Airbag module

• US 6,354,621 B1
• Filed: 08/06/1999
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hannemann, Jens, Zimmerbeutel, Bernd Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Toan C
• Application Number:
  US09/369,985
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/740, 280/732, 280/93.1, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence

Abstract

A housing (10) is provided for a folded together inflatable airbag and a holder element (12) which can be locked at the housing, with the housing and the holder element bounding a reception region for a gas generator (14) in the locked state. In addition to an airbag and a gas generator, with the housing and the holder element, only two components are required in accordance with the invention, through which the manufacture may be simplified and manufacturing cost reductions may occur. For the assembly of the airbag module, the gas generator (14) is first arranged either at the housing (10) or at the holder element (12) and then the holder element is locked at the housing. The gas generator (14) is then already located in its final position in the airbag module. Through this the subsequent attachment of the folded together airbag in the housing is simplified since more than two parts which are to be connected together need never be brought into the correct relative position.

Claims

1. An airbag module, comprising:

a housing;

a holder element being configured and dimensioned to be inserted and locked within an airbag cavity which is defined by said housing, said holder element providing a means for retaining a portion of an airbag within said airbag cavity, said housing and said holder element bounding a reception region for a gas generator, said reception region being formed by a depression is formed in said housing, said housing having a rectangular parallelepiped shape which is open at one side, and said depression being formed in a housing wall that lies opposite to said open side, wherein said housing and/or said holder element are/is provided with means for positioning said gas generator, and wherein said means for positioning is a pair of guide grooves for positioning a pair of flanges of said gas generator, said flanges being located at either end of said gas generator.

2. An airbag module as in claim 1, wherein said holder element has a substantially rectangular base plate.

3. An airbag module as in claim 1, wherein said holder element is designed for mounting of an airbag.

4. An airbag module as in claim 1, wherein said holder element has at least one cut-out for gas which is produced by said gas generator.

5. An airbag module as in claim 1, wherein the surface of said holder element which faces away from said reception region is designed as a support surface for a folded together airbag, said support surface extending substantially parallel to said housing wall which is provided with said depression.

6. An airbag module as in claim 1, wherein said holder element is latched to said housing by latching elements which are preferably formed on said holder element, said latching elements cooperating with latching receptions of said housing.

7. An airbag module as in claim 6, wherein said latching receptions are formed in a boundary region of said housing wall which bounds said depression and said latching receptions are preferably distributedly arranged around said depression.

8. An airbag module as in claim 6, wherein said latching elements stand off from one side surface of said holder element, said latching elements preferably being arranged in said boundary region of said side surface and said latching elements preferably distributedly arranged along said boundary region.

9. An airbag module as in claim 1, wherein said holder element has at least one damping section which points to said reception region when said holder element is locked to said housing, said damping section being elastically deformable by said gas generator which is arranged in said reception region.

10. An airbag module as in claim 9, wherein said damping section is formed as a strip-like material section which is connected at its ends to said holder element.

11. An airbag module as in claim 1, wherein said holder element has at least one cut-out with preferably approximately rectangular outline and a damping section being connected to said holder element at a boundary region which bounds said cut-out.

12. An airbag module as in claim 11, wherein said damping section has a contact section which extends approximately parallel to a base plate of said holder element, said contact section retains said gas generator in said reception region.

13. An airbag module as in claim 1, wherein said wall in said housing defining said depression includes a pair of areas located on either side of said depression.

14. An airbag module as in claim 1, wherein said reception region is shaped similar to said gas generator.

15. An airbag module as in claim 14, wherein said gas generator is cylindrical.

16. An airbag module as in claim 1, wherein said depression has a cutout for connection of said gas generator to a control device.

17. An airbag module as in claim 1, wherein said housing includes a plurality stiffener ribs oriented into groups of stiffener ribs wherein each group extend at least substantially parallel to one another.

18. An airbag module as in claim 1, wherein said reception region is designed for the reception of a two-stage gas generator.

19. An airbag module as in claim 1, wherein said reception region is designed for the reception of a substantially cylindrical gas generator which has gas exit openings that are eccentrically arranged in the longitudinal direction and distributedly arranged in the peripheral direction can be connected at least at one end surface to a control device.

20. An airbag module, comprising:

a housing, having a rectangular shape which is open at one side;

a receiving area for a gas generator, said receiving area being defined in a wall of said housing, said wall being opposite to said open side of said housing;

a holder element being configured and dimensioned to be inserted and locked within an airbag cavity which is defined by said housing, said holder element covering said receiving area and retaining a gas generator in said receiving area when said holder element is inserted and locked into said airbag cavity, said holder element securing a portion of an airbag to said housing, wherein said receiving area includes a pair of retaining grooves for receiving and engaging a pair of flanges of said gas generator.

21. An airbag module as in claim 20, wherein said holder element includes a plurality of retaining members which make contact with said gas generator when said holder element is inserted and locked into said airbag cavity.

22. An airbag module as in claim 21, wherein said plurality of retaining members are deformable members which depend outwardly from said holder element.

23. An airbag module as in claim 20, wherein said holder element includes a plurality of latching elements which are received and engaged in a plurality of relaxing openings in said housing.

24. An airbag module as in claim 20, wherein said housing and said holder element are formed out of plastic.

25. An airbag module as in claim 20, wherein said holder element secures an airbag to said housing.

26. An airbag module as in claim 20, wherein said holder element includes an opening for allowing fluid communication between said receiving area and said airbag cavity.