainer mating members and thereby joining said airbag with said retainer in a predetermined alignment and thereby forming said airbag/retainer subassembly.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 22 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said airbag mating members and said retainer mating members extend into said fluid inlet.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 38 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mating device comprises a ring-shaped base member which is incorporated into said mouth of said airbag and wherein said airbag mating members are attached to said ring-shaped base member.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 64 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said inflatable bag has a plurality of apertures which are disposed at predetermined locations relative to said airbag mating members and wherein said base member of said retainer has a plurality of apertures which are disposed at predetermined locations relative to said retainer mating members and which are aligned with said apertures of said inflatable bag.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 22 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said airbag mating members and said retainer mating members extend into said fluid inlet.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said base member of said retainer comprises a continuous frame; and wherein said retainer mating members extend inwardly from said continuous frame.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 34 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said ring-shaped base member of said mating device has a substantially rectangular configuration and wherein said continuous frame of said retainer has a substantially rectangular configuration.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 45 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein each of said retainer mating members comprises a T-shaped tab; and wherein each of said airbag mating members defines a mating slot which mates with one of said T-shaped tabs to join said airbag with said retainer.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 47 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein each of said airbag mating members includes a proximal section which extends inward from said ring-shaped base member and a distal section which extends from said proximal member at an angle and which defines one of said mating slots.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 61 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said inflatable bag has a plurality of apertures which are disposed at predetermined locations relative to said airbag mating members and wherein said continuous frame has a plurality of apertures which are disposed at predetermined locations relative to said retainer mating members and which are aligned with said apertures of said inflatable bag.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 26 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said airbag mating members are formed in one piece with said ring-shaped base member of said mating device.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 19 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said mating device consists essentially of a one-piece, molded plastic article.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 17 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said one-piece molded plastic article is made of nylon.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 117 words

A method of forming an airbag assembly comprising the steps of: providing an airbag including an inflatable bag which has a mouth defining a fluid inlet and airbag mating members which extend away from the mouth; providing a retainer including a base member and retainer mating members which are attached to the base member and which are configured to mate with the airbag mating members; mating the airbag mating members with the retainer mating members to join the airbag with the retainer in a predetermined alignment to form an airbag/retainer subassembly; providing a reaction device; positioning the airbag/retainer subassembly in a predetermined orientation relative to the reaction device; and coupling the airbag/retainer subassembly to the reaction device.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 117 words

A method of forming an airbag assembly comprising the steps of: providing an airbag including an inflatable bag which has a mouth defining a fluid inlet and airbag mating members which extend away from the mouth; providing a retainer including a base member and retainer mating members which are attached to the base member and which are configured to mate with the airbag mating members; mating the airbag mating members with the retainer mating members to join the airbag with the retainer in a predetermined alignment to form an airbag/retainer subassembly; providing a reaction device; positioning the airbag/retainer subassembly in a predetermined orientation relative to the reaction device; and coupling the airbag/retainer subassembly to the reaction device.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 59 words

A method as set forth in claim 14, wherein said step of providing the reaction device includes the step of providing the reaction device with a cradle configured to engage the airbag/retainer subassembly and align the airbag/retainer subassembly in the predetermined orientation; and wherein said step of positioning the airbag/retainer subassembly includes engaging the airbag/retainer subassembly with the cradle.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 53 words

A method as set forth in claim 14, wherein said step of providing the reaction device comprises the step of providing a wall structure forming a container which defines a front opening; and wherein said step of positioning the airbag/retainer subassembly includes inserting the airbag/retainer subassembly through the front opening into the container.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 59 words

A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said step of providing the reaction device includes the step of providing the container with a cradle configured to engage the airbag/retainer subassembly and to align the airbag/retainer subassembly in the predetermined orientation; and wherein said step of positioning the airbag/retainer subassembly includes engaging the airbag/retainer subassembly with the cradle.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 110 words

A method as set forth in claim 14, wherein: said step of providing the airbag includes the step of providing the inflatable bag with apertures which are disposed at predetermined locations relative to the airbag mating members; said step of providing the retainer includes the step of providing the base member with apertures which are disposed at predetermined locations relative to the retainer mating members and which are arranged to align with the apertures in the inflatable bag in the airbag/retainer subassembly; and said step of mating the airbag mating members with the retainer mating members simultaneously aligns the apertures in the inflatable bag with the apertures in the retainer.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 110 words

A method as set forth in claim 18, wherein: said step of providing the reaction device comprises the step of providing apertures in the reaction device which are arranged to align with the aligned apertures in the inflatable bag and the retainer when the airbag/retainer subassembly is positioned in the predetermined orientation; said step of positioning the airbag/retainer subassembly includes aligning the apertures in the reaction device with the aligned apertures in the inflatable bag and the retainer; and said step of coupling the airbag/retainer subassembly to the reaction device comprises the step of inserting fasteners through the aligned apertures of the inflatable bag, the retainer, and the reaction device.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 106 words

A method as set forth in claim 19, wherein: said step of providing the reaction device includes the step of providing the reaction device with a cradle configured to engage the airbag/retainer subassembly and align the airbag/retainer subassembly in such a manner that apertures of the reaction device are aligned with the aligned apertures of the inflatable bag and the retainer; said step of positioning the airbag/retainer subassembly includes engaging the airbag/retainer subassembly with the cradle; and said step of engaging the airbag/retainer subassembly with the cradle simultaneously aligns the apertures in the reaction device with the aligned apertures in the inflatable bag and the retainer.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 135 words

An airbag assembly comprising a reaction device and an airbag/retainer subassembly coupled to said reaction device: said reaction device comprising a cradle which engages said airbag/retainer subassembly and supports said airbag/retainer subassembly in a predetermined orientation relative to said reaction device; said airbag/retainer subassembly comprising an airbag and a retainer joined with said airbag; said airbag including an inflatable bag which has a mouth defining a fluid inlet and a mating device incorporated into said mouth; said mating device including airbag mating members which extend out of said mouth; said retainer comprising a base member and retainer mating members which extend away from said base member; and said airbag mating members being mated with said retainer mating members and thereby joining said airbag with said retainer in a predetermined alignment and forming said airbag/retainer subassembly.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 135 words

An airbag assembly comprising a reaction device and an airbag/retainer subassembly coupled to said reaction device: said reaction device comprising a cradle which engages said airbag/retainer subassembly and supports said airbag/retainer subassembly in a predetermined orientation relative to said reaction device; said airbag/retainer subassembly comprising an airbag and a retainer joined with said airbag; said airbag including an inflatable bag which has a mouth defining a fluid inlet and a mating device incorporated into said mouth; said mating device including airbag mating members which extend out of said mouth; said retainer comprising a base member and retainer mating members which extend away from said base member; and said airbag mating members being mated with said retainer mating members and thereby joining said airbag with said retainer in a predetermined alignment and forming said airbag/retainer subassembly.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 35 words

An airbag assembly as set forth in claim 21, wherein said reaction device comprises a wall structure coupled to said airbag/retainer subassembly and wherein said cradle is formed in one piece with said wall structure.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 24 words

An airbag assembly as set forth in claim 22, wherein said wall structure forms a container which at least partially encloses said airbag/retainer subassembly.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 139 words

An airbag assembly as set forth in claim 23, wherein: said inflatable bag has a plurality of apertures which are disposed at predetermined locations relative to said airbag mating members; said base member of said retainer has a plurality of apertures which are disposed at predetermined locations relative to said retainer mating members and which are aligned with said apertures of said inflatable bag; said wall structure of said reaction device has a plurality of apertures which are disposed at predetermined locations relative to said cradle and which are aligned with said apertures of said inflatable bag and with said apertures of said base member of said retainer; and said airbag assembly further comprises fasteners which extend through said aligned apertures of said inflatable bag, said base member of said retainer, and said wall structure of said reaction device.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 29 words

An airbag assembly as set forth in claim 24, further comprising an inflator coupled to said reaction device, said inflator including an elongated cylindrical housing enclosing an inflation fluid.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 203 words

An airbag assembly comprising a reaction device, an airbag, a retainer, and fasteners coupling said airbag and said retainer to said reaction device; said airbag including an inflatable bag which has a mouth defining a fluid inlet and a mating device incorporated into said mouth; said mating device including airbag mating members which extend out of said mouth; said retainer comprising a base member and retainer mating members which are attached to, and extend away from, said base member; said airbag mating members being mated with said retainer mating members; said inflatable bag having a plurality of apertures which are disposed at predetermined locations relative to said airbag mating members; said base member of said retainer having a plurality of apertures which are disposed at predetermined locations relative to said retainer mating members and which are aligned with said apertures of said inflatable bag; said reaction device having a wall structure with a plurality of apertures which are aligned with said apertures of said inflatable bag and with said apertures of said base member of said retainer; and said fasteners extending through said aligned apertures of said inflatable bag, said base member of said retainer, and said wall structure of said reaction device.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 203 words

An airbag assembly comprising a reaction device, an airbag, a retainer, and fasteners coupling said airbag and said retainer to said reaction device; said airbag including an inflatable bag which has a mouth defining a fluid inlet and a mating device incorporated into said mouth; said mating device including airbag mating members which extend out of said mouth; said retainer comprising a base member and retainer mating members which are attached to, and extend away from, said base member; said airbag mating members being mated with said retainer mating members; said inflatable bag having a plurality of apertures which are disposed at predetermined locations relative to said airbag mating members; said base member of said retainer having a plurality of apertures which are disposed at predetermined locations relative to said retainer mating members and which are aligned with said apertures of said inflatable bag; said reaction device having a wall structure with a plurality of apertures which are aligned with said apertures of said inflatable bag and with said apertures of said base member of said retainer; and said fasteners extending through said aligned apertures of said inflatable bag, said base member of said retainer, and said wall structure of said reaction device.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 29 words

An airbag assembly as set forth in claim 26 further comprising an inflator coupled to said reaction device, said inflator including an elongated cylindrical housing enclosing an inflation fluid.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 23 words

An airbag assembly as set forth in claim 27 wherein said wall structure forms a container which at least partially encloses said airbag.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 45 words

An airbag assembly as set forth in claim 28 wherein said wall structure includes a rear wall and a set of walls having front edges which define a front opening opposite said rear wall; and wherein said retainer is located rearward of said front opening.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 25 words

An airbag assembly as set forth in claim 29 wherein retainer is located approximately one-half the distance between said front opening and said rear wall.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-10-17	1998-04-18	1998-10-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-10-17	2002-04-18	2002-10-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-10-17	2006-04-18	2006-10-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Vehicle airbag assembly

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