Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-29
2001-02-27
Rice, Kenneth R. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S732000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193269
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT
The present invention relates to an airbag mounting structure of an airbag device installed in a conveyance such as a vehicle and an aircraft and, more particularly, to the airbag mounting structure in which an inflator disposed inside an airbag is fixed to a retainer together with the airbag.
Japanese patent publications 9-123866 and 9-290702 disclose airbag devices having an airbag mounting structure where an inflator is inserted in the airbag, stud bolts integrated with the inflator are projected out of the airbag through small holes formed in the airbag and the stud bolts are fastened to a frame with nuts, thereby fixing the inflator and the airbag to the frame at one time. The airbag device of 9-123866 has rings with the stud bolts which are secured to the inflator by press-fitting, whereby the stud bolts are integrated with the inflator. The device of 9-290702 has a cylindrical cover provided with the stud bolts, and the cover is integrated with the inflator by press-fitting.
In the conventional airbag mounting structures mentioned above, since the ring or the cover is secured to the inflator, the weight of the inflator is increased for the ring or the cover. Since the inflator and the airbag are fixed with the two bolts, it takes much time for alignment of the bolts to the bolt holes. In addition, since two nuts are required to be screwed, it takes much time for assembly of the airbag device.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to solve problems of the prior art and to provide an airbag mounting structure of an airbag device which facilitates to fix the airbag and the inflator without increasing weight of the airbag device.
An airbag mounting structure of the present invention comprises a retainer having a protrusion formed in the bottom thereof and protruding outward, an airbag having a portion inserted into the protrusion; and a rod-shaped inflator which is inserted into the portion of the airbag positioned inside the protrusion. The protrusion extends in the longitudinal direction of the inflator and is provided with an inflator-through hole in at least one of the ends thereof of the longitudinal direction, through which the inflator is inserted. The airbag is provided with at least one opening confronting the inflator-through hole, through which the inflator is inserted. The end of the inflator, which is inserted through the inflator-through hole and projects outside the protrusion, is engaged with the outside of the bottom of the retainer. The airbag is clamped between the inner surface of the protrusion and the outer surface of the inflator.
According to the airbag mounting structure, a portion of the airbag extends behind the inflator, thereby securing the airbag to the retainer. At least one of the ends of the inflator is engaged with a bottom portion of the retainer. When the inflator is actuated to inflate the airbag, the airbag is held to the retainer through the inflator. Stress exerted on the retainer from the airbag through the inflator can be dispersed to wider areas of the retainer through the inflator.
In the airbag mounting structure, the end of the inflator is inserted into the airbag through the inflator-through hole and the opening of the airbag in the protrusion, whereby the inflator and the airbag are fixed to the retainer. The end of the inflator is engaged with the bottom portion of the retainer. Therefore, according to the present invention, bolts for connecting the inflator to the retainer can be eliminated, thereby facilitating the mounting work of the inflator and the airbag.
In an aspect of the present invention, the inflator has a substantially cylindrical configuration and the protrusion has a half-cylindrical configuration, the retainer has at least one concavity which is formed in the bottom thereof and is curved inwardly in a half-circle configuration which is coaxial with the protrusion, the concavity extends to a side face of the retainer, and the end of the inflator is engaged with the concavity. This structure allows load exerted on the retainer from the inflator to be received by the surface of the concavity of the retainer, thereby improving the bearing force of the retainer.
In another aspect of the present invention, an inner plate lies between the portion of the airbag corresponding to the protrusion and the outer surface of the inflator. This structure can reduce heat transferred from the inflator to the airbag when the inflator is actuated.
The inner plate has a projection curved along the outer surface of the inflator and a flange continuously extending from the projection in a direction apart from the inflator and the airbag may be clamped between the flange and the retainer. The flange may be provided with bolts and the bolts may be inserted through the airbag and the bottom of the retainer and may be fastened with nuts.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4153273 (1979-05-01), Risko
patent: 5487556 (1996-01-01), Jenkins et al.
patent: 5566972 (1996-10-01), Yoshida et al.
patent: 5788266 (1998-08-01), Rose et al.
patent: 5857696 (1999-01-01), Inoue et al.
patent: 9-123866 (1997-05-01), None
patent: 9-290702 (1997-11-01), None
Kanesaka & Takeuchi
Rice Kenneth R.
Takata Corporation
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