Pyrotechnical inflator and method of making same

US6237498A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• TRW Airbag Systems GmbH & Co. KG · DE

Inventors

• Marc Winterhalder · Garching an der Alz, DE
• Paul Adam · Jefferson City, US
• Martin Fink · Unterbernbach, DE
• Markus Leifheit · Markt Indersdorf, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 3, 1998
• Grant date: May 29, 2001
• Expiry date: Jul 3, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60R2021/2648
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

An inflator, more particularly for a vehicle occupant restraint system, has a tubular inflator housing which is closed off at its end faces and has radial exit ports via which the gas is able to exit the inflator. The inflator housing has in its interior at least one combustion chamber packed with propellant, at least one ignition unit for igniting the propellant in the combustion chamber and at least one filter which is located upstream of the exit ports. A filter insert featuring an outer housing is provided, the outer housing having a plurality of housing parts which at least partly surround the filter disposed in the filter insert. The outer housing together with its housing parts is radially secured to the inflator housing without the provision of an axial stop. The outer geometry of the outer housing and the inner geometry of the inflator housing permit total insertion of the outer housing or its housing parts in the axial direction into the inflator housing to different insertion depths when the outer housing is still in the non-secured condition.