Aspirating/venting motor vehicle passenger airbag module

• US 5,286,054 A
• Filed: 01/27/1992
• Issued: 02/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Talley Automotive Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Talley Automotive Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Cuevas, Jess
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, David M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DICKSON, PAUL N
• Application Number:
  US07/826,015
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728, 280/730, 280/731, 280/732, 280/736, 280/738, 280/739, 280/740, 280/741, 280/742
• US Class Current: 280/738
• 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
• 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 21/30 with means to draw ambient air into the flow line and mix such air with the inflation fluid

Abstract

A modularized aspirating/venting motor vehicle passenger passive restraint assembly. A first embodiment utilizes two separate inflator units lockingly engaged within a stamped mounting plate which, in turn, is installed within an outer base plate. Both plates comprise a lower depending skirt portion defining an aperture through a lower portion of the corresponding plate. These apertures are located in substantially vertical alignment when the mounting plate is seated within the base plate. An elongated conduit permits a reciprocal fluid flow between the interior of the module and the ambient atmosphere. A first end of the conduit is inserted through the corresponding apertures in the base plate and mounting plate to a location adjacent the inflator units and secured therein by magnaforming the overlapping skirt portions into a groove on the conduit'"'"'s outer surface. A second end of the conduit extends through an inner structural wall of the vehicle to a location outside of the passenger compartment. A second embodiment of the invention utilizes a single linear, bilateral inflator device having first and second combustion chambers secured at opposite end thereof to a central T-shaped support. The lower leg of the support is grooved to facilitate sealing the inflator to the base plate by magnaforming the base plate skirt into the groove. No mounting plate is required. The elongated conduit is releasably attached to a terminal end of the lower support leg by a fitting and extends out of the vehicle passenger compartment to permit fluid communication with the ambient atmosphere.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle passenger passive restraint module comprising:

(a) a base plate member;

(b) first and second inflator means for producing a sufficient amount of gaseous combustion product to substantially deploy expandable air cushion means operatively associated therewith within an interval between a primary collision involving a motor vehicle with an object external thereto and a secondary collision between a passenger within the motor vehicle and an interior portion of the motor vehicle, said first and said second inflator means being mounted within said base plate member, said first inflator means including a first inflator housing and a first combustion chamber therein, said second inflator means including a second inflator housing and a second combustion chamber therein, said first inflator housing being spaced from said second inflator housing;

(c) expandable air cushion means secured within said base plate member, said air cushion means adapted to be substantially inflated by said first and second inflator means upon actuation thereof to prevent said secondary collision between the passenger and the interior portion of the motor vehicle; and

(d) means secured to said base plate member in fluid communication with said first and second inflator means for permitting a reciprocal fluid flow between an interior portion of said expandable air cushion means and the ambient atmosphere surrounding the vehicle;

said first and second inflator means and said reciprocal fluid flow means being maintained together in locking engagement with said base plate member.

2. The module of claim 1 wherein said base plate member is configured and adapted for installation within a dashboard portion of said vehicle by fastener means adapted for securing said member within said dashboard and wherein said member is fabricated from a relatively lightweight, corrosion-resistant, high tensile strength material.

3. The module of claim 2 wherein said relatively lightweight, corrosion-resistant, high tensile strength material is selected from a group consisting of aluminum, titanium and stainless steel.

4. The module of claim 3 wherein said base plate member comprises first skirt means formed integral with a lower portion thereof, said skirt means extending substantially perpendicularly from said lower portion and defining a first aperture within said base plate member configured and adapted for passage of at least a portion of said reciprocal fluid flow means.

5. The module of claim 1 wherein said expandable air cushion means is a motor vehicle passenger air bag, said air bag having means to facilitate locking engagement within said base plate member.

6. The module of claim 5 wherein said means to facilitate locking engagement of said air bag is a relatively flexible locking bead secured within a mouth portion of said air bag.

7. The module of claim 6 wherein said module further comprises mounting means for supporting and aligning said first and said second inflator means in horizontal spaced relation, said mounting means being sized for installation within said base plate member and adapted to secure said first and said second inflator means in operative association within said module.

8. The module of claim 7 wherein said mounting means comprises a stamped metal pan member formed of a relatively lightweight, corrosion-resistant, high-tensile strength material, said pan member comprising finger means adapted to form a structural seal with an outer surface of said first and said second inflator means.

9. The module of claim 8 wherein said base plate member comprises a first skirt means, said pan member comprises second skirt means formed integral with a lower base portion thereof and extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom, said first skirt means defining a first aperture, said second skirt means defining a second aperture within said pan member configured and adapted for passage of at least a portion of said reciprocal fluid flow means, said first and second apertures being maintained in a substantially vertical alignment upon installation of said mounting pan member within said base plate member.

10. The module of claim 9 wherein said air bag locking bead is trapped between said pan member and said base plate member such that said air bag is secured in surrounding relation to said first and said second inflator means upon formation of said module.

11. The module of claim 10 wherein said first inflator means is a magnaformed gas generator device, said magnaformed gas generator device comprising:

(a) a domed diffuser member having a first open end and a second closed end;

(b) a closure plate member sealing the open end of said diffuser member, thereby forming said first inflator housing;

(c) combustible gas generant material located within a interior portion of said first inflator;

(d) means for initiating combustion of said gas generant material, said initiating means positioned within said first inflator housing adjacent said gas generant material; and

(e) means within said first inflator housing for filtering said gaseous combustion product prior to its discharge from said first inflator housing, said filtering means circumferentially surrounding said gas generant material adjacent an inner wall portion of said first inflator housing and adapted for cooling the gas and removing substantially all particulate matter therefrom,

said open end of said diffuser member being magnaformed over an outer peripheral lip portion of said closure plate member to form a structural seal therebetween.

12. The module of claim 10 wherein at least one of said first and second inflator means is a rolled lip gas generator device, said rolled lip gas generator device comprising:

(a) a domed diffuser member, having a first open end and a second closed end;

(b) a closure plate member sealing the open end of said diffuser member, thereby forming one of said first and second inflator housings;

(c) combustible gas generant material within an interior portion of said one of said first and second inflator housings;

(d) means for initiating combustion of said gas generant material, said initiating means positioned within said one of said first and second inflator housings adjacent said gas generant material;

(e) means within said one of said first and second inflator housings for filtering said gaseous combustion product prior to its discharge from said one of said first and second inflator housings, said filtering means circumferentially surrounding said gas generant material adjacent an inner wall portion of said one of said first and second inflator housings, and adapted for cooling gas and removing substantially all particulate matter therefrom,

said open end of said diffuser member being rolled at an angle of about 180°

over an outer peripheral edge portion of said closure plate member toward a bottom surface of said closure plate member to form a rolled lip, said rolled lip creating a non-welded structural seal between said diffuser member and said closure plate member, and

(f) mean located external to said one of said first and second inflator housings for locking a peripheral circumferential skirt portion of said diffuser member at said open end against a bottom surface of said closure plate member to reinforce said non-welded seal between said closure plate member and said diffuser member.

13. The module of claim 11 wherein said first inflator housing further comprises an arcuate surface extending along at least a portion of an exterior peripheral surface thereof, said arcuate surface having a relatively greater diameter than a remaining portion of said first inflator housing and wherein said surface is configured and adapted to facilitate formation of a structural seal with said finger means on said pan member.

14. The module of claim 13 wherein said arcuate surface is a rounded shoulder located upon a portion of said first inflator housing wherein said diffuser member overlaps said closure plate member.

15. The module of claim 14 wherein said finger means comprises a rounded upper peripheral edge portion of said pan member, said structural seal being formed by magnaforming said finger means against said rounded shoulder upon said first inflator housing.

16. The module of claim 15 wherein said first inflator housing is fabricated from a relatively lightweight, corrosionresistant, high tensile strength material.

17. The module of claim 16 wherein said reciprocal fluid flow means comprises an elongated conduit having a first end and a second end, said first end configured and adapted to extend through said first and said second apertures in, respectively, said base plate member and said pan member to a location adjacent said first and second inflator means and secured within said module by a structural seal formed between said conduit and, respectively, said second and said first skirt means.

18. The module of claim 17 wherein said first end of said conduit is grooved along at least a portion of an outer surface thereof and said structural seal is created by substantially simultaneously magnaforming said second and said first skirt means into said groove.

19. The module of claim 18 wherein said conduit is formed from a material selected from an engineering thermoplastic and a lightweight, corrosion-resistant, high tensile strength metal.

20. The module of claim 19 wherein said second end of said conduit extends out of a passenger compartment of said vehicle through an aperture defined within an inner surface of said vehicle.

21. The module of claim 20 which further comprises at least one sheet of a dense fibrous material at a location above said first and said second inflator means within said air bag, said fibrous material adapted to inhibit passage therethrough of substantially all molten particulates produced upon actuation of said inflator means to prevent said particulates from burning through said bag.

22. A motor vehicle passenger passive restraint module for preventing, in the event of a primary collision involving said vehicle, the occurrence of a secondary impact between a passenger within said vehicle and a solid interior surface thereof, said module comprising:

(a) a base plate member configured and adapted for installation within a dashboard portion of a motor vehicle by fastener means adapted for securing said plate within said dashboard, said member being formed from a relatively lightweight, corrosion-resistant, high-tensile strength material and comprising first skirt means formed integrally with a lower portion thereof, said first skirt means extending substantially perpendicular to said lower portion and defining a first aperture within said base plate member adapted for passage of at least a portion of means configured and adapted to permit a reciprocal fluid flow between an inner portion of said module and the ambient atmosphere surrounding said vehicle;

(b) a stamped metal mounting pan member for supporting and aligning a first and a second magnaformed inflator device in horizontal spaced relation, said mounting pan member configured and adapted for installation within said base plate member so as to secure said first and said second inflator devices within said module, said mounting pan member comprising, along an upper peripheral edge portion thereof, finger means adapted for locking engagement with an outer surface of said first and second inflator devices and further comprising second skirt means formed integrally with a lower portion thereof, said second skirt means extending substantially perpendicularly to said lower portion and defining a second aperture within said mounting pan member adapted for passage of at least a portion of said reciprocal fluid flow means, said first and said second apertures being maintained in substantially vertical alignment upon installation of said mounting pan member within said base plate;

(c) first and second magnaformed inflator devices lockingly engaged within said mounting pan member by a structural seal formed therewith, wherein each said magnaformed inflator device comprises

(1) a domed diffuser member having a first open end and a second closed end;

(2) a closure plate member sealing the open end of said diffuser member, thereby forming an inflator housing;

(3) a sufficient amount of a combustible gas generant material located within an interior portion of said housing to produce, upon combustion thereof, a volume of a gaseous product sufficient to substantially inflate said passenger air bag within about 30-60 milliseconds;

(4) means for initiating combustion of said gas generant material, said initiating means positioned within said housing adjacent said gas generant; and

(5) means within said housing for filtering said gaseous combustion product prior to its discharge from the inflator housing, said filtering means circumferentially surrounding said gas generant material adjacent an inner wall portion of said housing and adapted for cooling said gas and removing substantially all particulate matter therefrom,

wherein said open end of said diffuser is magnaformed over an outer peripheral lip portion of said closure plate member to form a structural seal therebetween, and further wherein said inflator devices are lockingly engaged within said mounting pan member by magnaforming said finger means located thereupon against a rounded shoulder located upon at least a portion of said inflator housing wherein said diffuser member overlaps said closure plate member;

(d) a motor vehicle passenger air bag comprising a relatively flexible locking bead secured within a mouth portion thereof, said air bag being secured within said module in surrounding relation to said first and said second magnaformed inflator devices by trapping said locking bead between said base plate member and said stamped metal mounting pan member upon formation of said module; and

(e) an elongated conduit member formed from a material selected from an engineering thermoplastic and a lightweight, corrosion-resistant high tensile strength material, said conduit member adapted to permit fluid communication between an inner portion of said passenger air bag and said ambient atmosphere surrounding said vehicle upon actuation of said magnaformed inflator devices and having a first end and a second end, said first end being grooved along at least a portion of an outer peripheral surface thereof and extending through said first and said second apertures in, respectively, said base plate member and said stamped metal mounting pan member to a location adjacent said first and said second magnaformed inflator devices, said conduit member secured within said module by a structural seal formed by magnaforming a portion of, respectively, said second and said first skirt means into said groove, and said conduit member extending out of a passenger compartment of said motor vehicle through an aperture defined within an inner structural surface of said vehicle.

23. A motor vehicle passenger passive restraint module for preventing, in the event of a primary collision involving said vehicle, the occurrence of a secondary impact between a passenger within said vehicle and a solid interior surface thereof, said module comprising:

(a) a base plate member configured and adapted for installation within a dashboard portion of a motor vehicle by fastener means adapted for securing said plate within said dashboard, said member being formed from a relatively lightweight, corrosion-resistant, high-tensile strength material and comprising first skirt means formed integrally with a lower portion thereof, said first skirt means extending substantially perpendicular to said lower portion and defining a first aperture within said base plate member adapted for passage of at least a portion of means configured and adapted to permit a reciprocal fluid flow between an inner portion of said module and the ambient atmosphere surrounding said vehicle;

(b) a stamped metal mounting pan member for supporting and aligning a first and a second rolled lip inflator device in horizontal spaced relation, said mounting pan member configured and adapted for installation within said base plate member so as to secure said first and said second inflator devices within said module, said mounting pan member comprising, along an upper peripheral edge portion thereof, finger means adapted for locking engagement with an outer surface of said first and second inflator devices and further comprising second skirt means formed integrally with a lower portion thereof, said second skirt means extending substantially perpendicularly to said lower portion and defining a second aperture within said mounting pan member adapted for passage of at least a portion of said reciprocal fluid flow means, said first and said second apertures being maintained in substantially vertical alignment upon installation of said mounting pan member within said base plate;

(c) first and second rolled lip inflator devices lockingly engaged within said mounting pan member by a structural seal formed therewith, wherein each said rolled lip inflator device comprises

(1) a domed diffuser member, having a first open end and a second closed end;

(2) a closure plate member sealing the open end of said diffuser member, thereby forming an inflator housing;

(3) a sufficient amount of a combustible gas generant material within an interior portion of said housing to produce, upon ignition thereof, a volume of a gaseous product sufficient to substantially inflate an automobile air bag within about 30-60 milliseconds;

(4) means for initiating combustion of said gas generant material, said initiating means positioned within said housing adjacent said gas generant;

(5) means within said housing for filtering said gaseous combustion product prior to its discharge from the inflator housing, said filtering means circumferentially surrounding said gas generant material adjacent an inner wall portion of said housing, and adapted for cooling said gas and removing substantially all particulate matter therefrom,

said open end of said diffuser member being rolled at an angle of about 180°

over an outer peripheral edge portion of said closure plate member toward a bottom surface of said closure plate member to form a rolled lip, said rolled lip creating a non-welded structural seal between said members, and

(6) means located external to said housing for locking a peripheral circumferential skirt portion of said diffuser member at said open end against a bottom surface of said closure plate member to reinforce said non-welded seal between said closure plate member and said diffuser member,

wherein said rolled lip inflator devices are lockingly engaged within said mounting pan member by magnaforming said finger means located thereupon against a rounded shoulder located upon at least a portion of said inflator housing wherein said diffuser member overlaps said closure plate member.

24. A motor vehicle passenger passive restraint module for preventing, in the event of a primary collision involving said vehicle, the occurrence of a secondary impact between a passenger within said vehicle and a solid interior surface thereof, said module comprising:

(a) a base plate member configured and adapted for installation within a dashboard portion of a motor vehicle by fastener means adapted for securing said plate within said dashboard, said member being formed from a relatively lightweight, corrosion-resistant, high-tensile strength material and comprising first skirt means formed integrally with a lower portion thereof, said first skirt means extending substantially perpendicular to said lower portion and defining an aperture within said base plate member adapted for passage of means configured and adapted to permit a reciprocal fluid flow between an inner portion of said module;

(b) a linear, bilateral inflator device installed within said base plate and secured thereto by a first structural seal formed therebetween, said inflator device comprising

1) first and second combustion chambers positioned substantially horizontally at, respectively, a first end and a second end of said inflator, each said combustion chamber comprising

i) a cylindrically shaped propellant chamber extending along substantially an entire inner longitudinal axis of said combustion chamber and communicating, through a first inner end of said chamber in contact relation with a central support member of said inflator device, with a similarly disposed propellant chamber in an other one of said combustion chambers such that, upon actuation of ignition means for initiating combustion of a pyrotechnic gas-generating composition stored therein, said pyrotechnic gas-generating composition in both said first and said second combustion chambers is ignited substantially simultaneously;

ii) an anularly shaped filtration chamber disposed outwardly adjacent said cylindrical propellant chamber and positioned in substantially circumjacent relation thereto, said filtration chamber comprising a plurality of means for cooling and filtering said gaseous combustion products produced upon ignition of said pyrotechnic gas-generating composition;

iii) a cylindrical outer wall portion, substantially surrounding said annular filtration chamber along a longitudinal axis thereof, said wall portion being adapted to form an outer housing of said combustion chamber; and

iv) an end cap member for sealing a second outer peripheral end of said combustion chamber, said cap member being secured within said cylindrical outer wall portion by a second structural seal formed therebetween, said second structural seal created by magnaforming a portion of said cylindrical outer wall into a grooved outer surface of said end cap member;

2) a T-shaped central support member located between said first and said second combustion chambers, said support member having first and second opposed grooved sides and secured, at said first side thereof, to said first inner end of said first combustion chamber and, at a said second side thereof, to said first inner end of said second combustion chamber, by, respectively, a third and a fourth gas-tight structural seal formed therebetween, said third and fourth gas-tight seals being created by magnaforming a portion of said cylindrical outer wall of, respectively, said first and said second combustion chamber into a corresponding one of said first and second grooved sides of said inflator support member, said support member further comprising a tubular stem portion projecting at least partially through said aperture in said base plate member and aligned substantially perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of said first and said second combustion chambers, said stem portion being grooved along an outer wall surface thereof to facilitate formation of said first structural seal between said base plate member and said inflator device and having installed therein an electrically activated squib for initiating combustion of said pyrotechnic gas-generating composition stored in both said first and said second combustion chambers,

said first structural seal being created by magnaforming at least a portion of said skirt upon said base plate member into said groove on said tubular stem portion of said inflator device;

(c) a motor vehicle passenger air bag comprising a relatively flexible locking bead within a mouth portion thereof, said air bag being secured within said base plate member in surrounding relation to said linear bilateral inflator device by trapping said locking bead between said inflator device and said base plate member; and

(d) an elongated conduit member having a first end and a second end, said first end being releasably coupled to a terminal portion of said tubular stem and said second end extending out of a passenger compartment of said vehicle through an aperture defined by an inner structural surface of said vehicle,

wherein a first one of said first and said second combustion chambers is adapted to contain a greater amount of said pyrotechnic gas-generating composition relative to a second one of said chambers and wherein the gaseous combustion products produced by said combustion chamber having said greater amount of said composition is directed towards an upper portion of said expandable passenger air bag while the combustion products produced by the remaining combustion chamber, containing a relatively lesser amount of said composition, is directed towards a lower portion of said bag, so as to provide at least two zones of differential gas pressure within said bag upon actuation of said inflator device, wherein a lower portion of said bag is relatively less pressurized than an upper portion thereof.

25. A motor vehicle passenger passive restraint module comprising:

(a) a base plate member;

(b) first and second inflator means for producing a sufficient amount of gaseous combustion product to substantially deploy expandable air cushion means operatively associated therewith within an interval between a primary collision involving a motor vehicle with an object external thereto and a secondary collision between a passenger within the motor vehicle and an interior portion of the motor vehicle, said first and said second inflator means being mounted within said base plate member, said first inflator means including a first inflator housing with a first combustion chamber therein and a first diffuser means, said second inflator means including a second inflator housing with a second combustion chamber therein and a second diffuser means;

(c) expandable air cushion means secured within said base plate member, said air cushion means adapted to be substantially inflated by said first and second inflator means upon actuation thereof to prevent said secondary collision between the passenger and the interior portion of the motor vehicle; and

(d) means secured to said base plate member in fluid communication with said first and second inflator means for permitting a reciprocal fluid flow between an interior portion of said expandable air cushion means and the ambient atmosphere surrounding the vehicle, said first and second inflator means being located such that the reciprocal fluid flow is permitted to move through an area located between said first and second diffuser means,

said first and second inflator means and said reciprocal fluid flow means being maintained together in locking engagement with said base plate member.

26. The module of claim 25 wherein said expandable air cushion means is a motor vehicle passenger air bag, said air bag having means to facilitate locking engagement within said base plate member, said means to facilitate locking engagement of said air bag including a relatively flexible locking bead secured with a mouth portion of said air bag;

said first and said second inflator means are joined in operative association within a linear bilateral inflator device installed within said base plate member and secured thereto by a first gas-tight structural seal, said first and second combustion chambers being positioned substantially horizontally at, respectively, a first end and a second end of said inflator device;

said inflator device having a T-shaped central support member located between said first and said second combustion chambers and secured, at a first side thereof, to said first combustion chamber and, at a second side thereof, to said second combustion chamber, said support member further comprising a tubular stem portion projecting substantially perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of said first and said second combustion chambers, said stem portion containing ignition means for initiating combustion of a pyrotechnic gas-generating composition stored in both said first and second combustion chambers;

wherein said first and said second combustion chamber are each adapted to supply differing amounts of a gaseous product, produced due to the combustion of said pyrotechnic gas-generating composition stored therein, so as to create at least two zones of differential pressure within said air bag.

27. The module of claim 26 wherein an outer wall portion of said tubular stem is grooved to facilitate formation of said first structural seal between said base plate member and said inflator device.

28. The module of claim 27 wherein said first structural seal is created by magnaforming at least a portion of said base plate member into said groove on said tubular stem portion of said inflator device.

29. The module of claim 28 which further comprises an elongated conduit member having a first end and a second end, said first end being releasably coupled to a terminal portion of said tubular stem and said second end extending out of a passenger compartment of laid vehicle through an aperture defined by an inner structural surface of said vehicle.

30. The module of claim 29 wherein said conduit is formed from a material selected from an engineering thermoplastic and a lightweight, corrosion-resistant, high tensile strength material.

31. The module of claim 26 wherein a first one of said first and said second combustion chambers contains a greater amount of said pyrotechnic gas generating composition relative to a second one of said chambers and wherein the gaseous product produced within said chamber having said relatively greater amount of said composition is directed toward a first zone of said passenger air bag while the gaseous product produced within the remaining one of said first and second chambers, containing a relatively lesser amount of said composition, is directed toward a second zone of said air bag.

32. The module of claim 31 wherein said first zone is located in an upper portion of said passenger air bag and said second zone is located in a lower portion of said air bag, such that said lower portion is relatively less pressurized than said upper portion of said air bag.

33. The module of claim 26 wherein said linear bilateral inflator device is fabricated from a relatively lightweight, corrosion-resistant, high tensile strength material.

34. The module of claim 33 wherein said relatively lightweight, corrosion-resistant, high tensile strength material is selected from among aluminum, titanium and stainless steel.

35. The module of claim 26 wherein said first and said second combustion chambers each comprise:

(a) a cylindrically shaped propellant chamber extending along substantially an entire inner longitudinal axis of said combustion chamber and communicating, through a first inner end of said chamber in contact relation with said central support member of said inflator device, with a similarly disposed propellant chamber in an other one of said combustion chambers such that, upon actuation of said ignition means, said pyrotechnic gas-generating composition in both said first and said second combustion chambers is ignited substantially simultaneously;

(b) an anularly shaped filtration chamber disposed outwardly adjacent said cylindrical propellant chamber and positioned in substantially circumjacent relation thereto, said filtration chamber comprising a plurality of means for cooling and filtering said gaseous combustion products produced upon ignition of said pyrotechnic gas-generating composition; and

(c) a cylindrical outer wall portion substantially surrounding said annular filtration chamber along a longitudinal axis thereof, said wall portion being adapted to form an outer housing of said combustion chamber, and

(d) an end cap member for sealing a second outer peripheral end of said combustion chamber, said cap member being secured within said cylindrical outer wall portion by a second structural seal formed therebetween, said second seal created by magnaforming a portion of said cylindrical outer wall into a grooved outer surface of said end cap member.

36. The module of claim 35 wherein said first and said second combustion chambers are each joined at their first inner end to, respectively, a first end and a second end of said central support member of said inflator device by, respectively, a third and a fourth structural seal, said third and fourth seals formed by magnaforming a portion of said cylindrical outer wall of each said combustion chamber to a corresponding grooved outer wall portion on said central support member.

37. The module of claim 35 wherein each said propellant chamber is defined by an inner cylindrical boundary wall which is trapped in place within said respective combustion chamber, said inner boundary wall being provided with a first set of diffuser ports providing fluid communication between said propellant chamber and said filtration chamber within each said combustion chamber.

38. The module of claim 37 wherein each said combustion chamber further comprises a second set of diffuser ports, defined by said wall comprising said outer housing of said chamber, said second set of diffuser ports providing fluid communication between said filtration chamber and an interior portion of said passenger air bag and further being aligned in at least one substantially linear row positioned substantially 180°

out of alignment with said first set of ports, such that the gaseous combustion product flowing out of said propellant chamber upon ignition of said pyrotechnic gas-generating composition, through said first set of diffuser ports, is directed in an arc of substantially 180°

through said filtration chamber prior to entering said air bag through said second set of diffuser ports in order in maximize a degree of cooling and filtration of said products thus obtained.

39. The module of claim 28 wherein said flexible locking bead within said air bag mouth portion is trapped between said base plate member and said inflator device upon formation of said first structural seal therebetween.