Airbag generator, deflector member, coolant/filter means support member, coolant, and housing

• US 6,926,304 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2001
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Masayuki, Iwai, Yasunori, Nakashima, Yoshihiro, Miyaji, Katsuhito, Hatomoto, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US10/203,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20030010247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• Field of Search: 280/741, 280/742, 280/740, 280/739
• US Class Current: 280/741
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder

Abstract

The invention provided a gas generator for an air bag having any of the following members. A deflecting member is provided to suppress discharge of a combustion product generated by a combustion of gas generating means, and is formed as a tube portion to be capable of shielding a gas discharge port formed at least on a circumferential wall of a housing from the inside of the housing. A coolant/filter means supporting member can position a coolant/filter means, prevent a short pass of an operating gas, and functions as a buffer member between the coolant/filter and the housing, and/or prevent a heat from being transferred to a diffuser shell, and comprises an annular portion arranged to face an end surface of the housing and a wall portion contacting with an inner periphery of the coolant/filter means. Further, in order to make it possible to securely support and fix the coolant means and prevent the short pass of the operating gas, an outer peripheral edge of an end portion thereof is adhered and/or supported to a bent portion or a step portion formed in an inner surface of an upper end surface and/or an inner surface of a lower end portion in the housing. The coolant/filter means is formed in a cylindrical shape obtained by laminating a wire mesh. The housing for the gas generator securely fixes an igniter included in an ignition means, is preferably used at a time of manufacturing a gas generator having a restricted overall height, and has an opening portion for inserting and fixing the igniter or an igniter supporting member. The opening portion is provided with a connecting portion for fixing the inserted igniter or igniter supporting member, and the connecting portion is provided in inner side of the housing rather than the end surface having the opening portion.

Claims

1. A deflecting member of a gas generator for an air bag, which is a constituting member used in a gas generator for an air bag comprising, in a cylindrical housing with a gas discharge port, a gas generating means to generate an operating gas for inflating an air bag and a cylindrical coolant/filter means to cool and/or purify the operating gas in the housing, wherein

a tube portion has a shape capable of being arranged to face an inner periphery of the cylindrical gas generator housing, and the tube portion is formed in a shape and/or a structure capable of shielding at least a gas discharge port formed in a circumferential wall of the gas-generator housing from the inside of the housing, and the deflecting member is formed to have a shape and/or a structure capable of preventing a combustion product generated due to a combustion of the gas generating means from being discharged out of the housing through the gas discharge port.

2. A deflecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deflecting member includes the tube portion which is formed to shield a gas discharge port formed in a circumferential wall of the gas-generator housing from the inside of the housing, and an inwardly flange-shaped annular portion, which is formed to contact with either end surface of the coolant/filter means.

3. A deflecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tube portion is formed to cover the part of the coolant/filter means projected horizontally from a gas discharge port.

4. A deflecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tube portion is formed in the housing of the gas generator to secure a flow-path of the operating gas between the tube portion and the coolant/filter means and between the tube portion and the inner surface of the housing.

5. A deflecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tube portion is formed so that an inner diameter of the upper portion thereof has the same size as an outer diameter of the coolant/filter means, and inner diameters of the middle portion and the lower portion thereof are larger than the inner diameter of the upper portion.

6. A deflecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tube portion is structured such that a supporting portion with an end bent outwardly and radially is formed in at least one end portion in the axial direction.

7. A deflecting member as claimed in claim 6, wherein the supporting portion is formed to contact with an inner periphery of the housing and support the tube portion.

8. A deflecting member as claimed in claim 6, wherein a ventilating portion capable of passing the operating gas is formed in the supporting portion.

9. A deflecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deflecting member is formed to have a shape and/or a structure capable of preventing a flame of the ignition means for igniting the gas generating means and/or a flame generated by combustion of the gas generating means from being discharged out of the housing through the gas discharge port.

10. A deflecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deflecting member is provided with an inwardly flange-shaped annular portion, formed to contact with either end surface of the coolant/filter means, and a central opening of the annular portion is formed so that an inner edge end surface thereof has a size to contact with an end surface of an inner cylindrical member disposed in the housing of the gas generator.

11. A deflecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deflecting member is provided with the inwardly flange-shaped annular portion, formed to contact with either end of the coolant/filter means, the tube portion is formed to be connected to an outer peripheral edge of the annular portion, and a bent portion between the tube portion and the annular portion is formed to have a shape and/or a structure capable of positioning the coolant/filter means and/or preventing the operating gas from passing between the end surface of the coolant/filter means and the inner periphery of the housing at a time of activating the gas generator.

12. A deflecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deflecting member is provided with the inwardly flange-shaped annular portion, formed to contact with either end surface of the coolant/filter means, and a wall portion in a shape contacting with the inner periphery of the coolant/filter means is formed in the annular portion.

13. A deflecting member as claimed in claim 12, wherein the wall portion is formed to have a shape and/or a structure capable of positioning the coolant/filter means and/or preventing the operating gas from passing between the end surface of the coolant/filter means and the inner periphery of the housing at a time of activating the gas generator.

14. A deflecting member as claimed in claim 12, wherein the wall portion is formed so that a width between the wall portion and the tube portion becomes a thickness of the coolant/filter means disposed in the housing of the gas generator.

15. A deflecting member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deflecting member is formed as a single member.

23. A gas generator for an air bag comprising:

in a cylindrical housing having a gas discharge port, an ignition means to activate a gas generator;

a gas generating means to generate an operating gas for inflating an air bag upon an activation of the ignition means; and

a cylindrical coolant/filter means to purify and/or cool the operating gas;

wherein

the deflecting member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 and 10 to 16 is arranged in the vicinity of the cylindrical coolant/filter means.

24. A gas generator for an air bag as claimed in claim 23, wherein the deflecting member brings the annular portion into contact with the end surface of the coolant/filter means and partly covers the outer periphery of the coolant/filter means with the tube portion in the axial direction.

16. A gas generator for an air bag comprising;

in a cylindrical housing with a gas discharge port, an ignition means to activate a gas generator;

a gas generating means to generate an operating gas for inflating an air bag upon an activation of the ignition means; and

a cylindrical coolant/filter means to purify and/or cool the operating gas;

wherein

a space portion forming a flow-path of the operating gas is secured between an outer periphery of the cylindrical coolant/filter means and an inner periphery of a circumferential wall portion of the housing, and a deflecting member having a shape and/or a structure capable of deflecting a flow of the operating gas passing through the coolant/filter means towards the gas discharge port, the deflecting member being formed to have a shape and/or a structure capable of preventing a combustion product generated due to a combustion of the gas generating means from being discharged out of the housing through the gas discharge port, and a mist collecting member for collecting and/or removing a combustion by-product contained in the operating gas are arranged in the space portion.

17. A gas generator for an air bag as claimed in claim 16, wherein the deflecting member contacts with either end surface of the cylindrical coolant/filter means.

18. A gas generator for an air bag as claimed in claim 16, wherein the space forming the flow-path of the operating gas is secured between the outer periphery of the cylindrical coolant/filter means and the inner periphery of the circumferential wall portion of the housing, and a part of the deflecting member is arranged in the space portion so as to deflect a flow of the operating gas passing through the coolant/filter means towards the gas discharge port.

19. A gas generator for an air bag as claimed in claim 16, wherein the deflecting member has a portion which contacts with neither the coolant/filter means nor the inner periphery of the housing in the space portion secured between the outer periphery of the cylindrical coolant/filter means and the inner periphery of the circumferential wall portion of the housing.

20. A gas generator for an air bag as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 22, wherein the coolant/filter means is positioned and/or supported by the deflecting member, and the position thereof is not shifted even by the combustion pressure of the gas generating means.

21. A gas generator for an air bag comprising:

an ignition means to activate a gas generator;

in a cylindrical housing having a gas discharge port, a gas generating means to generate an operating gas for inflating an air bag upon an activation of the ignition means;

a deflecting member formed to have a shape and/or a structure capable of preventing a combustion product generated due to a combustion of the gas generating means from being discharged out of the housing through the gas discharge port; and

a cylindrical coolant/filter means to purify and/or cool the operating gas;

wherein

a space portion forming a flow-path of the operating gas is secured between an outer periphery of the cylindrical coolant/filter means and an inner periphery of a circumferential wall portion of the housing, and a mist collecting member for collecting and/or removing a combustion by-product contained in the operating gas is arranged in the space portion.

22. A gas generator for an air bag comprising:

in a cylindrical housing having a gas discharge port, an ignition means to activate a gas generator;

a gas generating means to generate an operating gas for inflating an air bag upon an activation of the ignition means; and

a cylindrical coolant/filter means to purify and/or cool the operating gas;

wherein

a space portion forming a flow-path of the operating gas is secured between an outer periphery of the cylindrical coolant/filter means and an inner periphery of a circumferential wall portion of the housing, a deflecting member is formed to have a shape and/or a structure capable of preventing a combustion product generated due to a combustion of the gas generating means from being discharged out of the housing through the gas discharge port, and a flame preventing plate and a mist collecting member for collecting and/or removing a combustion by-product contained in the operating gas are arranged in the space portion.

25. A gas generator for an air bag comprising:

in a cylindrical housing having a gas discharge port, an ignition means to activate a gas generator;

a gas generating means to generate an operating gas for inflating an air bag upon an activation of the ignition means; and

a cylindrical coolant/filter means to purify and/or cool the operating gas;

wherein

a coolant/filter means supporting member formed in a single member is disposed in the vicinity of the cylindrical coolant/filter means to prevent the operating gas from passing between an end surface of the coolant/filter means and an inner periphery of the housing and/or to position the coolant/filter means, and/or to prevent the heat from being transferred from the coolant/filter means to the housing and/or to support the coolant/filter means between the upper and lower inner surfaces of the housing due to an elasticity, and wherein a deflecting member is formed to have a shape and/or a structure capable of preventing a combustion product generated due to a combustion of the gas generating means from being discharged out of the housing through a gas discharge port.

26. A gas generator for an air bag comprising:

in a cylindrical housing with a gas discharge port, a gas generating means to generate an operating gas for inflating an air bag; and

a cylindrical coolant means to cool and/or purify the operating gas in a cylindrical housing having a gas discharge port;

wherein

an outer peripheral edge of an end portion in the coolant means is adhered and/or supported to a bent portion or a step portion formed on an inner surface of the upper end portion and/or an inner surface of the lower end portion of the cylindrical housing, at a time of assembling the gas generator and/or at a time of activating the gas generator, and wherein a deflecting member is formed to have a shape and/or a structure capable of preventing a combustion product generated due to a combustion of the gas generating means from being discharged out of the housing through the gas discharge port.