Side curtain assembly including fill tube

• US 6,439,604 B1
• Filed: 01/26/2000
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation), TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Greenlee, Chad L., Emery, Jerome W., Al-Amin, Ahmad K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHRIVER II, JAMES A
• Application Number:
  US09/491,338
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 280/737, 280/736, 280/731, 280/732, 280/741, 280/742, 280/740, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/728.1, 280/729, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2617 Curtain bag nozzles
• 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

A vehicle occupant protection apparatus (10) comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) and an inflator (20) for providing inflation fluid for the inflatable device. The inflator (20) has a relatively large diameter body portion (24) and a relatively small diameter neck portion (40) extending from the body portion. The neck portion (40) has an inflation fluid outlet (42). The occupant protection apparatus (10) also comprises a conduit (50) for directing inflation fluid from the inflator (20) into the inflatable device (14). The conduit (50) has a relatively large diameter main body portion (60) secured on the body portion (24) of the inflator (20) by interfitting portions (80, 34) of the main body portion and the body portion of the inflator. The main body portion (60) of the conduit (50) defines a fluid chamber (70) around the neck portion (40) of the inflator (20). The conduit (50) has a relatively small diameter fill tube portion (54) for location in the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14). The conduit has a neck portion (62) extending between the main body portion (60) and the fill tube portion (54). The neck portion (62) of the conduit (50) tapers in diameter from the main body portion (60) to the fill tube portion (54).

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said occupant protection apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and having an inflated condition;

an inflator for providing inflation fluid for said inflatable device, said inflator having an inflation fluid outlet at one end;

a conduit for receiving inflation fluid from said inflator, said conduit including a funnel portion and a fill tube portion, said funnel portion directing inflation fluid from said inflator to said fill tube portion, said fill tube portion extending into said inflatable device,

a first part of said funnel portion having a relatively large diameter and being fixed to said inflator and defining a fluid chamber around said inflation fluid outlet of said inflator to connect an interior of said funnel portion in fluid communication with said inflation fluid outlet of said inflator,

a second part of said funnel portion extending from said first part and tapering in diameter to said fill tube portion of said conduit,

said first and second parts of said funnel portion being centered on an axis of said funnel portion, and

a seal interposed between said first part of said funnel portion of said conduit and said inflator for preventing inflation fluid from passing between said conduit and said inflator,

said first part of said funnel portion of said conduit including a groove for receiving said seal.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said inflator has a relatively large diameter body portion and a relatively small diameter neck portion, said neck portion having said inflation fluid outlet.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said inflator has a body portion substantially the same diameter as said first part of said funnel portion, said inflation fluid outlet being located on said body portion of said inflator.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said conduit is formed as one piece including said funnel portion and said fill tube portion.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fill tube portion of said conduit is plastic and is formed as a separate piece from said funnel portion of said conduit.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a filter located in said conduit for filtering inflation fluid flowing through said conduit.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first part of said funnel portion of said conduit is fixed to said inflator by interfitting portions of said conduit and said inflator, and wherein said interfitting portions include a radially inwardly extending portion of said first part of said funnel portion of said conduit that snaps into engagement with a recessed portion of said inflator.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said seal is located between said interfitting portions and said fluid chamber.

9. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said occupant protection apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and having an inflated condition;

an inflator for providing inflation fluid for said inflatable device, said inflator having an inflation fluid outlet at one end covered with a burst disk;

a conduit for receiving inflation fluid from said inflator, said conduit including a funnel portion and a fill tube portion, said funnel portion directing inflation fluid from said inflator to said fill tube portion, said fill tube portion extending into said inflatable device,

a first part of said funnel portion having a relatively large diameter and being fixed to said inflator and defining a fluid chamber around said inflation fluid outlet of said inflator to connect an interior of said funnel portion in fluid communication with said inflation fluid outlet of said inflator,

a second part of said funnel portion extending from said first part and tapering in diameter in a frustoconical configuration to said fill tube portion of said conduit, said first and second parts of said funnel portion being centered on an axis of said funnel portion, said igniter upon igniting, effecting bursting of said burst disk to open said inflation fluid opening, and

a filter located in said frustoconical portion of said conduit and for filtering inflation fluid flowing through said conduit and for preventing said burst disk from flowing through said conduit.

10. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said occupant protection apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and having an inflated condition;

an inflator for providing inflation fluid for said inflatable device, said inflator having a relatively large diameter body portion and a relatively small diameter neck portion extending from said body portion, said neck portion having an inflation fluid outlet; and

a two-piece plastic conduit for directing inflation fluid from said inflator into said protection device,

said conduit having a relatively large diameter main body portion, portions of said main body portion of said conduit and said body portion of said inflator non-releasably securing said conduit and said inflator together, said portions comprising a portion of said inflator defining a recess and a deformed portion of said conduit that is deformed into said recess of said inflator, said main body portion of said conduit defining a fluid chamber around said neck portion of said inflator,

said conduit having a relatively small diameter fill tube portion for location in said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device,

said conduit having a neck portion extending between said main body portion and said fill tube portion, said neck portion of said conduit being conical in shape and reducing in diameter as said neck portion extends from said main body portion to said fill tube portion, said fill tube portion and said neck portion being secured together by a threaded union.

11. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said occupant protection apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and having an inflated condition;

an inflator for providing inflation fluid for said inflatable device, said inflator having an inflation fluid outlet at one end covered with a burst disk and an igniter at another end;

a conduit for receiving inflation fluid from said inflator, said conduit including a funnel portion and a fill tube portion, said funnel portion directing inflation fluid from said inflator to said fill tube portion, said fill tube portion extending into said inflatable device,

a first part of said funnel portion having a relatively large diameter and being fixed to said inflator and defining a fluid chamber around said inflation fluid outlet of said inflator to connect an interior of said funnel portion in fluid communication with said inflation fluid outlet of said inflator,

a second part of said funnel portion extending from said first part and tapering in diameter in a frustoconical configuration to said fill tube portion of said conduit,

said first and second parts of said funnel portion being centered on an axis of said funnel portion, said igniter igniting said inflation fluid in said inflator upon a vehicle collision, said burst disk bursting upon an increase in pressure in said inflator to open said inflation fluid opening, and

a filter located in said frustoconical portion of said conduit and for filtering inflation fluid flowing through said conduit and for preventing said burst disk from flowing through said conduit, said conduit having a lip portion engaging said filter and for holding said filter in position in said frustoconical portion of said conduit.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said inflator has a body portion substantially the same diameter as said first part of said funnel portion, said inflation fluid outlet being located on said body portion of said inflator.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said conduit is formed as one piece including said funnel portion and said fill tube portion.

14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said fill tube portion of said conduit is formed as a separate piece from said funnel portion of said conduit.

15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said first part of said funnel portion of said conduit is fixed to said inflator by intermitting portions of said conduit and said inflator, and wherein said interfitting portions include a radially inwardly extending portion of said first part of said funnel portion of said conduit that snaps into engagement with a recessed portion of said inflator.

16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said seal is located between said interfitting portions and said fluid chamber.

17. A vehicle occupant protection apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said occupant protection apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and having an inflated condition;

a source of inflation fluid for said inflatable device, said source of inflation fluid having a relatively large diameter body portion and a relatively small diameter first neck portion extending from said body portion, said first neck portion having an inflation fluid outlet, said body portion defining an annular recess;

a structure enclosing said inflation fluid source and defining an inflation fluid chamber, said structure having a radially inwardly projecting lip in an interfitting connection with said annular recess of said inflation fluid source to secure said structure and said inflation fluid source together; and

a seal and an annular groove in said structure for said seal for preventing inflation fluid from escaping said inflation fluid chamber between said interfitting connection between said inflation fluid source and said structure when said inflation fluid source inflates said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device into said inflated condition,

said structure having a relatively large diameter main body portion, said lip being located on said main body portion of said structure and said recess being located on said body portion of said inflation fluid source,

said structure having a relatively small diameter fill tube portion for location in said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device,

said structure having a second neck portion extending between said main body portion and said fill tube portion, said second neck portion of said structure being conical in shape and reducing in diameter as said second neck portion extends from said main body portion to said fill tube portion, said second neck portion being downstream of said inflation fluid outlet and having inflation fluid act thereon as the inflation fluid flows from said inflation fluid outlet into said fill tube portion.