Simplified passenger air bag module

Abstract

An air bag module comprises an air bag, an air bag retainer ring, a housing, an elongated inflator, and an inflator container. The retainer ring is secured to the air bag about its opening and has a mounting flange. The housing has spaced side and end walls defining a rectangular air bag storage chamber for storing a folded air bag and which has an upper air bag deployment opening and a bottom gas discharge opening. A mounting flange extends from each of the side walls, and four spaced straps span the gas discharge opening to interconnect the side walls and form an inflator cradle. The inflator is located on the straps and comprises a substantially cylindrical case having a plurality of gas discharge holes, a cap end and a blank end. The container comprises a U-shaped body forming bottom and side walls, two spaced raised ribs formed in the bottom wall, and a mounting flange extending from each of the side walls. Three pairs of aligned mounting apertures are formed in all of the mounting flanges. Threaded studs are staked to the retainer ring and extend through the aligned apertures. Nuts engage the stud ends to clamp the retainer ring, the housing and the container together, clamping the inflator between two straps and the ribs. The ribs space the inflator from the side and bottom walls of the container, which functions as a heat shield. The studs are the sole means used to fasten the module components together.