Passenger air bag system for vehicles

• US 20050082801A1
• Filed: 11/07/2003
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Koh, Min Seok
• Granted Patent: US 6,935,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/732
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid

Abstract

A passenger air bag system for vehicles includes an air bag housing mounted to an instrument panel at the front part thereof, a cushion accommodated in the air bag housing such that the cushion is expanded to the front of a passenger seated in a passenger seat when a collision of the vehicle occurs, a retainer attached to the air bag housing for supporting the cushion, an inflator having the upper end vertically inserted into the rear part of the air bag housing in the normal direction thereof for discharging gas to the cushion, and an inflator housing attached to the rear part of the air bag housing for fixing the inflator. The upper end of the inflator is mounted in the inflator housing.

Claims

1. A passenger air bag system for a vehicle, comprising:

an air bag housing mounted to an instrument panel at a front part thereof;

a cushion accommodated in the air bag housing such that the cushion is expanded to a front of a passenger seated in a passenger seat when a collision of the vehicle occurs;

a retainer attached to the air bag housing configured to support the cushion;

an inflator having an upper end vertically inserted into a rear part of the air bag housing in a direction generally normal to a plane of the air bag housing, and configured to discharge gas to the cushion, the upper end of the inflator including a plurality of gas-discharging holes; and

an inflator housing attached to the rear part of the air bag housing and configured to fixedly maintain the inflator, the upper end of the inflator being mounted in the inflator housing,

wherein the inflator housing includes a plurality of gas-guiding holes, each corresponding to a respective one of the gas-discharging holes, and

wherein the gas-guiding holes flushly contact the upper end of the inflator.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the air bag housing is provided at both sides thereof with housing brackets, respectively, the housing brackets being fixed to the instrument panel.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein one side of the respective housing brackets is attached to the air bag housing, and the other side of the respective housing brackets is bent to the outside of the air bag housing so that the air bag housing is fixed to the instrument panel by bolts.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the air bag housing is provided at the center of the rear part thereof with a mounting hole for allowing the inflator housing to be inserted therethrough.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the retainer is provided along the edge thereof with a plurality of fixing holes so that the retainer is fixed to the inner rear part of the air bag housing by fixing bolts, and wherein the retainer has an opening formed at the center thereof so that the inflator housing is inserted through the mounting hole.

6. The system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the retainer is formed in the shape of a square frame.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the inflator housing comprises:

an inflator housing body inserted through the mounting hole of the air bag housing such that the upper end of the inflator is mounted in the inflator housing body; and

a fixing flange formed at the outer circumference of the inflator housing body such that the fixing flange is protruded from the outer circumference of the inflator housing body, the fixing flange being attached to the rear part of the air bag housing.

8. The system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the inflator housing body has an insertion hole formed therein so that the upper end of the inflator is inserted through the insertion hole.

9. The system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the insertion hole of the inflator housing body has the same diameter as the inflator.

10. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the fixing flange is formed at the outer circumference of the inflator housing body such that the fixing flange is protruded from the outer circumference of the inflator housing body.

11. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the fixing flange is disposed in the air bag housing so that the fixing flange is attached to the rear part of the air bag housing.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the size of the fixing flange is smaller than that of the opening of the retainer.

13. The system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the inflator is provided at the upper end thereof with a fixing protrusion, the inflator housing body is provided at the upper part thereof with a though-hole for allowing the fixing protrusion to be inserted therethrough, the fixing protrusion inserted through the through-hole being securely fitted in the fixing nut so that the inflator is fixed to the inflator housing body.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the fixing protrusion of the inflator has a male screw thread part formed on the outer circumference thereof.

16. The system as set forth in claim 14, wherein the gas-discharging holes are evenly spaced along an outer circumference of the inflator.

17. The system as set forth in claim 16, wherein the inflator housing body is provided at the outer circumference thereof with the gas-guiding holes for allowing the gas discharged from the inflator to be guided into the cushion therethrough.

18. The system as set forth in claim 17, wherein the gas-guiding holes are arranged such that the gas-guiding holes correspond to the gas-discharging holes, respectively.

15. (canceled)