Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-07
2004-09-28
Dickson, Paul N. (Department: 3616)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S741000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06796579
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT
The present invention relates to an airbag device with a gas generator.
An airbag device installed in an automobile includes an airbag, a gas generator commonly called an inflator, and a module cover for covering the airbag. In an emergency of the automobile, such as when the automobile collides, the gas generator operates, causing the airbag to expand and to catch an occupant in the automobile.
FIG. 6
is a side view of an example of a conventional steering wheel;
FIG. 7
is a front view of the conventional steering wheel;
FIG. 8
is an enlarged sectional view taken along line
8
—
8
of
FIG. 7
; and
FIG. 9
is a sectional view of a gas generator incorporated in an airbag device of this steering wheel.
As shown in
FIGS. 6 and 7
, an airbag device
14
is installed in an area situated at the inner side of a steering wheel
10
. Reference numerals
12
denote spokes.
As shown in
FIG. 8
, the airbag device
14
comprises a retainer
20
fixed on the steering wheel by a bracket
18
, an airbag
22
including a gas-introducing-opening edge portion mounted to the retainer
20
, a gas generator or inflator
24
mounted to the retainer
20
for ejecting gas into the airbag
22
, and a module cover
26
for covering the airbag
22
. The base end side of the module cover
26
is connected to the retainer
20
.
As shown in
FIG. 9
, the gas generator
24
is formed of a container which comprises an outer-shell member and a cylindrical partition member
29
, wherein the outer-shell member is formed by an upper housing
27
and a lower housing
28
, and the cylindrical partition member
29
is installed inside the outer-shell member. One end of the partition member
29
passes through and protrudes downward from an opening in the bottom surface of the lower housing
28
. The inner peripheral surface defining the opening and the outer peripheral surface of the partition member
29
are welded together by, for example, laser beam welding. An igniting agent or booster propellant
30
is held at the inner side of the partition member
29
, whereas a gas generating agent or main propellant
32
is held at the outer peripheral side of the partition member
29
.
A squib
34
is installed at the aforementioned one end of the partition member
29
, and is constructed so that the igniting agent
30
is ignited when the squib
34
is energized through a squib connector
36
and a squib lead wire
38
. When the igniting agent
30
is ignited, gas is ejected from openings
40
of the partition member
29
, so that the gas generating agent
32
is ignited. As a result, a large amount of gas is generated rapidly. The gas passes through a filter
42
formed by mesh or the like, and is ejected outward from the gas generator
24
through openings
44
, causing the airbag
22
to expand. When the airbag
22
expands, the module cover
26
cleaves along a tear line, causing the airbag
22
to expand greatly inside the vehicle. The steering wheel is secured by a nut
48
and an externally threaded portion
46
at the top end of a steering shaft.
In the above-described gas generator, when the gas generating agent is ignited, the internal pressure in the container increases, so that a large stress is exerted on a connection portion of the lower housing
28
and the partition member
29
.
An object of the present invention is to provide a gas generator including a structure for fixing a partition member and a container, which can sufficiently resist a large stress when a gas generating agent is ignited as mentioned above, and to provide an airbag device including the gas generator.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A gas generator of the present invention includes a container; a gas generating agent inside the container; and an igniter for igniting the gas generating agent. The container includes an outer-shell member and a partition member fixed to the outer-shell member, and at least a portion of the partition member is disposed inside the outer-shell member. A plurality of chambers for containing the gas generating agent is formed by the partition member. A fixation area increasing portion is provided at at least one of the partition member and the outer-shell member.
In such a gas generator, since the fixation area of the partition member and the container is large, it is possible to sufficiently resist a large stress even when it is exerted on a connection portion of the partition member and the container when the gas generating agent is ignited.
In the gas generator of the present invention, it is preferable that the partition member has a cylindrical shape, with one end thereof being fixed to an inside surface of the outer-shell member at one side of the outer-shell member, and the other end thereof passing through and extending outward from an opening provided at the other side of the outer-shell member. In addition, it is preferable that an inner peripheral surface defining the opening and an outer peripheral surface of the tubular partition member are fixed together. Further, it is preferable that the fixation area increasing portion is used to increase a fixation area of the inner peripheral surface defining the opening and the outer peripheral surface of the partition member. When the gas generator is constructed in this way, since the fixation area of the partition member and the opening of the outer-shell member is large, gas leakage does not occur even when a large gas pressure is exerted on the fixation portion.
In this case, it is preferable that the fixation area increasing portion is an annular portion provided at the outer-shell member and protruding inside the outer-shell member. When the gas generator is constructed in this way, the annular portion is pushed against the outer peripheral surface of the partition member when the outer-shell member expands outward by the gas pressure as a result of ignition of the gas generating agent. Therefore, the connection between the outer-shell member and the partition member is made stronger, and gas leaks from a portion between these members is more reliably prevented.
In the present invention, it is preferable to fix the opening of the outer-shell member and the partition member by welding. In such a case, it is possible to considerably increase the weld strength between the partition member and the outer-shell member by increasing the welding depth, and to considerably reliably prevent gas leak from the portion between the partition member and the outer-shell member.
An airbag device of the present invention includes an airbag; any one of the above-described gas generators for generating gas to expand the airbag; and a module cover for covering the airbag.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4530516 (1985-07-01), Adams et al.
patent: 5387007 (1995-02-01), Ogawa et al.
patent: 5501152 (1996-03-01), Zeuner et al.
patent: 5613705 (1997-03-01), Hock et al.
patent: 5753852 (1998-05-01), Bernau et al.
patent: 5779267 (1998-07-01), Jordan et al.
patent: 5938236 (1999-08-01), Tanaka et al.
patent: 5984352 (1999-11-01), Green et al.
patent: 6053531 (2000-04-01), Katsuda et al.
patent: 6079739 (2000-06-01), Perotto et al.
patent: 6135496 (2000-10-01), Katsuda et al.
patent: 6149746 (2000-11-01), Blomquist
patent: 6170869 (2001-01-01), Tomiyama
patent: 6283505 (2001-09-01), Saso et al.
patent: 6257617 (2002-04-01), McFarland et al.
patent: 6378901 (2002-04-01), Yamazaki et al.
patent: 6406060 (2002-06-01), Katsuda et al.
patent: 6431598 (2002-08-01), Saso et al.
patent: 6447007 (2002-09-01), DiGiacomo et al.
patent: 6540256 (2003-04-01), Iwai et al.
patent: 6620269 (2003-09-01), Canterberry et al.
patent: 6626461 (2003-09-01), Koga et al.
Dickson Paul N.
Draper Deanna
Kanesaka Manabu
Takata Corporation
LandOfFree
Gas generator with airbag device 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 generator with airbag device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Gas generator with airbag device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3214453