Inflator for restraining system for vehicle

• US 7,758,070 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2008
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited
• Inventors: Katsuda, Nobuyuki, Yabuta, Mikio
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan; Ruth
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODEN JR, BARRY J
• Application Number:
  US12/071,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20080203715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/736, 280/737, 280/741, 280/742, 280/740
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2612 Gas guiding means, e.g. ducts
• 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 for a restraining system for a vehicle includes:

• • an inflator housing storing a gas generation source,
  • a diffuser having a plurality of gas discharge holes for discharging gas provided within the inflator housing,
  • a gas discharge channel member including a gas outlet port and being attached to cover an outer surface of the diffuser,
  • the gas discharge channel member having a gas-introducing port communicating with at least one of the gas discharge holes and a pin-introducing port communicating with at least one of the remaining gas discharge holes, and
  • the diffuser and the gas discharge channel member, fixed by a fixing pin inserted into both of the at least one of the remaining gas discharge holes and the pin-introducing port.

Claims

1. An inflator for a restraining system for a vehicle, comprising:

an inflator housing storing a gas generation source;

a diffuser having a first gas discharging hole and a second gas discharging hole provided in opposing locations of an outer circumferential surface thereof;

a gas discharge channel member including a gas-introducing port and a pin-introducing port, and being attached to cover the outer circumferential surface of the diffuser, such that the first gas discharge hole and the second gas discharge hole communicate with the gas-introducing hole and the pin-introducing port, respectively; and

a fixing pin inserted into the pin-introducing port and the second gas discharge hole, such that the gas discharge channel member is fixed to the diffuser.

2. The inflator for a restraining system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the first gas discharge hole of the diffuser is smaller than a diameter of the gas-introducing port of the gas discharge channel member.

3. The inflator for a restraining system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first gas discharging hole and the second gas discharging hole extend in a radial direction of the diffuser.

4. The inflator for a restraining system for a vehicle, comprising:

an inflator housing storing a gas generation source;

a diffuser having a plurality of gas discharge holes provided equidistantly in an outer circumferential surface thereof;

a gas discharge channel member including a as-introducing port and a pin-introducing port, and being attached to cover the outer peripheral surface of the diffuser, such that one of the plurality as discharge ports communicates with the pin-introducing port; and

a fixing pin inserted into the pin-introducing port and the one of the plurality of gas discharge holes, such that the gas discharge channel member is fixed to the diffuser, wherein

an annular gas passage is formed in a circumferential direction between the diffuser and the gas discharge channel member, and

the annular gas passage communicates with another one of the plurality of gas discharge holes.

5. The inflator for a restraining system for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein, in a surface where the outer circumferential surface of the diffuser and an inner surface of the gas discharge channel member are in contact with each other, an annular groove continuous in a circumferential direction of the diffuser is formed in one of the outer circumferential surface of the diffuser and the inner surface of the gas discharge channel member, and a sealing material is disposed in the annular groove.

6. The inflator for a restraining system for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein a diameter of the another of the gas discharge holes of the diffuser is smaller than the diameter of the gas-introducing port of the gas discharge channel member communicating with the another of the gas discharge holes.

7. The inflator for a restraining system for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein,

at least one convex step, formed continuously in a circumferential direction of the an outer surface of the diffuser, is provided in the outer circumferential surface of the diffuser, such that the outer diameter of the diffuser is set to increase from one end portion of the diffuser toward the other end portion thereof;

at least one concave step, formed continuously in a circumferential direction of an inner surface of the gas discharge channel member, such that an inner diameter of the discharge channel member is set to increase from one end portion of the gas discharge channel member toward the other end portion thereof; and

the diffuser and the gas discharge channel member are fixed in a state in which the at least one convex step and the at least one concave step are brought into contact with each other.

8. The inflator for a restraining system for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of gas discharge holes extends a radial direction of the diffuser.

9. An inflator for a restraining system for a vehicle, comprising:

an inflator housing storing a gas generation source;

a diffuser having a plurality of gas discharging holes provided equidistantly in an outer circumferential surface thereof;

a gas discharge channel member including a gas-introducing port and a pin-introducing port, and being attached to cover the outer circumferential surface of the diffuser, such that one of the plurality of gas discharge holes communicates with the pin-introducing port, another of the plurality of gas discharge ports communicates with the gas-introducing port, and remainder of the plurality of gas discharge holes are closed by an inner surface of the gas discharge channel member; and

a fixing pin inserted into the pin-introducing port and the one of the plurality of gas discharge holes, such that the gas discharge channel member is fixed to the diffuser.

10. The inflator for a restraining system for a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the gas-introducing port and the pin-introducing port are formed at opposing locations.

11. The inflator for a restraining system for a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of gas discharge holes extends a radial direction of the diffuser.