Airbag inflator mounting apparatus, methods, and systems

• US 9,216,710 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2014
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Smith, Bradley W., Jordan, Michael P., Williams, Jeffrey D., Hatfield, Mark Sherman
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Condra, Darlene P
• Application Number:
  US14/260,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20150307050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and systems for coupling an airbag inflator with a housing, such as an airbag module housing or an adapter housing configured to be coupled with an airbag module housing. In some implementations, a housing comprising an opening may be provided. An inflator comprising a collar may be positioned in the housing such that the collar of the inflator extends into, or in some cases through, the opening of the housing. The inflator may be fixedly coupled with the housing by engaging an exterior surface of the inflator collar with at least one engagement structure, such as a retainer clip or crimp formed in a collar sleeve of the housing.

Claims

1. A method for assembling a vehicle airbag assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a housing comprising an opening;

providing an inflator comprising a collar, wherein the collar comprises an exterior surface;

positioning the collar of the inflator into the opening of the housing such that at least a portion of the exterior surface of the collar is adjacent to a portion of the housing defining the opening; and

coupling the inflator with the housing by engaging the exterior surface of the collar with at least one engagement structure such that the engagement structure directly engages the collar and such that the engagement structure directly engages the housing to secure the inflator to the housing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an airbag module housing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the collar comprises a groove, wherein the engagement structure comprises a locking ring, and wherein the step of coupling the inflator with the housing comprises positioning the locking ring in the groove.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the collar further comprises a second groove, and wherein the step of coupling the inflator with the housing further comprises positioning a second locking ring in the second groove such that a portion of the housing is sandwiched between the locking ring and the second locking ring.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an adapter housing configured to facilitate coupling of a flangeless inflator to an airbag module housing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the collar comprises at least one collar engagement structure, and wherein the step of coupling the inflator with the housing comprises engaging the at least one collar engagement structure with the at least one engagement structure.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the opening of the housing is at least partially defined by a collar sleeve configured to receive the collar of the inflator, and wherein the step of coupling the inflator with the housing comprises forming a crimp in the collar sleeve to engage the collar.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the collar comprises a crimp groove configured to receive the crimp formed in the collar sleeve, and wherein the step of coupling the inflator with the housing comprises forming a crimp in the collar sleeve that engages the crimp groove.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the inflator comprises an initiator, and wherein the initiator is at least partially housed within the collar.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one engagement structure comprises a retainer clip, and wherein the step of coupling the inflator with the housing comprises engaging the retainer clip with the collar to prevent the collar from being withdrawn from the opening.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of coupling the inflator with the housing comprises coupling the inflator with the housing without rotating the inflator with respect to the housing.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the engagement structure comprises a crimp cap comprising a crimp cap collar and a crimp cap flange, and wherein the step of coupling the inflator with the housing comprises:

inserting the collar of the inflator into the crimp cap collar such that the crimp cap flange is positioned against the housing; and

crimping the crimp cap collar to the collar of the inflator to couple the inflator with the housing.

13. A vehicle airbag assembly, comprising:

an airbag module housing comprising an opening, wherein the airbag module housing comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface opposite from the interior surface;

an airbag cushion positioned within the interior surface of the airbag module housing;

an inflator comprising a collar configured to be received in the opening, wherein the collar is configured to extend at least partially through the opening such that at least a portion of the collar extends out of the opening and is positioned adjacent to the exterior surface of the airbag module housing; and

a retainer clip configured to engage the at least a portion of the collar extending out of the opening to prevent the collar from being withdrawn from the opening after the collar has been positioned such that at least a portion of the collar extends out of the opening, and such that the retainer clip engages the exterior surface of the airbag module housing.

14. The vehicle airbag assembly of claim 13, wherein the inflator comprises an initiator, and wherein the initiator is at least partially housed within the collar.

15. The vehicle airbag assembly of claim 13, wherein the retainer clip comprises at least two legs, and wherein the collar comprises at least one slot configured to receive at least a portion of at least one of the legs.

16. The vehicle airbag assembly of claim 15, wherein the collar comprises two opposing slots configured to receive two opposing legs of the retainer clip to prevent the collar from being withdrawn from the opening.

17. The vehicle airbag assembly of claim 13, wherein the retainer clip is configured to resiliently bias the collar with respect to the airbag module housing to prevent the collar from being withdrawn from the opening.

18. The vehicle airbag assembly of claim 17, wherein the retainer clip comprises an offset portion configured to contact a portion of the airbag module housing adjacent to the opening when the retainer clip is engaged with the collar such that at least a portion of the retainer clip adjacent to the offset portion is spaced apart from a portion of the airbag module housing adjacent to the opening when the retainer clip is engaged with the collar.

19. The vehicle airbag assembly of claim 13, wherein the collar comprises a projection, and wherein the opening of the airbag module housing comprises a notch configured to receive the projection to align the collar within the opening in a preconfigured rotational position.

20. The vehicle airbag assembly of claim 13, wherein the inflator comprises a composite fiber overwrap.

21. The vehicle airbag assembly of claim 13, wherein the retainer clip is configured to engage the collar along a first portion of the retainer clip and to engage the housing along a second portion of the retainer clip.

22. A vehicle airbag assembly, comprising:

a housing comprising an opening at least partially defined by a collar sleeve, wherein the housing comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface opposite from the interior surface;

an airbag cushion coupled with the housing and positioned adjacent to the interior surface of the housing; and

an inflator comprising an inflator collar configured to be received in the opening and to extend into the collar sleeve, wherein the inflator collar comprises at least one crimping feature configured to facilitate fixed engagement between the inflator collar and the collar sleeve, and wherein the collar sleeve is directly coupled to the inflator collar at the at least one crimping feature without the airbag cushion being positioned between the collar sleeve and the inflator collar.

23. The vehicle airbag assembly of claim 22, further comprising an airbag module housing, wherein the inflator comprises a flangeless inflator, and wherein the housing comprises an adapter housing configured to facilitate coupling of the flangeless inflator to the airbag module housing.

24. The vehicle airbag assembly of claim 22, wherein the inflator comprises a composite fiber overwrap.

25. The vehicle airbag assembly of claim 22, wherein the collar sleeve comprises a poka yoke feature, and wherein the inflator collar comprises a corresponding poka yoke feature configured to facilitate engagement of the inflator collar within the collar sleeve in a preconfigured rotational position.

26. The vehicle airbag assembly of claim 22, wherein the at least one crimping feature comprises a crimp groove configured to engage a crimp formed in the collar sleeve.

27. The vehicle airbag assembly of claim 22, wherein the housing is configured such that, upon engagement of the inflator with the housing, at least one air gap is formed between the inflator and the housing.

28. The vehicle airbag assembly of claim 27, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of ribs formed within an inner surface of the housing configured to contact the inflator such that a plurality of air gaps are formed between the inflator and the housing in between the ribs.

29. The vehicle airbag assembly of claim 22, wherein the at least one crimping feature is configured to facilitate fixed engagement between the inflator collar and the collar sleeve without requiring any additional locking components or elements to accomplish the fixed engagement.