Inflator device for airbag installations

• US 20060082113A1
• Filed: 10/19/2004
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jordan, Michael P., Smith, Bradley W., Letendre, Guy R., Dinsdale, D. Lynn
• Granted Patent: US 7,347,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/741
• 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

An inflator assembly having an inflator base including a simple stamping. The inflator base includes an end wall, first and second openings in the end wall, a base side wall generally perpendicularly extending from the end wall, and an attachment collar generally perpendicularly extending from the base side wall at a side opposite the end wall. The inflator assembly also has a diffuser cap that is attached to the inflator base to form a chamber for containing a supply of gas generant material. The diffuser cap includes a top wall and a cap side wall generally perpendicularly extending from the top wall. The cap side wall is attached to the base side wall. A first initiator assembly is disposed through the end wall first opening. The first initiator assembly includes a first stamped adapter that is resistance welded joined to the inflator base. A second initiator assembly is disposed through the inflator base second opening. The second initiator assembly includes a second stamped adapter that is resistance welded joined to the inflator base.

Claims

1. In an inflator assembly, the inflator assembly including an inflator base with at least one opening passing therethrough and wherethrough an initiator assembly is disposed, the improvement comprising:

the inflator base comprising a simple stamping;

the initiator assembly comprising a stamped adapter; and

wherein the stamped adapter is resistance welded joined with the inflator base simple stamping.

2. The inflator assembly of claim 1 wherein the inflator base simple stamping comprises an end wall wherethrough the at least one opening is disposed, the inflator base additionally comprising a base side wall generally perpendicularly extending from the end wall and an attachment collar generally perpendicularly extending from the base side wall at a side opposite the end wall.

3. The inflator assembly of claim 2 wherein the inflator base simple stamping comprises a substantially planar end wall wherethrough the at least one opening is disposed.

4. The inflator assembly of claim 2 additionally comprising a diffuser cap attached to the inflator base, the diffuser cap comprising a top wall and a cap side wall generally perpendicularly extending from the top wall, wherein the cap side wall is attached to the base side wall.

5. The inflator assembly of claim 2 wherein the stamped adapter comprises an outwardly extending flange and the stamped adapter extends through one of the at least one opening to dispose at least a portion of the flange adjacent the end wall.

6. The inflator assembly of claim 5 additionally comprising a cavity disposed between the flange and the end wall.

7. The inflator assembly of claim 6 wherein the outwardly extending flange is disposed at an end of the stamped adapter and the at least a portion of the flange is disposed adjacent to an outer surface of the end wall.

8. The inflator assembly of claim 6 wherein the outwardly extending flange is disposed about an outer surface of the stamped adapter and the at least a portion of the flange is disposed adjacent to an inner surface of the end wall.

9. The inflator assembly of claim 1 wherein the inflator base simple stamping includes a first opening passing therethrough and wherethrough a first initiator assembly is disposed and the inflator base simple stamping also including a second opening passing therethrough and wherethrough a second initiator assembly is disposed.

10. The inflator assembly of claim 9 wherein the first and the second initiator assemblies each comprise a stamped adapter and wherein the stamped adapter of each of the first and the second initiator assemblies is resistance welded joined with the inflator base simple stamping.

11. The inflator assembly of claim 1 wherein the stamped adapter is resistance welded joined with the inflator base simple stamping by a method comprising:

passing an electric current through at least one of the inflator base and the stamped adapter; and

pressing the stamped adapter and the inflator base simple stamping together.

12. An inflator assembly comprising:

an inflator base comprising a substantially planar end wall including an opening passing therethrough, a base side wall generally perpendicularly extending from the end wall, and an attachment collar generally perpendicularly extending from the base side wall at a side opposite the end wall;

a diffuser cap comprising a top wall and a cap side wall generally perpendicularly extending from the top wall, wherein the cap side wall is attached to the base side wall; and

an initiator assembly comprising a stamped adapter disposed through the end wall opening and resistance welded joined to the inflator base.

13. The inflator assembly of claim 12 wherein the stamped adapter comprises an outwardly extending flange and the stamped adapter extends through one of the at least one opening to dispose at least a portion of the flange adjacent the end wall.

14. The inflator assembly of claim 13 additionally comprising a cavity disposed between the flange and the end wall.

15. The inflator assembly of claim 13 wherein the stamped adapter comprises a redrawn center portion securing an initiator.

16. The inflator assembly of claim 15 additionally comprising a cup including an open end adapted to fittingly attach around a portion of the initiator assembly.

17. The inflator assembly of claim 16 wherein the cup open end is adapted to fittingly attach around a portion of the stamped adapter.

18. The inflator assembly of claim 12 wherein the initiator assembly additionally comprises an initiator, the initiator is joined to the stamped adapter by an initiator adapter, the initiator adapter comprises a mating interface adapted to receive an electrical connector, the mating interface is disposed within an adapter cavity formed by the stamped adapter, and the mating interface does not extend from the adapter cavity beyond an end of the stamped adapter.

19. An inflator assembly comprising:

an inflator base comprising a substantially planar end wall, a first opening in the end wall, a second opening in the end wall, a base side wall generally perpendicularly extending from the end wall, and an attachment collar generally perpendicularly extending from the base side wall at a side opposite the end wall;

a diffuser cap attached to the inflator base to form a chamber, the diffuser cap comprising a top wall and a cap side wall generally perpendicularly extending from the top wall, wherein the cap side wall is attached to the base side wall;

a first initiator assembly disposed through the first opening, the first initiator assembly comprising a first stamped adapter resistance welded joined to the inflator base;

a second initiator assembly disposed through the second opening, the second initiator assembly comprising a second stamped adapter resistance welded joined to the inflator base;

a first cup disposed within the chamber, the first cup including an open end adapted to fittingly attach around a portion of the first initiator assembly; and

a second cup disposed within the chamber, the second cup including an open end adapted to fittingly attach around a portion of the second initiator assembly.

20. The inflator assembly of claim 19 wherein the first stamped adapter comprises a first outwardly extending flange and the first stamped adapter extends through the first opening to dispose at least a portion of the flange adjacent the end wall, and the second stamped adapter comprises a second outwardly extending flange and the second stamped adapter extends through the second opening to dispose at least a portion of the second flange adjacent the end wall.

21. The inflator assembly of claim 20 additionally comprising:

a first cavity disposed between the first flange and the end wall; and

a second cavity disposed between the second flange and the end wall.

22. The inflator assembly of claim 20 wherein the first flange comprises a first flattened portion disposed toward a second flattened portion of the second flange.

23. The inflator assembly of claim 20 wherein the chamber is sealed and withstands internal pressure of greater than 6,000 pounds per square inch.

24. The inflator assembly of claim 19 wherein the first stamped adapter comprises a first redrawn center portion securing a first initiator, and the second stamped adapter comprises a second redrawn center portion securing a second initiator.

25. The inflator assembly of claim 19 wherein each of the first and second stamped adapters comprises an outer surface including a first diameter portion and a second diameter portion, a diameter of the first diameter portion is different than a diameter of the second diameter portion, the first cup open end fittingly attaches to the first diameter portion of one of the first and second stamped adapters, and the second cup open end fittingly attaches to the second diameter portion of the other of the first and second stamped adapters.