Filter assembly for an air bag inflator
First Claim
1. An apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, comprising:
- a housing having an axis and defining a combustion chamber;
an inflation fluid source in said combustion chamber for providing inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable device;
said housing including spaced side walls defining a filter chamber disposed adjacent to said combustion chamber for receiving inflation fluid from said combustion chamber;
said housing including fluid outlets for directing inflation fluid to flow from said filter chamber into the inflatable device; and
a filter assembly in said filter chamber for filtering inflation fluid flowing through said filter chamber;
said filter assembly comprising a plurality of nested cylinders including first and second cylinders, each one of said first and second cylinders including a plurality of tabs which engage an adjacent side wall of said housing to maintain said cylinder in position in said filter chamber, each one of said tabs comprising an area of the material of said cylinder projecting out of said cylinder and defining a fluid flow opening in said cylinder;
said fluid flow openings defining a fluid flow path for inflation fluid to flow through said filter chamber from said combustion chamber to said fluid outlets.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An air bag inflator (10) includes a housing (40) defining a combustion chamber (61) for providing inflation fluid for inflating an air bag. The housing (40) includes radially spaced side walls (50, 60) defining a filter chamber (140) disposed adjacent to the combustion chamber (61) for receiving inflation fluid from the combustion chamber. A filter assembly (150) is located in the filter chamber (140) for filtering inflation fluid flowing through the filter chamber. The filter assembly (150) includes a plurality of nested cylinders including outer and inner cylinders (160, 170). Each one of the outer and inner cylinders (160, 170) includes a plurality of tabs (180, 200) which engage an adjacent side wall (50, 60) of the housing (40) to maintain-the cylinder in position in the filter chamber (140). Each tab (180, 200) comprises an area of the material of the cylinder (160, 170) projecting out of the cylinder and defining a fluid flow opening (182, 220) in the cylinder. The fluid flow openings (182, 220) define a tortuous path for inflation fluid to flow through the filter chamber (140).
26 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, comprising:
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a housing having an axis and defining a combustion chamber; an inflation fluid source in said combustion chamber for providing inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable device; said housing including spaced side walls defining a filter chamber disposed adjacent to said combustion chamber for receiving inflation fluid from said combustion chamber; said housing including fluid outlets for directing inflation fluid to flow from said filter chamber into the inflatable device; and a filter assembly in said filter chamber for filtering inflation fluid flowing through said filter chamber; said filter assembly comprising a plurality of nested cylinders including first and second cylinders, each one of said first and second cylinders including a plurality of tabs which engage an adjacent side wall of said housing to maintain said cylinder in position in said filter chamber, each one of said tabs comprising an area of the material of said cylinder projecting out of said cylinder and defining a fluid flow opening in said cylinder; said fluid flow openings defining a fluid flow path for inflation fluid to flow through said filter chamber from said combustion chamber to said fluid outlets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, comprising:
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a housing having an axis and defining a combustion chamber; an inflation fluid source in said combustion chamber for providing inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable device; said housing including a radially inner side wall and a radially outer side wall at least partially defining a filter chamber disposed adjacent to said combustion chamber for receiving inflation fluid flowing from said combustion chamber; said housing including fluid outlets for directing inflation fluid to flow from said filter chamber into the inflatable device; and a filter assembly in said filter chamber for filtering inflation fluid flowing through said filter chamber, said filter assembly comprising an outer cylinder having a first, relatively large diameter and an inner cylinder which is nested inside said outer cylinder and which has a second, relatively small diameter; said inner cylinder having a generally cylindrical main body portion and a plurality of inner tabs which project radially inward from said main body portion and which engage said radially inner side wall of said housing, each one of said inner tabs comprising a respective portion of the material of said main body portion of said inner cylinder which projects from said main body portion to provide a respective inner opening in said main body portion of said inner cylinder; said outer cylinder having a generally cylindrical main body portion and a plurality of outer tabs which project radially outward from said main body portion and which engage said radially outer side wall of said housing, each one of said outer tabs comprising a respective portion of the material of said main body portion of said outer cylinder which projects from said main body portion to provide a respective outer opening in said main body portion of said outer cylinder; said inner openings in said main body portion of said inner cylinder and said outer openings in said main body portion of said outer cylinder defining a fluid flow path for inflation fluid to flow through said filter chamber from said combustion chamber to said fluid outlets. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification