Pole member for a pyrotechnical igniter of an inflator, igniter, inflator and airbag module comprising said pole member

• US 9,455,519 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2014
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2013
• 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: Isenmann, Uta, Koller, Desiree, Esau, Anja
• Primary Examiner(s): HAYES, BRET C
• Application Number:
  US14/551,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20150171541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 102/202.5, 102/202.7, 102/202.8, 102/202.9, 102/202.11, 102/202.12, 102/275.11, 102/367, 102/370, 102/530, 102/531, 89/11.4, 280/728.1, 280/741
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26029 Ignitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/264 using instantaneous generation of gas, e.g. pyrotechnic B60R21/268 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/405 Securing in non-demountable manner, e.g. moulding, riveting
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5202 Sealing means between parts of housing or between housing part and a wall, e.g. sealing rings

Abstract

The invention relates to a pole member (11) as prefabricated subassembly for a pyrotechnical igniter (10), especially for an inflator comprising two electrically conductive contact pins (14) embedded in an injection-molded part (13), wherein a fixing member (20) for anchoring the pole member (11) in the inflator is embedded in the injection-molded part (13), wherein the contact pins (14) extend through a through-hole (21) of the fixing member (20) and wherein one or more sealing components (32) are formed or arranged in or on the fixing member (20). Furthermore, the invention relates to an igniter, an inflator and an airbag module comprising such pole member.

Claims

1. A prefabricated pole member subassembly for a pyrotechnical igniter of an inflator, the pole member comprising:

an injection-molded part having a first end for receiving an ignition member and a second end opposite the first end;

a fixing member embedded in the injection molded part for anchoring the pole member subassembly in the inflator, and

contact pins embedded in the injection-molded part, the contact pins having first end portions exposed at the first end of the injection-molded part, and second end portions exposed at the second end portion of the injection-molded part.

2. The pole member (11) according to claim 1, wherein the injection-molded part (13) includes a plastic material.

3. The pole member according to claim 2, wherein the plastic material includes at least one of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyphthalamide (PPA), and a plastic material cross-linked by irradiation.

4. The pole member (11) according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member (20) includes a metal.

5. An igniter (10) comprising the pole member (11) according to claim 1.

6. The igniter (10) according to claim 5, wherein the contact pins (14) are connected at the first end of the injection-molded part by a bridge wire (16) which extends through at least one of and adjacent to a pyrotechnical ignition material (17, 18), wherein the pyrotechnical ignition material (17, 18) is enclosed by a cap (19) which is connected to the first end of the injection-molded part.

7. An inflator comprising the igniter (10) according to claim 5.

8. The inflator according to claim 7, wherein the fixing member (20) for anchoring the pole member (11) and/or the igniter (10) in the inflator is connected to a casing (40) of the inflator by substance-to-substance bond.

9. The inflator according to claim 8, wherein the substance-to-substance bond is at least one of welding, form closure, and crimping.

10. The inflator according to claim 8, wherein the fixing member forms a spacer so that the injection molded part is arranged to be spaced apart from the casing of the inflator.

11. An airbag module comprising the inflator according to claim 7.

12. The pole member according to claim 1, wherein the contact pins include a corrugation that forms a fluid-tight connection between the contact pins and the injection-molded part.

13. The pole member according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member has a larger sectional diameter than the injection molded part.

14. The pole member according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member is in the form of a disk or a ring.

15. The pole member according to claim 1 further comprising one or more sealing components formed or arranged in or on the fixing member.

16. The pole member (11) according to claim 15, wherein the at least one sealing component (32) is formed on the fixing member (20) as an additional sealing element (33).

17. The pole member (11) according to claim 16, wherein the additional sealing element (33) is connected to the fixing member (20) by at least one of gluing and vulcanizing.

18. The pole member (11) according to claim 16 wherein the additional sealing element (33) includes an O-ring (39) which is disposed in a clamping groove (26) of the fixing member (20).

19. The pole member according to claim 16, wherein the additional sealing element is at least one of sealing film, shrink hose, fluid sealing material, and viscous sealing material.

20. The pole member (11) according to claim 15, wherein the at least one sealing component (32) is formed in the fixing member (20) by a geometric design of the fixing member (20).

21. The pole member according to claim 20, wherein the geometric design is at least one of a recess, an undercut, and a groove.

22. The pole member according to claim 15, wherein the fixing member includes a through-hole through which the contact pins extend.

23. The pole member (11) according to claim 22, wherein the at least one sealing component (32) is formed or arranged in or on at least one end face (23) of the fixing member (20) and extends through the through-hole (21) of the fixing member (20).

24. A pyrotechnical igniter for an inflator, the igniter comprising:

an injection-molded part having first and second opposite end portions,

a fixing member embedded in the injection molded part and being configured to be anchored to the inflator,

contact pins embedded in the injection-molded part, and

an ignition member secured to the first end of the injection-molded part, wherein the first end of the injection-molded part is configured so that the ignition member is fit over a radially outward facing surface of the first end of the injection-molded part.