Daicel Chemical Industries, Ltd.

Yuzo Goto

Masayuki Nakayasu

Nobuyuki Katsuda

Yasunori Iwai

Naoki Matsuda

Satoshi Yagi

Masayuki Yamazaki

Osamu Fujimoto

Eiichi Ryobo

Inflator with improved reliability wherein charge holder 37 that gives directivity to a detonation wave generated due to combustion of priming 36 is provided to igniter 26, thereby promoting rupture of plate 19. Diffuser portion 320 is connected in the opening portion side of housing 312, and gas discharging port 340 is connected to diffuser portion 320. Diffuser portion 520 is connected in the opening portion side of inflator housing 512, and gas discharging port 540 is connected to diffuser portion 520. Outflow directions of the pressurized media within each gas discharging port 340, 540 and each respective axial direction of inflator housings 312, 512 are coincident with each other at actuation.

Inflator

An opening portionof an inflator housingand a diffuser portionare connected by welding, and an inflow portionof a gas discharging portis press-fitted in and connected to a first gas discharging holeof the diffuser portion

An inflator for an air bag, which inflates the air bag by a pressurized medium, has a rupturable plate that seals a pressurized portion of an inflator prior to an activation of the inflator. The rupturable plate is attached to the inflator by fixing a peripheral edge portion thereof to the inflator, and has at least one of the following parameters: (a) a ratio of diameter/thickness is 14 to 50, (b) a tensile strength is 880 to 1100 N/mm, and (c) elongation is 25% or more.

Rupturable plate for inflator

The present invention is an inflator with an improved reliability wherein a charge holderfor giving directivity to an detonation wave generated due to combustion of a primingis provided to an igniter, thereby promoting rupture of a rupturable plate. A cross-shaped notch is applied to a surface of the rupturable plate, and when the rupturable platereceives a rupture pressure from the igniter, four portions of the rupturable plate lap so that the outflow of the pressurized medium can be secured and fragments cannot be made. An inflator housingand a diffuserare connected by screwing a male screw portion on an outer surface of the end portion in the inflator housinginto a female screw portion on an inner surface of the end portion in the diffuser portion. An existing gas cylinder can be used in this method. A diffuser portionis connected in the opening portion side of a housing, and a gas discharging portis connected to the diffuser portion. The outflow direction of the pressurized medium and the axial directions of the inflator housingand the gas discharging portare coincident with each other at actuation. The diffuser portionis connected in the opening portion side of the inflator housing, and the gas discharging portis connected to the diffuser portion, and two filter meansandare arranged. After actuation, foreign objects included in the pressurized medium can be removed by the filter meansand

The present invention provides an inflator capable of prolonging the duration of inflation of an air bag. Since an inflator housingof an inflatorfor a curtain air bag is charged with a pressurized medium comprising a mixed gas of He and Ar (He:Ar=3:7 to 7:3), the sound velocity of the pressurized medium is smaller than that of a pressurized medium comprising He only, and the viscosity of the former is higher than that of the latter, so that the duration of the inflation of an air bag can be prolonged.

Pressurized medium for inflator

An inflator comprises a cylindrical inflator housing elongated in an axial direction and containing a gas generating material for inflating an air bag, and an activation assembly for generating an activation gas for activating the gas generating material. A cylindrical diffuser assembly is provided in an axial end of the inflator housing. The diffuser assembly has an end surface, and also has a plurality of outlet holes in a peripheral wall surface thereof. A through-hole is formed in the end surface of the diffuser assembly, and a stud bolt for fixing the inflator is inserted into the through-hole. The stud bolt is fixed by a flange portion provided on an end portion thereof.

A hybrid inflator having a structure permitting easy and reliable mounting to an airbag module, facilitating welding during manufacture, and improving in gas sealability and reduced in weight, is provided. The hybrid inflator is for use in an inflation type safety system for a motor vehicle equipped with an airbag, and includes an inflator housing, pressurized gas contained at least in the inflator housing, a gas generator housing connected to the inflator housing and provided with at least one gas generator outlet, a gas generating agent contained in the gas generator housing and ignited by an initiator, and an inflator operation assembly containing the initiator for operating the inflator. The inflator operation assembly comprises a boss welded to an end portion of the inflator housing to hermetically seal the housing, and the boss has an edge of flange shape to be mounted to an airbag module.

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Hyogo, Japan

Yuzo Goto