Lightweight non-welded gas generator with rolled spun lip

A lightweight non-welded pyrotechnic gas-generating inflator apparatus which comprises:

• (a) a domed diffuser member having a first open end and a second closed end, said diffuser member comprising a plurality of diffuser ports spaced equidistantly around the lateral periphery thereof, said ports providing fluid communication between a combustion cavity defined within said inflator and an interior portion of an automobile air bag operatively associated therewith so as to permit the deployment of said air bag upon combustion of a pyrotechnic gas generant material located within said inflator;
• (b) a closure plate member sealing the open end of said diffuser member, thus forming an inflator housing;
• both said diffuser member and said closure plate member formed of a relatively lightweight, corrosion-resistant, high tensile strength material,
• (c) a sufficient amount of a combustible gas generant material located within the combustion cavity to produce, upon ignition thereof, a volume of a gaseous product sufficient to substantially inflate said automobile air bag within about 30-60 milliseconds;
• (d) an electrically actuated squib adhesively secured within said housing adjacent said gas generant, said squib operatively associated with at least one remote impact sensor capable of determining the occurrence of a primary collision between an automobile in which it is installed and another object and producing a signal as a result thereof which acts to initiate combustion of said gas generant material;
• (e) a filter assembly within said inflator housing, said assembly interposed between said gas generant material and said diffuser ports to permit filtering and cooling of said gaseous combustion products prior to the entry thereof into said automobile air bag, said open end of said diffuser member being rolled at an angle of about 180.degree. over an outer peripheral edge portion of said closure plate member toward a bottom surface of said closure plate member to form a rolled lip, said rolled lip creating a structural seal between said members, and
• (f) a metal ring-shaped member adapted for snap-locking engagement with a terminal portion of said rolled lip against said bottom surface of said closure member, said locking member further comprising a notched edge portion along an outer surface thereof configured to engage at least an outer terminal end of said lip to reinforce said seal between said diffuser member and said closure plate member.

A lightweight non-welded pyrotechnic gas-generating inflator apparatus which comprises:

• (a) a domed diffuser member having a first open end and a second closed end, said diffuser member comprising a plurality of diffuser ports spaced equidistantly around the lateral periphery thereof, said ports providing fluid communication between a combustion cavity defined within said inflator and an interior portion of an automobile air bag operatively associated with said inflator so as to permit the deployment of said air bag upon combustion of a pyrotechnic gas generant material stored within said inflator;
• (b) a closure plate member sealing the open end of said diffuser member, thus forming an inflator housing;
• wherein said open end of said diffuser member is rolled over an outer peripheral edge portion of said closure plate member at an angle of about 180.degree. to a remaining lateral wall portion of said diffuser member toward a bottom surface of said closure plate member to form a rolled lip thereover, said rolled lip creating a structural seal between said diffuser member and said closure member, both said diffuser member and said closure plate member formed of a relatively lightweight, corrosion-resistant, high tensile strength material
• (c) a sufficient amount of a combustible gas generant material discreetly packaged within the combustion cavity to produce, upon ignition thereof, a volume of a gaseous product sufficient to substantially inflate said automobile air bag within about 30-60 milliseconds;
• (d) an electrically actuated squib adhesively secured within said housing, said squib operatively associated with at least one remote impact sensor capable of determining the occurrence of a primary collision between an automobile in which it is installed and another object and producing a signal as a result thereof which acts to initiate combustion of said gas generant material;
• (e) a filter assembly within said inflator housing, said assembly interposed between said gas generant material and said diffuser ports to permit filtering and cooling of said gaseous combustion products prior to the entry thereof into said automobile air bag, said filter assembly comprising
• (1) first and second ring-shaped members configured to form annular filter frame means, at least one of said ring-shaped members having at least one tab member formed integrally thereupon and extending outwardly therefrom toward said other ring-shaped member to maintain a predetermined spacing between said ring-shaped members upon the formation of said frame means;
• and
• (2) a plurality of filtration layers supported upon said filter frame means, each said filtration layer positioned so as to at least partially overlap a preceding underlying one of said filtration layers around an entire outer annular surface of said filter frame means,
• an entire upper and lower circumferential edge portion of both said first and said second ring-shaped members being adapted for obtaining a circular line contact with an inner portion of said inflator housing, thus causing said filter assembly to be self-sealing against said inner housing portion as a result of outwardly directed hoop stresses produced thereupon by activation of said inflator, such that a gaseous combustion product produced thereby is prevented from bypassing said filter assembly and is therefore directed through said filtration means in a serpentine path so as to cool and filter said gas, and
• (f) a ring-shaped member configured and adapted for snap-locking engagement with a terminal portion of said rolled lip against said bottom surface of said closure member, said locking member further comprising a notched edge portion along an outer surface thereof configured to engage at least an outer terminal end of said lip

A lightweigth, non-welded inflator apparatus which comprises:

• (a) a domed diffuser member, having a first open end and a second closed end;
• (b) a closure plate member sealing the open end of said diffuser member, thereby forming an inflator housing;
• (c) a suffiecient amount of a combustible gas generant material within an interior portion of siad housing to produce, upon ignition thereof, a volume of a gaseous product sufficient to substantially inflate an automobile air bag within about 30-60 miliiseconds;
• (d) means for initiating combustion of said gas generant material, said initiating means positioned within said housing adjacent said gas generant;
• (e) means within said housing for filtering said gaseous combustion product prior to its discharge from the inflator housing, siad filtering means circumferentially surrounding said gas generant material adjacent an inner wall portion of said housing, and adapted for cooling said gas and removing substantially all particulate matter therefrom,
• said open end of said diffuser member being rolled at an angle of about 180.degree. over an outer peripheral edge portion of said closure plate member toward a bottom surface of said closure plate member to form a rolled lip, said rolled lip creating a non-welded structural seal between said members, and
• (f) means outside said housing locking a peripheral circumferential skirt portion of said diffuser member at said open end against a bottom surface of said closure plate member to reinforce said non-welded seal between said closure plate member and said diffuser member.