Inflator secured in diffuser housing of airbag module assembly by locking end cap
First Claim
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1. An airbag module assembly for use in a vehicle which comprises:
- a reaction canister in the shape and form of a trough having a floor, spaced first and second sidewalls and first and second end walls defining an open mouth for deployment of an airbag;
a substantially cylindrical inflator longitudinally positioned within the trough of said canister between said end walls, one end of said inflator being a gas diffusing end, said gas diffusing end oriented towards said first end wall, the other end of said inflator being oriented towards the second end wall;
an end cap having an essentially centrally located orifice, said orifice being fixedly attached to the diffusing end of said inflator, said end cap abutting an inner surface of said first end wall;
a module diffuser housing substantially encircling said inflator lengthwise along said canister, and being releasably, lockably secured to the end cap and fixedly secured to the reaction canister; and
an inflatable airbag positioned in the reaction canister to receive inflation gas from said inflator.
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Abstract
An airbag module assembly comprises a reaction canister, an airbag inflator, a locking end cap for positioning and retaining the airbag inflator, a module diffuser housing, and an inflatable airbag. The airbag inflator is fixedly secured to the end cap and the end cap has at least one latch which allows the inflator-end cap unit to be fastened to the module diffuser housing. The end cap rigidly retains the inflator in the module diffuser housing, avoiding the need for a secondary restraint. This invention eliminates the need for exterior retention brackets and studs to directly secure the airbag inflator in the reaction canister.
63 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An airbag module assembly for use in a vehicle which comprises:
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a reaction canister in the shape and form of a trough having a floor, spaced first and second sidewalls and first and second end walls defining an open mouth for deployment of an airbag; a substantially cylindrical inflator longitudinally positioned within the trough of said canister between said end walls, one end of said inflator being a gas diffusing end, said gas diffusing end oriented towards said first end wall, the other end of said inflator being oriented towards the second end wall; an end cap having an essentially centrally located orifice, said orifice being fixedly attached to the diffusing end of said inflator, said end cap abutting an inner surface of said first end wall; a module diffuser housing substantially encircling said inflator lengthwise along said canister, and being releasably, lockably secured to the end cap and fixedly secured to the reaction canister; and an inflatable airbag positioned in the reaction canister to receive inflation gas from said inflator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In an airbag module assembly comprising a reaction canister, having positioned therein an inflator enclosed by a module diffuser housing, and an inflatable airbag, the improvement comprising:
an end cap fixedly attached to one end of the inflator and releasably lockably secured to a securing opening on the module diffuser housing by a locking tab on the end cap, said module diffuser housing being fixably secured to the reaction canister by attachment means. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. An airbag module assembly for use in a vehicle which comprises:
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a reaction canister in the shape and form of a trough having a floor, spaced first and second sidewalls and first and second end walls defining an open mouth for deployment of an airbag; a substantially cylindrical hybrid inflator longitudinally positioned within the trough of said canister between said end walls, one end of said inflator being a gas diffusing end, said gas diffusing end oriented towards said first end wall, an other end of said inflator oriented toward said second end wall; a generally hexagonally shaped module diffuser housing substantially encircling said inflator lengthwise along said canister, said housing having a plurality of outlet openings for distribution of inflation gases from the inflator and at least one securing opening; a substantially hexagonally shaped end cap fixedly attached to the diffusing end of said inflator and abutting an inner surface of said first end wall, said end cap having a planar surface with top and bottom faces, a skirted surface extending in a perpendicular direction to said top and bottom faces and peripherally surrounding said planar surface, said skirted surface conforms in shape to the shape of an end of the module diffuser housing, a peripherally cupped orifice located essentially centrally in said planar surface, the cup of said cupped orifice extending in the same direction as the direction of said skirted surface and being tapered radially inward for receiving and being fixedly attached to the diffusing end of said inflator, said end cap having a plurality of projections which protrude radially outwardly from and transversely to the skirted surface, wherein, at least one of said projections is a locking tab mating with the securing opening of said module diffuser housing for releasably securing the end cap in an end of said module diffuser housing, and one or more of said projections is a positioning tab engaging an edge of the module diffuser housing maintaining alignment of the end cap with respect to an end of said module diffuser housing positioning and retaining said locking tab in said securing opening of said module diffuser housing, and an inflatable airbag positioned in the open mouth of said reaction canister, said airbag having a mouth opening to receive inflator gas from said inflator.
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15. An airbag module assembly for use in a vehicle which comprises:
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a reaction canister in the shape and form of a trough having a floor, spaced first and second sidewalls and first and second end walls defining an open mouth for deployment of an airbag; a substantially cylindrical inflator longitudinally positioned within the trough of said canister between said end walls, one end of said inflator being a gas diffusing end, said gas diffusing end oriented towards said first end wall, an other end of said inflator oriented toward said second end wall; a module diffuser housing substantially encircling said inflator lengthwise along said canister; a shaped end cap fixedly attached to the diffusing end of said inflator and abutting an inner surface of said first end wall, said end cap having a planar surface with top and bottom faces, a skirted surface extending in a perpendicular direction to said top and bottom faces and peripherally surrounding said planar surface, an orifice located essentially centrally in said planar surface for receiving and being fixedly attached to the diffusing end of said inflator, said end cap having a plurality of projections which protrude radially outwardly from and transversely to the skirted surface of the end cap, said module diffuser housing being lockably secured to the end cap; and an inflatable airbag positioned in said reaction canister to receive inflator gas from said inflator. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification