Universal squib connector

A gas generator comprising:

• a housing having a wall provided with outer orifices, in which wall a socket is formed, and including,
• a pin type squib having electrically conducting pins protruding from a protion thereof,
• an inner central chamber in which is placed said squib for ignition, said squib being positioned such that said pins thereof extend into said socket,
• an intermediate chamber containing a gas generant pyrotechnic composition,
• an outer chamber containing means for filtering and for communicating externally of the housing by way of said outer orifices, with at least said intermediate and outer chambers communicating through intermediate orifices,
• a universal squib connector for connecting said squid to a source of electrical current for initiating ignition, said universal squib connector being positioned in said socket and including holes therein into which said pins from said squib are received, said universal squib connector providing a permanent pig tail connection to said squib and comprising,
• connecting terminals,
• a ferrite bead having said holes therethrough in a spaced relationship, each of said holes having a first end and a second end, with one of said terminals positioned in one of said holes and another of said terminals positioned in another of said holes, the spacing of said holes being such as to allow each of the protruding pins of said squib to enter the first end of an individually associated one of said holes to make electrical contact with an individually associated one of said terminals, said ferrite bead providing EMI/RFI protection in a region surrounding said terminals,
• a plurality of elecrical input conductors providing a pig tail connection for connecting an electrical circuit to said squib with each of said input conductors having an end positioned in the second end of an associated one of said holes in said ferrite bead and connected to the terminal positioned therein, and
• further including means to permanently retain said universal squib connector in said socket and thereby to permanently retain each of said terminals in electric contact with an individually associated one of the protruding pins of said squib,
• wherein said ferrite bead and said terminals are encapsulated in a plastic molding with the holes in said ferrite bead extending through the plastic molding to allow entry of each of the protruding pins of said squib to enter the associated first end thereof and an end of each of said pair of electrical input conductors to enter the associated second end thereof,
• wherein said means to permanently retain said universal squib connector in said socket comprises flexible latch means attached to said plastic molding and extending outwardly and downwardly from a side wall portion thereof, said latch means being compressed inwardly against said side wall portion of said plastic molding of said universal squib connector in said socket, said socket having a groove in the side wall thereof into which said latch means moves and is captured,
• wherein said plastic molding includes first and second portions that extend at substantially a right angle to each other with said first portion extending in the direction of said electrical input conductors and contacting said wall of said housing of said generator in which said socket is formed, said first portion guiding and allowing said electrical input conductors to run parallel to said wall of said housing,
• further including anti-rotation means provided in cooperative relation with said universal squib connector and said gas generator to predetermine the angular orientation of said universal squib connector with respect to that of said gas generator and to prevent relative angular movement between said universal squib connector and said squib,
• wherein two sets of ribs of different length provided on said second portion of said universal squib connector provides a tight fit with an inner wall of said socket, with the ribs having the shorter length being positioned adjacent said first portion of said plastic molding and the axial positions of all of said ribs being such that all of the ribs engage the wall of said socket at the same time,
• wherein said anti-rotation means comprises a cavity adjoining said holes in said universal squib connector and a projection on said squib with said projection on said squib matching the configuration of said cavity,
• wherein said cavity is "T" shaped whereby there is only one angular position at which said cavity is arranged to receive said projection on said squib, and
• wherein said first portion of said plastic molding includes opposed triangular surfaces that extend parallel to said first portion and parallel to said electrical input conductors and are spaced from said wall of said housing, said triangular surfaces of said first portion of said plastic molding together with said second portion thereof facilitating gripping of said universal squib connector.