Inflator for a vehicle air bag assembly and a method of making the same
First Claim
1. An inflator for an air bag assembly comprising a first housing member, a second housing member coupled to said first housing member to form a closed chamber, and a source of inflation fluid contained within said chamber;
- said first housing member having an inner surface partially defining said chamber, said inner surface comprising (i) a chamber-defining portion which partially defines said chamber, and (ii) a first coupling portion lying outside of said chamber-defining portion and having a circumferential recess proximate an opening of said first housing member;
said second housing member also partially defining said chamber and having a second coupling portion which includes an integral projection which is mechanically-deformed into said recess to be tightly received within said recess.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of making an inflator (10) for an air bag assembly includes the step of providing a first housing member (12) having a recess (22) and a second housing member (14) having a coupling portion (24). One of the housing members, preferably the first housing member (12), includes a container (20). A source of inflation fluid (18) is loaded into the container (20). The second housing member (14) is positioned so that its coupling portion (24) is adjacent to, but outside of, the recess (22). The coupling portion (24) is then mechanically deformed towards the recess (22) to form an integral projection (26) which is tightly received within the recess (22). In this manner, the first housing member (12) is coupled to the second housing member (14) to form a closed chamber (16) containing the source of inflation fluid (18). In the inflator (10) according to the present invention, the coupling portion (24) has a deformation pattern consistent with the coupling portion (24) being initially positioned entirely outside the recess (22) and then being mechanically displaced towards the recess (22) to form the projection 26.
27 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An inflator for an air bag assembly comprising a first housing member, a second housing member coupled to said first housing member to form a closed chamber, and a source of inflation fluid contained within said chamber;
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said first housing member having an inner surface partially defining said chamber, said inner surface comprising (i) a chamber-defining portion which partially defines said chamber, and (ii) a first coupling portion lying outside of said chamber-defining portion and having a circumferential recess proximate an opening of said first housing member; said second housing member also partially defining said chamber and having a second coupling portion which includes an integral projection which is mechanically-deformed into said recess to be tightly received within said recess. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. (twice amended) A method of making an inflator for an air bag assembly comprising the steps of:
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providing a first housing member having a recess on an inner surface thereof, said inner surface at least partially defining a chamber for containing a source of inflation fluid and an opening for said chamber, and a second housing member having a coupling portion positionable within said opening to close said chamber; loading a source of inflation fluid into the chamber; positioning the second housing member within said opening so that its coupling portion is adjacent to, but not within, said recess; and mechanically deforming the coupling portion into the recess in a direction radially outward from a longitudinal axis of said chamber by contacting said coupling portion with a tool to form an integral projection which is tightly received within the recess thereby coupling the first housing member to the second housing member to close said chamber containing the source of inflation fluid. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification