Patent ID: 6135495
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
A motor vehicle airbag module for housing an airbag and an inflation means, the airbag module comprising an open ended container defined by a top plate for attaching the airbag module to a structural part of a motor vehicle, a bottom plate, two side walls and a rear wall, the top plate, bottom plate and side walls having front edges defining an aperture through which, in use, an airbag can be deployed, wherein the side walls are each weakened by having a non-planar discontinuity such that upon application of an impact force beyond a predetermined magnitude to the bottom plate the discontinuities of the non-planar side walls buckle in a controlled manner thereby allowing the bottom plate to move toward the top plate and partially compress the airbag module without preventing deployment of the airbag.