Air bag module with snap attachment for housing parts

• US 5,676,390 A
• Filed: 11/09/1995
• Issued: 10/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Olson, Mark O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Application Number:
  US08/555,006
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/728.1, 280/732, 280/743.1, 220/610, 220/615
• 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 apparatus (20) comprises a housing (22) which includes a main body (24) and two end plates (26, 28) located at opposite ends of the main body to define a chamber (60). An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (42) is located at least partially in the chamber (60). A retainer (44) mounts the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (42) to the housing (22). An inflator (40) is located in the chamber for inflating the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (42). Attachment structure on the end plates (26, 28) and the main body (24) attaches the end plates to the main body. The attachment structure comprises an opening (240) in one of the end plates (26, 28) and the main body (24) and a projection (242) on the other of the main body and the end plates. The opening (240) receives the projection (242). Fasteners (282) on the retainer (44) extend through each of the end plates (26, 28) to hold the end plates against the main body (24).

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing including a main body and two end plates cooperating to define a chamber in said housing, said main body of said housing and said end plates defining a deployment opening in said housing;

attachment means on said end plates and said main body of said housing for attaching said end plates to said main body, said attachment means comprising a projection on one of said end plates and said main body which extends into an opening in the other of said end plates and said main body when said first and second end plates engage respective ends of said main body;

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device located in the chamber to, upon inflation, extend through the deployment opening in said housing;

a retainer for mounting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to said housing;

an inflator in the chamber for, when actuated, inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; and

said retainer including fastener means for holding said end plates to said main body.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each one of said end plates includes a plurality of fastener openings, said fastener means on said retainer comprising a plurality of fasteners projecting from said retainer through said fastener openings.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further including means for mounting said inflator in the chamber of said housing and positioning said inflator relative to said main body.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said mounting means comprises a flange at one end of said inflator and a fastener at another end of said inflator, said flange engaging one end plate when the fastener extends through the other end plate.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said mounting means comprises a projection extending from one of said main body and said inflator to engage the other of said inflator and said main body to maintain said inflator in a position relative to said main body.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said mounting means comprises each of said end plates having a cup for receiving an end of said inflator to locate and hold said inflator in position relative to said main body.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a housing defining a chamber, said housing including a main body and two end plates, each end plate being located at a respective opposite end of said main body;

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device located at least partially in the chamber in said housing;

a retainer securing said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to said housing;

an actuatable inflator in the chamber for, when actuated, inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; and

means on said end plates and said main body for attaching said end plates to said main body of said housing, said attaching means comprising an opening in one of said end plates and said main body and a projection on the other of said main body and said end plates, said projection receivable through the opening in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said housing so as to inhibit movement of said end plates relative to said main body in a direction along said longitudinal axis of said housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of said end plates includes a plate portion which extends perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said housing and a flange portion which extends parallel to said longitudinal axis of said housing and which flange portion overlies an end of said main body of said housing, said projection being formed on said flange portion of said end plate.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said main body of said housing includes first and second side walls and a central wall which extends transverse to said first and second side walls and which interconnects said first and second side walls, each one of said first and second end plates of said housing having an outer peripheral shape substantially the same as said main body of said housing.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein each of said first and second end plates includes a plate portion which extends perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said housing and a flange portion which extends parallel to the axis of said housing and which flange portion overlies an end of said main body of said housing.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further including a flange extending from a side wall of said main body and a tab end extending from a flange portion of one of said end plates, said projection being formed on said tab end and the opening being formed in said flange on said main body.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said projection is formed on said flange portion of said end plate.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the opening is formed in one of said side walls of said main body.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the opening is formed in said central wall of said main body.

15. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of said end plates includes a cup for receiving an end of said inflator to locate and hold said inflator in position relative to said main body.

16. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said main body of said housing includes a portion projecting into the chamber to engage said inflator and space said inflator from walls of said main body and hold said inflator in position relative to said main body.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a housing defining a chamber, said housing including a main body and two end plates, each of said end plates located at a respective opposite end of said main body;

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device located at least partially in the chamber in said housing;

a retainer mounting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to said housing;

an inflator in the chamber for, when actuated, inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;

means on said end plates and said main body for attaching said end plates to said main body of said housing, said attaching means comprising an opening in one of said main body and said end plates and a projection on the other of said main body and said end plates, said projection receivable in the opening to attach said end plates to said main body; and

fastener means extending through each of said end plates for further holding said end plates against said main body;

a portion of said fastener means being fixed to said retainer.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said projection is formed on said flange portion of said end plate.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the opening is formed in one of said side walls of said main body.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the opening is formed in said central wall of said main body.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a housing defining a chamber, said housing including a main body and two end plates, each of said end plates located at a respective opposite end of said main body;

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device located at least partially in the chamber in said housing;

a retainer mounting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to said housing;

an inflator in the chamber for, when actuated, inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;

means on said end plates and said main body for attaching said end plates to said main body of said housing, said attaching means comprising an opening in one of said main body and said end plates and a projection on the other of said main body and said end plates, said projection receivable in the opening to attach said end plates to said main body; and

first fastener means extending through each of said end plates for further holding said end plates against said main body;

said inflator being elongate and including first and second opposite end portions, second fastener means for mounting said inflator to one of said end plates being located on said inflator and comprising a threaded member fixed to said first end portion of said inflator and a flange attached to said second end portion of said inflator;

said inflator being located between said end plates and being cylindrical with a body portion having a first diameter, said flange of said inflator having a second diameter which is larger than said first diameter, said second end plate having an inflator opening with a third diameter which is at least as large as said first diameter and less than said second diameter, said flange of said inflator being engageable with said second end plate when said body portion of said inflator extends through said inflator opening, said threaded connector on said first end portion of said inflator extending through a first fastener opening in said first end plate;

each one of said first and second end plates including a plurality of second fastener openings, said first fastener means being located on said retainer and comprising a plurality of fasteners projecting from said retainer through said second fastener openings.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a housing defining a chamber, said housing including a main body and two end plates, each of said end plates located at a respective opposite end of said main body;

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device located at least partially in the chamber in said housing;

a retainer mounting said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to said housing;

an inflator in the chamber for, when actuated, inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;

means on said end plates and said main body for attaching said end plates to said main body of said housing, said attaching means comprising an opening in one of said main body and said end plates and a projection on the other of said main body and said end plates, said projection receivable in the opening to attach said end plates to said main body; and

fastener means extending through each of said end plates for further holding said end plates against said main body;

said main body of said housing including first and second side walls and a central wall which extends transverse to said first and second side walls and which interconnects said first and second side walls, each one of said first and second end plates of said housing having an outer peripheral shape substantially the same as said main body of said housing;

each one of said first and second end plates including a plate portion which extends perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said housing and a flange portion which extends parallel to the axis of said housing and which flange portion overlies an end of said main body of said housing.

23. The apparatus of claim 19 further including a flange extending from a side wall of said main body and a tab end extending from a flange portion of one of said end plates, said projection being formed on said tab end and the opening being formed in said flange on said main body.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a housing defining a chamber, said housing including a main body and two end plates, each end plate being located at a respective opposite end of said main body;

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device located at least partially in the chamber in said housing;

a retainer securing said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to said housing;

an actuatable inflator in the chamber for, when actuated, inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;

means on said end plates and said main body for attaching said end plates to said main body of said housing, said attaching means comprises an opening in one of said end plates and said main body and a projection on the other of said main body and said end plates, said projection receivable in the opening to inhibit movement of said end plates relative to said main body in a direction along a longitudinal axis of said housing; and

fastener means on said retainer extending through each of said end plates to hold said end plates against said main body, said means on said end plates and said main body attaching said end plates to said main body of said housing prior to said end plates being held against said main body by said fastener means.

25. An apparatus comprising:

a housing defining a chamber, said housing including a main body and two end plates, each of said end plates being located at a respective opposite end of said main body;

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device located at least partially in the chamber in said housing;

a retailer securing said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to said housing;

an actuatable inflator in the chamber for, when actuated, inflating said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; and

fastener means on said retainer extending through each of said end plates to hold said end plates against said main body.

26. Apparatus as defined in claim 25 wherein said main body of said housing comprises resiliently deflectable means for snapping into interlocked engagement with said retainer.