Airbag apparatus with a gas generator

• US 6,318,754 B1
• Filed: 07/22/1999
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata (Europe) Vehicle Safety Technology GmbH
• Original Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
• Inventors: Einsiedel, Heinrich, Glöckler, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US09/358,726
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 280/741, 280/742, 280/736, 280/740, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 222/3, 285/132.1, 285/188, 285/420
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2612 Gas guiding means, e.g. ducts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10

Abstract

The invention relates to an airbag apparatus comprising a gas generator (11) which has at a periphery a plurality of, preferably two diametrically oppositely lying gas outlet openings (12), a housing (13) which receives the gas flowing out of the gas generator (11) and is mounted at the gas generator in a gas and pressure tight manner, and a gas conduction line (14) leading to an inflatable gas bag. The invention consists in that the housing (13) lies in contact with the outer periphery of the gas generator (11) only at one side and has at least one gas inlet opening (15) lying opposite to a gas outlet opening (12); and in that at least one gas inlet opening (15), which lies diametrically opposite to a gas outlet opening (12), is closed by a closure means (16), in particular a plug, in a gas and pressure tight manner.

Claims

1. An airbag apparatus comprising:

a gas generator including a pair of gas outlet openings positioned diametrically opposed at a periphery of the gas generator;

a housing positioned to receive a gas flowing out of the gas generator, the housing including

a mounting portion mounted to the gas generator in a gas and pressure tight manner and

a line connection portion angled outwardly away from the gas generator and connected to a gas conduction line leading to an inflatable gas bag,

wherein the mounting portion only contacts one side of an outer wall of the gas generator and includes a gas inlet opening positioned opposite to one of the pair of gas outlet openings;

a ring seal located between the mounting portion and the gas generator and surrounding the gas inlet opening of the housing and the associated gas outlet opening of the gas generator;

wherein the mounting portion includes a support surface positioned substantially parallel to the gas inlet opening and located over the gas inlet opening and the ring seal;

a closure device for closing the other of the pair of gas outlet openings in a gas and pressure tight manner; and

a tension means overlying the support surface and the closure device for pressing the mounting portion and the closure device to the periphery of the gas generator.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1,

wherein the housing includes an inner surface having a complementary shape to the outer wall of the gas generator in the region of the contact with the gas generator.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the housing includes a connection eye located at the line connection portion for mounting the apparatus to a vehicle body.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein the gas conduction passage has an angle bend in the direction towards the gas outlet opening in the vicinity of the gas outlet opening.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the housing further comprises

a gas conduction passage in fluid communication with and positioned at an angle to the gas inlet opening.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the closure device comprises a plug.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the closure device comprises a housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tension means comprises a band.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tension means comprises a clamp.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the angle between the line connection portion and the longitudinal axis of the gas generator is greater than zero and less than ninety degrees.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas conduction passage includes a region having a gradually diminishing diameter adjacent to the gas inlet opening.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting portion includes an exterior surface substantially parallel to the outer wall of the gas generator configured to receive the closure device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the closure device comprises a band overlying and in contact with the exterior surface of the mounting portion and the outer wall of the gas generator.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the gas generator is tubular.