Combustion chamber unit for an airbag module

• US 7,976,061 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2010
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
• Original Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
• Inventors: Kimmich, Stephen, Windhausen, Björn
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming; Faye M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coker; Robert A
• Application Number:
  US12/659,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20100219622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 280/736, 280/740, 280/741, 280/742, 102/530, 102/531
• US Class Current: 280/741
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26011 using a filter through which the inflation gas passes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26076 characterised by casing
• 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 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder

Abstract

A combustion chamber assembly for an airbag module of a motor vehicle is provided. The combustion chamber assembly comprising a combustion chamber housing, which encloses a combustion chamber, and a housing receptacle, in which the combustion chamber housing is to be disposed such that the combustion chamber housing with the outer surface thereof is running along an inner surface of the housing receptacle. Discharge regions being respectively provided in the combustion chamber housing and in the housing receptacle, said regions being spatially associated with one another such that gas generated in the combustion chamber may discharge through the discharge regions of the combustion chamber housing and the housing receptacle into the surroundings. At least one indentation is formed on the combustion chamber housing and/or on the housing receptacle.

Claims

1. A combustion chamber unit for an airbag module of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a combustion chamber housing enclosing a combustion chamber; and

a housing receptacle in which the combustion chamber housing is to be arranged in such a way that the combustion chamber housing extends with its outer surface along an inner surface of the housing receptacle, wherein discharge regions are provided in the combustion chamber housing and in the housing receptacle, the discharge regions, by the arrangement of the combustion chamber housing in the housing receptacle are spatially associated with one another in such a way that gas generated in the combustion chamber can discharge through the discharge regions of the combustion chamber housing and of the housing receptacle in order to inflate a gas bag,

wherein at least one indentation is formed on the combustion chamber housing and/or on the housing receptacle in such a way that an expansion space is defined in an area of the indentation between the outer surface of the combustion chamber housing and the inner surface of the housing receptacle, the expansion space, upon arranging the combustion chamber housing in the housing receptacle and by deformation of a section of the combustion chamber housing, is at least partially filled with material from said section of the combustion chamber housing.

2. The combustion chamber unit according to claim 1, wherein the combustion chamber housing is dimensioned with respect to the housing receptacle such that the inner surface of the housing receptacle, upon arranging the combustion chamber housing in the housing receptacle, exerts a pressure directed inwards on the outer surface of the combustion chamber housing and the combustion chamber housing in at least one section is thereby deformed into the associated expansion space.

3. The combustion chamber unit according to claim 1, wherein the deformation of the combustion chamber housing is concentrated on sections of the combustion chamber housing which can be deformed into an expansion space by means of the combustion chamber housing abutting with its outer surface on an inner surface of the housing receptacle outside the sections of the combustion chamber housing which can be deformed.

4. The combustion chamber unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one indentation forms a depression at the inner surface of the housing receptacle, and wherein a section of the combustion chamber housing is deformable into the depression.

5. The combustion chamber unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one indentation forms a depression at the outer surface of the combustion chamber housing, and wherein a section of the combustion chamber housing is deformable into the depression.

6. The combustion chamber unit according to claim 1, wherein the combustion chamber housing comprises a tubular outer shell surface.

7. The combustion chamber unit according to claim 6, wherein the indentation extends along the axis of the tubular outer shell surface.

8. The combustion chamber unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing receptacle has a greater stability against the pressure of gases generated in the combustion chamber than the combustion chamber housing so that the combustion chamber housing under the influence of the pressure of the gases generated in the combustion chamber can be stabilized in that the combustion chamber housing rests with its outer surface on the inner surface of the housing receptacle.

9. The combustion chamber unit according to claim 1, wherein discharge openings forming the discharge regions are provided in the combustion chamber housing and in the housing receptacle already before the generation of a gas in the combustion chamber.

10. The combustion chamber unit according to claim 1, wherein the discharge regions are formed by discharge openings and discharge openings are already provided in the housing receptacle before the generation of a gas in the combustion chamber and that discharge openings are only formed by means of the pressure of the gases generated in the combustion chamber.

11. The combustion chamber unit according to claim 1, wherein the discharge regions of the combustion chamber housing on the one hand and of the housing receptacle on the other hand at least partially overlap each other.

12. The combustion chamber unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one indentation is free of discharge regions.

13. The combustion chamber unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one section of the combustion chamber housing to be deformed is free of discharge regions.

14. The combustion chamber unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing receptacle forms an integral component of a module housing of the airbag module.

15. The combustion chamber unit according to claim 1, further comprising an ignition device for ignition of a propellant provided in the combustion chamber, and wherein the combustion chamber and the ignition device are connected to each other as separate assembly groups.

16. The combustion chamber unit according to claim 15, wherein the combustion chamber and the ignition device are arranged in the housing receptacle integrally formed on a module housing of the airbag module.

17. A combustion chamber unit for an airbag module of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a combustion chamber housing enclosing a combustion chamber; and

a housing receptacle in which the combustion chamber housing is to be arranged in such a way that the combustion chamber housing extends with its outer surface along an inner surface of the housing receptacle, wherein discharge regions are provided in the combustion chamber housing and in the housing receptacle, the discharge regions, by the arrangement of the combustion chamber housing in the housing receptacle are spatially associated with one another in such a way that gas generated in the combustion chamber can discharge through the discharge regions of the combustion chamber housing and of the housing receptacle in order to inflate a gas bag,

wherein at least one indentation is formed on the combustion chamber housing and/or on the housing receptacle in such a way that an expansion space is defined in an area of the indentation between the outer surface of the combustion chamber housing and the inner surface of the housing receptacle, the expansion space, upon arranging the combustion chamber housing in the housing receptacle and by deformation of a section of the combustion chamber housing, is at least partially filled with material from said section of the combustion chamber housing,

wherein several indentations spaced apart from each other are provided which in each case define an expansion space into which one section of the combustion chamber housing is respectively deformable.

18. A combustion chamber unit for an airbag module of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a combustion chamber housing enclosing a combustion chamber; and

a housing receptacle in which the combustion chamber housing is to be arranged in such a way that the combustion chamber housing extends with its outer surface along an inner surface of the housing receptacle, wherein discharge regions are provided in the combustion chamber housing and in the housing receptacle, the discharge regions, by the arrangement of the combustion chamber housing in the housing receptacle are spatially associated with one another in such a way that gas generated in the combustion chamber can discharge through the discharge regions of the combustion chamber housing and of the housing receptacle in order to inflate a gas bag,

wherein the combustion chamber housing is inserted into the housing receptacle along a longitudinal axis of the housing receptacle,

wherein at least one indentation is formed on the combustion chamber housing and/or on the housing receptacle in such a way that an expansion space is defined in an area of the indentation between the outer surface of the combustion chamber housing and the inner surface of the housing receptacle, the expansion space, upon arranging the combustion chamber housing in the housing receptacle and by deformation of a section of the combustion chamber housing, is at least partially filled with material from said section of the combustion chamber housing, and

wherein upon insertion of the combustion chamber housing into the housing receptacle, the inner surface of the housing receptacle exerts a force on the outer surface of the combustion chamber housing inwards in a radial direction with respect to a longitudinal axis so that said section of the combustion chamber housing is deformed into the expansion space in the radial direction.