Inflation fluid container and initiator with press-fit fluid seal
First Claim
1. Apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint, said apparatus comprising:
- container means for defining a storage chamber, said container means including a container wall having a frusto-conical surface defining a passage extending outward from said storage chamber through said container wall;
inflation fluid contained under pressure in said storage chamber; and
initiator means for initiating a flow of said inflation fluid from said storage chamber to the restraint to inflate the restraint, said initiator means including pyrotechnic material and conductor means for igniting said pyrotechnic material upon the passage of electric current through said conductor means;
said initiator means further including a tubular part containing said pyrotechnic material and said conductor means, said tubular part extending into said storage chamber through said passage in said container wall and having a frusto-conical peripheral surface;
said frusto-conical surfaces having a condition of being pressed tightly against each other in sealing contact so as to comprise first sealing means for blocking said inflation fluid from exiting said storage chamber through said passage between said tubular part and said container wall;
said tubular part defining a conduit extending along an axis, said conduit containing a glass part which comprises second sealing means for isolating said pyrotechnic material from the ambient atmosphere, said first sealing means applying a radially compressive sealing force to said tubular part, said glass part being spaced from said first sealing means along said axis.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An air bag inflator (22) includes a container (40) and an initiator (42). The container (40) defines a storage chamber (50) containing inflation fluid at an elevated pressure. A container wall (46) has a frusto-conical surface (154) defining a passage (156) extending outward from the storage chamber (50) through the container wall (46). The initiator (42) extends into the storage chamber (50) through the passage (156) in the container wall (46), and has a frusto-conical peripheral surface (88). The frusto-conical surfaces (88,154) are pressed tightly against each other in sealing contact so as to block the inflation fluid from leaking outward through the passage in the container wall (46).
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. Apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint, said apparatus comprising:
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container means for defining a storage chamber, said container means including a container wall having a frusto-conical surface defining a passage extending outward from said storage chamber through said container wall; inflation fluid contained under pressure in said storage chamber; and initiator means for initiating a flow of said inflation fluid from said storage chamber to the restraint to inflate the restraint, said initiator means including pyrotechnic material and conductor means for igniting said pyrotechnic material upon the passage of electric current through said conductor means; said initiator means further including a tubular part containing said pyrotechnic material and said conductor means, said tubular part extending into said storage chamber through said passage in said container wall and having a frusto-conical peripheral surface; said frusto-conical surfaces having a condition of being pressed tightly against each other in sealing contact so as to comprise first sealing means for blocking said inflation fluid from exiting said storage chamber through said passage between said tubular part and said container wall; said tubular part defining a conduit extending along an axis, said conduit containing a glass part which comprises second sealing means for isolating said pyrotechnic material from the ambient atmosphere, said first sealing means applying a radially compressive sealing force to said tubular part, said glass part being spaced from said first sealing means along said axis. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. Apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint, said apparatus comprising:
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container means for defining a storage chamber, said container means including a container wall having a frusto-conical surface defining a passage extending outward from said storage chamber through said container wall; inflation fluid contained under pressure in said storage chamber; initiator means for initiating a flow of said inflation fluid from said storage chamber to the restraint to inflate the restraint, said initiator means including a tubular part extending into said storage chamber through said passage in said container wall, said tubular part having a frusto-conical peripheral surface; and sealing means for blocking said inflation fluid from leaking outward from said container means through said passage between said tubular part and said container wall, said sealing means consisting of adjoining portions of said frusto-conical surfaces which engage each other in a press fit tightly enough to block said inflation fluid from leaking outward from said container means between said adjoining portions of said frusto-conical surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint, said apparatus comprising:
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container means for defining a storage chamber, said container means including a container wall having a frusto-conical surface defining a passage extending outward from said storage chamber through said container wall; inflation fluid contained under pressure in said storage chamber; and initiator means for initiating a flow of said inflation fluid from said storage chamber to the restraint to inflate the restraint, said initiator means including a tubular part extending into said storage chamber through said passage in said container wall, said tubular part having a frusto-conical peripheral surface; said frusto-conical surfaces engaging each other in a press fit tightly enough to comprise sealing means for blocking said inflation fluid from leaking outward from said container means through said passage between said tubular part and said container wall; said container wall further having an inner side surface subjected to said pressure of said inflation fluid and an oppositely facing outer side surface subjected to ambient atmospheric pressure, said frusto-conical surfaces being tapered to extend radially inward and axially outward from said inner side surface toward said outer side surface, whereby said pressure of said inflation fluid urges said frusto-conical surface of said tubular part axially outward against said frusto-conical surface of said container wall. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. Apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint, said apparatus comprising:
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container means for defining a storage chamber, said container means including a container wall having a frusto-conical surface defining a passage extending outward from said storage chamber through said container wall; inflation fluid contained under pressure in said storage chamber; and initiator means for initiating a flow of said inflation fluid from said storage chamber to the restraint to inflate the restraint, said initiator means including a tubular part extending into said storage chamber through said passage in said container wall, said tubular part having a frusto-conical peripheral surface; said frusto-conical surfaces engaging each other in a press fit tightly enough to comprise sealing means for blocking said inflation fluid from leaking outward from said container means through said passage between said tubular part and said container wall; said container means being free of a weld interconnecting said tubular part and said container wall.
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Specification