Gas generator for air bag and air bag system

• US 5,951,041 A
• Filed: 04/29/1997
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited (Daicel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited (Daicel Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwai, Yasunori, Katsuda, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US08/848,599
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 280/737, 280/741
• US Class Current: 280/737
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder

Abstract

A gas generator is provided which is less likely to suffer from damages or peeling-off of a protruding seal tape during assembling of the generator, thus surely assuring a moisture preventive effect by the seal tape.

In the gas generator for an air bag, a recess is formed in a portion of a partition wall that divides a housing into an ignition means storage chamber that stores igniting means and a gas generating agent storage means that stores a gas generating agent, or in a portion of a housing, to which a seal tape is attached to close through-holes formed through the partition walls or housing. The depth and width of the recess are equal to or larger than the thickness and width of the seal tape. The seal tape is attached such that its side edge portions are received in the recess, so as to close the through-holes.

Claims

1. A gas generator for an air bag, comprising:

a housing that stores a gas generating agent, said housing having upper and lower plate members and a wall member connecting said upper and lower plate members;

an igniter adapted to ignite said gas generating agent;

a coolant/filter adapted to cool and filter combustion gas generated by said gas generating agent;

a recess formed in said wall member along an entire peripheral portion thereof, said recess having a bottom wall provided with a plurality of through-holes; and

a seal tape attached to the bottom wall of said recess for closing said through-holes.

2. A gas generator for an air bag according to claim 1, wherein said wall member is a partition wall that divides said housing into an igniter storage chamber that stores said igniter and a gas generating agent storage chamber that stores said gas generating agent, said recess being formed in a portion of the partition wall to which said seal tape is attached to close said through-holes formed in the partition wall for communicating said storage chambers.

3. A gas generator for an air bag according to claim 2, wherein said through-holes formed in the partition wall are closed by said seal tape attached to an outer wall surface of the partition wall, said recess being formed in a portion of the outer wall surface of the partition wall to which said seal tape is to be attached.

4. A gas generator for an air bag according to claim 2, wherein said partition wall is a cylindrical wall portion of a central cylindrical member disposed in said housing, said igniter storage chamber and said gas generating agent storage chamber being separated from each other by said cylindrical wall portion of said central cylindrical member.

5. A gas generator for an air bag according to claim 1, wherein said recess is formed in a peripheral wall portion of said housing to which said seal tape is attached to close said through-holes formed in said peripheral wall portion that allows the combustion gas to discharge therethrough.

6. A gas generator for an air bag according to claim 5, wherein said through-holes formed in said peripheral wall portion of said housing are closed by said seal tape attached to an inner surface of said peripheral wall portion, and said recess is formed in a portion of the inner surface of said peripheral portion of said housing to which said seal tape is attached.

7. A gas generator for an air bag according to claim 1, wherein said seal tape has a width that is 2 to 3.5 times a diameter of said through-holes.

8. A gas generator for an air bag according to claim 1, wherein said seal tape includes an aluminum tape having a thickness of 25 to 80μ

, and an adhesive having a thickness of 25 to 60μ

, said aluminum tape having a total thickness of 95±

45μ

.

9. A gas generator for an air bag according to claim 1, wherein side edges of the seal tape attached to the bottom wall of the recess are sealed by a sealant.

10. A gas generator for an air bag according to claim 1, wherein an outer surface of said seal tape is substantially flush with a curved surface of said wall member.

11. A gas generator for an air bag according to claim 1, wherein the bottom wall of said recess is formed in parallel with a center axis of said housing.

12. A gas generator for an air bag according to claim 1, wherein said housing includes a diffuser shell having a gas discharge port, and a closure shell having a central aperture, said diffuser shell and said closure shell being formed by press working.

13. A gas generator for an air bag according to claim 2, wherein said coolant/filter for cooling a combustion gas and scavenging combustion residues is disposed to surround the partition wall, and that a coolant support member is provided between said coolant/filter and said partition wall for inhibiting movement of said coolant/filter.

14. A gas generator for an air bag according to claim 1, wherein a supporter for supporting the gas generating agent is provided between said coolant/filter and said partition wall.

16. A gas generator for an air bag according to claim 1, wherein a depth of said recess is equal to or greater than a thickness of said attached seal tape.

17. A gas generator for an air bag according to claim 1, wherein a width of said recess is equal to or greater than not smaller than a width of said attached seal tape.

15. An air bag system, comprising:

an airbag;

a gas generator adapted to generate gas to inflate said airbag; and

a module case in which said air bag is accommodated,

wherein said gas generator includes,

a housing that stores a gas generating agent, said housing having upper and lower plate members and a wall member connecting said upper and lower plate members,

an igniter adapted to ignite said gas generating agent,

a coolant/filter adapted to cool and filter combustion gas generated by said gas generating agent,

a recess formed in said wall member along an entire peripheral portion thereof, said recess having a bottom wall provided with a plurality of through-holes, and

a seal tape attached to a bottom wall of said recess for closing said through-holes.