Air bag gas generator and air bag system

• US 6,520,538 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2001
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited (Daicel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited (Daicel Corporation)
• Inventors: Tomiyama, Shogo, Katsuda, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, Robert P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McClellan, James S.
• Application Number:
  US09/918,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20010042298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 280/741, 280/736, 280/728.2, 280/731, 280/735, 294/28
• US Class Current: 280/741
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49893 Peripheral joining of opposed mirror image parts to form a hollow body

Abstract

An air bag gas generator, which ensures that a lead wire has a sufficient length when installing the generator in a module, is provided even when a connector in the air bag gas generator has a predetermined length. The air bag gas generator includes, in a housing having gas discharge ports and igniting unit storage opening: igniting unit activated by an impact; gas generating agent ignited by the igniting unit and burns and generates a combustion gas; and a filter unit, which cools the combustion gas and/or collects combustion residues. Also, the igniting unit includes an initiator, which is activated by an electrical signal, and an enhancer, which is ignited by the activation of the initiator and burns. The initiator is positioned and then installed in the housing.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an air bag gas generator, comprising:

providing a housing with a storage opening and an attachment portion having a first attachment opening and a second attachment opening for attaching the housing to a vehicle;

providing an initiator adapted to be engaged with a connector having a lead wire provided on a side of the vehicle, the initiator having a first electric terminal and a second electric terminal, said initiator being provided with a collar having a recessed portion, extending only in an axial direction of the initiator, at a first predetermined position with respect to said first electric terminal and said second electric terminal;

installing the initiator into the storage opening; and

positioning the recessed portion at a second predetermined position with respect to the first attachment opening and the second attachment opening.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said initiator providing step further includes,

providing the collar at a lower end portion of the initiator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said initiator providing step further includes,

providing the initiator with the recessed portion on a side face of the collar, wherein said housing providing step further includes,

preparing the storage opening having, in an inner face thereof, an engagement portion formed at a predetermined position with respect to the first and second attachment openings, wherein installing step further includes,

installing the initiator into the storage opening while the engagement portion engages with the recessed portion.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said positioning step further includes,

engaging an engaging portion of an insertion jig with the recessed portion,

positioning the insertion jig with respect to the first and second attachment openings,

wherein said step of installing the initiator further includes the step of,

installing the initiator into the storage opening by the insertion jig such that the engaging portion of the insertion jig engages the recessed portion.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a housing includes the step of providing the first attachment opening and the second attachment opening in a flange portion of said housing.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing gas generating agents ignited by said initiator in said housing, said gas generating agents generating combustion gas; and

providing a coolant/filter for at least one of cooling the combustion gas and collecting combustion residues therein.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

attaching the connector having the lead wire to said first electric terminal and said second electric terminal such that the lead wire extends in a predetermined direction with respect to said first attachment opening and said second attachment opening.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the collar providing step includes,

providing the collar having the recessed portion formed by cutting a portion of a lower end face of the collar in a radial direction.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the collar providing step includes,

providing the collar having the recessed portion formed by cutting a portion of a lower end face of the collar in a radial direction while retaining an edge portion thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said positioning step includes,

positioning the initiator such that a first imaginary line connecting the first and second attachment openings always has a predetermined orientation with respect to a second imaginary line connecting the first and second electric terminals.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said insertion jig providing step includes the steps of,

providing a first insertion pin, that engages the first attachment hole, as the first attaching portion, and

providing a second insertion pin, that engages the second attachment hole, as the second attaching portion.

11. A method of manufacturing an air bag gas generator, comprising:

providing a housing with a storage opening, and an attachment portion having a first receiving portion and a second receiving portion for attaching the housing to a vehicle;

providing an initiator having, in an a collar provided with a recessed portion, extending only in an axial direction of the initiator, at a predetermined position with respect to a first electric terminal and a second electric terminal of the initiator;

providing an insertion jig having a first attaching portion that engages the first receiving portion, a second attaching portion that engages the second receiving portion, and an engaging portion that engages the recessed portion;

attaching the initiator to the insertion jig while engaging the engaging portion with the recessed portion;

engaging the first attaching portion with the first receiving portion and the second attaching portion with the second receiving portion;

inserting the initiator to the storage opening; and

removing the insertion jig from the housing by disengaging the engaging portion from the recessed portion, the first attaching portion from the first receiving portion, and the second attaching portion from the second receiving portion.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said housing providing step includes the steps of,

providing a flange as the attachment portion,

providing a first attachment hole, for attaching the housing to the vehicle, as the first receiving portion, and

providing a second attachment hole, for attaching the housing to the vehicle, as the second receiving portion.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said initiator providing step includes the step of,

providing a positioning groove as the recessed portion, and

said insertion jig providing step includes the step of, providing a protrusion that engages the positioning groove.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said initiator providing step includes the step of,

providing a positioning groove as the recessed portion by cutting a portion of a lower end face of a collar portion of the initiator in a radial direction while retaining an edge portion thereof, and

said insertion jig providing step includes the step of,

providing a protrusion that engages the positioning groove.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the initiator inserting step includes,

inserting the initiator to the storage opening such that the first electric terminal and the second electric terminal are always positioned in a predetermined orientation with respect to the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing a connector having a third electric terminal that engages the first electric terminal, a fourth electric terminal that engages the second electric terminal, and a lead wire extending in a first predetermined direction with respect to the third electric terminal and the fourth electric terminal; and

attaching the connector to the initiator such that the lead wire extends in a second predetermined direction with respect to the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion housing.