초록 ▼

An initiator assembly can include an outer body can have a first end, a second end, and an internal passage between the first and second ends. An initiator canister can be joined to the outer body at the first end and can define a charge chamber that includes a pair of pins extending therefrom. An i

An initiator assembly can include an outer body can have a first end, a second end, and an internal passage between the first and second ends. An initiator canister can be joined to the outer body at the first end and can define a charge chamber that includes a pair of pins extending therefrom. An insulative material can be molded within the passage to form an insulative structural member that joins the canister and pins to the outer body and insulates the pins and a portion of the canister from electrical contact with the outer body. An electrostatic discharge dissipater can be formed from an electrically conductive material and can be molded to the canister and the outer body at the first end. The dissipater can electrically connect the canister to the outer body to provide a controlled dissipation path for electrostatic discharge energy carried by the initiator assembly.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An initiator assembly comprising: an outer body having a first end, an opposite second end, and forming an internal passage between the first and second ends;an initiator canister joined to the outer body at the first end, the initiator canister defining a charge chamber having a reactive charge

1. An initiator assembly comprising: an outer body having a first end, an opposite second end, and forming an internal passage between the first and second ends;an initiator canister joined to the outer body at the first end, the initiator canister defining a charge chamber having a reactive charge disposed therein and including a pair of electrically conductive pins extending therefrom;an insulative material molded within the internal passage to form an insulative structural member joining the initiator canister and pins to the outer body, the insulative material insulating the pins and a portion of the initiator canister from electrical contact with the outer body; andan electrostatic discharge dissipater formed from an electrically conductive material and molded to the initiator canister and the outer body at the first end, the electrostatic discharge dissipater electrically connecting the initiator canister to the outer body to provide a controlled dissipation path for electrostatic discharge energy carried by the initiator assembly. 2. The initiator assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrostatic discharge dissipater is integrally molded to the outer body, initiator canister and insulative structural member at the first end. 3. The initiator assembly of claim 1, wherein the initiator canister is spaced apart from the outer body and the electrostatic discharge dissipater extends radially outward from the initiator canister to the outer body. 4. The initiator assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrostatic discharge dissipater encapsulates the initiator canister proximate an open end of the initiator canister that is joined to the outer body by the insulative structural member. 5. The initiator assembly of claim 4, wherein the insulative structural member encapsulates the open end of the initiator canister between the electrostatic discharge dissipater and the second end of the outer body. 6. The initiator assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive material includes a surface resistivity of between 103 and 109 ohms. 7. The initiator assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer body includes an electrically conductive outer body. 8. The initiator assembly of claim 1, wherein the initiator assembly includes an annular recess at the first end of the outer body, the annular recess defined by the outer body, the insulative structure member and the initiator canister, the electrostatic discharge dissipater being molded into the annular recess. 9. The initiator assembly of claim 1, wherein the initiator assembly is formed using a two shot injection molding process with the insulative structural member being formed from the insulative material injected in a first shot of the molding process and the electrostatic discharge dissipater being formed from the electrically conductive material in a second shot of the two shot injection molding process, the insulative structural member and the electrostatic discharge dissipater being integrally molded to the outer body and to each other. 10. An initiator assembly comprising: a conductive outer body having a first end, an opposite second end, and forming an internal passage between the first and second ends;an initiator canister having an open end joined to the outer body at the first end, the initiator canister defining a charge chamber having a reactive charge disposed therein and including a pair of electrically conductive pins extending therefrom;an insulative material molded within the internal passage to form an insulative structural member joining the initiator canister and pins to the outer body, the insulative material surrounding the initiator canister and insulating the pins and a portion of the initiator canister from electrical contact with the outer body; andan electrostatic discharge dissipater formed from an electrically conductive material and molded to the open end of the initiator canister and the outer body at the first end, the electrostatic discharge dissipater encapsulating a portion of the initiator canister and electrically connecting the initiator canister to the outer body to provide a controlled dissipation path for electrostatic discharge energy carried by the initiator assembly. 11. The initiator assembly of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the electrostatic discharge dissipater is positioned axially between the reactive charge and the outer body to direct the electrostatic discharge energy away from the reactive charge and to the conductive outer body. 12. The initiator assembly of claim 10, wherein one of the pair of electrically conductive pins is a ground pin; and wherein at least a portion of the electrostatic discharge dissipater is positioned axially between the reactive charge and the outer body to provide a path for electrostatic discharge energy from an associated higher assembly to the ground pin. 13. The initiator assembly of claim 10, wherein the insulative structural member is integrally molded to the outer body, the initiator canister and the pins, and wherein the electrostatic discharge dissipater is integrally molded to the outer body, initiator canister and insulative structural member. 14. The initiator assembly of claim 10, further comprising an annular recess positioned between a portion of the initiator canister adjacent the open end and the first end of the outer body, the annular recess defined by the outer body, the insulative structural member and the initiator canister; wherein the electrostatic discharge dissipater is molded in the annular recess. 15. The initiator assembly of claim 10, wherein the electrically conductive material includes a surface resistivity of between 103 and 109 ohms. 16. The initiator canister of claim 10, wherein the initiator canister is spaced apart from the outer body and the electrostatic discharge dissipater extends radially outward from the initiator canister to the outer body. 17. The initiator assembly of claim 10, further comprising an inflator adapted to be connected to an electrical ground, the initiator assembly being received in a housing of the inflator such that the conductive outer body engages the housing, the initiator assembly providing the controlled dissipation path for electrostatic discharge energy carried by the initiator assembly to the electrical ground via the electrostatic discharge dissipater and the conductive outer body. 18. The initiator assembly of claim 17, wherein one of the pair of electrically conductive pins is a ground pin; and wherein the initiator assembly provides the controlled dissipation path for electrostatic discharge energy from the conductive outer body to the ground pin. 19. A method for forming an initiator assembly comprising: injecting a first material into a mold with a first shot of a two shot injection molding process to form an insulative structural member integrally molded to an outer body and joining an initiator canister and initiator pins extending therefrom to the outer body;encapsulating a portion of the initiator pins and an open end of the initiator canister with the first material to electrically insulate the pins and a portion of the initiator canister from the outer body; andinjecting a second material different from the first material with a second shot of the two shot molding process into the mold to form an electrostatic discharge dissipater integrally molded to the initiator canister and the outer body;wherein the electrostatic discharge dissipater forms a controlled dissipation path from the initiator canister to the outer body for dissipation of electrostatic discharge energy carried by the initiator assembly. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first material includes an electrically isolative material and the second material includes an electrically conductive material having a surface resistivity between 103 and 109 ohms. 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the outer body includes a conductive outer body adapted to facilitate a connection to electrical ground. 22. The method of claim 19, wherein injecting a second material different from the first material with a second shot of the two shot molding process into the mold to form an electrostatic discharge dissipater integrally molded to the initiator canister and the outer body includes encapsulating a portion of the initiator canister with the second material proximate the open end. 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising forming the electrostatic discharge dissipater to extend radially outward from the initiator canister directly to the outer body, the electrostatic discharge dissipater being integrally molded to the initiator canister, the insulative structural member and the outer body.