Application specific integrated circuit package and initiator employing same

• US 6,070,531 A
• Filed: 07/22/1997
• Issued: 06/06/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Monk, David B., Hansen, David D., Pratt, Gerold W., Woodbury, Mark B.
• Primary Examiner(s): TUDOR, HAROLD JAY
• Application Number:
  US08/898,393
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 102/202.5, 102/202.7, 102/202.8, 102/202, 102/209.16, 280/735, 280/741, 361/735, 361/790
• US Class Current: 102/202.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01006 Mounting of electrical components in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01075 between the airbag control unit and pyrotechnic fuses or equivalent actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26029 Ignitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/121 Initiators with incorporated integrated circuit

Abstract

An initiator for an inflator of an automotive airbag restraint system includes a housing and a wall dividing the housing into two parts, one for housing a firing element of the initiator, and one for receiving at least one application specific integrated circuit which performs functions of a portion of an electronic control unit. A mounting element is located in the second part of the housing, and at least one application specific integrated circuit is carried by the mounting element. The mounting element and two or more application specific integrated circuits may be provided as a package, in which at least two application specific integrated circuits are mounted in a stacked condition to form an application specific integrated circuit stack. The application specific integrated circuits are configured such that predetermined electrical circuit locations of adjacent ones of the application specific integrated circuits to be interconnected are aligned. The package includes connectors for electrically interconnecting these predetermined electrical circuit locations in adjacent ones of the application specific integrated circuits in the stack.

Claims

1. An initiator for an inflator of an automotive airbag restraint system, comprising:

a housing;

a glass to metal seal dividing said housing into two parts and further including connector means in said glass to metal seal for making an electrical connection to a firing element, a first of said two parts being configured for housing said firing element of said initiator, and a second of said two parts being configured for receiving at least one application specific integrated circuit, said connector means including a pair of pin portions projecting in the direction of said first part of said housing and a pair of socket portions from which said pin portions project, said socket portions having open ends facing oppositely of said pin portions and accessible from said second part of said housing;

application specific integrated circuit mounting means located in said second part of said housing; and

at least one application specific integrated circuit mounted in said mounting means, said connector means being connected to said at least one application specific integrated circuit.

2. An initiator for an inflator of an automotive airbag restraint system, comprising:

a housing;

a glass to metal seal dividing said housing into two parts and further including connector means in said glass to metal seal for making an electrical connection to a firing element, a first of said two parts being configured for housing said firing element of said initiator, and a second of said two parts being configured for receiving at least one application specific integrated circuit, said connector means including a pair of pin portions projecting in the direction of said first part of said housing and a pair of socket portions from which said pin portions project, said socket portions having open ends facing oppositely of said pin portions and accessible from said second part of said housing;

rack means for mounting a plurality of said application specific integrated circuits located in said second part of said housing and including at least one application specific integrated circuit, said connector means being connected to said at least one application specific integrated circuit;

at least one further application specific integrated circuit mounted in said rack means in an aligned and stacked condition with said at least one application specific integrated circuit to form an application specific integrated circuit stack, each of said application specific integrated circuits being configured such that predetermined electrical circuit locations of adjacent application specific integrated circuits to be electrically interconnected are aligned; and

an aligned through opening in each of said application specific integrated circuits adjacent each of said electrical circuit locations to be interconnected, and an elongate electrically conductive pin extendable through said aligned openings for electrically interconnecting said predetermined electrical circuit locations on adjacent ones of said application specific integrated circuits.

3. An initiator for an inflator of an automotive airbag restraint system, comprising:

a housing;

a glass to metal seal dividing said housing into two parts and further including connector means in said glass to metal seal for making an electrical connection to a firing element, a first of said two parts being configured for housing said firing element of said initiator, and a second of said two parts being configured for receiving at least one application specific integrated circuit, said connector means including a pair of pin portions projecting in the direction of said first part of said housing and a pair of socket portions from which said pin portions project, said socket portions having open entrance ends facing oppositely of said pin portions and accessible from said second part of said housing;

rack means for mounting a plurality of said application specific integrated circuits located in said second part of said housing and including at least one application specific integrated circuit, said connector means being connected to said at least one application specific integrated circuit;

at least one further application specific integrated circuit mounted in said rack means in an aligned and stacked condition with said at least one application specific integrated circuit to form an application specific integrated circuit stack, each of said application specific integrated circuits being configured such that predetermined electrical circuit locations of adjacent application specific integrated circuits to be electrically interconnected are aligned; and

an electrically conductive socket/pin connector electrically coupled with each of predetermined ones of said electrical circuit locations to be electrically interconnected, each of said socket/pin connectors comprising a socket portion having an opening facing one surface of said application specific integrated circuit and a pin portion projecting from said socket outwardly of an opposite surface of said application specific integrated circuit, said pin portion being of complementary configuration for engaging an aligned socket portion of an adjacent application specific integrated circuit in said stack.