Inflator protection device

Abstract

Device comprising: an inflator having gas holes formed therein, the gas holes formed around an outer surface of the device and configured to discharge gas; and a protective device configured to surround the inflator and configured to define gas discharge spaces therein, the gas discharge spaces being configured to have a closed cross-sectional structure that coincides with the gas holes to supply the gas to an airbag cushion through corresponding openings at both ends of the gas discharge spaces.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO THE CORRESPONDING APPLICATIONThis application claims priority under 35 USC §119(a) to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0070266, filed on May 29, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.BACKGROUND1. Field of the InventionThe present disclosure relates to an inflator protection device that can improve a mounting structure between an inflator and a protection device to effectively suppress damage to an airbag cushion caused by high temperature gas.2. Description of the Prior ArtAn inflator configured to supply gas to the interior of an airbag cushion is installed in an airbag module.Thus, when an accident occurs with a vehicle, a sensor detects the accident and rapidly supplies gas to the airbag cushion via the inflator, thereby immediately deploying the airbag cushion and protecting the occupants from the impact of the vehicle.When the inflator detects a signal from the sensor, the inflator immediately explodes and ignites a gas generator through an igniter to generate gas.However, since the gas generated by the inflator is high-temperature and high-pressure gas, there is a problem that the airbag cushion may be damaged when the gas comes into direct contact with the airbag cushion.Therefore, a protector may be mounted on a connection part between the inflator and the airbag cushion to prevent the gas from coming into direct contact with the airbag cushion.The terms described in this background section are merely for enhancement of understanding of the background of the disclosure and should not be taken as an acknowledgement that they correspond to the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.ILLUSTRATIONThis illustration is intended to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are described further below in the detailed description. This disclosure is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.In a general aspect, there is provided herein an apparatus comprising an inflator having gas holes formed therein, the gas holes formed around an outer surface thereof and configured to discharge gas, and a protector configured to surround the inflator and configured to have gas discharge spaces defined therein, the gas discharge spaces configured to have a closed cross-sectional structure to fit the gas holes to guide the gas to an airbag cushion through corresponding openings at both ends of the gas discharge spaces.The protection device may include a central support configured to be supported by an outer surface of a first side of the inflator, side covers connected to both ends of the central support and shaped to cover the gas holes at positions spaced from the gas holes, and end supports respectively connected to the corresponding side covers and configured to be supported by an outer surface of a second side of the inflator.The central support may be formed in the shape of a flat plate, a center of the central support is configured to support the inflator, the side covers may be configured to flex from the central support along the inflator to surround the outer surface of the inflator, and the end supports may be configured to flex from the side covers toward the inflator, the outer surface of the inflator being configured to support the respective ends of the end supports.At corners of the protector, beads configured such that the central support and the side covers are connected to each other may be formed.The side covers may be configured in an arc shape corresponding to the curvature of the outer surface of the inflator, so that the gas discharge spaces are configured in an arc shape.Inner surfaces of connection parts between the side covers and the end supports may be configured in a concave curved shape.An outer diameter of the inflator may be greater than or equal to the inner diameter of an annulus circumscribed by the central support and the ends of the end supports.An outer diameter of the inflator may be greater than or equal to the width of a slot formed between the end supports.An outer diameter of the guard may be greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the inflator.A bolt may be connected to the inflator, the protector may have a bolt hole formed therein, and the bolt may be inserted into the bolt hole while the inflator is assembled to the protector.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an inflator and a protector according to the present disclosure separated from each other; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inflator and the protector according to the present disclosure being mounted; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an assembly of the inflator and the protector according to the present disclosure; and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing beads and a bolt hole formed on and in the protector according to the present disclosure.In the drawings and the detailed description, unless otherwise described or indicated, like or similar reference numerals refer to like or similar elements, features, and structures. The drawings may not be to scale and the relative size, proportions, and representation of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity, illustration, and convenience.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONThe following detailed description is intended to aid the reader in obtaining a thorough understanding of the methods, apparatus, and / or systems described herein. However, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the methods, devices, and / or systems described herein will be nail-friendly, along with the understanding of the disclosure of this application. For example, the sequences of operations described herein are merely examples and are not limited to those described herein, but may be changed as will be apparent from an understanding of the disclosure of this application, except for operations that necessarily occur in a particular order.The features described herein may be embodied in various forms and are not to be construed as limited to the examples described herein. Rather, the examples described herein have been provided merely to illustrate some of the many possible ways of implementing the methods, apparatus, and / or systems described herein that will be apparent along with the understanding of the disclosure of this application.The advantages and features of the present disclosure and the methods for achieving the advantages and features will be apparent by referring to the embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein, but may be implemented in various forms. The embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated so that the present disclosure will be fully disclosed and a person having ordinary skill in the art can fully understand the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is defined only by the scope of the appended claims. Here, the terms used in the present specification are for explaining the embodiments and not for restricting the present disclosure.Terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), or the like may be used herein to describe components. Each of these terminology is not used to define a spirit, order, or sequence of a corresponding component, but merely to distinguish the corresponding component from other components. For example, a first component may be referred to as a second component, and also the second component may be referred to as a first component.When a component is described as being "connected to" or "coupled to" another component, it may be directly "connected to" or "coupled to" the other component, or one or more other components may be interposed therebetween. On the other hand, when an element is described as being "directly connected to another element" or "directly coupled to another element", no other elements may be interposed therebetween.When an element is described as being on or under another element, this description includes both the case that the two elements are in direct contact with each other and the case that the two elements are in indirect contact with each other, with one or more other elements being disposed between the two elements. When an element is described as being on or below another element, such description may also include the case that the one element is formed on an upper side or a lower side with respect to another element.The singular forms "a", "an" and "the" also include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises / comprises" and / or "includes / includes," when used herein, specify the presence of particular features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.An inflator protection device according to the present disclosure includes an inflator 100 configured to have gas holes 110 formed around its outer surface to discharge gas, and a protection device 200 mounted in a mold surrounding the inflator 100 and configured to have gas discharge spaces A having a closed cross-sectional structure with the gas holes 110 to supply the gas to an airbag cushion through openings at both ends of the gas discharge spaces A.Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the inflator 100 is formed cylindrically, and a plurality of gas holes 110 are formed at regular intervals in some length portions of the inflator 100 in the longitudinal direction of the inflator 100 so that the gas is discharged through each gas hole 110.The protector 200 is formed in a shape to cover the gas holes 110 at a position spaced apart from the gas holes 110 by a predetermined distance in a range where the gas holes 110 are formed, so that the gas discharge spaces A are formed between the gas holes 110 and the protector 200.Since portions of the protectors 200 forming the inner surfaces of the gas discharge spaces A are supported by the outer surface of the inflator 100, the gas discharge spaces A can have a closed cross-sectional shape.In addition, the openings are formed at both ends of the gas discharge spaces A, and gas is discharged through the openings and supplied to the airbag cushion.In other words, the gas discharged from the inflator 100 is first discharged into the gas discharge spaces A having a closed cross section and then supplied to the airbag cushion so as not to damage the airbag cushion by the high temperature gas, and the gas is cooled in a process of flowing through the gas discharge spaces A to more effectively prevent damage to the airbag cushion.In addition, in the present disclosure, the protection device 200 includes a central support 200 athat is supported by the outer surface of one side of the inflator 100, side covers 200 bthat are connected to both ends of the central support 200 aand are shaped to cover the gas holes 110 at positions spaced apart from the gas holes 110, and end supports 200 cthat are connected to the side covers 200 band supported by the outer surface of the other side of the inflator 100.Further, in the present disclosure, the central support 200 ais formed in a flat plate shape such that the inflator 100 is supported from its center, the side covers 200 bare formed in a shape that bends from the central support 200 aalong the inflator 100 to surround the outer surface of the inflator 100, and the end supports 200 care formed in a shape that bends from the side covers 200 bto the inflator 100 such that the ends of the end supports 200 care supported by the outer surface of the inflator 100.Referring to FIG. 3, the protector 200 is formed to have an approximately C-shaped cross section, the flat central support 200 ais formed in the center of the protector 200, and the center of the inner surface of the central support 200 ais maintained in a state of being in linear contact with the outer surface of one side of the inflator 100.The side covers 200 bare formed so as to extend from both ends of the central support 200 ain bilaterally symmetrical to each other, and connecting parts between the central support 200 aand the side covers 200 bare bent so that the side covers 200 bare bent along the outer surface of the inflator 100 to surround the left and right outer surfaces of the inflator 100 at positions spaced from the gas holes 110.In addition, the end supports 200 care formed to extend in bilaterally symmetrical shapes from the side covers 200 b, and the connection parts between the side covers 200 band the end supports 200 care bent such that the ends of the end supports 200 c, i.e., the left and right ends of the protector 200, are bent toward the outer surface of the inflator 100, and the end supports 200 care maintained in a state of being in linear contact with the outer surface of the other side of the inflator 100.That is, the inner surface of the center of the inner surface of the central support 200 aand both ends of the end supports 200 care supported by the outer surface of the inflator 100, and the side covers 200 bare provided at positions spaced apart from the outer surface of the inflator 100, thereby forming the gas discharge spaces A of the closed cross-sectional structure between the inner surfaces of the central support 200 a, the side covers 200 b, and the end supports 200 cand the outer surface of the inflator 100.Since the gas discharged from the inflator 100 is first discharged into the gas discharge spaces A and then supplied to the airbag cushion, the airbag cushion is prevented from being damaged by the high temperature gas.Moreover, in the present disclosure, beads 210 may be formed at the corners of the protector 200 where the central support 200 aand the side covers 200 bare connected.The beads 210 may be formed by partially pressing the corners into the inside of the protector 200. When the beads 210 are formed, the bending or breaking of the side covers 200b with respect to the central support 200a can be mitigated.Therefore, a gap between the side covers 200 bcan be prevented from being widened as much as possible by the discharge pressure of the gas discharged through the gas holes 110, thereby preventing the high temperature gas from directly contacting the airbag cushion and damaging the airbag cushion by the high temperature gas.Here, a plurality of beads 210 may be formed along the corners at which the central support 200 aand the side covers 200 bare joined to each other, and the beads 210 may be formed at positions bilaterally symmetrical to each other, or in some cases, may be formed at positions asymmetrical.Further, in the present disclosure, the side covers 220 bmay be formed in an arc shape corresponding to the curvature of the outer surface of the inflator 100, and thus the gas discharge spaces A may be formed in an arc shape.In other words, the inner surfaces of the side covers 220 bare formed at positions concentric with the outer surface of the inflator 100, and thus the gas discharge spaces A formed between the side covers 220 band the inflator 100 may be formed in an arc shape.Therefore, the gas discharged through the gas holes 110 is discharged while flowing along the inner surfaces of the gas discharge spaces A, whereby a cooling effect on the gas can be obtained.However, the gas discharge spaces 200 may be formed such that the areas near the end supports 200 care narrower than the areas near the central support 200 aor, conversely, the areas near the central support 200 aare narrower than the areas near the end supports 200 cby changing the shape of the protector 200, and the end supports 200 cmay be configured to better withstand the discharge pressure of the gas without increasing a gap between the end supports 200 cby adjusting the shape of the gas discharge spaces A due to the discharge pressure of the gas.Further, the inner surfaces of the connecting parts between the side covers 220 band the end supports 220 cmay be bent in a concave bent shape.When gas discharged through the gas holes 110 flows along the inner surfaces of the side covers 200 bto the end pillars 200 c, the gas flows along the concave inner surfaces of the end pillars 200 c, whereby the widening of the gap between the end pillars 200 cby the discharge pressure of the gas can be minimized.In the present disclosure, the outer diameter D inf of the inflator 100 may be greater than or equal to the inner diameter D innen of an inner circle inscribed in the central support 200 aand the ends of the end supports 200 c.In addition, the outer diameter D außen of the protector 200 may be greater than or equal to the outer diameter D inf of the inflator 100.The relationship between these diameters can be expressed as inequality as follows.D außen: Outer diameter of the protectorD inf: Outer diameter of inflator (inflator)D innen: inner diameter of the inner circle in the protection deviceIn particular, the outer diameter D inf of the inflator 100 should be greater than the inner diameter D innen of the inner circle.When the inflator 100 is coupled to the inside of the protector 200, the central support 200 aand the end supports 200 cmay be supported while being pressed against the outer surface of the inflator 100, so that the inflator 100 and the protector 200 may be firmly connected to each other.In addition, the outer diameter D außen of the protector 200 should be larger than the outer diameter D inf of the inflator 100.Accordingly, the inflator 100 may be coupled to the protector 200 while being inserted into the protector 200.Further, the outer diameter D inf of the inflator 100 may be greater than or equal to the width W of a slot S formed between the end supports 200c.In particular, the outer diameter D inf of the inflator 100 should be greater than the width W of the slit S.Thus, when the inflator 100 is pushed into the slit S to couple the inflator 100 to the protector 200, the inflator 100 is inserted into the protector 200 while the width W of the slit S increases by elastic deformation, the width W of the slit S that has increased during the insertion narrows, and the end supports 200 care pushed and supported by the inflator 100, whereby the firmly coupled state of the inflator 100 to the protector 200 can be maintained.Further, in the present disclosure, a bolt 120 may be connected to the inflator 100, a bolt hole 220 may be formed in the protector 200, and the bolt 120 may be inserted into the bolt hole 220 while the inflator 100 is assembled with the protector 200.In other words, the bolt 120 is inserted into and coupled to the bolt hole 220 while the inflator 100 is connected to the inside of the protector 200, thereby facilitating the assembly of the inflator 100 and the protector 200.In the present disclosure, the protector 200 may be configured such that the end supports 200 cand the side covers 200 bare removed in an area corresponding to a portion of the inflator 100 in which the gas holes 110 are not formed.In this case, the fastening force required to insert the inflator 100 into the protector 200 is reduced, and thus the assembly between the protector 200 and the inflator 100 can be improved.As described above, in the present invention, the gas discharged from the inflator 100 is first discharged into the gas discharge spaces A formed with a closed cross section and then supplied to the airbag cushion, so that damage to the airbag cushion by the high temperature gas is prevented, and the gas is cooled as it passes through the gas discharge spaces A to more stably prevent damage to the airbag cushion.As is apparent from the above description, according to the present disclosure, the gas discharged from an inflator is first discharged into gas discharge spaces having a closed cross section and then supplied to an airbag cushion so that damage to the airbag cushion by the high temperature gas is prevented, and the gas is cooled as it passes through the gas discharge spaces A to more stably prevent damage to the airbag cushion.The various embodiments of the present disclosure do not introduce all available combinations but serve to describe a representative aspect of the present disclosure, and the descriptions of the various embodiments may be applied independently of each other or by a combination of two or more.A number of embodiments have been described above. It is to be understood, however, that various modifications may be made. For example, suitable results may be obtained when the described techniques are performed in a different order and / or when components in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit are otherwise combined and / or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.Although this disclosure includes specific examples, it will be apparent, along with the understanding of the disclosure of this application, that various changes in form and details may be made in these examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims and their equivalents. The examples described herein are to be understood as illustrative and not restrictive. Descriptions of features or aspects in each example are to be considered applicable to similar features or aspects in other examples. Suitable results may be achieved when the described techniques are performed in a different order and / or when components in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in a different manner and / or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents. Therefore, the scope of the disclosure is defined not by the detailed description, but by the claims and their equivalents, and all variations within the scope of the claims and their equivalents are to be construed as being included in the disclosure.References included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedKR 10-2024-0070266

[0001]

Claims

An apparatus comprising: an inflator having gas holes formed therein, the gas holes formed around an outer surface of the apparatus and configured to discharge gas; and a protection device configured to surround the inflator and configured to define gas discharge spaces therein, the gas discharge spaces configured to have a closed cross-sectional structure conforming to the gas holes to supply the gas to an airbag cushion through corresponding openings at both ends of the gas discharge spaces.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protection device comprises: a central support configured to be supported by an outer surface of a first side of the inflator; side covers connected to both ends of the central support and shaped to cover the gas holes at positions spaced from the gas holes; and end supports connected to the respective side covers, respectively, and configured to be supported by an outer surface of a second side of the inflator.The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the central support is formed in a flat plate shape, a center of the central support is configured to support the inflator, the side covers are configured to flex from the central support along the inflator to surround the outer surface of the inflator, and the end supports are configured in a shape to flex from the side covers toward the inflator, the outer surface of the inflator is configured to support the respective ends of the end supports.The device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein beads are formed at the corners of the protector, which beads are configured such that the central support and the side covers are connected to each other.The apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the side covers are configured in an arc shape corresponding to a curvature of the outer surface of the inflator so that the gas discharge spaces are formed in the arc shape.The device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein inner surfaces of the connection parts between the side covers and the end supports are bent in a concave curved shape.The apparatus of any of claims 2 to 6, wherein an outer diameter of the inflator is greater than or equal to an inner diameter of an inner circle circumscribed by the central support and the ends of the end supports.The apparatus of any of claims 2 to 7, wherein the outer diameter of the inflator is greater than or equal to the width of a slot formed between the end supports.The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein an outer diameter of the guard is greater than or equal to an outer diameter of the inflator.The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a bolt is connected to the inflator, wherein the protector has a bolt hole formed therein, and wherein the bolt is inserted into the bolt hole while the inflator is assembled with the protector.

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