Air bag module with oppositely aligned inflators

Details Air bag module with oppositely aligned inflators Air bag module with oppositely aligned inflators

2002-03-01

2003-12-30

English, Peter C. (Department: 3616)

Land vehicles

Wheeled

Attachment

C280S732000, C280S743200

Reexamination Certificate

active

06669226

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved air bag module comprising a housing, two opposingly mounted cylindrical inflators and a cooperating air bag. Additionally, the air bag can accommodate a tether that is formed as part of a one-piece neck or throat portion.
Reference is briefly made to
FIG. 1
, which illustrates a prior art passenger air bag module
20
comprising a housing
22
, manifold
24
, cylindrical inflator
26
and air bag
28
. The air bag includes an inflatable or cushion portion
30
and a neck portion
32
. The inflator
26
includes a plurality of exit ports
34
located at one end of the inflator body
36
. This construction is typical of hybrid inflators. In view of the asymmetry of the location of the exit ports, inflation gas flow is asymmetric, at least in relation to a longitudinal axis of the inflator. As known, a hybrid inflator includes a pressure chamber
38
for stored gas and will usually include one mounting fastener such as a threaded bolt-like fastener
40
at a remote end of the inflator. To achieve a more uniform distribution of the inflation gas, the inflator
26
can be received within a hollow diffuser
50
(also known as a manifold) which includes a plurality of more uniformly distributed exit ports
52
, which span the width of the neck
32
. The diffuser
50
includes a means for attaching it and the inflator to a support structure. This means may include fasteners
54
, which extend through openings
56
in the housing
22
. The housing and inflator are positioned within the neck portion
32
of the air bag
28
and are enveloped by a portion of the neck, which includes facing overlapping flaps
57
. The air bag is folded (not shown) and secured about the inflator and manifold. A subassembly comprising the manifold, inflator and folded air bag is inserted within the open mouth of the housing
22
.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an air bag module using asymmetrical flow inflators but where the resultant gas flow into the air bag is more uniform. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved air bag in which the neck portion includes a tether. In this embodiment the neck portion and the tether are made from a single piece of material.
Accordingly the invention comprises: An air bag system comprising: a housing/inflator assembly and an air bag assembly operatively linked to the housing/inflator assembly to receive inflation gas to inflate an air bag of the air bag assembly, the housing/inflator assembly comprising: a plurality of inflators, each inflator including at least one exit port near a first end thereof, each inflator having a respective opposite second end, the housing/inflator assembly further including: first means for mounting the inflators relative to one another with at least one exit port of one of the inflators positioned adjacent the second end of a second of the inflators and with the second end of the first inflator adjacent the exit port of the second inflator. Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description of the drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4153273 (1979-05-01), Risko
patent: 5209510 (1993-05-01), Mamiya
patent: 5992875 (1999-11-01), Cundill
patent: 6036222 (2000-03-01), Holmes et al.
patent: 11139241 (1999-05-01), None

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