Tethered Fastener for Airbag Deployment with Nested Folding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tethered fasteners face challenges in being assembled into limited spaces due to their size constraints, requiring compact configurations that complicate their assembly and deployment during events like airbag deployment.

Innovation Solution

A tethered fastener design featuring a first and second connector portion with a tether portion, incorporating releasable holding features and cooperating elements, such as arms, beams, and hooks, that allow the fastener to be compactly assembled and flexibly deployed, enabling controlled release and movement of vehicle components during airbag deployment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the tethered fastener is designed to be compact for assembly in limited spaces, then the assembly space requirement is reduced, but the assembly complexity increases due to folding and wrapping requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefastener volumeVSAvoidassembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The tether portion is configured to fold and nest within the connector portions, allowing the fastener to achieve a compact assembled state where the tether is contained within the structural envelope of the connectors, reducing overall volume while maintaining deployability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The fastener is divided into distinct functional segments (connector portions, tether portion, releasable holding features) that can be independently manufactured and then assembled through standardized interfaces, reducing overall assembly complexity despite the compact folded configuration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If the tethered fastener uses multiple releasable holding features to control component movement, then the control precision is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemovement control precisionVSAvoidfastener structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple releasable holding features are integrated into a single tether portion structure, where the tether incorporates both the first and second releasable holding features along with cooperating features in the connectors, creating a unified assembly that provides precise movement control without requiring separate independent mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using complex mechanical linkages to control movement, the design uses simple releasable holding features that allow controlled movement through their engagement and disengagement, inverting the approach from active control mechanisms to passive controlled-release mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS9611878B2Tethered fastener

Publication Date: 2017.04.04 NEWFREY LLC

AI summary

A tethered fastener assembly includes a first connector portion, a second connector portion, and a tether portion. The tether portion couples the first connector portion to the second connector portion and includes a first releasable holding feature, a first cooperating releasable holding feature, a second releasable holding feature, and a second cooperating releasable holding feature. The first releasable holding feature is engageable with the first cooperating releasable holding feature. The second releasable holding feature is engageable with the second cooperating releasable holding feature. The first releasable holding feature engages the first cooperating releasable holding feature, and the second releasable holding feature engages the second cooperating releasable holding feature, to retain the tether portion in a folded configuration.