Air bag assembly
First Claim
1. An air bag assembly comprising a reaction/coupling structure, an air bag subassembly coupled to the reaction/coupling structure, and an inflator also coupled to the reaction/coupling structure;
- said reaction/coupling structure including a reaction device and a coupling device which are coupled together in a mated arrangement;
said air bag subassembly including an air bag having a mouth portion which defines a gas inlet opening disposed in a plane;
said inflator comprising a cylindrical housing having a radius and an axis substantially longer than said radius, said axis being positioned substantially parallel to the plane of said gas inlet opening;
said inflator being positioned to supply inflation fluid to said air bag through said inlet opening;
said mouth portion of said air bag being trapped between said reaction device and said coupling device thereby coupling said air bag subassembly to said reaction/coupling structure; and
said reaction device and said coupling device being locked in said mated arrangement by said inflator.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An air bag assembly 10 includes a reaction/coupling structure 12, an air bag subassembly 14 coupled to the reaction coupling structure 12, and an inflator 16 also coupled to the reaction/coupling structure 12. The reaction/coupling structure 12 includes a reaction device 20 and a coupling device 22 which are coupled together in a mated arrangement. The air bag subassembly 14 includes an air bag 24 having a mouth portion 26 which defines a gas inlet opening The inflator 16 is positioned to supply inflation fluid to the air bag 24 through the inlet opening. The mouth portion 26 of the air bag 24 is trapped between the reaction device 20 and the coupling device 22 thereby coupling the air bag subassembly 14 to the reaction/coupling structure 12. The inflator 16 is coupled to the reaction/coupling structure 12 in such a manner that the reaction device 20 and the coupling device 22 are locked in the mated arrangement.
28 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An air bag assembly comprising a reaction/coupling structure, an air bag subassembly coupled to the reaction/coupling structure, and an inflator also coupled to the reaction/coupling structure;
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said reaction/coupling structure including a reaction device and a coupling device which are coupled together in a mated arrangement; said air bag subassembly including an air bag having a mouth portion which defines a gas inlet opening disposed in a plane; said inflator comprising a cylindrical housing having a radius and an axis substantially longer than said radius, said axis being positioned substantially parallel to the plane of said gas inlet opening; said inflator being positioned to supply inflation fluid to said air bag through said inlet opening; said mouth portion of said air bag being trapped between said reaction device and said coupling device thereby coupling said air bag subassembly to said reaction/coupling structure; and said reaction device and said coupling device being locked in said mated arrangement by said inflator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 18, 19)
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8. An air bag assembly comprising a reaction/coupling structure, an air bag subassembly coupled to the reaction/coupling structure, and an inflator also coupled to the reaction/coupling structure;
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said reaction/coupling structure including a reaction device and a coupling device which are coupled together in a mated arrangement; said air bag subassembly including an air bag having a mouth portion which defines a gas inlet opening; said inflator being positioned to supply inflation fluid to said air bag through said inlet opening; said mouth portion of said air bag being trapped between said reaction device and said coupling device thereby coupling said air bag subassembly to said reaction/coupling structure; said reaction device and said coupling device being locked in said mated arrangement by said inflator; said inflator including a housing enclosing a source of inflation fluid; said housing having primary discharge orifices which are located on a primary discharging portion of said housing and which release inflation fluid to inflate said air bag; said reaction device comprising a set of walls which together define a cavity and a deployment opening; said coupling device being sized and shaped to be inserted through said deployment opening and into said cavity; at least one of said set of walls of said reaction device including an inflator-accommodating portion which accommodates said primary discharging portion of said inflator; and at least one of said set of walls of said reaction device including mating slots which cooperate with the coupling device to couple the reaction device and coupling device together in said mated arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An air bag assembly comprising a reaction/coupling structure, an air bag subassembly coupled to the reaction/coupling structure, and an inflator also coupled to the reaction/coupling structure;
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said reaction/coupling structure including a reaction device and a coupling device which are coupled together in a mated arrangement; said air bag subassembly including an air bag having a mouth portion which defines a gas inlet opening; said inflator being positioned to supply inflation fluid to said air bag through said inlet opening; said mouth portion of said air bag being trapped between said reaction device and said coupling device thereby coupling said air bag subassembly to said reaction/coupling structure; and said reaction device and said coupling device being locked in said mated arrangement by said inflator; said inflator comprising a housing, which encloses a fluid source, and coupling members, which are attached to said housing; said reaction device comprising a set of walls which together define a cavity and a deployment opening; said coupling device being sized and shaped to be inserted through said deployment opening and into said cavity; one of said set of walls including a front portion which terminates at said deployment opening and a rear portion which forms a cradle for said inflator; a second of said walls including an opening for receiving said housing; and a third of said walls defining coupling members which cooperate with said coupling members of said inflator to couple said inflator to said reaction/coupling structure. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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20. A method of making an air bag assembly comprising the steps of:
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providing a reaction/coupling structure including a reaction device and a coupling device; providing an air bag subassembly including an air bag having a mouth portion which defines a gas inlet opening; providing an inflator including a housing enclosing a source of inflation fluid, said cylindrical housing having a radius and an axis substantially longer than said radius; positioning the mouth portion of the air bag around the coupling device; coupling the reaction device and the coupling device together in a mated arrangement after the mouth portion of the air bag has been positioned around the coupling device thereby capturing the mouth of the air bag between the reaction device and the coupling device whereby the air bag subassembly is coupled to the reaction/coupling structure; and locking the reaction device and the coupling device in the mated arrangement with said inflator, said locking step including positioning the inflator so said axis is positioned substantially parallel to said gas inlet opening. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification