Side impact air bag module

A vehicle safety apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle seat in the event of a side impact to the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable occupant protection device having a deflated condition and being inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant for helping to protect the vehicle occupant;
• an inflator which is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable device, said inflator having a longitudinal axis, a first end portion, a second end portion, and a central portion between said first and second end portions;
• said central portion of said inflator including a cylindrical side wall of said inflator, said first end portion of said inflator including a first end surface extending transverse to said cylindrical side wall, said second end portion of said inflator including a second end surface extending transverse to said cylindrical side wall;
• a diffuser receiving said inflator, said diffuser having a central wall portion and first and second opposite end portions;
• means for connecting said diffuser and said inflator with the vehicle seat;
• said central wall portion of said diffuser being spaced radially outward from said central portion of said inflator to define a diffuser chamber between said central wall portion of said diffuser and said central portion of said inflator;
• said first end portion of said diffuser extending radially inward from said central wall portion of said diffuser and engaging said transversely extending first end surface of said inflator and blocking axial movement of said inflator in a first axial direction;
• and
• said second end portion of said diffuser having a curl portion extending radially inward from said central wall portion of said diffuser in a direction toward said longitudinal axis, said curl portion of said diffuser engaging said transversely extending second end surface of said inflator and blocking radial movement of said second end portion of said inflator and blocking axial movement of said inflator in a second axial direction opposite to said first axial direction.

A vehicle safety apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle seat in the event of a side impact to the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable occupant protection device having a deflated condition and being inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant for helping to protect the vehicle occupant;
• an inflator which is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable device, said inflator having a longitudinal axis, a first end portion, a second end portion, and a central portion between said first and second end portions;
• means for supporting said inflator on the vehicle seat, consisting of a diffuser receiving said inflator, said diffuser having a central wall portion and first and second opposite end portions;
• said central wall portion of said diffuser being spaced radially outward from said central portion of said inflator to define a diffuser chamber between said central wall portion of said diffuser and said central portion of said inflator;
• said first end portion of said diffuser extending radially inward from said central wall portion of said diffuser and blocking axial movement of said inflator in a first axial direction;
• and
• said second end portion of said diffuser extending radially inward from said central wall portion of said diffuser in a direction toward said longitudinal axis, said second end portion of said diffuser blocking axial movement of said inflator in a second axial direction opposite to said first axial direction;
• said first and second end portions of said diffuser exerting an axial clamping force on said inflator in the range of from about 80 pounds to about 300 pounds to block axial movement of said inflator relative to the vehicle seat.

A vehicle safety apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle in the event of an impact to the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable occupant protection device having a deflated condition and being inflatable into a position adjacent to the vehicle occupant for helping to protect the vehicle occupant;
• an inflator which is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable device, said inflator having a longitudinal axis, a first end portion, a second end portion, and a central portion between said first and second end portions;
• a diffuser receiving said inflator, said diffuser having a central wall portion and first and second opposite end portions;
• means for supporting said diffuser and said inflator on the vehicle;
• said central wall portion of said diffuser being spaced radially outward from said central portion of said inflator to define a diffuser chamber between said central wall portion of said diffuser and said central portion of said inflator;
• said first end portion of said diffuser extending radially inward from said central wall portion of said diffuser and blocking axial movement of said inflator in a first axial direction;
• and
• said second end portion of said diffuser having a curl portion extending radially inward from said central wall portion of said diffuser in a direction toward said longitudinal axis and toward said first end portion of said diffuser, said curl portion of said diffuser blocking radial movement of said second end portion of said inflator and blocking axial movement of said inflator in a second axial direction opposite to said first axial direction;
• wherein said curl portion of said diffuser comprises a cylindrical wall portion of said diffuser which is curled radially inward and axially in a direction toward said first end portion of said diffuser about a circular bending axis which is centered on said longitudinal axis.

A vehicle safety apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle in the event of an impact to the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable occupant protection device having a deflated condition and being inflatable into a position adjacent to the vehicle occupant for helping to protect the vehicle occupant;
• an inflator which is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable device, said inflator having a longitudinal axis, a first end portion, a second end portion, and a central portion between said first and second end portions;
• a diffuser receiving said inflator, said diffuser having a central wall portion and first and second opposite end portions;
• means for supporting said diffuser and said inflator on the vehicle;
• said central wall portion of said diffuser being spaced radially outward from said central portion of said inflator to define a diffuser chamber between said central wall portion of said diffuser and said central portion of said inflator;
• said first end portion of said diffuser extending radially inward from said central wall portion of said diffuser and blocking axial movement of said inflator in a first axial direction;
• and
• said second end portion of said diffuser having a curl portion extending radially inward from said central wall portion of said diffuser in a direction toward said longitudinal axis and toward said first end portion of said diffuser, said curl portion of said diffuser blocking radial movement of said second end portion of said inflator and blocking axial movement of said inflator in a second axial direction opposite to said first axial direction;
• wherein said curl portion of said diffuser has an inner side surface and an opposite outer side surface, said curl portion of said diffuser comprising a cylindrical wall portion which is deformed radially inwardly by more than 90.degree. at a plurality of locations centered on said longitudinal axis so that said outer side surface of said curl portion is presented in a direction toward said longitudinal axis.

A vehicle safety apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle in the event of an impact to the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable occupant protection device having a deflated condition and being inflatable into a position adjacent to the vehicle occupant for helping to protect the vehicle occupant;
• an inflator which is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable device, said inflator having a longitudinal axis, a first end portion, a second end portion, and a central portion between said first and second end portions;
• a diffuser receiving said inflator, said diffuser having a central wall portion and first and second opposite end portions;
• means for supporting said diffuser and said inflator on the vehicle;
• said central wall portion of said diffuser being spaced radially outward from said central portion of said inflator to define a diffuser chamber between said central wall portion of said diffuser and said central portion of said inflator;
• said first end portion of said diffuser extending radially inward from said central wall portion of said diffuser and blocking axial movement of said inflator in a first axial direction;
• and
• said second end portion of said diffuser having a curl portion extending radially inward from said central wall portion of said diffuser in a direction toward said longitudinal axis and toward said first end portion of said diffuser, said curl portion of said diffuser blocking radial movement of said second end portion of said inflator and blocking axial movement of said inflator in a second axial direction opposite to said first axial direction;
• wherein said curl portion of said diffuser is spaced apart from said second end portion of said inflator, said apparatus further comprising a cushion disposed intermediate said curl portion of said diffuser and said second end portion of said inflator, said curl portion of said diffuser clamping said cushion against said second end portion of said inflator to block radial and axial movement of said second end portion of said inflator.

A vehicle safety apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle seat in the event of a side impact to the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable occupant protection device having a deflated condition and being inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant for helping to protect the vehicle occupant;
• an inflator which is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable device, said inflator having a longitudinal axis, a first end portion, a second end portion, and a central portion between said first and second end portions;
• a diffuser receiving said inflator, said diffuser having a central wall portion and first and second opposite end portions;
• means for connecting said diffuser and said inflator with the vehicle seat;
• said central wall portion of said diffuser being spaced radially outward from said central portion of said inflator to define a diffuser chamber between said central wall portion of said diffuser and said central portion of said inflator;
• said first end portion of said diffuser extending radially inward from said central wall portion of said diffuser and blocking axial movement of said inflator in a first axial direction;
• and
• said second end portion of said diffuser having a curl portion extending radially inward from said central wall portion of said diffuser in a direction toward said longitudinal axis and toward said first end portion of said diffuser, said curl portion of said diffuser blocking radial movement of said second end portion of said inflator and blocking axial movement of said inflator in a second axial direction opposite to said first axial direction;
• wherein said curl portion of said diffuser comprises a cylindrical wall portion of said diffuser which is curled radially inward and axially in a direction toward said first end portion of said diffuser about a circular bending axis which is centered on said longitudinal axis.

A vehicle safety apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle seat in the event of a side impact to the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable occupant protection device having a deflated condition and being inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant for helping to protect the vehicle occupant;
• an inflator which is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable device, said inflator having a longitudinal axis, a first end portion, a second end portion, and a central portion between said first and second end portions;
• a diffuser receiving said inflator, said diffuser having a central wall portion and first and second opposite end portions;
• means for connecting said diffuser and said inflator with the vehicle seat;
• said central wall portion of said diffuser being spaced radially outward from said central portion of said inflator to define a diffuser chamber between said central wall portion of said diffuser and said central portion of said inflator;
• said first end portion of said diffuser extending radially inward from said central wall portion of said diffuser and blocking axial movement of said inflator in a first axial direction;
• and
• said second end portion of said diffuser having a curl portion extending radially inward from said central wall portion of said diffuser in a direction toward said longitudinal axis and toward said first end portion of said diffuser, said curl portion of said diffuser blocking radial movement of said second end portion of said inflator and blocking axial movement of said inflator in a second axial direction opposite to said first axial direction;
• wherein said curl portion of said diffuser has an inner side surface and an opposite outer side surface, said curl portion of said diffuser comprising a cylindrical wall portion which is deformed radially inwardly by more than 90.degree. at a plurality of locations centered on said longitudinal axis so that said outer side surface of said curl portion is presented in a direction toward said longitudinal axis.

A vehicle safety apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle seat in the event of a side impact to the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

• an inflatable occupant protection device having a deflated condition and being inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant for helping to protect the vehicle occupant;
• an inflator which is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable device, said inflator having a longitudinal axis, a first end portion, a second end portion, and a central portion between said first and second end portions;
• a diffuser receiving said inflator, said diffuser having a central wall portion and first and second opposite end portions;
• means for connecting said diffuser and said inflator with the vehicle seat;
• said central wall portion of said diffuser being spaced radially outward from said central portion of said inflator to define a diffuser chamber between said central wall portion of said diffuser and said central portion of said inflator;
• said first end portion of said diffuser extending radially inward from said central wall portion of said diffuser and blocking axial movement of said inflator in a first axial direction;
• and
• said second end portion of said diffuser having a curl portion extending radially inward from said central wall portion of said diffuser in a direction toward said longitudinal axis and toward said first end portion of said diffuser, said curl portion of said diffuser blocking radial movement of said second end portion of said inflator and blocking axial movement of said inflator in a second axial direction opposite to said first axial direction;
• wherein said curl portion of said diffuser is spaced apart from said second end portion of said inflator, said apparatus further comprising a cushion disposed intermediate said curl portion of said diffuser and said second end portion of said inflator, said curl portion of said diffuser clamping said cushion against said second end portion of said inflator to block radial and axial movement of said second end portion of said inflator.