Ultrasonic welded initiator and connector socket

• US 20050121894A1
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Smith, Bradley W., Rasmussen, Kirk, Brisighella, Dario G. Jr., Cox, Matt, Ellis, Kelly
• Granted Patent: US 7,401,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/741
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26029 Ignitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26076 characterised by casing
• 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 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder

Abstract

The present invention provides an airbag inflator assembled, in part, using ultrasonic welding. The inflator includes a housing adapted to receive an initiator assembly and an adaptor socket to connect the inflator to the electronic systems of the vehicle. The initiator and the adaptor socket are welded together at a point of interface through the housing of the inflator using an ultrasound welding process. Joint seals are provided that allow the production of a gas-tight seal upon completion of assembly of the airbag inflator.

Claims

1. An inflator for an airbag cushion comprising:

an inflator housing base having an upper and a lower surface oriented opposite each other and an initiator opening;

a joint seal placed about the inflator opening against either the upper or the lower surface of the inflator housing base;

an initiator passed through the initiator opening from a first surface of the inflator housing base; and

an adaptor socket configured to receive an inflator adaptor, the socket being secured to the initiator through the inflator opening from a surface of the inflator housing base opposite the first surface.

2. The inflator of claim 1, wherein the socket is secured to the initiator by ultrasonic welding.

3. The inflator of claim 2, wherein the initiator further includes a welding ridge configured to extend from the initiator and contact the adaptor socket during assembly of the inflator.

4. The inflator of claim 3, wherein the welding ridge and an upper surface of the socket form a weld during assembly of the inflator.

5. The inflator of claim 2, wherein the joint seal is selected from the group consisting of:

O-rings washers, and gaskets.

6. The inflator of claim 1, wherein the adaptor socket is secured to the initiator in such a manner as to seal the inflator opening in a gas tight manner.

7. The inflator of claim 1, further comprising a second initiator opening, joint seal, initiator, and adaptor socket.

8. The inflator of claim 2, further comprising at least two initiator openings, joint seals, initiators, and adaptor sockets, each additional socket being secured to the second initiator by ultrasonic welding.

9. The inflator of claim 8, wherein the adaptor sockets are separate individual components.

10. The inflator of claim 8, wherein the adaptor sockets are portions of a single socket plate.

11. An inflator for inflating an airbag cushion comprising:

an inflator housing configured to retain a quantity of a gas generant, the inflator housing including an initiator receptacle with an orifice;

a ring-shaped joint seal having a seal orifice, the joint seal being placed on an upper or lower face of the inflator housing such that the seal orifice is aligned with the orifice of the initiator receptacle;

an initiator having a connector passed through the orifice of the initiator receptacle of the inflator housing; and

an adaptor socket configured to pass at least partially through the orifice and contact the initiator, either the initiator or the adapter socket being passed through the seal orifice of the joint seal, wherein the inflator is assembled by an ultrasonic weld linking the initiator to the adaptor socket through the orifice of the initiator receptacle of the inflator housing such that the joint seal is secured against the face of the inflator housing.

12. The inflator of claim 11, wherein the initiator further includes a welding ridge configured to extend from the initiator and contact the adaptor socket during assembly of the inflator.

13. The inflator of claim 12, wherein the welding ridge and an upper surface of the socket form the ultrasonic weld.

14. The inflator of claim 11, wherein the adaptor socket is secured to the initiator in such a manner as to seal the inflator opening in a gas tight manner.

15. The inflator of claim 11 further comprising a second initiator receptacle and orifice, a second joint seal, a second initiator, and a second adaptor socket, the second initiator being linked to the second adaptor socket by an ultrasonic weld.

16. The inflator of claim 15, wherein the first and second adaptor sockets are portions of a single socket plate.

17. The inflator of claim 11, wherein the initiator receptacle is a separate component independently joined to the inflator housing.

18. An inflator for inflating an airbag cushion comprising:

an inflator housing configured to retain a quantity of a gas generant, the inflator housing including an initiator receptacle with an orifice;

a ring-shaped joint seal having a seal orifice, the joint seal being placed on at least one face of the inflator housing such that the seal orifice is aligned with the orifice of the initiator receptacle;

an initiator having a connector passed through the orifice of the initiator receptacle of the inflator housing, the inflator further including a welding ridge; and

an adaptor socket configured to pass at least partially through the orifice and contact the welding ridge of the initiator, wherein the inflator is assembled by an ultrasonic weld linking the initiator to the adaptor socket through the orifice of the initiator receptacle of the inflator housing such that the joint seal is secured against the face of the inflator housing.

19. The inflator of claim 18, wherein the initiator receptacle is a component separate from the inflator housing sized to accommodate the initiator on an internal face, and size to accommodate the socket on an external face.

20. The inflator of claim 18, comprising at least two sets of initiators and corresponding sockets.