Inflator for an air bag

• US 7,431,337 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2005
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited (Daicel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited (Daicel Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Naoki, Kuroda, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Toan C
• Application Number:
  US11/055,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20050189754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 280/737, 280/741, 280/736, 280/742, 102/202, 102/202.5, 102/202.7, 102/202.9, 102/202.14, 102/202.12
• US Class Current: 280/741
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26029 Ignitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/272 with means for increasing the pressure of the gas just before or during liberation, e.g. hybrid inflators
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/045 Hybrid systems with previously pressurised gas using blasting to increase the pressure, e.g. causing the gas to be released from its sealed container
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/103 Mounting initiator heads in initiators; Sealing-plugs

Abstract

An inflator for an air bag which can be assembled easily is provided. An igniter 30 is fixed inside a closure 20 using a resin 28 by charging molten resin through a resin charging hole 24 provided in the closure 20, and hardening the resin. The closure 20 is fixed to an inflator housing 12 by welding at a connecting portion 18. Since the number of components and the number of steps are smaller, favorable assembly workability is achieved.

Claims

1. An igniter assembly, comprising:

an igniter;

a closure accommodating the igniter, such that the igniter is surrounded by an inner wall surface of the closure, and is fixed directly to the inner wall surface by a resin, the closure having an opening portion provided at one end thereof and the igniter being projected from the opening portion; and

a cup member attached to the closure, such that the cup member closes the opening portion and provides an empty space defined by the cup member, the closure, and the resin, thereby isolating the empty space from an outside of the closure.

2. An inflator for an air bag, comprising:

an igniter;

a closure accommodating the igniter, such that the igniter is surrounded by an inner wall surface of the closure, and is fixed directly to the inner wall surface by a resin, the closure having an opening portion provided in one end thereof and the igniter being projected from the opening portion;

a housing attached to the closure; and

a cup member attached to the closure, such that the cup member closes the opening portion and provides an empty space defined by the cup member, the closure, and the resin, thereby isolating the empty space from an outside of the closure.

3. The inflator for an air bag according to claim 2, wherein the closure comprises a protruding portion protruding inwardly from the inner wall surface, and defining a gap in a radial direction of the closure, and the gap is smaller than a diameter of an ignition portion of the igniter,

wherein an electroconductive pin of the igniter is positioned adjacent to the protruding portion.

4. The inflator for an air bag according to claim 2, wherein the closure is a cylindrical member, and the closure is connected to an opening portion on one end side of the housing.

5. The inflator for an air bag according to claim 2, wherein an inflation medium of the air bag is a combustion gas generated by combustion of a gas generating agent, a pressurized gas charged into the housing, or both the combustion gas and the pressurized gas.