Air bag assembly unit

• US 7,806,429 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Imken, Hans-Juergen, Wagener, Keit, Fangmann, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODEN JR, BARRY J
• Application Number:
  US11/814,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20080129019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.1, 280/728.2, 280/736, 280/741
• 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

Abstract

An air bag assembly unit is provided for an occupant restraint systems in motor vehicles with an air bag, which is accommodated by an air bag housing and is to be filled with gas by the contents of a gas generator. The assembly unit includes a diffusor housing, which is arranged at the air bag housing, is connected to the air bag housing via gas passage openings, and in which the gas generator pushed in via an installation opening is fixed by a holding device. The holding device is formed from a fastening ring (7), which is arranged in the intermediate space (5) of the diffusor housing wall (8) and the gas generator wall (9), seals the intermediate space (5) by a sealing device (6) in a gas-tight manner and surrounds the gas generator (2) in a ring-shaped pattern. The fastening ring (7) is fixed at the diffusor housing wall (8) in a positive-locking manner.

Claims

1. An air bag assembly unit for an occupant restraint system in motor vehicles, the air bag assembly unit comprising:

an air bag;

an air bag housing;

a gas generator, said air bag being accommodated in said air bag housing to be filled with gas by the contents of said gas generator;

a diffusor housing arranged at or forming a part of said air bag housing;

a holding device, said gas generator being pushed in said diffuser housing, in an opening direction via an installation opening and being axially fixed in said diffuser housing by said holding device, the holding device comprising a fastening ring arranged in an intermediate space of said diffusor housing, said intermediate space being defined by a diffusor housing wall and a gas generator wall, and a sealing device sealing said intermediate space in a gas-tight manner and surrounding said gas generator in a ring-shaped manner, wherein said fastening ring is fixed at said diffusor housing wall in a positive-locking manner, said sealing device having at least two sealing lips, which are arranged on said fastening ring extending circumferentially about said sealing device and wherein said two sealing lips are arranged in relation to one another such that said sealing device forms an essentially V-shaped circumferential cross section, wherein each of said sealing lips forms a leg of said V-shaped cross section and wherein said legs are connected to one another and are arranged extending in a direction toward an interior of said diffusor housing.

2. An air bag unit for an occupant restraint system in motor vehicles in accordance with claim 1, wherein the positive-locking fixing of said fastening ring at said diffusor housing wall is provided by a snap-in device.

3. An air bag unit for an occupant restraint system in motor vehicles in accordance with claim 2, wherein the snap-in device has a plurality of elastic holding tabs arranged radially on an outer circumference of said fastening ring, and which mesh with corresponding recesses arranged on said diffusor housing wall in an installed state of said fastening ring.

4. An air bag unit for an occupant restraint system in motor vehicles in accordance with claim 3, wherein four of said holding tabs are arranged radially on the outer circumference of said fastening ring.

5. An air bag unit for an occupant restraint system in motor vehicles in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fastening ring has a stop device for limiting the axial motion of said gas generator in the direction of said installation opening of said diffusor housing in a mounted state of said gas generator.

6. An air bag unit for an occupant restraint system in motor vehicles in accordance with claim 5, wherein said stop device has a plurality of said elastic stop tabs, which are arranged in a projecting manner on an inner side of said fastening ring.

7. An air bag unit for an occupant restraint system in motor vehicles in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fastening ring is made of a plastic.

8. An air bag unit for an occupant restraint system in motor vehicles in accordance with claim 7, wherein said fastening ring consisting of a plastic having fiber reinforcements or stabilizing inserts.

9. An air bag assembly unit for an occupant restraint system in motor vehicles, the air bag assembly unit comprising:

a gas generator;

a diffusor housing; and

a holding device, said gas generator being disposed in said diffuser housing and fixed therein by said holding device, an inner diffusor housing wall of said diffusor housing and an outer gas generator wall of said gas generator cooperating to define an intermediate space, said holding device comprising a fastening ring arranged in said intermediate space and a sealing device sealing said intermediate space in a gas-tight manner, said sealing device surrounding said gas generator in a ring-shaped manner with annular sealing lips extending circumferentially around said gas generator, said sealing lips being arranged with each sealing lip having a leg end connected to one another at a connection to form an essentially V-shaped circumferential cross section with each leg extending from said connection in a direction toward an interior of said diffusor housing, said fastening ring including positive locking fixing means for fixing said fastening ring at said diffusor housing wall in a positive-locking manner, said fastening ring and said sealing ring being formed in one piece.

10. An air bag unit in accordance with claim 9, wherein said fastening ring is made of a plastic.

11. An air bag unit in accordance with claim 9, wherein said fastening ring is formed of a plastic having fiber reinforcements or stabilizing inserts.

12. An air bag unit in accordance with claim 9, wherein said positive locking fixing means comprises a snap-in device.

13. An air bag unit in accordance with claim 12, wherein said snap-in device comprises a plurality of elastic holding tabs arranged radially on an outer circumference of said fastening ring and corresponding recesses arranged on said diffusor housing wall, said tabs being engaged in a respective one of said recesses in the installed state of said fastening ring.

14. An air bag unit in accordance with claim 13, wherein four of said holding tabs are arranged extending radially on the outer circumference of said fastening ring.

15. An air bag unit in accordance with claim 9, wherein said fastening ring has a stop device for limiting the axial motion of said gas generator in the direction of an installation opening of said diffusor housing in a mounted state of said gas generator.

16. An air bag unit in accordance with claim 15, wherein said stop device has a plurality of elastic stop tabs arranged in a projecting manner on an inner side of said fastening ring.

17. An air bag assembly unit for an occupant restraint system in motor vehicles, the air bag assembly unit comprising:

a gas generator with a gas generator wall;

a diffusor housing with an opening and with inner diffusor housing wall of said diffusor housing defining an interior, said diffusor housing having an insertion direction from said opening toward said interior; and

a holding device comprising a fastening ring with a stop structure for engaging the gas generator and positive locking fixing means for fixing said fastening ring at said diffusor housing wall in a positive-locking manner with said stop structure engaging said gas generator to prevent said gas generator from moving out of said interior by preventing movement of said gas generator in an axial direction opposite to said insertion direction, and a sealing device including an annular first sealing lip in contact with said diffusor housing wall over a full circumferential extent of said diffusor housing wall and an annular second sealing lip in contact with said gas generator wall over a full circumferential extent of said diffusor housing wall, a leg end of said first sealing lip being joined to a leg end of said second sealing lip at a connection to provide a seal portion with a V-shaped circumferential cross section with said first sealing lip and said second sealing lip extending away from said connection and extending in said insertion direction.

18. An air bag unit in accordance with claim 17, wherein said positive locking fixing means comprises a snap-in device comprising a plurality of elastic holding tabs arranged radially on the outer circumference of said fastening ring and corresponding recesses arranged on said diffusor housing wall, said tabs being engaged in a respective one of said recesses in the installed state of said fastening ring.

19. An air bag unit in accordance with claim 18, wherein said stop structure comprises a plurality of elastic stop tabs, which are arranged in a projecting manner on the inner side of said fastening ring.

20. An air bag unit in accordance with claim 19, wherein said fastening ring and said sealing ring are formed in one piece.