Device for locking an airbag channel through a support panel

Abstract

Device for locking an airbag channel through a support panel The invention relates to a locking device (1) for locking an airbag channel (2) in a dedicated orifice (4) of a support panel (3), characterized in that the device comprises: at the channel (2): a peripheral rim (11) capable of covering the edge of the orifice of the panel, at least one projecting element (12) positioned on the outer face (7) of the conduit (5) of the airbag channel, at the orifice (4) of the panel (3), at least one clipping blade (14) associated with the orifice by a first end and comprising a second free end capable of interacting with the projecting element of the face of the duct, the blade (14) being oriented perpendicular to the panel at the orifice but with an inclination such that the second end is closer to the axis of the orifice than the first end associated with the orifice. Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig. 2

Description

Title of the invention: Device for locking an airbag channel through a support panel

[0001] The present invention relates to the mechanism for assembling an airbag channel through a support panel and more particularly to the mechanism which makes it possible to operate a locked assembly of an airbag channel with the support panel for the interior trim of a vehicle.

[0002] In the context of the construction of a vehicle, the airbag channel corresponds to a substantially tubular-shaped part corresponding to a conduit inserted inside an orifice provided in a support structure of the interior trim of the vehicle. When assembling the airbag channel with the support structure, it is essential that these two parts are perfectly secured. Indeed, during deployment of the airbag cushion, for essential safety reasons, it is not only necessary that the airbag channel remains assembled to the support structure, but also that the axis of the airbag channel is kept in position so that any parasitic movement likely to cause a deviation of the cushion deployment axis is prevented. However, such a fixing of the parts together also constrains the assembly operation by complicating the step of mounting the airbag channel through the support structure.

[0003] In the context of certain devices, in order to facilitate the insertion of one part through another, a clearance is sometimes provided allowing a slight angular tolerance of the insertion axis during the meeting between the two parts. However, if such a clearance is beneficial in allowing a saving of time during the assembly of the airbag channel through the support structure, this clearance becomes problematic by not optimally meeting the safety conditions during the operation of the airbag mechanism.

[0004] The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a solution which allows easy mounting by inserting an airbag channel through the support structure of the interior trim of a vehicle, while allowing effective and secure locking of the assembly of these two parts preventing any unwanted movement during deployment of the airbag cushion.

[0005] The invention relates to a device for locking an airbag channel in a dedicated orifice of a vehicle interior trim support panel, the airbag channel having the shape of an axial duct which comprises, on the one hand, an inner face and an outer face and, on the other hand, an outer orifice located at a first end of the duct and an inner orifice located at a second end of the duct, characterized in that the locking device comprises: - at the airbag channel: • a peripheral rim positioned on the outer periphery of the airbag channel duct and arranged so as to cover a portion of the surface of the panel positioned at the edge of the panel orifice, • at least one protruding element positioned on the outer face of the airbag channel duct, - at the edge of the orifice of the vehicle interior trim support panel, at least one clipping blade associated with the edge of the orifice by a first end and comprising a second free end capable of interacting with the projecting element of the outer face of the airbag channel duct, the blade having an orientation substantially perpendicular to the plane of the panel at the orifice but with an inclination relative to the perpendicular to the plane of the panel at the orifice, the second free end being closer to the axis of the orifice than the first end associated with the edge of the orifice.

[0006] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a vehicle interior trim support panel and an airbag channel intended to be positioned in a dedicated orifice of the trim support panel, characterized in that the assembly comprises at least one locking device according to the invention.

[0007] The invention will be better understood from the following description, which relates to different preferred embodiments, given by way of non-limiting example, and explained with reference to the appended schematic drawings, in which:

[0008] [Fig-1] represents a schematic illustration of an example of the joining of a airbag channel through the orifice of a support panel using a locking device according to the invention.

[0009] [Fig.2] represents, in a sectional view, a schematic illustration of a example of securing an airbag channel through the orifice of a panel using a locking device according to the invention.

[0010] [Fig.3] represents, in a sectional view, a schematic illustration of different examples of clipping blade construction within the framework of a locking device according to the invention.

[0011] [Fig.4] represents, in a sectional view, a schematic illustration of a example of securing an airbag channel through the orifice of a panel using a locking device according to the invention in combination with a complementary fixing device.

[0012] [Fig.5] represents, according to a view from the interior face of a support panel, a schematic illustration of an example of securing an airbag channel through of the orifice of a panel involving a locking device according to the invention in combination with a complementary fixing device

[0013] The present invention relates to a locking device 1 for an airbag channel 2 in a dedicated orifice 4 of a vehicle interior trim support panel 3, the airbag channel 2 having the shape of an axial conduit 5 which comprises, on the one hand, an inner face 6 and an outer face 7 and, on the other hand, an outer orifice 8 located at a first end of the conduit 5 and an inner orifice 10 located at a second end of the conduit 5, characterized in that the locking device 1 comprises: - at the airbag channel 2: • a peripheral rim 11 positioned on the outer periphery of the duct 5 of the airbag channel 2 and arranged so as to cover a portion of the surface of the panel 3 positioned at the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3, • at least one projecting element 12 positioned on the outer face 7 of the conduit 5 of the airbag channel 2, - at the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3 supporting the interior trim of the vehicle, at least one clipping blade 14 associated with the edge of the orifice 4 by a first end 141 and comprising a second free end 142 capable of interacting with the projecting element 12 of the outer face 7 of the duct 5 of the airbag channel 2, the blade 14 having an orientation substantially perpendicular to the plane of the panel 3 at the orifice 4 but with an inclination relative to the perpendicular to the plane of the panel 3 at the orifice 4, the second free end 142 being closer to the axis of the orifice 4 than the first end 141 associated with the edge of the orifice 4.

[0014] The locking device 1 of the invention thus involves a clipping blade 14 positioned on the inner edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3 intended to receive the conduit 5 of the airbag channel 2. This blade 14 is thus arranged to have a first face oriented towards the center of the orifice 4 of the panel 3 and a second face which is opposite it. Similarly, the blade 14 is arranged so as to have, over at least part of its length, an inclination relative to a perpendicular to the plane of the panel 3 passing through the edge of the orifice 4. Thus, this blade 14 has a free end 142 arranged in a manner closer to the central part of the orifice 4 than the first end 141 which connects the blade 14 to the rest of the panel 3.The arrangement of the blade 14 is arranged so as to allow its deformation with a displacement of its free end 142 in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of insertion of the conduit 5 of the airbag channel 2 through the panel 3. This deformation of the blade 14 also allows it to exert pressure oriented towards the inside of the orifice 4 of the panel 3. Likewise, thanks to this inclination and to the . particular positioning of its free end 142, the clipping blade 14 is configured to exert pressure against the projecting element 12 of the conduit 5 of the airbag channel 2 during the operation of inserting the conduit 5 into the orifice 4 of the panel 3. Indeed, during its insertion, the projecting element 12 of the conduit 5 of the airbag channel 2 rubs against a part of the face of the blade 14 arranged opposite, in particular against the part of the blade 14 closest to its free end 142. When the duct 5 of the airbag channel 2 is in the final position, that is to say in a position perfectly inserted inside and across the orifice 4 of the panel 3, the surface of the blade 14 does not exert any pressure against the outer surface of the projecting element 12 of the duct 5 of the airbag channel 2. The surface of the blade 14 is however capable of pressing directly against a part of the outer surface 7 of the duct 5 of the airbag channel 2.

[0015] It should be noted that the clipping blade 14 is made of a material which has sufficient rigidity for the blade 14 to be able to exert and / or maintain pressure against the projecting element 12 and / or the surface of the duct 5 of the airbag channel 2. Similarly, the material selected must be able to allow a certain deformation at a portion of its structure which has a small thickness. For example, the blade 14 is made of a plastic material, resin or a reinforced composite material such as fiber-based, or even a metal / resin alloy, or even a combination of one or more of these materials. An example of construction could thus consist of a metal structure overmolded with a plastic or resin type material.

[0016] As an example of construction, the blade 14 has a substantially flattened or planar arrangement of elongated shape. The blade 14 is also capable of adopting an arrangement comprising several juxtaposed portions and, in a plane in section perpendicular to the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3 at which the blade 14 is associated, the different portions are successively positioned in the length of the clipping blade 14, between the first end 141 and the second free end 142. Preferably, each of these portions has a flattened arrangement which, in a plane in section perpendicular to the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3 at which the blade 14 is associated, has an inclination relative to the mean plane of a portion of the blade 14 which is directly adjacent to it. It should be noted that the angle of this inclination is capable of being acute or obtuse.

[0017] It should be noted that the arrangement of the blade 14 is likely to have a substantially rectangular shape, or even a generally trapezoidal shape, the edges of the blade 14 not necessarily being rectilinear. Similarly, when the blade 14 is produced by a succession of juxtaposed portions, each of these blade portions 14 is likely to have a substantially rectangular or trapezoidal shape.

[0018] The blade 14 is associated or connected with the orifice 4 of the panel 3 along one of its edges so that the clipping blade 14 is substantially positioned in a plane perpendicular to the support panel 3 passing through a portion of the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3. The junction of the clipping blade 14 to the panel 3 thus has the shape of a segment which runs along a portion of the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3.

[0019] According to an example relating to a construction variant of the invention, the distance which separates the inner surface of the trim support panel 3 and the second free end 142 of the blade 14 is at most identical to the spacing between, on the one hand, the surface of the peripheral rim 11 of the airbag channel 2 intended to bear against the support panel 3 and, on the other hand, the projecting element 12 of the airbag channel 2. According to this construction variant, the length of the blade 14 is adapted to limit its interactions with the projecting element 12, once the conduit 5 of the airbag channel 2 is in the final insertion position. Due to a blade length 14 being narrower than the distance between the protruding element 12 and the peripheral rim 11 of the airbag channel 2, the blade 14 is arranged so as not to press against the outer surface of the protruding element 12.On the other hand, the blade 14 is capable of pressing against at least a portion of the surface of the duct 5 of the airbag channel 2 located between the projecting element 12 on the duct 5 and the peripheral rim 11 of the airbag channel 2. This positioning of the blade 14 pressing against the surface of the duct 5, in particular by a portion of the surface of the blade 14 positioned close to the free end 142, contributes to the positioning of the free end 142 of the blade 14 relative to the projecting element 12 so that this free end 142 of the blade 14 forms a stop by which the projecting element 12 is blocked in the context of a movement of the duct 5 of the airbag channel 2 in a direction opposite to that of the insertion of the duct 5 across the panel 3.When the duct 5 of the airbag channel 2 is in the final insertion position, a portion of the blade 14 bears against the outer surface 7 of the duct 5 and / or the free end 142 of the blade 14 is positioned close to the outer surface 7 of the duct 5 at a distance less than the size of the projecting element 12 relative to the outer surface 7 of the duct 5, i.e. less than the length of the edge of the projecting element 12 against which the blade 14 is likely to bear or even less than the additional thickness formed by the projecting element 12 relative to the outer surface 7.This arrangement of the blade 14 and this particular positioning of the free end 142 of the blade 14 leads the surface carried by the free end 142 of the blade 14 to form a stop capable and intended to be in contact against an edge of the projecting element 12, in particular against the edge of the projecting element 12 positioned opposite the peripheral rim 11 of the airbag channel 2. The free end 142 of the blade 14 is also capable of producing a surface for limiting or blocking the translation of the conduit 5 of the . airbag channel 2 in a direction opposite to that of its insertion across the panel 3. Under these conditions, the outer surface 7 of the duct 5 rubs against the surface of the blade 14 until the projecting element 12 comes into contact with the edge of the free end 142 of the blade 14 which provides a stop for blocking the translation of the duct 5 of the airbag channel 2.

[0020] According to an example relating to another construction variant of the invention capable of being combined with the previously detailed variants, the clipping blade 14 is associated with the support panel 3 along a restricted portion of the edge of the orifice 4. The clipping blade 14 is thus connected, mounted or fixed by its first end 141 to the part of the panel 3 which fulfills the support function. This connection of the blade 14 with the panel 3 is carried out at a reduced portion of the orifice 4 so that the pressure exerted by the blade 14 against the conduit 5 of the airbag channel 2 is carried out at the sole width of the blade 14 and not along a complete length of one side of the orifice 4.This restricted width of the clipping blade 14 also makes it possible to obtain a mechanism which is capable of exerting a more moderate pressure against the duct 5 of the airbag channel 2 than a clipping element arranged over the entire length of the orifice 4 of the panel 3. In addition, this restricted width of the blade 14 allows precise targeting of the area of ​​the duct 5 of the airbag channel 2 and / or of the projecting element 12 against which the blade 14 exerts pressure. Also, the clipping blade 14 with a restricted width makes it possible to exert pressure against the surface of the duct 5 of the airbag channel 2 while avoiding the presence of raised elements which would be arranged along the length of the outer surface of the duct 5 of the airbag channel 2, such as structural reinforcement elements. The restricted width of the blade 14 thus allows the positioning of the support surface of the blade 14 between two raised elements on the surface of the duct 5 of the airbag channel 2.

[0021] According to an example relating to another construction variant of the invention capable of being combined with the previously detailed variants, the clipping blade 14 comprises at least one pivot axis 9 of the second end 142 free relative to the support panel 3. According to an example allowing the realization of this construction variant, the assembly produced by the clipping blade 14 and the panel 3 has a zone of lower rigidity arranged along an axis positioned in the thickness of the blade 14 and oriented to be substantially parallel to at least a portion of the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3, ideally to the portion of the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3 at the level of which the clipping blade 14 is connected.Also, this rectilinear zone of lower rigidity allows its deformation so that the structural portions of higher rigidity positioned on either side of this rectilinear zone of lower rigidity are able to move one relative to the other around the axis defined by this rectilinear zone of lower rigidity. Thus the second free end 142 of the clipping blade 14 is able to pivot relative to the support panel 3. The area of ​​lower rigidity is likely to be produced in the form of a structural portion of lower thickness and / or a portion made of a material or a combination of materials of lower rigidity. According to another example allowing the production of this construction variant, the blade 14 is arranged to allow its deformation over part or all of its length in a plane in section perpendicular to its junction zone with the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3. This arrangement is likely to be produced thanks to a thickness of the structure of the blade 14 which is less important than that of the panel 3 and / or thanks to a material which has a lower rigidity than that of the panel 3.A deformation of the blade 14 over its entire length thus makes it possible to operate a curvature of the blade 14 so that, its first end 141 being fixed with the panel 3 at the edge of the orifice 4, the second free end 142 is capable of being moved along a stroke corresponding substantially to a pivoting of the second end 142 around an axis perpendicular to a plane in section perpendicular to its junction zone with the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3.

[0022] According to an example relating to a specific variant of the previously detailed construction variant, the pivot axis 9 is positioned at the junction of the clipping blade 14 to the support panel 3. According to this construction variant, the connection or junction between the clipping blade 14 and the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3 is produced in the form of a structural portion at the level of which the structural rigidity is lower than that of the two elements joined by this junction, namely the clipping blade 14 and the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3. The junction thus produces a zone of weakness in the rigidity which is located inside the structural assembly formed by the clipping blade 14, this zone of weakness being capable of taking the form of a point, a line or a segment.Thus, a deformation of the structural assembly is primarily produced at the level of the portion which has a weakness in rigidity, namely at the level of the junction between the clipping blade 14 and the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3. Furthermore, according to this construction variant, the clipping blade 14 being arranged so that its junction with the panel 3 corresponds to a line which runs along a portion of the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3, the zone of weakness positioned at this junction of the blade 14 to the panel 3 leads to the production of a pivot axis 9 of the blade 14 relative to the panel 3. This pivot axis 9 is thus positioned at the level of the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3 according to an axis substantially arranged in the plane of the blade 14 at its first end 141 associated with the edge of the orifice 4.

[0023] According to an example relating to another specific variant of the previously detailed construction variant, the clipping blade 14 has a construction in the form of several juxtaposed portions in the length of the blade 14 between the first end 141 and the second free end 142, these juxtaposed portions having inclinations between them, the pivot axis 9 being positioned at the junction between two portions of the blade 14. According to this construction variant, a junction between two juxtaposed portions of the blade 14 creates a zone of lower rigidity. By way of example, this zone of the blade 14 which, structurally, has a lower rigidity is likely to be produced in the form of a structural portion of lower thickness and / or a portion made of a material or a combination of materials of lower rigidity.Thus, under the effect of pressure exerted against the free end 142 of the blade 14, a deformation is primarily carried out at the level of the portion of the blade 14 which has a weakness in its rigidity, that is to say at the level of the junction between two portions juxtaposed along the length of the clipping blade 14. Preferably, the portion of the blade 14 of lower rigidity is arranged in a substantially rectilinear arrangement in the thickness of the blade 14 oriented along an axis substantially perpendicular to a plane, on the one hand, arranged substantially perpendicular to the plane of the panel 3 and, on the other hand, passing through the blade 14 and its junction zone with the edge of the orifice 4 of the support panel 3.

[0024] According to an example relating to another construction variant of the invention capable of being combined with several of the previously detailed variants, the second free end 142 of the blade 14 is carried by a buttressed portion of the blade 14. This buttressed construction of the end 142 of the blade 14 allows the production of a structure which has a preferentially convex curvature oriented, in a plane in section perpendicular to the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3 at the level of which the blade 14 is associated, towards the central part of the orifice 4 of the support panel 3. This convex curvature makes it possible to produce a surface capable of sliding against the projecting element 12 and of pressing against the surface of the duct 5 of the airbag channel 2 while limiting the risks of parasitic seizure.According to an alternative construction, the convexity which carries the end 142 of the blade 14 is produced by an arrangement in the form of a broken arch, in a plane in section perpendicular to the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3 at the level of which the blade 14 is associated.

[0025] According to an example relating to another construction variant of the invention capable of being combined with several of the previously detailed variants, the second free end 142 of the blade 14 is arranged to be kept blocked against the projecting element 12 so that the surface of the blade 14 is not able to move away from the surface 7 of the duct 4 of the airbag channel 2. According to this construction variant, the projecting element 12 comprises, at the surface against which the free end 142 of the blade 14 is likely to be in contact, a means for retaining the free end 142 of the blade 14 against the surface 7 of the duct 4 of the airbag channel 2, so that the separation of the free end 142 of the blade 14 relative to the surface 7 of the duct 4 is prevented. This retaining means thus prevents the translation of the projecting element 12 from being unlocked by the blade 14 and therefore an undesired separation of the duct 4 of the airbag channel 2 relative to the panel 3.

[0026] According to an example relating to another construction variant of the invention capable of being combined with several of the previously detailed variants, the clipping blade 14 is a structural element of the support panel 3. According to this construction example, the clipping blade 14 and the support panel 3 form a structural unit in the form of a single piece. The clipping blade 14 is not mounted or fixed to the panel 3 but has a structural continuity, for example in the form of a continuity of material with the support panel 3.

[0027] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a vehicle interior trim support panel 3 and an airbag channel 2 intended to be positioned in a dedicated orifice 4 of the trim support panel 3, characterized in that the assembly comprises at least one locking device 1 according to the invention. This locking device 1 thus operates a clip-on fastening of the conduit 5 of the airbag channel 2 through the orifice 4 of the panel 3. According to a first example of a method for installing and positioning the conduit 5 of the airbag channel 2, the latter is simply inserted through the orifice 4 of the panel 3 along an insertion axis substantially perpendicular to the mean plane of the panel 3 until the conduit 5 is locked with the panel 3.According to a second example of a method for installing and positioning the conduit 5 of the airbag channel 2, the conduit 5 comprises attachment elements carried by a side of its outer surface opposite the side of its surface which comprises the projecting element 12 intended to interact with a blade 14 associated with the orifice 4 of a panel 3 within the framework of a locking device according to the invention. According to this second example, the conduit 5 of the airbag channel 2 is, in a first step, partially inserted with an oblique positioning in the orifice 4 of the panel 3 without the locking device of the invention being engaged. During this oblique positioning, the attachment elements carried by the first side of the conduit 5 of the airbag channel 2 cooperate with complementary elements carried by the inner edge of the dedicated orifice 4 of the support panel 3.Once this step of interaction between the attachment elements has been carried out, the conduit 5 of the airbag channel 2 positioned at an angle is tilted so that the locking device of the invention is engaged. The conduit 5 of the airbag channel 2 slides against the surface of the blade 14 until it is locked by blocking the free end 142 of the blade 14 against it. the projecting element 12 carried by the conduit 5 of the airbag channel 2. Thus, the conduit 5 of the airbag channel is secured to the panel 3, on the one hand, by hooking elements positioned at one side of the conduit 5 and an edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3 and, on the other hand, by the locking device according to the invention positioned on the opposite side of the conduit 5 and the orifice 4 relative to the axis of the conduit 5 and / or the orifice 4 of the support panel 3.

[0028] According to a construction variant of the assembly of the invention, the support panel 3 comprises several clipping blades 14 spaced apart from each other and arranged along the same edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3 intended to receive the airbag channel 2. According to this construction variant, the orifice 4 of the panel 3 comprises a plurality of blades 14 arranged in an alignment, for example axial, which runs along the edge of the orifice 4 of the panel 3. These blades 14 are arranged so as to interact with one or more surfaces positioned on the same side of the duct 3 of the airbag channel 2 and one or more projecting elements 12 carried by the duct 3. In the case of several projecting elements 12, these are likely to be arranged along an axis oriented substantially parallel to the alignment axis of the blades 14. These blades 14 are thus likely to be arranged so as to each interact with a respective projecting element 12.Alternatively, the different blades interact with the same projecting element 12 carried by the surface of the duct 5 and oriented along an axis substantially parallel to that of the alignment of the blades 14. Furthermore, it should be noted that the spacing between two juxtaposed blades 14 allows the presence of a raised element carried by the surface of the duct 5 and positioned opposite this spacing, so that each of the blades 14 is able to exert pressure against the surface of the duct 5 without being prevented by this raised element of the duct 5.Likewise, the localized positioning of the blades 14 and their spacing allows a combination of the locking mechanism 1 of the invention with the fixing device 20 detailed in the publication FR3033847 involving a blocking interface carried by the conduit 5 of the airbag channel 2 and arranged to pivot around an axis substantially parallel to the axis of insertion of the airbag channel 2 into the orifice 4.

[0029] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown in the attached drawings. Modifications remain possible, in particular from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Locking device (1) of an airbag channel (2) in a dedicated orifice (4) of a vehicle interior trim support panel (3), the airbag channel (2) having the shape of an axial conduit (5) which comprises, on the one hand, an inner face (6) and an outer face (7) and, on the other hand, an outer orifice (8) located at a first end of the conduit (5) and an inner orifice (10) located at a second end of the conduit (5), characterized in that the locking device (1) comprises: - at the airbag channel (2): • a peripheral rim (11) positioned around the perimeter outside the duct (5) of the airbag channel (2) and arranged so as to cover a portion of the surface of the panel (3) positioned at the edge of the orifice (4) of the panel (3), • at least one projecting element (12) positioned on the outer face (7) of the duct (5) of the airbag channel (2), - at the edge of the orifice (4) of the panel (3) supporting the interior trim of the vehicle, at least one clipping blade (14) associated with the edge of the orifice (4) by a first end (141) and comprising a second free end (142) capable of interacting with the projecting element (12) of the outer face (7) of the duct (5) of the airbag channel (2), the blade (14) having an orientation substantially perpendicular to the plane of the panel (3) at the orifice (4) but with an inclination relative to the perpendicular to the plane of the panel (3) at the orifice (4),the second free end (142) being closer to the axis of the orifice (4) than the first end (141) associated with the edge of the orifice (4) the clipping blade (14) comprising at least one pivot axis (9) of the second free end (142) relative to the support panel (3) so that the pivot axis (9) is positioned at the junction of the clipping blade (14) to the support panel (3) and / or so that, the clipping blade (14) having a construction in the form of several portions juxtaposed in the length of the, blade (14) between the first end (141) and the second free end (142), these juxtaposed portions having inclinations between them, the pivot axis (9) is positioned at the junction between two portions of the blade (14).

2. Locking device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance which separates the inner surface of the covering support panel (3) and the second free end (142) of the blade (14) is at most identical to the spacing between, on the one hand, the surface of the peripheral edge (11) of the airbag channel (2) intended to bear against the support panel (3) and, on the other hand, the projecting element (12) of the airbag channel (2).

3. Locking device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clipping blade (14) is associated with the support panel (3) along a restricted portion of the edge of the orifice (4).

4. Locking device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clipping blade (14) is a structural element of the support panel (3).

5. Locking device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second free end (142) of the blade (14) is carried by a buttressed portion of the blade (14).

6. Locking device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second free end (142) of the blade (14) is arranged to be held locked against the projecting element (12) so that the surface of the blade (14) is not able to move away from the surface (7) of the duct (4) of the airbag channel (2).

7. Assembly comprising a vehicle interior trim support panel (3) and an airbag channel (2) intended to be positioned in a dedicated orifice (4) of the trim support panel (3), characterized in that the assembly comprises at least one locking device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6.

8. Assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that the support panel (3) comprises several clipping blades (14) spaced apart from each other and arranged along the same edge of the orifice (4) of the panel (3) intended to receive the airbag channel (2).

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