Airbag Fastening Element With Dimensionally Stable Head
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fastening arrangements for airbags to vehicle support walls are prone to deformation and unintentional detachment under mechanical stress, as the latching legs can detach from the opening edge of the assembly opening.
Innovation Solution
A fastening element with a dimensionally stable head part formed by a common base plate merging into angled shaft arms, which includes stop walls and stiffening webs, ensuring the fastening element remains rigid and prevents unintentional release, even under mechanical stress. The shaft arms protrude from the base plate, forming a closed frame structure that protects the latching connection and includes an elastically bendable latching leg for secure engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If elastically bendable latching legs are used to latch with the mounting opening, then the fastening element can be installed through the assembly opening, but under mechanical stress the latching legs can be deformed and unintentionally detach from the opening edge
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening element is divided into functionally distinct parts: a dimensionally stable head part formed by a common base plate for maintaining rigidity, and separate shaft arms with latching legs for engagement. This segmentation allows the head part to remain rigid while the latching legs perform their elastic latching function, resolving the contradiction between installation ease and fastening reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the fastening element are given different mechanical properties: the head part is designed to be dimensionally stable and rigid to prevent deformation, while the latching legs are made elastically bendable for easy installation and secure latching. This local differentiation of material properties allows each part to optimize its function without compromising the other.
2Ease of operation
If the fastening element is made with elastically bendable latching legs, then it can be installed through the assembly opening, but under mechanical stress the fastening element deforms and the latching connection is unintentionally released
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening element is divided into functionally distinct parts: a dimensionally stable head part formed by a common base plate for maintaining rigidity, and separate shaft arms with latching legs for engagement. This segmentation allows the head part to remain rigid while the latching legs perform their elastic latching function, resolving the contradiction between installation ease and fastening reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the fastening element are given different mechanical properties: the head part is designed to be dimensionally stable and rigid to prevent deformation, while the latching legs are made elastically bendable for easy installation and secure latching. This local differentiation of material properties allows each part to optimize its function without compromising the other.
3Reliability
If a common base plate merging into shaft arms is used, then dimensional stability is maintained under mechanical stress, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The head part and shaft arms are merged into a single common base plate structure that is formed in one piece. This merging provides dimensional stability and rigidity to the head part while maintaining structural efficiency. The integration reduces the number of separate components and assembly steps, offsetting the increased structural complexity with manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening element utilizes composite construction combining a rigid common base plate for dimensional stability with elastically bendable latching legs for secure engagement. This composite approach allows different regions of the same component to have different mechanical properties, achieving both reliability and functional requirements without excessive complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a reliable and secure fastening of airbags to vehicle support walls, preventing unintentional loosening during mechanical stress by maintaining dimensional stability and protecting the latching mechanism, ensuring the fastening element remains engaged without deformation.
Implementation Method 1
The fastening element (3) has an elastically bendable latching leg (37) which latches with the opening edge (23) of the assembly opening (23)
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a fastening assembly for fastening a component, for example an airbag (7), to a support wall (25) of a vehicle, comprising a fastening element (3) having a head part (17) and a shaft part (19), of which the shaft arms (29) pass through a fastening lug (21) of the airbag (7) and an assembly opening (23) of the support wall (25) and engage the edge of the assembly opening (23). According to the invention, the shaft arms (29) of the shaft part (19) on the head part (17) of the fastening element (3) transition into a common main body (27) by virtue of being composed of the same material and/or being integral.