Housing structure for gas generating system

• US 9,914,425 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2015
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition, LLC
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Quioc, Eduardo L., Cole, Bryan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Condra, Darlene P
• Application Number:
  US14/590,939
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26076 characterised by casing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2648 comprising a plurality of combustion chambers or sub-chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/264 using instantaneous generation of gas, e.g. pyrotechnic B60R21/268 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder
• CPC Class Codes: C06D 5/00 Generation of pressure gas, e.g. for blasting cartridges, starting cartridges, rockets explosive compositions containing an oxidizer, fuels for rocket engines intended for reaction with an oxidant other than air C06B

Abstract

A sub-assembly for a housing of a gas generating system is provided. The sub-assembly includes a housing portion and an insert attached to the housing portion such that at least a portion of a force applied to one of the housing portion and the attached insert is transferred through the attachment to the other one of the housing portion and the attached insert. A housing, a gas generating system, and a vehicle occupant protection system incorporating the sub-assembly are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A sub-assembly for a housing of a gas generating system, comprising:

an outer housing portion including a first portion, a first opening formed in the first portion, and a wall extending from a circumference of the outer housing portion first portion in a first direction, the outer housing portion first portion and wall defining a first receptacle opening from the first portion in the first direction; and

an insert including a first portion, a second opening formed in the insert first portion, and a wall extending from a circumference of the insert first portion in the first direction, the insert first portion and wall defining another receptacle opening from the insert first portion in the first direction, the insert first portion being attached directly to the outer housing portion first portion such that at least a portion of a force applied to the outer housing portion first portion is transferred through the attachment to the insert first portion,

and such that the first and second openings are aligned so as to enable insertion of a portion of an initiator assembly through the first and second openings, wherein no part of the insert extends past the outer housing portion first portion in a second direction opposite the first direction, and, wherein the insert contacts the outer housing portion only at said first portion of said outer housing portion.

2. The sub-assembly of claim 1 wherein the direct attachment between the insert first portion and the outer housing first portion is spaced apart from an edge of the first opening.

3. A gas generating system comprising a sub-assembly according to claim 1 and a second housing portion attached to the outer housing portion so as to form a gas-tight seal therebetween, the second housing portion including a first portion and a wall extending from a circumference of the second housing first portion in the second direction, the second housing portion first portion and second housing portion wall defining a receptacle opening from the second housing portion first portion in the second direction.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising a second insert attached to the second housing portion, the second insert including a first portion and a non-perforated wall extending from a circumference of the second insert first portion in the second direction, the second insert first portion and second insert wall defining another receptacle opening from the second insert first portion in the second direction, the second insert first portion being attached directly to the second housing portion first portion such that at least a portion of a force applied to the second housing portion first portion is transferred through the attachment to the second insert first portion,

wherein said second housing wall has at least one gas exit aperture formed therealong.

5. The sub-assembly of claim 1 wherein both the outer housing first portion and the insert first portion are flat.

9. The sub-assembly of claim 4 wherein the non-perforated insert wall extends opposite the at least one gas exit aperture, so as to form a gas flow passage between the non-perforated insert wall and the second housing portion wall.

6. A sub-assembly for a housing of a gas generating system, comprising:

an outer housing portion including a first portion and a wall extending from a circumference of the first portion in a first direction, the outer housing portion first portion and wall defining a first receptacle opening opposing the outer housing portion first portion in the first direction, the outer housing portion wall including at least one gas exit aperture formed therealong; and

an insert including a first portion and a non-perforated wall extending from a circumference of the first portion in the first direction, the insert first portion and non-perforated wall defining a second receptacle opening opposing the insert first portion in the first direction, the insert first portion being attached directly to the outer housing portion first portion such that at least a portion of a force applied to the outer housing portion first portion is transferred through the attachment to the insert first portion;

wherein an end of the non-perforated insert wall opposite the insert first portion is positioned at a first distance from the outer housing first portion, wherein the at least one gas exit aperture is positioned at a second distance from the outer housing portion first portion, and wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

7. The sub-assembly of claim 6 wherein the insert first portion is welded directly to the outer housing portion first portion prior to attachment of the outer housing portion to another element of the gas generating system.

8. A vehicle occupant protection system comprising a gas generating system including a sub-assembly in accordance with claim 6, and an airbag module operatively coupled to the gas generating system.

10. The sub-assembly of claim 6 wherein the direct attachment between the insert first portion and the outer housing portion first portion is a weld.

11. The sub-assembly of claim 6 further comprising a second housing portion including a first portion, a first opening formed in the first portion, and a wall extending from a circumference of the second housing portion first portion in a second direction opposite the first direction, the second housing portion first portion and wall defining a third receptacle opening from the second housing portion first portion in the second direction;

and

a second insert including a first portion, a second opening formed in the second insert first portion, and a wall extending from a circumference of the second insert first portion in the second direction, the second insert first portion being attached directly to the second housing portion first portion such that at least a portion of a force applied to the second housing portion first portion is transferred through the attachment to the second insert first portion, and such that the first and second openings are aligned so as to enable insertion of a portion of an initiator assembly through the first and second openings.

12. A sub-assembly for a housing of a gas generating system, comprising:

an outer housing portion including a first portion and a wall extending from a circumference of the first portion in a first direction, the outer housing portion first portion and wall defining a first receptacle opening opposing the outer housing portion first portion in the first direction, the outer housing portion wall including at least one gas exit aperture formed therealong;

a first insert including a first portion and a wall extending from a circumference of the first portion in the first direction, the first insert first portion and wall defining a second receptacle opening opposing the first insert first portion in the first direction, the first insert first portion being attached directly to the outer housing portion first portion such that at least a portion of a force applied to the outer housing portion first portion is transferred through the attachment to the first insert first portion;

a second housing portion including a first portion, a first opening formed in the first portion, and a wall extending from a circumference of the second housing portion first portion in a second direction opposite the first direction, the second housing portion first portion and wall defining a third receptacle opening from the second housing portion first portion in the second direction; and

a second insert including a first portion, a second opening formed in the second insert first portion, and a wall extending from a circumference of the second insert first portion in the second direction, the second insert first portion being attached directly to the second housing portion first portion such that at least a portion of a force applied to the second housing portion first portion is transferred through the attachment to the second insert first portion, and such that the first and second openings are aligned so as to enable insertion of a portion of an initiator assembly through the first and second openings,

wherein the first insert contacts the outer housing portion only at said first portion of said outer housing portion, and, wherein the second insert contacts the second housing portion only at said first portion of said second housing portion.

13. The sub-assembly of claim 12 wherein the first insert first portion is welded directly to the outer housing portion first portion prior to attachment of the outer housing portion to another element of the gas generating system.

14. A vehicle occupant protection system comprising a gas generating system including a sub-assembly in accordance with claim 12, and an airbag module operatively coupled to the gas generating system.

15. The sub-assembly of claim 12 wherein the first insert wall extends opposite the at least one gas exit aperture, so as to form a gas flow passage between the first insert wall and the outer housing portion wall.

16. The sub-assembly of claim 15 wherein the first insert first portion is welded directly to a cap first portion prior to attachment of the cap to another element of the gas generating system.

17. The sub-assembly of claim 15 wherein the direct attachment between the first insert first portion and the outer housing portion first portion is a weld.

18. The sub-assembly of claim 12 wherein an end of the first insert wall opposite the first insert first portion is positioned at a first distance from the outer housing first portion, wherein the at least one gas exit aperture is positioned at a second distance from the outer housing portion first portion, and wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

19. A sub-assembly for a housing of a gas generating system, comprising:

an outer housing portion including a first portion, a first opening formed in the first portion, and a wall extending from a circumference of the outer housing first portion in a first direction, the outer housing portion first portion and wall defining a first receptacle opening from the first portion in the first direction; and

an insert including a first portion, a second opening formed in the insert first portion, and a wall extending from a circumference of the insert first portion in the first direction, the insert first portion and wall defining another receptacle opening from the insert first portion in the first direction, the insert first portion being attached directly to the outer housing portion first portion such that at least a portion of a force applied to the outer housing portion first portion is transferred through the attachment to the insert first portion,

and such that inner edges of each of the first and second openings are aligned so as to enable insertion of a portion of an initiator assembly through the first and second openings, wherein the direct attachment between the insert first portion and the outer housing first portion is spaced apart from an edge of the first opening.

20. A sub-assembly for a housing of a gas generating system, comprising:

an outer housing portion including a first portion, a first opening formed in the first portion, and a wall extending from a circumference of the outer housing first portion in a first direction, the outer housing portion first portion and wall defining a first receptacle opening from the first portion in the first direction; and

an insert including a first portion, a second opening formed in the insert first portion, and a wall extending from a circumference of the insert first portion in the first direction, the insert first portion and wall defining another receptacle opening from the insert first portion in the first direction, the insert first portion being attached directly to the outer housing portion first portion such that at least a portion of a force applied to the outer housing portion first portion is transferred through the attachment to the insert first portion,

and such that the first and second openings are aligned so as to enable insertion of a portion of an initiator assembly through the first and second openings, wherein both the outer housing first portion and the insert first portion are flat,

wherein the insert contacts the outer housing portion only at said first portion of said outer housing portion.