Inflator assembly

• US 6,883,829 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Suyama, Yoji, Iseki, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US10/248,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20030107208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 280/736, 280/737, 280/740, 280/741, 280/730.2, 280/801.1, 280/808, 297/468
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2612 Gas guiding means, e.g. ducts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/18 the inflatable member formed as a belt or harness or combined with a belt or harness arrangement
• 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

An inflator assembly that has a shorter entire length and can be manufactured easily. The inflator assembly includes a pipe, a piston holder, first and second pipe holding plates, a bracket, and an inflator casing. The pipe is inserted through a pipe through hole in the base of the piston holder, through pipe through holes in the pipe holding plates, and through a spacer ring. The base of the piston holder, the spacer ring, and the pipe holding plates are clamped together between first and second flanges of the pipe. The inflator casing is fitted around the outer periphery of a rear end portions of the pipe and has an inward flange that is clamped and fixed between the first and second flanges of the pipe. Second and third flanges are formed by deforming portions of the pipe to have a larger diameter.

Claims

1. An inflator assembly comprising:

a cylindrical inflator casing configured to be filled with gas generant;

a pipe configured to be a gas nozzle connected to the inflator casing; and

a bracket holding the pipe;

wherein the bracket includes a first pipe holding plate, the first pipe holding plate being provided with an opening through which the pipe is inserted;

wherein the pipe has a first flange formed in the periphery of a front side portion thereof;

wherein the pipe has a second flange on the other side of the first flange relative to the pipe holding plate, the pipe holding plate being clamped and fixed between the first flange and the second flange; and

wherein the rear end portion of the pipe is fitted in and fixed to a front end portion of said inflator casing.

2. An inflator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bracket includes a second pipe holding plate which is positioned opposite the first pipe holding plate, the second pipe holding plate being provided with an opening through which the pipe is inserted;

wherein the bracket further includes a spacer ring disposed between the first and second pipe holding plates so that the spacer ring is coaxial with the openings of the first and second pipe holding plates; and

wherein the first pipe holding plate and the second pipe holding plate are clamped and fixed between the first flange and the second flange.

3. An inflator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the inflator casing includes an inward flange in the inner periphery of a front end portion thereof;

wherein the pipe includes a third flange at the rear end of the pipe; and

wherein the third flange is fixed to the inward flange of the inflator casing.

4. An inflator assembly comprising:

a cylindrical inflator casing configured to be filled with gas generant;

a pipe configured to be a gas nozzle connected to the inflator casing; and

a bracket holding the pipe;

wherein the bracket includes a first pipe holding plate, the first pipe holding plate being provided with an opening through which the pipe is inserted;

wherein the pipe has a flange formed in the periphery of a front side portion thereof; and

wherein the rear end of the pipe is fitted in and fixed to a front end portion of the inflator casing.

5. An inflator assembly according to claim 4, wherein the bracket includes a second pipe holding plate which is positioned opposite the first pipe holding plate, the second pipe holding plate being provided with an opening through which the pipe is inserted;

wherein the bracket further includes a spacer ring disposed between the first and second pipe holding plates so that the spacer ring is coaxial with the openings of the first and second pipe holding plates; and

wherein the rear end of the pipe is fitted and fixed to a front end portion of the inflator casing.

6. An inflator assembly according to claim 4, wherein the inflator casing includes an inward flange in the inner periphery of a front end portion thereof;

wherein the pipe has an end flange; and

wherein the end flange is fixed to the inward flange of the inflator casing.

7. An inflator assembly comprising:

a cylindrical inflator casing configured to be filled with gas generant;

a pipe configured to be a gas nozzle which is formed integrally with the inflator casing to project from the inner periphery of a front end of the inflator casing; and

a bracket holding the pipe;

wherein the bracket includes a first pipe holding plate, the first pipe holding plate being provided with an opening through which the pipe is inserted;

wherein the pipe has a flange on a side opposite to the inflator casing side relative to the pipe holding plate; and

wherein the pipe holding plate is clamped and fixed between the front end of the inflator casing and the flange.

8. An inflator assembly according to claim 7, wherein the bracket includes a second pipe holding plate which is positioned opposite the first pipe holding plate, the second pipe holding plate being provided with an opening through with the pipe is inserted;

wherein the bracket further includes a spacer ring disposed between the first and second pipe holding plates so that the spacer ring is coaxial with the openings of the first and second pipe holding plates; and

wherein the first pipe holding plate and the second pipe holding plate are clamped and fixed between the front end of the inflator casing and the flange.

9. An inflatable belt device comprising:

a tongue;

a webbing; and

a buckle comprising an inflator assembly;

wherein the inflator assembly comprises;

a cylindrical inflator casing configured to be filled with gas generant;

a pipe configured to be a gas nozzle connected to the inflator casing; and

wherein the bracket includes a first pipe holding plate, the first pipe holding plate being provided with an opening through which the pipe is inserted;

wherein the pipe has a first flange formed in the periphery of a front side portion thereof;

wherein the pipe has a second flange on the other side of the first flange relative to the pipe holding plate, the pipe holding plate being clamped and fixed between the first flange and the second flange; and

wherein the rear end portion of the pipe is fitted in and fixed to a front end portion of said inflator casing.

10. The inflatable belt device of claim 9, wherein the buckle includes a slot for receiving the tongue.

11. The inflatable belt device of claim 9, wherein the bracket includes a second pipe holding plate which is positioned opposite the first pipe holding plate, the second pipe holding plate being provided with an opening through which the pipe is inserted;

wherein the bracket further includes a spacer ring disposed between the first and second pipe holding plates so that the spacer ring is coaxial with the openings of the first and second pipe holding plates; and

wherein the first pipe holding plate and the second pipe holding plate are clamped and fixed between the first flange and the second flange.

12. The inflatable belt device of claim 9, wherein the inflator casing includes an inward flange in the inner periphery of a front end portion thereof;

wherein the pipe includes a third flange at the rear end of the pipe; and

wherein the third flange is fixed to the inward flange of the inflator casing.

13. An inflatable belt device comprising:

a tongue;

a webbing; and

a buckle comprising an inflator assembly;

wherein the inflator assembly comprises;

a cylindrical inflator casing configured to be filled with gas generant;

a pipe configured to be a gas nozzle connected to the inflator casing; and

a bracket holding the pipe;

wherein the bracket includes a first pipe holding plate, the first pipe holding plate being provided with an opening through which the pipe is inserted;

wherein the pipe has a flange formed in the periphery of a front side portion thereof; and

wherein a rear end of the pipe is fitted in and fixed to a front end portion of the inflator casing.

14. The inflatable belt device of claim 13, wherein the bracket includes a second pipe holding plate which is positioned opposite the first pipe holding plate, the second pipe holding plate being provided with an opening through which the pipe is inserted;

wherein the bracket further includes a spacer ring disposed between the first and second pipe holding plates so that the spacer ring is coaxial with the openings of the first and second pipe holding plates; and

wherein the rear end of the pipe is fitted and fixed to a front end portion of the inflator casing.

15. The inflatable belt device of claim 13, wherein the inflator casing includes an inward flange in the inner periphery of a front end portion thereof;

wherein the pipe has an end flange; and

wherein the end flange is fixed to the inward flange of the inflator casing.

16. An inflatable belt device comprising:

a tongue;

a webbing; and

a buckle comprising an inflator assembly;

wherein the inflator assembly comprises;

a cylindrical inflator casing configured to be filled with gas generant;

a pipe configured to be a gas nozzle which is formed integrally with the inflator casing to project from the inner periphery of a front end of the inflator casing; and

a bracket holding the pipe;

wherein the bracket includes a first pipe holding plate, the first pipe holding plate being provided with an opening through which the pipe is inserted;

wherein the pipe has a flange on a side opposite to the inflator casing side relative to the pipe holding plate; and

wherein the pipe holding plate is clamped and fixed between the front end of the inflator casing and the flange.

17. The inflatable belt device of claim 16, wherein the bracket includes a second pipe holding plate which is positioned opposite the first pipe holding plate, the second pipe holding plate being provided with an opening through with the pipe is inserted;

wherein the bracket further includes a spacer ring disposed between the first and second pipe holding plates so that the spacer ring is coaxial with the openings of the first and second pipe holding plates; and

wherein the first pipe holding plate and the second pipe holding plate are clamped and fixed between the front end of the inflator casing and the flange.