Patent EP0512682A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0512682A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Universal squib connector
Assignee: Morton International LLC
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Filing: 1992-04-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-04-03
Abstract
Abstract A universal squib connector (104) for automobile driver and passenger air bag collision protection systems includes a ferrite bead (122) having two holes in spaced relation with an electric terminal (106, 108) positioned in each hole for making electrical contact with an associated one of the protruding pins (46) of a pin type electric squib. The arrangement enables the use of a single configuration of gas generator and a single configuration of electric initiator or squib for the igniter system of the gas generator while providing EMI/RFI protection and the advantages realizable from both pin type and pig tail type connection of the collision sensor to the input conductors or lead wires (110, 112) to the squib and also the electrical system of the vehicle according to the preferences of individual automobile manufacturers. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Donald J. Cunningham
- 👤 John E. Allard
- 👤 Virginia E. Chandler
- 👤 Bradley W. Smith
- 👤 David B. Monk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 23:55
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/02; B60R21/16; B60R21/26; B60R21/264; B60R21/2644; F; F42; F42B; F42B3/00; F42B3/04; F42B3/10; F42B3/103; F42B3/18; F42B3/188; B60R2021/26029
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
188 words
A universal squib connector (104) for providing a permanent pig tail connection to a pin type electric initiator or squib (37) comprising, connecting terminals (106, 108), a ferrite bead (122) having holes (118, 120) therethrough in spaced relation, each of said holes having a first end and a second end, with one of said terminals (106) positioned in one of said holes (118) and another of said terminals (108) positioned in another of said holes (120), the spacing of said holes being such as to allow protruding pins (46) of the pin type electric initiator or squib each to enter the first end of a respective 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, and a plurality of electrical input conductors (110, 112) for connecting an electrical circuit to the electric initiator or 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.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
39 words
A universal squib connector according to Claim 1 further including means (114, 116) to permanently retain each of said terminals (106, 108) in electric contact with the individually associated one of the protruding pins (46) of the electric initiator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
78 words
A universal squib connector according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said ferrite bead (122) and said terminals (106, 108) are encapsulated in a plastics molding (124) with the holes in said ferrite bead extending through the plastic molding to allow entry of each of the protruding pins (46) of an electric squib (37) to enter the associated first end thereof and an end of each of said electrical conductors to enter the associated second end thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
130 words
A universal squib connector according to Claim 3 in combination with a gas generator having an electric initiator or squib (37) of the pin type with protruding pins and operative when electrically energized to provide ignition for said gas generator, wherein said gas generator has an external wall (14) portion with a socket (126) formed therein into which the protruding pins of said squib extend, with the shape of the plastics molding (124) of said universal squib connector matching that of said socket whereby said universal squib connector may be inserted in said socket with each of the terminals (106, 108) in electrical contact with an individually associated protruding pin (46) of said squib, and wherein means (128) are provided to retain said universal squib connector permanently in said socket.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A universal squib connector according to Claim 4 wherein the means to permanently retain said universal squib connector in said socket is a non-structural crimp (128) formed in the wall portion (14) of the generator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A universal squib connector according to Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein the plurality of electrical input conductors (110, 112) extend directly away from said universal squib connector.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
161 words
A universal squib connector according to Claim 4 wherein the shape of said universal squib connector (130) and that of said socket (126) in the external wall portion (14) of the gas generator are both cylindrical, and wherein the means to retain said universal squib connector permanently in said socket in the external wall portion of said generator comprises a first circumferential groove (140) in the connector, an expansible locking ring (138) in said first circumferential groove, and a second circumferential groove (142) in the wall of the socket with the positions of said first and second circumferential grooves on said connector and socket, respectively, being such that said first and second circumferential grooves are positioned adjacent each other when said universal squib connector is substantially fully inserted in said socket whereby the locking ring is allowed to expand partially out of said first circumferential groove into said second circumferential groove thereby to lock said universal squib connector in said socket.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A universal squib connector according to Claim 7 further including a seal ring (144) provided in circumferential relation to said connector and positioned between said connector and the interior wall of the socket.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
71 words
A universal squib connector according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein the plastics molding for said universal squib connector (130) includes a portion (132) that is adjacent the electrical input conductors (110, 112), which portion extends at a right angle to said universal squib connector to guide and allow the electrical input conductors to run parallel to the external wall (14) of the generator in which the socket is formed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
101 words
A universal squib connector according to claim 9 further comprising an anti-rotation rib (134) which extends between the main body of said connector and the right angle portion (130) thereof, wherein the wall of said socket in the external wall portion of the gas generator includes a cutout portion (136) matching the configuration of said anti-rotation rib, and wherein said anti-rotation rib is so arranged as to fit in the matching cutout portion in the wall of said socket when each of the protruding pins (45) of said squib are in operable electrical contact with an associated one of said terminals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
90 words
A universal squib connector according to claim 9 further including anti-rotation means comprising a cavity (150) adjoining the holes (118, 120) that are provided for the insertion therein of the protruding pins of an electric squib (37') with which the universal squib connector (148) is to be used, which cavity is arranged to receive a projection (152) on the electric squib when the universal squib connector is brought into operative relation with the electric squib, with the contour of the cavity matching that of the projection on the electric squib.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
A universal squib connector according to claim 11 wherein said cavity (178) is T-shaped whereby there is only one angular position in which the cavity is arranged to receive the projection (46) on the electrical squib (37").
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
101 words
A universal squib connector according to claim 4, wherein the means to retain the universal squib connector (160) permanently in said socket (126) comprises latch means (165, 166) attached to said universal squib connector and extending outwardly and downwardly from a side wall portion thereof, said latch means being compressed inwardly against the side wall of said universal squib connector upon insertion of said universal squib connector in said socket, said socket having a groove (174) in the wall (127) thereof into which said latch means moved and is captured when said universal squib connector is fully inserted in said socket.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
68 words
A universal squib connector according to claim 13, wherein the shape of said universal squib connector (160) and that of said socket (126) in the external wall portion of the gas generator are generally both cylindrical, and said latch means comprises at least one latch member (164, 166) that is integrally formed with the plastics molding (168) of said universal squib connector and extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
92 words
A universal squib connector according to claim 13 or claim 14 wherein said means to permanently retain said universal squib connector (160) in said socket (126) comprises first and second latch members (164, 166) attached to said universal squib connector and extending outwardly and downwardly from respectively opposed side wall portions thereof, said socket having a circumferential groove (174, 176) in opposed side wall portions thereof into which each of said first and second latch members, respectively, moves and is captured when said universal squib connector is fully inserted in said socket.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
A universal squib connector according to claim 3, wherein the shape of said universal squib connector (16) is cylindrical, and wherein a plurality of uniformly spaced axially extending ribs (182, 184, 186, 188) integral with said plastics molding (168) are provided on the cylindrical surface thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
100 words
A universal squib connector according to claim 4 wherein the shape of said universal squib connector (160) and that of said socket (126) in the external wall portion (14) of the gas generator are both cylindrical, and further including, a plurality of uniformly spaced axially extending ribs (182, 180, 186, 188) on the cylindrical surface of said universal squib connector, each of said ribs having a pointed edge that engages the wall (127) of said socket, allowing said universal squib connector to be inserted therein but providing substantial resistance to movement to which said universal squib connector may be subjected.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
152 words
A universal squib connector according to claim 2, wherein said ferrite bead (122) and said terminals are encapsulated in a plastics molding (168) with the holes in said ferrite bead extending through the plastics molding to allow entry of each of the protruding pins of the electric squib to enter the associated first end thereof and an end of each of said electrical connectors to enter the associated second end thereof, and wherein said plastics molding for said universal squib connector includes first and second portions that extend at substantially a right angle to said universal squib connector with said first portion (190) extending in the direction of the electrical input conductors (110, 112) and providing guidance therefor and with said second portion (196) extending away from the electrical input conductors, said first portion of said plastics molding having opposed triangular edges (192, 194) for facilitating gripping of said universal squib connector.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
185 words
A universal squib connector according to claim 4 wherein the shape of said universal squib connector (160) and that of said socket (126) in the external wall portion (14) of the gas generator are both cylindrical, wherein said plastics molding (168) for said universal squib connector includes first and second portions that extend at substantially a right angle to said universal squib connector with said first portion (190) extending in the direction of the electrical input conductors (110, 112) in contact with the wall portion (14) of the gas generator to guide and allow the electrical input conductors to run in a direction parallel to said wall portion, and with said second portion (196) extending away from the electrical input conductors and spaced somewhat from the wall portion of the gas generator, said first portion (190) of said plastics molding having opposed triangular edges (192, 194) which together with said second portion (196) thereof facilitate gripping of said universal squib connector to pull thereon when installed in the socket of the gas generator to provide assurance that said universal squib connector is securely retained therein.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
179 words
A gas generator (10) comprising: a housing (12) having a wall provided with outer orifices (80), in which wall a socket (126) is formed, and including, a pin type squib (37) having electrically conducting pins (46) protruding from a portion thereof, an inner central chamber (100) in which is placed said squib for ignition, said squib being positioned such that said pins thereof extend into said socket, an intermediate chamber (26) containing a gas generant pyrotechnic composition (74), an outer chamber (32) containing means (78) 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 (76), a universal squib connector (104) according to any preceding claim for connecting said squib to a source of electrical current for initiating ignition, said universal squib connector being positioned in said socket (126) and including first holes therein into which said pins from said squib are received to engage said terminals (106, 108), said universal squib connector providing a permanent pig tail connection to said squib.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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