Fastenerless supplemental inflation restraint mounting

• US 5,577,764 A
• Filed: 07/24/1995
• Issued: 11/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Holmes, Francis J., Webber, James L., Augustine, Troy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US08/506,059
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/732
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence

Abstract

An arrangement of a supplemental inflation restraint for an automotive vehicle is provided including an elongated inflator having a main axis and also having first and second ends, and a housing for mounting within the vehicle which has a first end joined to and spaced from a second end. The housing first end has spring fingers for compliantly spheroidically mounting the first end of the inflator. The housing second end has an opening large enough for passage of the inflator first end. The housing also has a twist lock connection with the second end of the inflator to prevent the inflator from exiting the housing when the inflator is activated.

Claims

1. An arrangement of a supplemental inflation restraint for an automotive vehicle comprising:

an elongated inflator having a main axis, the inflator having a first end and a second end; and

a housing for mounting within the vehicle, the housing having a first end fixably joined to and spaced from a second end, the housing first end having spring fingers for compliantly spheroidically mounting the first end of the inflator in compression, the housing having a second end with an opening large enough for passage of the inflator first end, the housing also having a twist lock connection with the second end of the inflator for preventing the inflator from exiting the housing when the inflator is activated.

2. An arrangement of a supplemental inflation restraint as described in claim 1 wherein the housing aperture has a plurality of lobes and a plate adapted for abutting engagement with the second end of the inflator, the plate having an eared edge for a twist lock connection with the housing second end to secure the inflator within the housing.

3. An arrangement of a supplemental inflation restraint as described in claim 1, wherein an intermediate piece is radially aligned with the second end of the inflator and wherein the intermediate piece has a twist lock connection with the housing second end.

4. A method of arranging a supplemental inflation restraint within an automotive vehicle comprising:

affixing to the automotive vehicle a housing having first and second ends connected to one another but spaced from one another, the housing having first and second ends with an aperture on its second end;

inserting within the housing through the housing second end an inflator with first and second ends with a longitudinal axis;

spheroidically compressively holding the first end of the inflator with fingers projecting from the first end of the housing; and

securing the inflator within the housing by torquing the housing within the inflator, causing a twist lock connection between the inflator and the housing second end to torsionally secure.

5. An arrangement of a supplemental inflation restraint for an automotive vehicle comprising:

an elongated inflator having a main axis, the inflator having a first end and a second end;

a spring spider having a body compliantly compressively mounting a first end of the inflator; and

a housing for mounting within the vehicle, the housing having a first end joined to and spaced from a second end, the housing first end being connected to and mounting the spider, the housing having a second end with an opening large enough for passage of the inflator first end, the housing also having a twist lock connection with the second end of the inflator for preventing the inflator from exiting the housing when the inflator is activated.

6. An arrangement of a supplemental inflation restraint as described in claim 5, wherein the housing is a one-piece stamped member.

7. A method of arranging a supplemental inflation restraint within an automotive vehicle comprising:

affixing to the automotive vehicle a housing having first and second ends connected to one another but spaced from one another, the housing having first and second ends with an aperture on its second end;

connecting in a fastenerless manner with the second end of the housing a compliant spider;

inserting within the housing through the housing second end an inflator with first and second ends along a longitudinal axis;

compliantly compressively holding the first end of the inflator with the spider; and

securing the inflator within the housing by torquing the inflator within the housing, causing a twist lock connection between the inflator and the housing second end to torsionally secure.