Abstract: A break-away fastener system for an air bag deployment door designed for normally closing a panel opening in the vehicle adjacent the open end of a housing containing an air bag in a folded-up, non-deployed condition in readiness for rapid inflation in an emergency to protect persons in the vehicle. The fastening system includes one or more spaced apart fastener assemblies, each including a male element and a female element extending between a portion of the door overlapping an edge flange of the vehicle panel around the opening used for air bag deployment. The male element comprises a bayonet-like member having an enlarged free end adapted to snap into a female element including a receiving spring clip, which clip permanently retains the male element even after air bag deployment occurs. A base portion of each male element is secured to the door at a central portion of a frangible section of reduced cross-section designed to fracture along a path extending around the base of the male element.

Abstract: An airbag system for motor vehicles and the like includes an inflatable airbag contained in a housing having a protective cover normally closing a panel opening aligned with an open end of the airbag housing. The cover is bodily movable away from the opening during deployment of the airbag and a flexible tether is interconnected between the cover and the panel or the housing for limiting the travel of the cover away from the panel opening during deployment. The cover includes an integral outer skin and inner skin folded over and spaced therefrom having slots to permit passage of tethers into a space formed between the skins and eventually filled with foam. An anchor in the form of an elongated element is placed between the skins and the tether and is secured to the anchor for spreading the load exerted by the tether over a wide area of the cover to prevent fracturing or breakage thereof.