Air Bag Chute Topper Male-Female Locking Tab
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Solution Overview
Problem
During passenger air bag deployment, the separation of the air bag chute and topper leads to inefficient air bag cushion filling due to destruction of the attachment joint, resulting in suboptimal deployment and structural support issues.
Innovation Solution
An automobile air bag module with a housing chute and a topper cover featuring a male locking tab that engages a female pocket, providing structural reinforcement and secure attachment to prevent separation during deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the air bag chute and topper are attached with a simple joint, then the device complexity is reduced, but the attachment joint is destroyed during deployment causing separation and inefficient air bag cushion filling
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment joint is segmented into multiple interlocking components: a topper attachment feature with a protrusion on the topper, and a corresponding recess in the housing chute. This segmentation allows each part to maintain structural integrity while forming a secure connection when assembled, preventing destruction during air bag deployment.
2Strength
If the attachment joint is reinforced to prevent separation, then the structural support is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment joint merges multiple functions into a single integrated structure: the protrusion and recess formation is combined with the topper cover and housing chute walls themselves, rather than adding separate reinforcement elements. This provides structural support while minimizing additional complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If the air bag chute structure is simplified, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but bell mouthing occurs during crash/deployment event
Solution Approach 1:
The housing chute employs local quality by concentrating reinforcement features at critical locations: the attachment joint area with the recess and the forward wall region. These localized reinforcements prevent bell mouthing during deployment while keeping the rest of the housing chute structure simple and easy to manufacture.
Data Source
AI summary
An automobile air bag module is provided that includes a housing chute at least partially surrounding an air bag, wherein the housing chute comprises a front wall, a rear wall, at least one sidewall, and a female pocket located adjacent a housing chute sidewall. Also included is a topper cover having a reinforcement protrusion that comprises a male locking tab that matably engages the female pocket.