Method of making stamped driver inflator base

• US 6,044,557 A
• Filed: 08/19/1997
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Snyder, Brian T., Rasmussen, Kirk H., Smith, Bradley W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bryant, David P.
• Application Number:
  US08/914,647
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 29/897.2, 29/557, 29/DIG. 37, 72/334, 72/340, 72/379.6, 72/374, 72/352, 72/357, 72/360, 280/728.1, 280/741
• US Class Current: 29/897.2
• CPC Class Codes: B21K 1/28 wheels; discs
• CPC Class Codes: B21K 23/04 flanged articles B21K1/28 takes precedence; flanging tubes B21D
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 29/037 Stamping with other step
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49995 Shaping one-piece blank by removing material

Abstract

A driver side inflator base for a vehicle safety system which is stamped from a thin sheet of aluminum. The base includes a central axis, a plurality of stamped concentric rings extending upwardly from a bottom of the base and spaced from the central axis. An interface attachment flange is provided for mounting the inflator, and a squib pocket extending about the central axis of the base is capable of holding a squib of the gas inflator. The concentric rings, attachment flange and squib pocket are all formed during the stamping of the base; thus, excessive machining is not required. Only minor machining is necessary to complete the base. The base of the present invention is designed to reduce the overall inflator cost, while maintaining the processing capability and quality of current bases.

Claims

1. A method of stamping a base for a housing of a gas generated inflator of a vehicle safety system, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a thin blank of material;

(b) positioning the blank of material between a first set of dies;

(c) stamping a squib pocket about a central axis of said blank between said first set of dies for accommodating a squib of the gas inflator;

(d) positioning the blank between a second set of dies;

(e) stamping an outer ring from said blank between said second set of dies, said outer ring extending upwardly from said blank and being concentric with the central axis;

(f) positioning the blank between a third set of dies;

(g) stamping a plurality of rings from said blank between said third set of dies, said plurality of rings extending upwardly from said blank and being spaced concentrically about the central axis and inwardly of said outer ring;

(h) positioning the blank between a fourth set of dies; and

(i) stamping an attachment flange from the blank between said fourth set of dies, outwardly of said outer ring, for mounting the inflator.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of piercing a hole in an upper wall of said squib pocket and coining a chamfer on an edge of said hole in said squib pocket.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of piercing a plurality of apertures in said attachment flange.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of machining a shoulder and a notch in an inner surface of a side wall of said squib pocket for retaining a universal connector of the vehicle safety system within said squib pocket.