Airbag assembly

• US 5,692,768 A
• Filed: 05/14/1993
• Issued: 12/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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: Mihm, Joseph J., Fischer, Kurt F., Rhein, John F., Fischer, Craig M., Sparks, Tracy S., Synor, Jeffrey C.
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, BRIAN L
• Application Number:
  US08/064,039
• Time in Patent Office: 1,663 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728 A, 280/743, 280/728 B, 280/730, 280/731, 280/732, 280/736, 280/728.1, 280/728.2, 403/336, 403/335, 220/424, 220/672, 220/319, 220/320, 220/692, 220/693
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26058 using a combination of inflators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/30 with means to draw ambient air into the flow line and mix such air with the inflation fluid

Abstract

An airbag assembly (10) includes a reaction device (15), an inflator (20), and an airbag (25). The reaction device (15) includes a first housing member (27) and a second housing member (28). In the completed airbag assembly, the housing members (27) and (28) form a receptacle with a cavity (29) and a deployment opening (30). The housing members (27) and (28) are configured to capture and orient the inflator (20) and/or the airbag (25) in the cavity (29) of the reaction device (15) as the housing members are being coupled together.

Claims

1. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

an inflatable air bag for, when inflated, restraining a vehicle occupant;

at least one actuatable inflator for, when actuated, releasing inflation fluid through openings in said inflator to inflate said air bag, said inflator including a container containing a source of inflation fluid;

first and second housing members coupled together to form a reaction can, said first and second housing members defining a cavity containing said air bag and a deployment opening through which said air bag is deployed upon inflation of said air bag;

means supporting said inflator with said inflator openings in communication with said cavity; and

said first and second housing members including means for capturing said air bag in said cavity and retaining said air bag in a predetermined orientation in said cavity as said first and second housing members are coupled together to form said reaction can.

2. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for capturing said inflator in said cavity and retaining said inflator in a predetermined orientation in said cavity as said first and second housing members are coupled together to form said reaction can.

3. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one inflator includes a cylindrical inflator.

4. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said deployment opening has an elliptical shape.

5. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first and second housing members include means for defining a venturi channel extending between said inflator and said air bag when said first and second housing members are coupled together.

6. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a cover and a band which can be tensioned around said cover, said first and second housing members including means for tensioning said band around said cover to couple said cover to said reaction can.

7. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second housing members includes a diffuser for dispersing inflation fluid flow from said inflator.

8. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first and second housing members are essentially identical.

9. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said first and second housing members comprises a single piece of metal material.

10. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said first and second housing members comprises a single piece of polymeric material.

11. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second housing members includes means for defining a number of aspiration openings.

12. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a diffuser for dispersing inflation fluid flow from said inflator, said first and second housing members including means for capturing said diffuser and retaining said diffuser in a predetermined orientation in said cavity as said first and second housing members are being coupled together to form said reaction can.

13. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

an inflatable air bag for, when inflated, restraining a vehicle occupant;

at least one actuatable inflator for, when actuated, releasing inflation fluid to inflate said air bag, said inflator including a container containing a source of inflation fluid;

first and second housing members coupled together to form a reaction can having a cavity and a deployment opening through which said air bag is deployed upon inflation of said air bag, said first and second housing members including means for capturing one of said inflator and said air bag in said cavity and retaining the one of said inflator and said air bag in a predetermined orientation in said cavity as said first and second housing members are coupled together to form said reaction can; and

each of said first and second housing members having a generally U-shaped structure in a portion thereof and cooperating with the generally U-shaped structure of the other one of said first and second housing members to define said deployment opening in said reaction can as said first and second housing members are coupled together to form said reaction can.

14. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising means for capturing the other one of said inflator and said air bag in said cavity and retaining the other one of said inflator and said air bag in a predetermined orientation in said cavity as said first and second housing members are coupled together to form said reaction can.

15. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said at least one inflator includes a cylindrical inflator.

16. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said deployment opening has an elliptical shape.

17. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said first and second housing members include means for defining a venturi channel extending between said inflator and said air bag when said first and second housing members are coupled together.

18. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising a cover and a band which can be tensioned around said cover, said first and second housing members including means for tensioning said band around said cover to couple said cover to said reaction can.

19. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 13 wherein at least one of said first and second housing members includes a diffuser for dispersing inflation fluid flow from said inflator.

20. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said first and second housing members are essentially identical.

21. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 13 wherein each of said first and second housing members comprises a single piece of metal material.

22. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 13 wherein each of said first and second housing members comprises a single piece of polymeric material.

23. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 13 wherein at least one of said first and second housing members includes means for defining a number of aspiration openings.

24. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising a diffuser for dispersing inflation fluid flow from said inflator, said first and second housing members including means for capturing said diffuser and retaining said diffuser in a predetermined orientation in said cavity as said first and second housing members are coupled together to form said reaction can.

25. A method of assembling an air bag assembly, said method comprising the steps of:

coupling a first housing member and a second housing member together to form a reaction can having a cavity and a deployment opening through which an air bag may be deployed;

capturing at least one of an air bag and an inflator in the cavity of the reaction can and retaining the at least one of the air bag and the inflator in a predetermined orientation in the cavity as the first and second housing members are coupled together to form the reaction can; and

moving a generally U-shaped structure of one of the first and second housing members into engagement with a generally U-shaped structure of the other one of the first and second members to form the deployment opening in the reaction can as the at least one of the air bag and the inflator is being captured and retained in the predetermined orientation in the cavity.

26. A method according to claim 25 further comprising the step of placing the air bag in a predetermined orientation in the first housing member.

27. A method according to claim 26 wherein the step of coupling includes the steps of (i) positioning the second housing member adjacent to the first housing member after the air bag has been placed in the first housing member, and (ii) aligning the first and second housing members to capture and retain the air bag in a predetermined position within the cavity in the reaction can as the first and second housing members are coupled together.

28. A method according to claim 25 further comprising the step of placing the inflator in a predetermined orientation in the first housing member.

29. A method according to claim 28 wherein the step of coupling includes the steps of (i) positioning the second housing member adjacent to the first housing member after the inflator has been placed in the first housing member, and (ii) aligning the first and second members to capture and retain the inflator within the cavity in the reaction can as the first and second housing members are coupled together.

30. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

a housing including a first portion and a second portion which define a first chamber in said housing, at least one of said first and second portions having a series of fastener openings;

an inflator disposed in said first chamber between said first and second portions of said housing, said inflator including a wall defining a second chamber in said inflator, an inflation fluid source disposed in said second chamber in said inflator, said inflator wall having an outer surface extending in a given direction between first and second opposite end portions of said inflator;

an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint attached to said housing and having an inflation fluid opening;

said first and second portions of said housing clamping against said outer surface of said inflator, said first and second portions of said housing defining said first chamber which (i) extends between said clamped end portions of said inflator and (ii) receives inflation fluid from said inflator, said first and second portions of said housing cooperating to direct inflation fluid from said first chamber into the inflation fluid opening in said occupant restraint; and

a plurality of fasteners extending through said fastener openings in said at least one portion of said housing, said fasteners connecting said first portion of said housing with said second portion of said housing.

31. A vehicle safety apparatus according to claim 30 wherein (i) said first and second opposite end portions of said inflator are opposite cylindrical end wall portions of said inflator and (ii) said outer surface of said inflator is a cylindrical outer surface which has a longitudinal central axis extending in said given direction between said first and second opposite cylindrical end wall portions of said inflator, said first and second portions of said housing clamping against said cylindrical outer surface of said inflator in a direction perpendicular to said longitudinal central axis extending in said given direction.

32. An airbag assembly including a reaction device, an inflator coupled to said reaction device, and an airbag also coupled to said reaction device;

said reaction device comprising a plurality of housing members adapted to be coupled together to form said reaction device;

said reaction device defining a cavity and a deployment opening;

said plurality of housing members being configured to capture at least one of said inflator and said airbag in said cavity and to retain said at least one of said inflator and said airbag in a predetermined orientation in said cavity as said housing members are coupled together;

said plurality of housing members consisting essentially of a first housing member and a second housing member;

said first and second housing members each including an inflator support structure formed in one piece with the respective housing member;

each of said inflator support structures including a cradle, each cradle having a configuration which matches the configuration of at least a portion of said inflator, each cradle cooperating to capture and support said inflator in said predetermined orientation;

said inflator being a cylindrical inflator comprising a cylindrical housing enclosing a source of inflation fluid, squib wires projecting outwardly from one end of said cylindrical housing, and a plurality of dispensing nozzles; and

a resilient biasing device located so as to resiliently hold the inflator in said cradle as said housing members are coupled together;

said resilient biasing device comprising a spring formed in one piece with one of said housing members, said spring being located so as to engage the exterior of the inflator and to resiliently press the inflator against the other of said housing members as said housing members are coupled together.