Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-15
2001-12-11
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S740000, C280S741000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328336
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus mounted in a vehicle or the like for introducing a gas, at the time of collision of the vehicle, into an air bag for protecting a passenger or an occupant in the vehicle.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, in the gas generating apparatus for the air bag apparatus, an inert gas such as a compressed nitrogen gas or argon gas is used. However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 5-278554 discloses an apparatus which uses a combustible gas mixture. In this apparatus, the combustible gas mixture accommodated in a pressure container is ignited and burnt from its one end surface, and when the gas pressure is increased due to a rise of the temperature by combustion, the other end surface of the pressure container is broken by such a pressure, which allows the combustion gas to flow therefrom into the air bag to inflate the same.
However, in the initial state in which the combustible gas mixture is ignited in the conventional apparatus as disclosed in this Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 5-278554, among the entire gas in the pressure container, only gas at the side of the ignition is burnt, and gas at the side of the other end surface is prone not to be burnt. Therefore, it is difficult to promptly supply the gas into the air bag, and to effectively utilize the entire combustible gas mixture.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus in which a fluid mixture (which will be called as “combustion fluid mixture” hereinafter) generated after a combustible fluid mixture is burnt is effectively and swiftly fed into the air bag.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus for igniting and burning a combustible fluid to increase its temperature to increase its pressure for inflating an air bag, comprising: accommodating means for accommodating the combustible fluid; a vent opening provided in the accommodating means; and an occluding member for tightly closing the vent opening and having an igniting portion directed inward of the accommodating means. With this gas generating apparatus, a pressure in the accommodating means is increased by burning the combustible fluid. Therefore, the occluding member can reliably be broken, and the combustion fluid mixture can effectively and swiftly be supplied to the air bag. Further, because the occluding member includes the igniting portion, the occluding member can easily be manufactured, and a pressure resistance of the igniting portion of the present invention can be set lower than that required by a usual or normal igniting portion. Also, because the number of sealed portions are reduced, the airtight properties can be enhanced. Furthermore, because the occluding member having the igniting portion is disposed in the vicinity of the vent opening which supplies the combustion fluid mixture to the air bag, it is possible to suppress, to the utmost, a fluid mixture which is not yet burnt from being generated.
According to another aspect of the invention, in the above gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus, a breaking pressure of the occluding member is set lower than a breaking pressure of the accommodating means. Therefore, the occluding member can reliably be broken.
According to another aspect of the invention, in the above gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus, the occluding member comprises a cylindrical metal case having a flange, and a conductive member fixed in the cylindrical metal case through an insulator. Therefore, both a function of a burst disk and a function of an ignition can be realized with a simple structure.
According to another aspect of the invention, in the above gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus, the occluding member is broken from the flange of the metal case. Therefore, the occluding member can reliably be broken.
According to another aspect of the invention, in the above gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus the metal case is provided with a fragile portion, and the occluding member is broken from the fragile portion of the metal case. Therefore, the occluding member can reliably be broken.
According to another aspect of the invention, in the above gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus, the accommodating means includes occluding member cutting means. Therefore, the occluding member can reliably be broken.
According to another aspect of the invention, in the above gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus, the occluding member is broken from a joint portion between the metal case and the insulator. Therefore, the occluding member can reliably be broken.
According to claim
8
, in the gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus according to claim
3
, the insulator is provided with a fragile portion, and the occluding member is broken from the fragile portion or the insulator. Therefore, the occluding member can reliably be broken.
According to another aspect of the invention, in the above gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus, the occluding member comprises: a dome-like metal case which is provided with a flange and is further provided at a base portion of the metal case with a cylinder; and a conductive member fixed in the cylinder through an insulator. Because a pressure resistance is enhanced by forming the metal case into a dome-like shape, it is possible to reduce a thickness of the entire metal case.
According to another aspect of the invention, in the gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus, the occluding member comprises a bottomed cylindrical metal case having a flange, and a conductive member fixed to the metal case through an insulator such that the conductive member passes through the metal case. Therefore, a bottom of the metal case functions as a lid and thus, it is possible to weaken a shearing force applied to a joint portion between the metal case and the insulator.
According to another aspect the invention, in the above gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus, there is further provided a container for accommodating the occluding member as broken. It is possible to accommodate the occluding member as broken in the container.
According to another aspect of the invention, in the above gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus, there is further provided a container for accommodating the occluding member as broken, and the container includes an edge for cutting the flange of the metal case of the occluding member. Because the occluding member is mechanically cut by the edge, the cutting accuracy is high, and the flange of the metal case can be made thick and thus, it is possible to enhance a vibration resistance and a corrosion resistance.
According to another aspect of the invention, in the above gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus, there is further provided a diffuser which has a plurality of gas diffusing holes and which is disposed at outside of an end surface of the accommodating means such as to surround the vent opening, the container being disposed in the diffuser. Therefore, it is possible to accommodate the occluding member as broken in the container.
According to another aspect of the invention, in the above gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus, there is further provided a diffuser which has a plurality of gas diffusing holes and which is disposed at outside of an end surface of the accommodating means such as to surround the vent opening, the occluding member being fixed to the diffuser. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occluding member from being scattered.
According to another aspect of the invention, in the above gas generating apparatus for an air bag apparatus wherein that distance of the insulator exposing inside of the accommodating means which is for preventing a creeping discharge between the conductive member and the metal case is greater than that distance of the insula
Kawauchi Yoshikazu
Nomura Hideo
Ono Takuhiro
Takahashi Hiroyuki
Takeyama Shigeru
Armstrong Westerman Hattori McLeland & Naughton LLP
Fleming Faye M.
Johnson Brian L.
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
LandOfFree
Gas generating device for air bag apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Gas generating device for air bag apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Gas generating device for air bag apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2591228