Air bag module

• US 5,431,432 A
• Filed: 08/13/1993
• Issued: 07/11/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Webber, James L., Donegan, Michael W., Shepherd, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELLIS, CHRISTOPHER P
• Application Number:
  US08/106,105
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728 R, 280/728 A, 280/741 R, 280/743 R, 280/732, 280/736, 280/731
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence

Abstract

A container for an air bag inflator comprises an open-ended cylindrical aluminum or magnesium extrusion having circumferentially-spaced internal ribs, an axial gas discharge opening and a pair of grooved mounting flanges flanking the opening. A cylindrical inflator is inserted through one end of the container on the ribs. An air bag deployment chute includes depending mounting flanges. An air bag, which includes mounting hems having loops, is placed in the chute. A U-shaped retainer is inserted into the hem loops and into the chute channels. This assembly is slid endwise into the container grooves. An end plate is attached to the retainer ends and has a notch to engage an orientation lug on the inflator. In another embodiment, the chute is omitted and the air bag hem loops each receive a mounting rod which are inserted radially into the container grooves. A mounting plate has flanges that are bolted to the container flanges, clamping flanges of an air bag cover in between. The mounting plate includes depending side flanges, which trap the hems and rods in the grooves, and depending end flanges which axially confine the inflator. The end flanges incorporate the orientation slot and protector for inflator wiring. The container ribs space the inflator from the container walls and create insulating air gaps. The air bag hems can also be sewn to the mounting plate flanges, eliminating the mounting rods and enabling use of a simpler container.

Claims

1. A container for mounting a cylindrical air bag inflator, comprising

an open-ended body having an exterior and an interior,

an axially-extending gas discharge opening formed in the body,

a pair of mounting flanges on the body exterior flanking the opening for mounting an air bag, and

a plurality of circumferentially-spaced, axially-extending interior ribs being of integral one-piece construction with the body and forming a discontinuous cylindrical surface which engages the exterior surface of an inflator to mount and support the inflator in spaced relation to the body interior.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the body comprises an aluminum extrusion.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a magnesium extrusion.

4. The container of claim 1, including restraint means mounted on the body ends for confining the inflator against axial removal.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein the restraint means on one body end comprise a plate including a notch configured to embrace an orientation lug on the inflator to prevent rotation of the inflator relative to the body.

6. The container of claim 5, wherein the restraint means on the other body end comprise a second plate configured to protect electrical wiring projecting from the inflator.

7. An air bag module for installation in vehicle structure which includes a housing for the air bag module, comprising

an air bag having a mounting hem,

a cylindrical air bag inflator,

a container comprising an open-ended body having an exterior, a generally cylindrical interior, an axially-extending gas discharge opening formed in the body, a pair of mounting flanges on the body exterior flanking the opening, and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced and axially-extending interior ribs on the body for mounting the inflator in spaced relation to the body interior, and

a mounting plate having side flanges cooperating with the container mounting flanges to secure the air bag mounting hem to the container, with the air bag mounted atop the container.

9. The air bag module of claim 7, including a soft cover for covering the air bag which has side flanges positioned between the mounting plate side flanges and the container mounting flanges, and fastening means for clamping the mounting plate side flanges to the container flanges to secure the air bag cover to the container.

10. The air bag module of claim 9, wherein the fastening means comprise a plurality of aligned holes in the mounting plate side flanges and the container mounting flanges, and threaded fasteners received through the aligned holes.

11. The air bag module of claim 10, wherein the threaded fasteners are additionally used to mount the air bag module to the vehicle air bag module housing.

8. An air bag module for installation in vehicle structure which includes a housing for the air bag module, comprising

an air bag having a mounting hem comprising a pair of loops.

a pair of mounting rods each inserted into a loop,

a cylindrical air bag inflator,

a container comprising an open-ended body having an exterior, a generally cylindrical interior, an axially-extending gas discharge opening formed in the body, a pair of mounting flanges on the body exterior flanking the opening and each including an axially-extending groove for receiving an air bag hem loop and mounting rod, and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced and axially-extending interior ribs on the body for mounting the inflator in spaced relation to the body interior, and

a mounting plate having side flanges cooperating with the container mounting flanges to secure the air bag to the container by trapping the air bag hems and mounting rods in the mounting flange grooves, with the air bag mounted atop the container.

12. The air module of claim 8, wherein the air bag mounting hem is sewn to the mounting plate side flanges, and including fastening means for clamping the mounting plate side flanges to the container flanges to secure the air bag cover to the container.

13. The air bag module of claim 8, wherein the mounting plate includes depending end plates for confining the inflator against axial removal.

14. The air bag module of claim 13, wherein the inflator includes an orientation lug at one end and electrical wiring projecting from the other end, one of the end plates includes a notch configured to embrace the orientation lug to prevent rotation of the inflator relative to the body, and the other end plate is configured to protect the electrical wiring.

15. A container for mounting an air bag inflator, comprising

an open-ended body formed of an extrusion having a constant cross-section and an exterior and an interior,

an axially-extending gas discharge opening formed in the body,

a pair of mounting flanges on the body exterior flanking the opening for mounting an air bag,

a plurality of circumferentially-spaced, axially-extending interior ribs being of integral one-piece construction with the body and which engage the exterior surface of an inflator to mount and support the inflator in spaced relation to the body interior, and

closure means for confining the inflator against axial removal.