Inflator housing structure
First Claim
1. An air bag inflator structure, comprisinga container having a longitudinal axis and a wall that circumscribes said longitudinal axis, said wall at least partially defining a cavity for receiving a gas generating means and having gas dispensing nozzles extending through said wall;
- said wall including (a) a nozzle area extending along a selected longitudinal portion of said wall and partially circumscribing said longitudinal axis, (b) a reaction area partially circumscribing said longitudinal axis and disposed diametrically opposite said nozzle area and (c) connecting areas partially circumscribing said longitudinal axis so as to extend between said nozzle area and said reaction area,the thickness of said wall in said nozzle area being greater than the thickness of said wall in said connecting areas, and said gas dispensing nozzles being disposed in said nozzle area.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a new and useful housing structure for an inflator, particularly an inflator for a vehicle air bag system. The inflator housing has a wall with gas dispensing nozzles extending through it. The wall is (i) relatively thick in certain areas (e.g., the nozzle area), to provide adequate resistance to gas pressures and thrust forces applied to the housing during operation of the inflator, and (ii) relatively thin in certain other areas, to reduce the weight of the inflator. The housing is preferably constructed of a lightweight material (e.g., aluminum). The housing configuration of the present invention helps further reduce the weight of the inflator, while not unduly reducing the strength of the inflator to withstand the gas pressures and thrust forces applied to the housing during operation of the inflator.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An air bag inflator structure, comprising
a container having a longitudinal axis and a wall that circumscribes said longitudinal axis, said wall at least partially defining a cavity for receiving a gas generating means and having gas dispensing nozzles extending through said wall; -
said wall including (a) a nozzle area extending along a selected longitudinal portion of said wall and partially circumscribing said longitudinal axis, (b) a reaction area partially circumscribing said longitudinal axis and disposed diametrically opposite said nozzle area and (c) connecting areas partially circumscribing said longitudinal axis so as to extend between said nozzle area and said reaction area, the thickness of said wall in said nozzle area being greater than the thickness of said wall in said connecting areas, and said gas dispensing nozzles being disposed in said nozzle area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An air bag inflator structure comprising
a container having a wall that circumscribes a longitudinal axis of the container and defines a cavity for receiving a gas generating means; said wall having gas dispensing nozzles extending therethrough, said gas dispensing nozzles being disposed in a nozzle area extending along a selected part of a main body portion and partially circumscribing said longitudinal axis, said wall having a reduced thickness area adjacent said nozzle area and partially circumscribing said longitudinal axis, said reduced area having a thickness which is less than the thickness of said wall in said nozzle area. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
Specification