Air bag inflator
First Claim
1. Apparatus comprising:
- a housing containing a source of fluid;
an actuatable initiator comprising means for initiating a flow of said fluid from said housing when said initiator is actuated;
a closure cap comprising means for closing an end portion of said housing, said closure cap having inner surface portions formed of a metal material; and
a retainer comprising means for supporting said initiator on said closure cap, said retainer having outer surface portions formed of a metal material;
said inner surface portions of said closure cap and said outer surface portions of said retainer extending circumferentially around an axis and being pressed radially against each other so as to comprise sealing means for blocking said fluid from exiting said housing between said retainer and said closure cap;
said outer surface portions of said retainer including a cylindrical surface and a frusto-conical surface, said frusto-conical surface extending radially inward from said cylindrical surface and being inclined at an angle from a plane perpendicular to said axis, said angle being within the range of approximately 20°
to approximately 40°
.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inflator (14) for inflating an air bag (12) includes a housing (50) containing ignitable gas generating material (60), and an initiator (240) for igniting the gas generating material (60). The inflator (14) further includes a closure cap (56) for closing an end portion (352) of the housing (50), and a retainer (242) for supporting the initiator (240) on the closure cap (56). The closure cap (56) and the retainer (242) have metal surface portions (220,286,290) which extend circumferentially around an axis (40,172) and which are pressed radially against each other to form a seal (332) for blocking gas from exiting the housing (50) between the retainer (242) and the closure cap (56). The metal surface portions (286,290) of the retainer (242) include a cylindrical surface (286) and a frusto-conical surface (290). The frusto-conical surface (290) extends radially inward from the cylindrical surface (286) and is inclined at an angle (A1) from a plane (292) perpendicular to the axis (40). The angle (A1) is within the range of approximately 20° to approximately 40°.
-
Citations
9 Claims
-
1. Apparatus comprising:
-
a housing containing a source of fluid; an actuatable initiator comprising means for initiating a flow of said fluid from said housing when said initiator is actuated; a closure cap comprising means for closing an end portion of said housing, said closure cap having inner surface portions formed of a metal material; and a retainer comprising means for supporting said initiator on said closure cap, said retainer having outer surface portions formed of a metal material; said inner surface portions of said closure cap and said outer surface portions of said retainer extending circumferentially around an axis and being pressed radially against each other so as to comprise sealing means for blocking said fluid from exiting said housing between said retainer and said closure cap; said outer surface portions of said retainer including a cylindrical surface and a frusto-conical surface, said frusto-conical surface extending radially inward from said cylindrical surface and being inclined at an angle from a plane perpendicular to said axis, said angle being within the range of approximately 20°
to approximately 40°
. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. Apparatus comprising:
-
a housing containing a source of fluid; a metal closure cap comprising means for closing an end portion of said housing; an initiator unit including an actuatable initiator, a metal retainer member, and a non-metal retainer member; said initiator comprising means for initiating a flow of said fluid from said housing when said initiator is actuated; said metal retainer member comprising means for supporting said initiator unit on said closure cap, said metal retainer member and said closure cap having metal surfaces which are pressed against each other so as to comprise sealing means for blocking said fluid from exiting said housing between said metal retainer member and said closure cap; and said non-metal retainer member having a configuration comprising means for interlocking said initiator with said metal retainer member separately from said closure cap. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
-
Specification