Lightweight non-welded inflator unit for automobile airbags
First Claim
1. A lightweight, non-welded inflator apparatus which comprises:
- (a) a domed diffuser member, having a first open end and a second closed end;
(b) a closure plate member sealing the open end of said diffuser member, thereby forming an inflator housing;
(c) a sufficient amount of a combustible gas generant material within an interior portion of said housing to produce upon combustion thereof a volume of a gaseous product sufficient to substantially inflate an automobile air bag within about 30-60 milliseconds;
(d) means for initiating combustion of said gas generant material, said initiating means positioned within said housing adjacent said gas generant; and
(e) means within said housing for filtering said gaseous combustion product prior to its discharge from the inflator housing, said filtering means circumferentially surrounding said gas generant material adjacent an inner wall portion of said housing, and adapted for cooling said gas and removing substantially all particulate matter therefrom,said closure plate member and said domed diffuser member being sealed together without welding either of said members to form an inflator housing capable of withstanding elevated pressures produced by combustion of said gas generant material.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A non-welded pyrotechnic gas-generating inflator apparatus which comprises: a domed diffuser member, open at one end; a closure plate member sealing the open end of the diffuser member, the members being sealed by magnaforming a peripheral lip portion of the diffuser member over the outer circumferential edge of the closure plate member, thereby forming an inflator housing; a sufficient amount of a combustible gas generant material within said housing to produce, upon the combustion thereof, a volume of a gaseous product sufficient to substantially inflate an automobile air bag within about 30-60 milliseconds; a combustion initiating device positioned within the housing adjacent the gas generant and a filter assembly for filtering the combustion product prior to its discharge from the inflator, the filter assembly circumferentially surrounding the gas generant within the housing. In fabricating the inflator, the filter assembly is simply lowered into position within the diffuser and the propellant is lowered into the filter cavity. Subsequently, the closure member is mated to the open end of the diffuser and the lip of the diffuser is magnaformed over the outer edge of the closure in the area where they overlap to form a structural seal.
113 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A lightweight, non-welded inflator apparatus which comprises:
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(a) a domed diffuser member, having a first open end and a second closed end; (b) a closure plate member sealing the open end of said diffuser member, thereby forming an inflator housing; (c) a sufficient amount of a combustible gas generant material within an interior portion of said housing to produce upon combustion thereof a volume of a gaseous product sufficient to substantially inflate an automobile air bag within about 30-60 milliseconds; (d) means for initiating combustion of said gas generant material, said initiating means positioned within said housing adjacent said gas generant; and (e) means within said housing for filtering said gaseous combustion product prior to its discharge from the inflator housing, said filtering means circumferentially surrounding said gas generant material adjacent an inner wall portion of said housing, and adapted for cooling said gas and removing substantially all particulate matter therefrom, said closure plate member and said domed diffuser member being sealed together without welding either of said members to form an inflator housing capable of withstanding elevated pressures produced by combustion of said gas generant material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A lightweight non-welded pyrotechnic gas-generating inflator apparatus which comprises:
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(a) a domed diffuser member having a first open end and a second closed end, said diffuser member defining a plurality of diffuser ports spaced equidistantly around the periphery thereof, said ports providing fluid communication between a combustion cavity defined within said infator and an interior portion of an automobile air bag operatively associated with said inflator so as to permit the deployment of said air bag upon combustion of a pyrotechnic gas generant material stored within said inflator; (b) a closure plate member sealing the open end of said diffuser member, thus forming an inflator housing;
both said diffuser member and said closure plate member formed of a relatively lightweight, corrosion-resistant, high tensile strength material,(c) a sufficient amount of a combustible gas generant material within the combustion cavity to produce, upon combustion, a volume of a gaseous product sufficient to substantially inflate said automobile air bag within about 30-60 milliseconds; (d) an electrically actuated squib adhesively secured within said housing, said squib operatively associated with at least one remote impact sensor capable of determining the occurence of a primary collision between an automobile in which it is installed and another object and producing a signal as a result thereof which acts to initiate combustion of said gas generant material; and (e) a filter assembly within said inflator housing interposed between said gas generant material and said diffuser ports to permit filtering and cooling of said gaseous combustion products prior to the entry thereof into said automobile air bag, said open end of said diffuser member being magnaformed over an outer peripheral lip portion of said closure plate member with the aid of a drive ring member circumjacent to said diffuser member upon a portion of said housing wherein said diffuser member overlays said closure plate member to form a structural seal therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A lightweight non-welded pyrotechnic gas-generating inflator apparatus consisting essentially of:
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(a) a domed diffuser member having a first open end and a second closed end, said diffuser member defining a plurality of diffuser ports spaced equidistantly around the periphery thereof, said ports providing fluid communication between a combustion cavity defined within said inflator and an interior portion of an automobile air bag operatively associated with said inflator so as to permit the deployment of said air bag upon combustion of a pyrotechnic gas generant material stored within said inflator; (b) a closure plate member sealing the open end of said diffuser member, thus forming an inflator housing;
both said diffuser member and said closure plate member formed of a relatively lightweight, corrosion-resistant, high tensile strength material,(c) a sufficient amount of a combustible gas generant material within the combustion cavity to produce, upon combustion, a volume of a gaseous product sufficient to substantially inflate said automobile air bag within about 30-60 milliseconds; (d) an electrically actuated squib adhesively secured within said housing, said squib operatively associated with at least one remote impact sensor capable of determining the occurence of a primary collision between an automobile in which it is installed and another object and producing a signal as a result thereof which acts to initiate combustion of said gas generant material; and (e) a filter assembly within said inflator housing interposed between said gas generant material and said diffuser ports to permit filtering and cooling of said gaseous combustion products prior to the entry thereof into said automobile air bag, said open end of said diffuser member being magnaformed over an outer peripheral lip portion of said closure plate member with the aid of a drive ring member circumjacent to said diffuser member upon a portion of said housing wherein said diffuser member overlaps said closure plate member to form a hermetic seal therebetween.
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27. A method for constructing a lightweight non-welded inflator apparatus for installation in an automobile passive safety device, said method comprising:
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(a) forging a diffuser member of a material which is relatively lightweight, corrosive resistant and having a high tensile strength, said diffuser member having a first domed end and a second open end; (b) lowering filter assembly means through said open end of said diffuser member and into position therein; (c) lowering a discreetly packaged propellant assembly into a combustion cavity within said diffuser member defined by said filter assembly means; (d) forging a substantially flat closure plate member for sealing the open end of said diffuser member; (e) mating the closure plate member to the open end of the diffuser member; and (f) magnaforming said diffuser member over a peripheral edge of said closure plate member to form a structural seal therebetween without welding, capable of withstanding elevated pressures produced by the combustion of said propellant. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A lightweight, non-welded inflator apparatus which comprises:
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(a) a doomed diffuser member, having a first open end and a second closed end; (b) a closure plate member sealing the open end of said diffuser member, thereby forming an inflator housing; (c) a sufficient amount of a combustible gas generant material within an interior portion of said housing to produce, upon combustion thereof, a volume of a gaseous product sufficient to substantially inflate an automobile air bag within about 30-60 milliseconds; (d) means for initiating combustion of said gas generant material, said initiating means positioned within said housing adjacent said gas generant; and (e) means within said housing for filtering said gaseous combustion product prior to its discharge from the inflator housing, said filtering means circumferentially surrounding said gas generant material adjacent an inner wall portion of said housing, and adapted for cooling said gas and removing substantially all particulate matter therefrom, said open end of the diffuser member being magnaformed over an outer peripheral lip portion of said closure plate member with the aid of a drive ring member circumjacent to said diffuser member upon a portion of said housing wherein said diffuser member overlaps said closure plate member to form a structural seal therebetween.
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Specification