Air bag gas generator

• US 6,053,531 A
• Filed: 10/29/1997
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited
• Inventors: Tomiyama, Shogo, Katsuda, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US08/959,929
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 280/741
• US Class Current: 280/741
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26029 Ignitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder

Abstract

To provide a gas generator for an air bag that is designed to have a sufficient and fix seal at the area where igniting means is installed, with which a housing having a reduced weight is possible, and which manufacture is easy.

In a gas generator for an air bag composed to include a housing which has gas discharge ports, igniting means which is activated by an impact, and gas generating means which is ignited by the igniting means and burns and generates a combustion gas, a gas generator for an air bag which is made by having the igniting means provided with a cylindrical collar member used for an attachment on its outer circumference, having the housing provided with an igniting means attaching member that has a cylindrical inner circumferential surface in which the cylindrical collar member fits, having the inner circumferential surface and/or outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical collar member provided with a groove in the circumferential direction, and having the seal member attached by pressing it inside the groove.

Claims

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

a housing having gas discharge ports;

an igniter provided within said housing and activated upon an impact;

a cylindrical collar member provided on an outer circumference of said igniter, said collar member having a groove in an inner and an outer surfaces in a circumferential direction thereof;

an igniter attaching member provided within said housing having a cylindrical inner surface for receiving said collar member therein; and

a seal member provided in said groove in order to prevent a fluid communication between inside and outside of said housing.

2. The gas generator of claim 1, wherein said groove is provided in the inner surface of the collar member where said ignitor engages and said seal member is press-fitted in said groove.

3. The gas generator of claim 1, wherein said seal member seals a space created between the cylindrical collar member and said ignitor, and between the cylindrical collar member and said ignitor attaching member.

4. The gas generator of claim 1, wherein said housing has an attachment opening in a bottom surface thereof, and said housing contains and secures said ignitor attaching member in said attachment opening.

5. The gas generator of claim 4, wherein said groove is provided in the outer surface of the collar member where said ignitor attaching member engages, and said seal member is press-fitted in said groove.

6. The gas generator of claim 1, wherein said ignitor attaching member is an inner cylinder adapted to partition an inner space of said housing into at least two chambers, said ignitor attaching member being substantially cylindrical in shape and one end of which being attached to the inner surface to an upper portion of said housing.

7. The gas generator of claim 1, wherein said ignitor attaching member is substantially cylindrical in shape and has an insufficient length to partition an inner space of said housing.

8. The gas generator of claim 1, wherein said ignitor is an electrical-type ignitor.

9. The gas generator of claim 1, wherein said ignitor is a mechanical-type ignitor.

10. The gas generator of claim 1, wherein said seal member is an O-ring.

11. The gas generator of claim 1, wherein said seal member is a packing.

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

a housing having gas discharge ports;

an inner cylinder provided within said housing for partitioning an inner space of said housing into at least two chambers;

a mechanical-type igniter activated upon an impact, said ignitor having a groove in a circumferential direction thereof at a position facing an inner surface of said inner cylinder; and

a seal member provided in said groove such that said seal member prevents a fluid communication between inside and outside of said housing.

13. An air bag system, comprising:

an air bag inflated by a gas generated by a gas generator;

a module adapted to install said air bag, said gas generator including,

a housing having gas discharge ports;

an igniter provided within said housing and activated upon an impact;

a cylindrical collar member provided on an outer circumference of said ignitor, said collar member having a groove in an inner and an outer surfaces in a circumferential direction thereof;

an ignitor attaching member provided within said housing having a cylindrical inner surface for receiving said collar member therein; and

a seal member provided in said groove in order to prevent a fluid communication between inside and outside of said housing.

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

a housing having gas discharge ports;

an ignitor provided within said housing and activated upon an impact;

a cylindrical collar member provided on an outer circumference of said igniter, said collar member having a groove in an inner surface in a circumferential direction thereof; and

a seal member provided in said groove in order to prevent a fluid communication between inside and outside of said housing.

15. The gas generator of claim 14, wherein said groove is provided in the inner surface of the collar member where said ignitor engages and said seal member is press-fitted in said groove.

16. The gas generator of claim 15, wherein said seal member seals a space created between the cylindrical collar member and said ignitor.

17. The gas generator of claim 14, wherein said ignitor is an electrical-type ignitor.

18. The gas generator of claim 14, wherein said ignitor is a mechanical-type ignitor.

19. The gas generator of claim 14, wherein said seal member is an O-ring.

20. The gas generator of claim 14, wherein said seal member is a packing.

21. An air bag system, comprising:

an air bag inflated by a gas generated by a gas generator;

a module adapted to install said air bag;

said gas generator including,

a housing having gas discharge ports;

an ignitor provided within said housing and activated upon an impact;

a cylindrical collar member having a groove on an outer circumference of said igniter, said collar member having a groove in an inner surface in a circumferential direction thereof;

an ignitor attaching member provided within said housing having a cylindrical inner surface for receiving the cylindrical collar member therein; and

a seal member provided and press-fitted in said groove in order to prevent a fluid communication between inside and outside of said housing.