Passenger air bag system for vehicles

• US 7,066,486 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2003
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Jung Su
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Webb, Tiffany
• Application Number:
  US10/702,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20050082793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.1, 280/728.2, 280/732, 280/736, 280/740, 280/742
• 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
• 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 passenger air bag system for vehicles includes an air bag housing, an inflator disposed in the air bag housing for discharging gas when a collision of the vehicle occurs, a cushion accommodated in the air bag housing such that the cushion is expanded by means of the gas discharged from the inflator, a retainer disposed between the cushion and the inflator for supporting the cushion, and an inflator holder disposed between the retainer and the inflator. The retainer has a plurality of gas-guiding holes for guiding the gas discharged from the inflator to the cushion. The inflator holder is fixed to the air bag housing together with the retainer for securely holding the inflator by means of a fixing force of the retainer.

Claims

1. A passenger air bag system for vehicles, comprising:

an air bag housing;

an inflator disposed in the air bag housing that discharges gas when a collision occurs;

a cushion accommodated in the air bag housing such that the cushion is expanded by gas discharged from the inflator;

a retainer disposed between the cushion and the inflator that supports the cushion, the retainer having a plurality of gas-guiding holes that guide the gas discharged from the inflator to the cushion; and

an inflator holder disposed between the retainer and the inflator, the inflator holder being fixed to the air bag housing together with the retainer to securely hold the inflator by a fixing force of the retainer.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the air bag housing has inflator supporting parts provided at inner ends thereof, to securely support ends of the inflator.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of the inflator supporting parts is generally U-shaped and has portions engaging the inflator so that the inflator is moved downward and then horizontally placed on the inflator supporting parts.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the inflator supporting parts are provided such that inner sides of the air bag housing are concave towards the inflator, whereby the inflator is tightly supported by the inflator supporting parts at the ends of the inflator.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4, wherein each of the engaging portions of the inflator supporting parts has the same radius as the radius of the inflator.

6. The system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the inflator has connector-connecting members provided at the ends thereof, while the connector-connecting members are protruded outwardly so that the inflator is connected to an external device by a connector connected to the connector-connecting members.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the air bag housing has connector grooves provided at ends thereof, each of the connector grooves are generally U-shaped to allow the connector-connecting members to be inserted through the connecter grooves so that the connector-connecting members provided at the ends of the inflator are protruded outward through the connector grooves.

8. The system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the inflator holder has inflator pressing parts provided at both ends thereof, to press the outer circumference of the inflator at the ends of the inflator, wherein the inflator pressing parts correspond to the inflator supporting parts.

9. The system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the retainer has a plurality of fixing holes provided at sides thereof, and the inflator holder has a plurality of fixing holes provided at sides thereof, wherein the fixing holes of the inflator holder correspond to the fixing holes of the retainer so that the retainer and the inflator holder are fixed to the air bag housing by fixing members fitted in the corresponding fixing holes of the retainer and the inflator holder.

10. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the inflator pressing part is pressed by the retainer as the fixing members are tightly fitted in the corresponding fixing holes of the retainer and the inflator holder so that the inflator pressing part is tightly placed onto the outer circumference of the inflator at the ends of the inflator.

11. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein each of the inflator pressing parts has protruding portions extending toward the inflator.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein each of the protruding portions are provided in the shape of a circle.

13. The system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the portions of the respective inflator pressing parts comprise a plurality of portions.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein each of the inflator pressing parts has a semicircular section so that the inflator pressing parts surround the outer circumference of the inflator at the ends of the inflator.

15. The system as set forth in claim 14, wherein the inflator holder has diffuser holes provided at the center part thereof to allow the gas discharged from the inflator to pass therethrough.

16. The system as set forth in claim 15, wherein diffuser holes are arranged such that the diffuser holes communicate with the gas-guiding holes of the retainer.

17. The system as set forth in claim 16, further comprising a mesh plate disposed between the inflator holder and the retainer that perform filtering and cooling functions.

18. The system as set forth in claim 17, wherein the mesh plate is provided at the sides thereof with a plurality of fixing holes so that the mesh plate is fixed to the air bag housing together with the retainer and the inflator holder by the fixing members.

19. The system as set forth in claim 17, wherein the mesh plate has a contoured shape corresponding to the surface of the inflator.