Air bag inflators having housings with crimp-formed joints
First Claim
1. An air bag inflator including a housing formed of stamped sheet metal, comprising:
- an annular base having a central opening;
a cover for containing gas generating pyrotechnic material including an annular top wall spaced from said base having a central opening in coaxial alignment with said central opening of said base and a cylindrical, ported, outer side wall integrally formed around a periphery of said top wall extending downwardly thereof having a lower edge secured with a portion of said base outwardly of said central opening; and
a hollow, igniter-containing, rivet including an upper end wall closing over said central opening of said top wall and having a tubular, ported, side wall integrally formed with said upper end wall extending downwardly through said central openings of said base and said top wall, said tubular side wall having a lower end portion of reduced wall thickness below an upper surface of said base around said central opening forming an outer annular shoulder supportively engaging said base, with said lower end portion being deformed radially outwardly to engage an underside of said base.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An air bag inflator including a housing formed of sheet metal includes an annular base having a central opening and a cover for containing gas generating pyrotechnic material including an annular top wall spaced from the base having a central opening in coaxial alignment with the central opening of the base and a cylindrical, ported, outer side wall integrally formed around a periphery of the top wall extending downwardly thereof and having a lower edge secured to a portion of the base outwardly of the central opening. The housing includes a hollow, igniter-containing, rivet having an upper end wall closing over the central opening of the top wall and having a tubular, ported, side wall integrally formed with the upper end wall thereof extending downwardly through the central openings of the base and the top wall. The tubular side wall has a lower end portion of reduced wall thickness extending below an upper surface of the base around the central opening therein forming an outer, annular shoulder for supportively engaging the base when the lower end portion is deformed radially outwardly to engage an underside of the base. A crimp-formed joint, a weld and/or a press-fitted joint may be provided between an outer perimeter portion of the base and a lower end portion of the outer side wall.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. An air bag inflator including a housing formed of stamped sheet metal, comprising:
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an annular base having a central opening; a cover for containing gas generating pyrotechnic material including an annular top wall spaced from said base having a central opening in coaxial alignment with said central opening of said base and a cylindrical, ported, outer side wall integrally formed around a periphery of said top wall extending downwardly thereof having a lower edge secured with a portion of said base outwardly of said central opening; and a hollow, igniter-containing, rivet including an upper end wall closing over said central opening of said top wall and having a tubular, ported, side wall integrally formed with said upper end wall extending downwardly through said central openings of said base and said top wall, said tubular side wall having a lower end portion of reduced wall thickness below an upper surface of said base around said central opening forming an outer annular shoulder supportively engaging said base, with said lower end portion being deformed radially outwardly to engage an underside of said base. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A housing for an air bag inflator formed of stamped sheet metal, comprising:
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a cover for containing gas generating pyrotechnic material including an annular top wall having a central opening and a cylindrical, ported, outer side wall integrally formed around a periphery of said top wall extending downwardly thereof; an annular base spaced from said top wall having a central opening in coaxial alignment with said central opening of said top wall and having an outer portion projecting upwardly to engage an outer surface on a lower edge portion of said side wall; and a hollow, igniter-containing, rivet including an upper end wall closing over said central opening of said top wall and having a tubular, ported, side wall integrally formed with said upper end wall extending downwardly through said central openings of said base and said top wall, said tubular side wall having a lower end portion of reduced wall thickness below an upper surface of said base around said central opening forming an outer annular shoulder supportively engaging said base, with said lower end portion being deformed radially outwardly to engage an underside of said base. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A housing for an air bag inflator formed of stamped sheet metal, comprising:
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a cover for containing gas generating pyrotechnic material including an annular top wall having a central opening and a cylindrical, ported, outer side wall integrally formed around a periphery of said top wall extending downwardly thereof and having a lower edge flange deformed to extend radially outwardly; an annular base spaced from said top wall having a central opening in coaxial alignment with said central opening of said top wall and an upper surface supportively engaging said lower edge flange of said side wall; and a hollow, igniter-containing, rivet including an upper end wall closing over said central opening of said top wall and having a tubular, ported, side wall integrally formed with said upper end wall extending downwardly through said central openings of said base and said top wall, said tubular side wall having a lower end portion of reduced wall thickness below an upper surface of said base around said central opening forming an outer annular shoulder supportively engaging said base, with said lower end portion being deformed radially outwardly to engage an underside of said base. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A housing for an air bag inflator formed of stamped sheet metal, comprising:
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a cover for containing gas generating pyrotechnic material including an annular top wall having a central opening and a cylindrical, ported, outer side wall integrally formed around a periphery of said top wall extending downwardly thereof and having a lower end flange deformed to extend radially outwardly; an annular base spaced from said top wall having a central opening in coaxial alignment with said central opening of said top wall and having an outer edge portion formed with an upwardly and radially inwardly directed flange engaging said lower end flange of said side wall; and a hollow, igniter-containing, rivet including an upper end wall closing over said central opening of said top wall and having a tubular, ported, side wall integrally formed with said upper end wall extending downwardly through said central openings of said base and said top wall, said tubular side wall having a lower end portion of reduced wall thickness below an upper surface of said base around said central opening forming an outer annular shoulder supportively engaging said base, with said lower end portion being deformed radially outwardly to engage an underside of said base. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A housing for an air bag inflator formed of stamped sheet metal, comprising:
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an annular base having a central opening; a cover for containing gas generating pyrotechnic material including an annular top wall spaced from said base and having a central opening in coaxial alignment with said central opening of said base and a cylindrical, ported, outer side wall integrally formed around a periphery of said top wall extending downwardly thereof having a lower edge portion formed to provide a radially inwardly directed end flange with an upper surface thereof engaging an underside of said base outwardly of said central opening; a hollow, igniter-containing, rivet including an upper end wall closing over said central opening of said top wall and having a tubular, ported, side wall integrally formed with said upper end wall extending downwardly through said central openings of said base and said top wall, said tubular side wall having a lower end portion of reduced wall thickness below an upper surface of said base around said central opening forming an outer annular shoulder supportively engaging said base, with said lower end portion being deformed radially outwardly to engage said underside of said base. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A housing for an air bag inflator formed of stamped sheet metal, comprising:
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a cover for containing gas generating pyrotechnic material including an annular top wall having a central opening and a cylindrical, ported, outer side wall integrally formed around a periphery of said top wall extending downwardly thereof and having a lower end portion formed with an inwardly and upwardly extending flange; an annular base spaced from said top wall having a central opening in coaxial alignment with said central opening of said top wall and having an outer edge portion engaged on an underside thereof by an edge surface of said flange of said outer side wall outwardly of said central opening; and a hollow, igniter-containing, rivet including an upper end wall closing over said central opening of said top wall and having a tubular, ported, side wall integrally formed with said upper end wall extending downwardly through said central openings of said base and said top wall, said tubular side wall having a lower end portion of reduced wall thickness below an upper surface of said base around said central opening forming an outer annular shoulder supportively engaging said base, with said lower end portion being deformed radially outwardly to engage an underside of said base. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An air bag inflator having a housing formed of stamped sheet metal, comprising:
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a cover for containing gas generating pyrotechnic material including an annular top wall having a central opening and a cylindrical, ported, outer side wall integrally formed around a periphery of said top wall extending downwardly thereof, said side wall including a lower end portion deformed radially outwardly and inwardly providing an internal groove projecting radially outwardly relative to an upper inside surface portion of said side wall forming an annular stop surface facing downwardly; an annular base spaced from said top wall having a central opening in coaxial alignment with said central opening of said top wall, said base having an outer peripheral edge portion engaging said annular stop surface, said base having an underside engaged by said lower end portion of said side wall inwardly of said groove; and a hollow, igniter-containing, rivet including an upper end wall closing over said central opening of said top wall and having a tubular, ported, side wall integrally formed with said upper end wall extending downwardly through said central openings of said base and said top wall, said tubular side wall having a lower end portion of reduced wall thickness below an upper surface of said base around said central opening forming an outer annular shoulder supportively engaging said base, with said lower end portion being deformed radially outwardly to engage said underside of said base. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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Specification