Micro gas generator and method for producing a micro gas generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12416477-B2
Application number	US-202218562849-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2022
Priority date	May 26, 2021
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

The invention describes a micro gas generator ( 10 ) for a vehicle safety system comprising a plastic housing part ( 20 ) and a metallic insert ( 22 ), wherein the plastic material forming the housing part ( 20 ) is injection-molded around the insert ( 22 ) and, thus, the latter is positively connected to the housing part ( 20 ), and wherein a seat ( 24 ) in which an igniter ( 14 ) is inserted is formed in the housing part ( 20 ). In addition, a method of manufacturing a micro gas generator ( 10 ) is described.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A micro gas generator ( 10 ) for a vehicle safety system comprising a plastic housing part ( 20 ) and a metallic insert ( 22 ), wherein the plastic material forming the housing part ( 20 ) is injection-molded around the insert ( 22 ) so that the insert is positively connected to the housing part ( 20 ), and wherein a seat ( 24 ) in which an igniter ( 14 ) is inserted is formed in the housing part ( 20 ), the igniter ( 14 ) having an ignition head ( 16 ), wherein a collar ( 19 ) projecting in the axial direction toward the housing part ( 20 ) is formed on an end face of the ignition head ( 16 ) and an annular seat ( 28 ) for the collar ( 19 ) is formed in the housing part ( 20 ), the seat ( 28 ) for the collar ( 19 ) of the ignition head ( 16 ) being partly formed by an annular projection ( 30 ) extending in the axial direction toward the ignition head ( 16 ) which projection specifically abuts on an inner face of the collar ( 19 ) of the ignition head ( 16 ).

2. The micro gas generator ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the seat ( 24 ) for the igniter ( 14 ) is formed at least partly by a hollow-cylindrical portion ( 26 ) of the housing part ( 20 ).

3. The micro gas generator ( 10 ) according to claim 2 , wherein a fixing cap ( 40 ) is attached to the hollow-cylindrical portion ( 26 ) in which the igniter ( 14 ) is received, or in that a fixing cap ( 40 ) is inserted in the hollow-cylindrical portion ( 26 ), the fixing cap retaining the igniter on the housing part.

4. The micro gas generator ( 10 ) according to claim 3 , wherein an elevation ( 42 ), which biases the igniter ( 14 ) against the housing part ( 20 ), is formed on a bottom of the fixing cap ( 40 ).

5. The micro gas generator ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein a propelling charge container ( 46 ) is attached to the housing part ( 20 ), wherein the propelling charge container ( 46 ) is configured so that the igniter ( 14 ) is fixed in the seat ( 24 ) by the propelling charge container ( 46 ).

6. The micro gas generator ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein a stop is provided which delimits an insertion depth of the igniter ( 14 ).

7. The micro gas generator ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein a gasket ( 44 ) is interposed axially between the igniter ( 14 ) and the housing part ( 20 ).

8. The micro gas generator ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the metallic insert ( 20 ) is a disk which projects radially from the housing part ( 20 ).

9. A method of manufacturing a micro gas generator ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
placing the metallic insert in a tool mold,
in the tool mold, the plastic housing part ( 20 ) is manufactured by injection-molding, wherein the metallic insert ( 22 ) is overmolded in such a way that it is positively connected to the housing part ( 20 ), and wherein the plastic housing part ( 20 ) includes the seat for the igniter,
after injection-molding the igniter is inserted into the seat ( 24 ).

10. The micro gas generator ( 10 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the elevation ( 42 ) is an annular elevation ( 42 ).

11. The micro gas generator ( 10 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the gasket ( 44 ) is an O-ring.

12. A micro gas generator ( 10 ) for a vehicle safety system comprising a plastic housing part ( 20 ) and a metallic insert ( 22 ), wherein the plastic material forming the housing part ( 20 ) is injection-molded around the insert ( 22 ) so that the insert is positively connected to the housing part ( 20 ), and wherein a seat ( 24 ) in which an igniter ( 14 ) is inserted is formed in the housing part ( 20 ), the seat ( 24 ) for the igniter ( 14 ) being formed at least partly by a hollow-cylindrical portion ( 26 ) of the housing part ( 20 ), a fixing cap ( 40 ) being attached to the hollow-cylindrical portion ( 26 ) in which the igniter ( 14 ) is received, or being inserted in the hollow-cylindrical portion ( 26 ), wherein an elevation ( 42 ), which biases the igniter ( 14 ) against the housing part ( 20 ), is formed on a bottom of the fixing cap ( 40 ).

13. The micro gas generator ( 10 ) according to claim 12 , wherein the elevation ( 42 ) is an annular elevation ( 42 ).

14. A micro gas generator ( 10 ) for a vehicle safety system comprising a plastic housing part ( 20 ) and a metallic insert ( 22 ), wherein the plastic material forming the housing part ( 20 ) is injection-molded around the insert ( 22 ) so that the insert is positively connected to the housing part ( 20 ), and wherein a seat ( 24 ) in which an igniter ( 14 ) is inserted is formed in the housing part ( 20 ), wherein a propelling charge container ( 46 ) is attached to the housing part ( 20 ), wherein the propelling charge container ( 46 ) is configured so that the igniter ( 14 ) is fixed in the seat ( 24 ) by the propelling charge container ( 46 ).

Assignees

• Zf Automotive Germany Gmbh

Inventors

• Schreiber Simon
• Böck-Kauer Daniel

Classifications

• F42B3/103

  Mounting initiator heads in initiators; Sealing-plugs · CPC title

• B60R2021/26029

  Ignitors · CPC title

• F42B3/04 Primary

  for producing gas under pressure {(generators of inflation fluid especially adapted for vehicle air bags B60R21/26)} · CPC title

• B60R21/26 Primary

  characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow {(arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10)} · CPC title