Inflator

• US 7,419,183 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2005
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited
• Inventors: Nakayasu, Masayuki, Katsuda, Nobuyuki, Tokuda, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming; Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US11/049,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20050189751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 280/736, 280/737, 280/740, 280/741
• US Class Current: 280/737
• 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 21/272 with means for increasing the pressure of the gas just before or during liberation, e.g. hybrid inflators

Abstract

Stud bolts 51, 52 are fixed by welding to the side faces of a first closure 30 and a second closure 40, which are connected to a cylindrical housing 20. When connecting a gas introduction port of the air bag to a diffuser portion 43, the stud bolts 51, 52 do not cause an obstruction, and hence the attachability of an inflator 10 to a module case using the stud bolts 51, 52 is not impaired.

Claims

1. An inflator, comprising:

a cylindrical housing having a first open end and a second open end;

a first closure attached to the first open end to close the first open end;

a second closure attached to the second open end to close the second open end, the second closure including a gas discharge hole and a flange portion extending outwardly;

ignition means accommodated inside the first closure; and

a first stud bolt welded directly to a side face of the flange portion.

2. The inflator according to claim 1, the side face of the flange portion, which makes contact with the first stud bolt during the welding, is substantially flat.

3. The inflator according to claim 1, wherein an end face of the first stud bolt that faces the flange portion is concaved, and the side face that makes contact with the first stud bolt is convexed, such that a concaved portion of the first stud bolt matches a convexed portion of the side surface.

4. The inflator according to claim 1, wherein an end face of the first stud bolt that faces the flange portion is convexed, and the side face that makes contact with the first stud bolt is concaved, such that a convexed portion of the first stud bolt matches a concaved portion of the side surface.

5. The inflator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pressurized gas charged into a sealed space surrounded by the cylindrical housing, the first closure, and the second closure.

14. The inflator according to claim 1, wherein the inflator is used as one of a curtain air bag inflator and a side air bag inflator.

15. The inflator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a bracket adapted to be attached to the first stud bolt.

16. The inflator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second stud bolt welded directly to a side surface of the first closure.

17. The inflator according to claim 16, wherein the first stud bolt and the second stud bolt are welded at positions located along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical housing substantially perpendicular to an axial direction of the cylindrical housing, and a bracket is adapted to be integrally attached to the first stud bolt and the second stud bolt simultaneously.

21. The inflator according to claim 17, wherein the first stud bolt and the second bolt extend in the same direction and in parallel to one another.

6. An inflator, comprising:

a cylindrical housing including a peripheral side wall with at least two portions having substantially the same thickness, the cylindrical housing defining a sealed space into which a pressurized gas is charged, and a gas outlet on one end face thereof for releasing the pressurized gas;

ignition means for opening the sealed space in the cylindrical housing and discharging the pressurized gas through the gas outlet; and

at least two stud bolts welded, from an outside of the cylindrical housing, directly to the at least two portions where the pressurized gas is charged.

7. The inflator according to claim 6, wherein the two portions of the cylindrical housing, which contact the at least two stud bolts during the welding, are substantially flat.

9. The inflator according to claim 6, further comprising:

a bracket adapted to be attached to the at least two stud bolts.

10. The inflator according to claim 9, wherein the at least two stud bolts are welded to the two portions located along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical housing substantially perpendicular to an axial direction of the cylindrical housing, and the bracket is adapted to be integrally attached to the at least two stud bolts simultaneously.

11. The inflator according to claim 6, wherein the at least two stud bolts are welded to the two portions located along an axial direction of the cylindrical housing.

12. The inflator according to claim 10, wherein the at least two stud bolts are separated by an angle of no more than 90°

.

13. The inflator according to claim 12, wherein the at least two stud bolts are separated by an angle of no more than 45°

.

18. The inflator according to claim 6, wherein, at least one of a protruding portion and a recessed portion is provided on at least one of the at least two stud bolts and said two portions where the at least two stub bolts abuts the two portions when welding.

19. The inflator according to claim 18, wherein the protruding portion is a concave portion formed at each of the at least two stud bolts and the recessed portion is a convex portion formed in each of the two portions.

20. The inflator according to claim 18, wherein the protruding portion is a concave portion formed in each of the two portions and the recessed portion is a convex portion formed at each end of the at least two stud bolts.

22. The inflator according to claim 6, wherein the inflator is used as one of a curtain air bag inflator and a side air bag inflator.

8. An inflator, comprising:

a cylindrical housing including a peripheral side wall with at least two portions having substantially the same thickness, the cylindrical housing defining a sealed space into which a pressurized gas is charged, and a gas outlet on one end face thereof for releasing the pressurized gas;

ignition means for opening the sealed space in the cylindrical housing and discharging the pressurized gas through the gas outlet; and

at least two stud bolts welded, from an outside of the cylindrical housing, directly to the at least two portions where the pressurized gas is charged,

wherein the two portions of the cylindrical housing, which contacts the at least two stud bolts during the welding, are curved, and an end face of each of the at least two stud bolts is provided with a protruding portion.