Connector-integrated grounding systems and methods
AssigneeAutoliv ASP, Inc.
InventorsDavid Alan Storey, Scott Carl Gordon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A grounding system for an automotive protective system inflator is provided for protecting the inflator from inadvertent discharge and operation of the automotive protective system, such as, e.g., an airbag system. The grounding system can include an electrical connector configured to couple the inflator to an electrical harness of a vehicle. The electrical connector can include a ground path and a biased member coupled to a ground wire. The ground wire may be coupled to a ground path of the vehicle so as to draw an inadvertent electrical charge away from the inflator to the vehicle electrical harness.
Claims21
A grounding system for an automotive protective system inflator, the grounding system comprising:
- an electrical connector to couple an initiator of an inflator to an electrical harness of a vehicle, the electrical connector comprising:
- a biased member coupled to a ground wire configured to be coupled to a ground path of the vehicle, the biased member configured to physically and electrically contact an external surface of the inflator to dissipate electrical charge build-up on the inflator before the electrical charge can reach the initiator.
An assembly for protecting an initiator of an automotive protective system from activating due to an inadvertent electrical charge, the assembly comprising:
- a non-conductive housing;
- a plurality of electrical conductors disposed on the non-conductive housing to couple to electrical contacts of an initiator of an automotive protective system, wherein the plurality of electrical conductors comprises a ground electrical conductor;
- and
- a biased member coupled to a ground wire, the biased member to physically and electrically contact an exterior surface of a housing of the automotive protective system at a position spaced a distance from the contacts of the initiator, the ground wire to be coupled to a ground path of a vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.