Vertical seat locking retainer disk and tube combination
First Claim
1. A method for mechanically locking components of an air bag system comprising the steps:
- (a) positioning a second member having a hollow collar portion formed therein over an end of a first member, said collar being configured to cooperate with said end of said first member;
(b) exerting a force substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said first member upon said second member; and
(c) deforming an indented feature formed in said collar portion such that at least said indented feature is at least partially disposed in a recess formed in said first member, thereby positively locking said first member and said second member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A positive lock for components of an air bag inflator assembly that includes a first member having a recess formed therein and comprising an ignition tube, a second member comprising a retainer disk, and a retaining means for locking the ignition tube to the retainer disk. The retainer disk has a hollow collar portion with a plurality of indented features formed in the distal end of the collar. At least a portion of the indented features are disposed in the recess in the ignition tube, thereby locking the retainer disk to the ignition tube. The indented features are configured such that upon a force parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ignition tube acting upon the retainer disk, the indented features deform so as to be at least partially disposed in the recess formed in the ignition tube. An inflator assembly for generating gas to rapidly inflate an air bag is also provided that includes a housing defining an interior space therein, an inner side wall with a recess formed therein, and a retainer disk The housing has a top wall, a lower portion, and an outer side wall. The inner side wall comprises an ignition tube that is connected to the lower portion of the housing and has ignition ports formed therein. Ignition tube defines an ignition chamber therein for containing an igniter and a combustion chamber between the inner side wall and the outer side wall for containing a gas generating material. A filter is disposed in the combustion chamber proximate to the interior surface of the outer side wall. The retainer disk is disposed over the inner side wall proximate to the top wall of the housing and has a collar portion that is configured to cooperate with the ignition tube. The collar has indented features formed therein that are at least partially disposed in the recess in the ignition tube, thereby positively locking said retainer disk to said ignition tube.
16 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for mechanically locking components of an air bag system comprising the steps:
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(a) positioning a second member having a hollow collar portion formed therein over an end of a first member, said collar being configured to cooperate with said end of said first member; (b) exerting a force substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said first member upon said second member; and (c) deforming an indented feature formed in said collar portion such that at least said indented feature is at least partially disposed in a recess formed in said first member, thereby positively locking said first member and said second member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A positive lock assembly for components of an air bag inflator assembly comprising:
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(a) a first member having a longitudinal axis, an inside surface, and an outside surface; (b) a second member having a hollow collar portion formed therein configured to cooperate with said first member; (c) a retaining means for positively locking said first member to said second member; (d) a recess formed in said inside surface of said first member; and (e) a plurality of indented features formed in said collar portion of said second member, at least a portion of each of said plurality of indented features being disposed in said recess in said first member, thereby positively locking said second member to said first member. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A positive lock for components of an air bag inflator assembly comprising:
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(a) an elongated ignition tube having an upper end; (b) a retainer disk having a hollow collar portion formed therein, said collar portion having a distal end and being configured to receive said upper end of said ignition tube therein; (c) a recess formed in said ignition tube; and (d) an indented feature formed on said distal end of said collar, said indented feature being at least partially disposed in said recess upon a force parallel to the longitudinal axis of said ignition tube being applied to said retainer disk, thereby locking said retainer disk to said ignition tube. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An inflator assembly for generating gas to rapidly inflate an air bag, comprising:
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(a) a quantity of gas generating material; (b) a housing comprising a top wall, a lower portion, and an outer side wall, defining an interior space therebetween, said outer side wall having a plurality of diffusion ports formed therein; (c) an inner side wall connected to said lower portion of said housing, said inner side wall being substantially concentric with said outer side wall, said inner side wall defining an ignition chamber therein for containing an igniter and a combustion chamber between said inner side wall and said outer side wall for containing said quantity of gas generating material, said inner side wall having a plurality of ignition ports formed therein; (d) a filter disposed in said combustion chamber proximate to the interior surface of said outer side wall, said filter being configured to entrap combustion residue from said gas generated in said housing before discharge of said gas; (e) a retainer disk disposed over said inner side wall proximate to said top wall of said housing, said retainer disk having a hollow collar portion formed therein configured to cooperate with said ignition tube; and (f) retaining means for positively locking said retainer disk to said inner side wall. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A positive lock assembly for components of an air bag inflator assembly comprising:
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(a) an ignition tube having a longitudinal axis, an inside surface, and an outside surface; (b) a retainer disk having a hollow collar portion formed therein configured to cooperate with said ignition tube; (c) a recess formed in said inside surface of said ignition tube; and (d) a plurality of indented features formed in said collar portion of said retainer disk, at least a portion of each of said plurality of indented features being disposed in said recess in said ignition tube, thereby positively locking said retainer disk to said ignition tube.
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27. A housing for an air bag inflator assembly, comprising:
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(a) a cover having a top wall and a downwardly extending outer side wall, said outer side wall having a plurality of diffuser ports formed therein; (b) a base configured to cooperate with said cover to define an enclosed interior space therebetween; (c) an inner side wall attached to said base, said inner side wall and said outer side wall defining a combustion chamber, said inner side wall defining an ignition chamber and having a plurality of ignition ports therein, said inner side wall having an open end, a lower end, and a recess formed therein; (d) a filter disposed in said combustion chamber adjacent to the inner surface of said outer side wall; and (e) a retainer disk disposed over said inner side wall proximate to said top wall, said retainer disk having a hollow collar portion formed therein configured to cooperate with said inner side wall, said collar portion having a plurality of indented features formed therein configured to cooperate with said upper end of said inner side wall to positively lock said retainer disk and said inner side wall.
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Specification