Gas generator

• US 7,540,241 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Bierwirth, Sebastian
• Primary Examiner(s): Bergin; James S
• Application Number:
  US11/416,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20060254454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 102/530, 102/531, 102/202.5, 102/202.9, 102/202.12, 102/202.14, 280/736, 280/741
• US Class Current: 102/530
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder

Abstract

A gas generator includes a generator housing (12), an igniter device mounting opening (18) which has an edge (22), an igniter device and a booster chamber (24) having a peripheral wall (26). The igniter device has a prefabricated igniter (16) sealed off towards the exterior, a booster charge (23) adjoining the igniter (16) and an injected plastic base (20). The edge (22) of the igniter device mounting opening (18) for fastening the igniter device to the generator housing (12) is embedded in the injected plastic base (20) during injecting. Connectors (14) leading to the igniter (16) are embedded into the plastic base (20) during injecting and the plastic base (20) continues in one piece into the booster chamber (24) by forming a peripheral wall (26) of the booster chamber (24) which the booster charge (23) directly adjoins.

Claims

1. A gas generator comprising:

a generator housing (12) having an edge (22) defining an igniter device mounting opening (18) and

an igniter device having a prefabricated igniter (16) sealed off towards the exterior and having an injected plastic base (20), into which said edge (22) of said igniter device mounting opening (18) for fastening said igniter device to said generator housing (12) is embedded during injecting, connectors (14) leading to said igniter (16) being embedded into said plastic base (20) during injecting and

a booster chamber (24) outside of the igniter (16) defined by a peripheral wall (26) of said plastic base (20) and containing a booster charge (23).

2. The gas generator according to claim 1, wherein said booster charge (23) is contained entirely in a filling volume defined by said peripheral wall (26).

3. The gas generator according to claim 1, wherein predetermined outflow openings (28) are provided, said peripheral wall (26) having regions with said predetermined outflow openings (28).

4. The gas generator according to claim 3, wherein said outflow openings (28) are closed in a non-ignited state and are opened after said igniter device is ignited.

5. The gas generator according to claim 3, wherein said peripheral wall (26) has thinner walls in the regions of said outflow openings (28) than in the remaining regions.

6. The gas generator according to claim 3, wherein said peripheral wall (26) has a constant thickness in all regions.

7. The gas generator according to claim 1, wherein a cap (32) is provided, which delimits said booster chamber (24) on the side lying opposite said igniter (16).

8. The gas generator according to claim 7, wherein a spring-elastic element (34) is provided and said cap (32) is displaceable and is acted upon by said spring-elastic element (34) in the non-ignited state such that it covers the regions of said outflow openings (28).

9. The gas generator according to claim 7, wherein said cap (32) is turned over said booster chamber (24) and supports said peripheral wall (26) laterally.

10. The gas generator according to claim 1, wherein a cap (32) adjoins said booster chamber (24) on the side lying opposite said igniter (16) and is supported on a section of said generator housing (12) which lies opposite said igniter device mounting opening (18).

11. The gas generator according to claim 1, wherein a reinforcement layer (38) is provided and said reinforcement layer (38) at least partially adjoins said peripheral wall (26).

12. The gas generator according to claim 11, wherein said reinforcement layer (38) is made of metal.

13. The gas generator according to claim 11, wherein said reinforcement layer (38)is surrounded by a plastic wall (40) which is injected onto said peripheral wall (26).

14. The gas generator according to claim 11, wherein said reinforcement layer (38) has outflow openings (28).

15. The gas generator according to claim 11, wherein said reinforcement layer (38) is constructed in one of a spiral shape and ring shape.

16. The gas generator according to claim 11, wherein said reinforcement layer (38) is arranged along said peripheral wall (26) in longitudinal direction.

17. The gas generator according to claim 1, wherein a reinforcement layer (38) embedded into said peripheral wall (26) is provided.