Passenger side airbag inflator with flanged mounting adapter

Abstract

An inflator for use in an airbag module assembly including a reaction canister having a stud-receiving opening in a front canister endplate and an inflator-receiving aperture in a rear canister endplate. The inflator includes an inflator housing and a mounting adapter, the inflator housing having a generally cylindrical sidewall, a front housing end with a mounting stud extending therefrom, and a rear housing end including an endwall and a boss, the boss extending rearwardly from the endwall. The mounting adapter includes an adapter end cap defining an opening. The adapter end cap is positioned adjacent the endwall of the inflator housing with the boss extending through the opening. The mounting adapter is secured to the housing by a mechanical interengagement between the adapter end cap and the rear housing end. The mounting adapter is adapted to extend through the inflator-receiving aperture of the rear canister endplate and has a radially extending flange adapted to engage the rear canister endplate surrounding the inflator-receiving aperture. The mounting stud is adapted to fit within the stud-receiving opening of the front canister endplate to be secured thereto so that the mounting stud and the adapter, in combination, secure the inflator within the reaction canister and allow the inflator to withstand substantial tensional loading between the canister endplates.