Morton International, Inc.

Other

Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Rick L Halford

Kurt F Fischer

Larry D Rose

Hitoshi Higuchi

Jeffrey A Jenkins

Brett R Garner

Kurt E Kottke

Michael J Daines

Scott L Hansen

Makoto Kan

Iwao Imaizumi

Michael D Jones

Paul E Chizenko

Michael H Wong

Bret N Broadhead

Andreas M Lux

Alan L Clark

Louis A Mueller

Jeffrey A Summers

A method of folding an air bag ( ) includes locating the air bag in a first configuration with front and back parts ( ) overlying each other and with a side part ( ) folded and extending outwardly from the front and back parts. First and second portions ( ) of the air bag ( ) are on opposite sides of a top to bottom centerline ( ). A retainer ( ) is located adjacent the top edge ( ) of the configuration. The air bag ( ) is folded from bottom to top to a second configuration in which it overlies and has a height corresponding to the height of the retainer ( ). The first and second portions ( ) of the air bag ( ) have portions ( ) that project laterally beyond the sides ( ) of the retainer ( ). The laterally projecting portions ( ) are moved laterally inward to overlie the retainer ( ), and the air bag ( ) has a width corresponding to the width of the retainer. The first portion ( ) of the air bag ( ) as thus folded is a mirror image, about the centerline ( ), of the second portion ( ).

Method of folding air bag

A retention system for securing an electrical accessory, such as an electrical connector, to a reaction canister of an inflatable restraint assembly. The reaction canister comprises a trough-shaped body extruded from a continuous length of material and includes at least one screw retaining groove formed integrally with the body during the extrusion thereof. A retention clip includes a pair of legs interconnected by a bridge. Each of the legs has opposed ends. One of the ends of each of the legs mates with the screw retaining groove to attach the clip to the reaction canister. The other end of each of the legs form a cavity for receiving the electrical connector and securing the same to the reaction canister. In another embodiment, the retention clip mates with an attachment feature, separate from the screw retaining groove, and which is also formed integrally with the body during extrusion.

Retention system for attachment of a connector to an air bag reaction

A canister endwall for use as part of a reaction canister of an airbag module for securing an airbag inflator. The airbag inflator has a cylindrical inflator sidewall of a predetermined diameter that ends in a tapered portion of the inflator sidewall that tapers radially inwardly to one end of the airbag inflator having an inflator flange. The inflator flange extends radially outwardly from the tapered portion of the inflator sidewall but has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the inflator sidewall. The canister endwall has an inner edge defining an airbag inflator mounting hole and a truncated conical array of a plurality of resilient fingers extending from the inner edge. The inner edge of the canister endwall is sized and shaped to allow passage of the inflator flange of the airbag inflator and engage the tapered portion of the inflator sidewall in a substantially gas-tight manner, and the truncated conical array of the plurality of resilient fingers is sized to butt against the inflator flange when the tapered portion of the inflator sidewall is engaged with the inner edge. The plurality of resilient fingers are bendable to allow passage of the inflator flange and, once the inflator flange passes through the truncated conical array of the plurality of resilient fingers, to spring back and butt against the inflator flange to prevent the inflator flange from being pulled out of the airbag inflator mounting hole.

Airbag module reaction canister endwall with airbag inflator mount

An inflatable air bag module for motor vehicles includes a housing for containing an air bag in deflated condition and an inflator assembly for providing gas to inflate the air bag when activated. The housing includes a first compartment holding the deflated air bag and having an exposed outer cover on one side formed with a fracture line defining an edge of a door. The door is adapted to pivot open along a hinged area when the cover is fractured by pressure from the inflating air bag as it expands out of the compartment. The housing also includes a second compartment holding the inflator assembly and a generally flat divider panel is provided between the first and second compartments with openings therein for permitting gas from the inflator assembly to rapidly inflate the air bag. A single row or set of fasteners is provided for securing all together the first and second compartments, the divider panel and an open end of said air bag along a common level extending around the entire periphery of the housing at a mid-level. The divider panel helps to prevent the walls of the housing from bulging outwardly when the air bag is inflated.

Inflatable air bag module

An airbag module assembly comprises a reaction canister, an airbag inflator, a locking end cap for positioning and retaining the airbag inflator, a module diffuser housing, and an inflatable airbag. The airbag inflator is fixedly secured to the end cap and the end cap has at least one latch which allows the inflator-end cap unit to be fastened to the module diffuser housing. The end cap rigidly retains the inflator in the module diffuser housing, avoiding the need for a secondary restraint. This invention eliminates the need for exterior retention brackets and studs to directly secure the airbag inflator in the reaction canister.

Inflator secured in diffuser housing of airbag module assembly by

In an airbag module comprising an inflator inside a canister the inflator is fastened inside the canister by means of a plug and socket connector which comprises a plug member and a socket member. One member of the connector is fastened to an end of the inflator and the other member of the connector is fastened to a wall of the canister. To join the inflator to the canister the plug member is inserted into the socket member and one member is turned relative to the other through a small arc less than one turn to tighten the connection.

Connector for mounting inflator in airbag module

An air bag cushion retention clip that, when used in conjunction with a two-part canister, distributes the deployment forces over the length of the clip. Further, the retention clip reduces the possibility that the sharp edges on the canister will cut through the air bag cushion during deployment thereof.

Air bag retention clip

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Midvale, UT, United States of America

Rick L Halford