Igniter support, subassembly, gas generator, and method for manufacturing a gas generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11084454-B2
Application number	US-201816608249-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2018
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

The invention describes an igniter support (22) for an igniter unit (20) of a gas generator (10), comprising a first holder element (30) made from a first material and a second holder element (32) made from a second material different from the first material. Both holder elements (30, 32) can be positively coupled to each other. Further, a subassembly (16), a gas generator (10) and a method for manufacturing a gas generator (10) are described.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An igniter support ( 22 ) for an igniter unit ( 20 ) of a gas generator ( 10 ), comprising a first holder element ( 30 ) made from a first material and a second holder element ( 32 ) made from a second material different from the first material, wherein both holder elements ( 30 , 32 ) are adapted to be positively coupled to each other, especially to be at least partially positively nested, wherein the first holder element ( 30 ) has an axial contact surface ( 64 ) for the second holder element ( 32 ) on an end face associated with the second holder element ( 32 ), and/or the second holder element ( 32 ) has axially protruding projections ( 76 ), especially wherein the projections ( 76 ) have an axial pressure surface ( 78 ) via which they interact with an axial contact surface ( 64 ) of the first holder element ( 30 ).

2. The igniter support ( 22 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first holder element ( 30 ) is made from metal and can be assembled with the igniter unit ( 20 ) to form a prefabricated assembly group, and wherein the second holder element ( 32 ) is made from plastic material.

3. The igniter support ( 22 ) according to claim 1 , wherein both holder elements ( 30 , 32 ) are positively coupled in the circumferential direction and/or in the radial direction.

4. The igniter support ( 22 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first holder element ( 30 ) includes axially protruding lugs ( 68 ) at the end face associated with the second holder element ( 32 ).

5. The igniter support ( 22 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the projections ( 76 ) and/or the lugs ( 68 ) include bearing surfaces ( 80 , 72 ) provided in the circumferential direction for orientating the holder elements ( 32 , 30 ).

6. An igniter support ( 22 ) for an igniter unit ( 20 ) of a gas generator ( 10 ), comprising:
a first holder element ( 30 ) made from a first material and a second holder element ( 32 ) made from a second material different from the first material, wherein both holder elements ( 30 , 32 ) are adapted to be positively coupled to each other, wherein the second holder element ( 32 ) has at least one detent element ( 42 ) arranged radially outside and being especially hook-shaped, and wherein the detent element ( 42 ) extends from an end face of the second holder element ( 32 ) which is remote from the first holder element ( 30 ).

7. The igniter support ( 22 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the second holder element ( 32 ) includes, on the inner face thereof, an undercut ( 52 ) for the igniter unit ( 20 ).

8. A subassembly ( 16 ) comprising an igniter support ( 22 ) according to claim 1 and an igniter unit ( 20 ).

9. The subassembly ( 16 ) according to claim 8 , wherein the first holder element ( 30 ) is formed at least in some areas so that the igniter unit ( 20 ) is received at least partly by the first holder element ( 30 ), and/or in that the igniter unit ( 20 ) is bonded at least in some areas with the first holder element ( 30 ).

10. The subassembly ( 16 ) according to claim 8 , wherein the igniter unit ( 20 ) comprises a socket ( 26 ) which is inserted in the second holder element ( 32 ) or which is attached to the second holder element ( 32 ) by injection molding to form an integral component with the latter.

11. A gas generator ( 10 ) comprising a subassembly ( 16 ) according to claim 8 , including a gas generator housing ( 12 ) in which the subassembly ( 16 ) is at least partially received, the gas generator housing ( 12 ) including at least one stop face ( 54 ) for the subassembly ( 16 ).

12. The gas generator ( 10 ) according to claim 11 , wherein the gas generator housing ( 12 ) in an end section ( 14 ) includes at least one opening ( 40 ) via which the subassembly ( 16 ) is fixed in position on the gas generator housing ( 12 ).

13. The gas generator ( 10 ) according to claim 11 , wherein the gas generator ( 10 ) is a pyrotechnical gas generator, a hybrid gas generator, a belt tensioner or an actuator the gas generator housing ( 12 ) being tube-shaped or toroid-shaped.

14. A method for manufacturing a gas generator ( 10 ), comprising the following steps of:
providing a gas generator housing ( 12 ),
providing a subassembly ( 16 ) according to claim 8 , and
inserting the subassembly ( 16 ) into the gas generator housing ( 12 ).

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the igniter ( 24 ) is fastened to the first holder element ( 30 ) by partially forming the first holder element ( 30 ) and/or in that a socket ( 26 ) is inserted into or attached by injection-molding to the second holder element ( 32 ).

16. The igniter support ( 22 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the projections ( 76 ) have an axial pressure surface ( 78 ) via which they interact with an axial contact surface ( 64 ) of the first holder element ( 30 ).

17. An igniter support ( 22 ) for an igniter unit ( 20 ) of a gas generator ( 10 ), comprising a first holder element ( 30 ) made from a first material and including axially protruding lugs ( 68 ) a second holder element ( 32 ) made from a second material different from the first material and including axially protruding projections ( 76 ), wherein both holder elements ( 30 , 32 ) are positively coupled to each other-when the lugs ( 68 ) and the projections ( 78 ) are interdigitated with one another.

Assignees

• Trw Airbag Sys Gmbh

Inventors

• Knollhuber Christian
• Esau Anja
• Desiree Koller

Classifications

• B60R21/264 Primary

  using instantaneous generation of gas, e.g. pyrotechnic (B60R21/268 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60R2021/26082

  Material · CPC title

• B29K2995/0005

  Conductive · CPC title

• F42B3/26

  Arrangements for mounting initiators; Accessories therefor, e.g. tools · CPC title

• B60R2021/26029

  Ignitors · CPC title