Gas generator

• US 20070186797A1
• Filed: 03/29/2005
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nippon Kayaku Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nippon Kayaku Company Limited
• Inventors: Ikeda, Kenjiro, Kurita, Kazumasa, Tanaka, Akihiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,516,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 102/530
• 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: F42B 3/04 for producing gas under pressure generators of inflation fluid especially adapted for vehicle air bags B60R21/26

Abstract

A gas generator, including an igniter, a gas generating agent ignited by the igniter and generating gas by burning, and a holder and an AC cup forming therein a gas generating agent storage chamber filled with the gas generating agent. A housing formed of the holder and the AC cup is vertically held and fixed by a pair of plate-like members arranged parallel with each other. The gas generator also includes projections forming deformable areas which are deformed in a direction for decreasing the vertical outside dimensions of the gas generator when the housing is fixed by the pair of plate-like members. Thus, when the gas generator is fixed by the pair of plate-like members in the vertical direction, the dispersion of the outside dimensions of the gas generator can be absorbed.

Claims

1. A gas generator, comprising ignition means, a gas generating agent ignition by said ignition means for generating gas by combustion and a housing including a gas generating agent storage chamber filled with said gas generating agent therein while said housing is vertically held and fixed by a pair of platelike members arranged in parallel with each other,

further comprising a deformable area to be deformed to decrease the vertical outside dimension of said gas generator when fixed by said pair of platelike members.

2. The gas generator according to claim 1, wherein

said deformable area includes a plastic deformable area to be plastically deformed when held and fixed by said pair of platelike members.

3. The gas generator according to claim 2, wherein

at least either a top plate or a bottom plate vertically located on said housing includes an outwardly protruding projection, and

said projection constitutes said plastic deformable area.

4. The gas generator according to claim 3, wherein

said projection is provided on a part of said housing partitioning/forming said gas generating agent storage chamber.

5. The gas generator according to claim 3, wherein

said housing includes an AC cup storing said gas generating agent and a holder having a flange part and a caulking part for fixing said AC cup on the periphery thereof for fixing said ignition means, and

said projection is provided on the bottom surface of said AC cup constituting the top place of said housing.

6. The gas generator according to claim 5, wherein

the inner surface of one of said pair of platelike members is in contact with the outer surface of planarly formed said flange part while the inner surface of the other one of said pair of platelike members is in contact with said projection provided on the bottom surface of said AC cup in the state where said gas generator is held and fixed by said pair of platelike members.

7. The gas generator according to claim 6, wherein

said AC cup includes a side surface for deriving gas generated by combustion of said gas generating agent diametrally from said housing by opening in working, and

at least one score extending in parallel with the axial direction of said housing, forming the starting point of said opening, is provided on said side surface.

8. The gas generator according to claim 1, wherein

said deformable area includes an elastic deformable area to be elastically deformed when held and fixed by said pair of platelike members.

9. The gas generator according to claim 8, wherein

at least either a top plate or a bottom plate vertically located on said housing includes a protrusion having an outwardly protruding top face of a prescribed size, and

said elastic deformable area is constituted of a part, enclosing said protrusion of said top plate or said bottom plate provided with said protrusion.

10. The gas generator according to claim 9, wherein

said protrusion is formed by press working, and

the upper end of said ignition means is inserted into and positioned on a recess formed on the inner surface of said housing by said press working.

11. The gas generator according to claim 9, further comprising a combustion control member located between said ignition means and said gas generating agent storage chamber for supplying directivity to a flame formed in said ignition means, wherein

said protrusion is formed by press working,

the upper end of said combustion control member is inserted into a recess formed on the inner surface of said housing by said press working, and

said ignition means is inserted into and positioned in said combustion control member.

12. The gas generator according to claim 9, wherein said housing includes an AC cup storing said gas generating agent and a holder having a flange part and a caulking part for fixing said AC cup on the periphery thereof for fixing said ignition means, and

said protrusion is provided on the bottom surface of said AC cup constituting the top plate of said housing.

13. The gas generator according to claim 12, wherein

the inner surface of one of said pair of platelike members is in contact with the outer surface of planarly formed said flange part while the inner surface of the other one of said pair of platelike members is in contact with the top face of said protrusion provided on the bottom surface of said AC cup when said gas generator is held and fixed by said pair of platelike members.

14. The gas generator according to claim 13, wherein

said AC cup includes a side surface for deriving gas generated by combustion of said gas generating agent diametrally from said housing by opening in working, and

at least one score extending in parallel with the axial direction of said housing, forming the starting point of said opening, is provided on said side surface.

15. The gas generator according to claim 8, further comprising an elastic member located on the outer surface of at least either a top plate or a bottom plate vertically located on said housing, wherein

said elastic member constitutes said elastic deformable area.