Inflator for air bag device

• US 5,575,499 A
• Filed: 11/29/1994
• Issued: 11/19/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kohno, Kaname
• Primary Examiner(s): Boehler, Anne Marie
• Assistant Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US08/350,032
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 280/741, 280/736, 280/737, 280/740, 280/742, 137/68.13, 137/68.23, 137/68.27, 137/68.28, 222/541.3, 222/541.4, 222/3, 102/530, 102/531, 422/164, 422/165, 422/166
• US Class Current: 280/741
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/276 with means to vent the inflation fluid source, e.g. in case of overpressure B60R21/30 takes precedence; venting means on inflatable member walls B60R21/239
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1647 Explosive actuation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1744 Specific weakening point
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1752 Integral disc assembly

Abstract

A casing has a casing body and an end plate and has propellant filled inside thereof. Gas discharge holes are provided to recess from an outer surface of the casing body and are sealed by a film. The film is molded integrally with the casing body.

Claims

1. An inflator of an air bag device adapted to inflate an air bag, comprising:

a metallic casing with a wall portion,

a propellant filled in said casing for generating gas,

an igniter situated inside the casing adjacent to the propellant, said igniter starting a gas generating reaction of the propellant when the igniter is actuated, and

gas discharge means provided in the wall portion of the casing and integrally formed with the wall portion of the casing as one unit to completely seal the casing, said gas discharge means including first recessed portions with first metallic films to be able to communicate with the air bag, and second recessed portions with second metallic films situated at a side opposite to the first recessed portions, each of said first metallic films having a thickness less than a thickness of each of the second metallic films so that when the igniter is actuated upon collision of a vehicle, the first metallic films break to inflate the air bag, and when the propellant is ignited by heat due to a fire, the first and second metallic films break to prevent thrust from being formed by gases ejected from the first and second recessed portions.

2. An inflator according to claim 1, wherein said wall portion of the casing has inner and outer surfaces, and each of said first and second recessed portions has a cylindrical shape and extends from at least one of the inner and outer surfaces toward the other of the inner and outer surfaces.

3. An inflator according to claim 2, wherein said first and second recessed portions extend from the inner surface of the wall portion, said first and second metallic films being continuous with the outer surface of the casing.

4. An inflator according to claim 2, wherein each of said first and second recessed portions extends from the inner and outer surfaces of the wall portion so that each of the first and second metallic films is located at a portion between the inner and outer surfaces of the wall portion of the casing.

5. An inflator according to claim 1, wherein each of said first metallic films has a groove therein extending across a full length of each of the first metallic films so that the first metallic films are torn along the grooves when a pressure is applied to the first metallic films.

6. An inflator according to claim 5, wherein each of said grooves is a cross-shaped groove indented from a side of an outer surface of the wall portion.

7. An inflator of an air bag device adapted to inflate an air bag, comprising:

a metallic casing with a wall portion, said wall portion having inner and outer surfaces,

a propellant filled in said casing for generating gas,

an igniter situated inside the casing adjacent to the propellant, said igniter starting a gas generating reaction of the propellant when the igniter is actuated, and

gas discharge means provided in the wall portion of the casing and integrally formed with the wall portion of the casing as one unit to completely seal the casing, said gas discharge means including cylindrical recessed portions with metallic films to be able to communicate with the air bag, each of said recessed portions extending from at least one of the inner and outer surfaces toward the other of the inner and outer surfaces, each metallic film having a groove therein extending across a full length of each metallic film and indented from a side of each recessed portion so that when the igniter is actuated upon collision of a vehicle, the metallic films are torn along the grooves to inflate the air bag.

8. An inflator according to claim 7, wherein each of said grooves is a cross-shaped groove.

9. An inflator according to claim 7, wherein said recessed portions extend from the inner surface of the wall portion, said metallic films being continuous with the outer surface of the casing.

10. An inflator according to claim 7, wherein each of said recessed portions extends from the inner and outer surfaces of the wall portion so that each of the metallic films is located at a portion between the inner and outer surfaces of the wall portion of the casing.