Other

Trw Limited

Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Dean M Esterberg

Timothy A Swann

Bryan W Shirk

Roy D Van Wynsberghe

Ahmad K Al-Amin

Jess A Cuevas

Douglas P Campbell

Ernst M Faigle

Paul A Bowers

Homer William Fogle, Jr

Brian R Pitstick

Lee D Bergerson

Ivan L Stonich

Christopher C Shih

Eric N Streif

Eric C Erike

Vincent J Mramor

David H Lewis, Jr

An inflator () for providing inflation fluid ( ) to inflate an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () includes a container () storing the inflation fluid under pressure. The container () has an outlet passage () through which the inflation fluid flows from the container. A rupturable closure member () fixed to the container () blocks flow of inflation fluid through the passage (). A support () for the rupturable closure member () defines a chamber () adjacent the rupturable closure member (). The rupturable closure member () has a first portion () deformed into the chamber () by the pressure of the inflation fluid and a second ring-shaped portion () encircling the first portion (). An initiator () ruptures the closure member () when actuated by shearing the first portion () from the second portion ().

Inflator for inflatable vehicle occupant protection device

Inflator

A pretensioner ( ) tensions vehicle seat belt webbing ( ). The pretensioner ( ) has a member ( ) movable by an actuating fluid to tension the seat belt webbing ( ). The pretensioner ( ) further has at least one microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device ( ) energizable to supply actuating fluid to move the member ( ).

Seat belt webbing pretensioner using MEMS devices

An inflator ( ) includes an assembly ( ) comprising a plurality of individually energizable microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices ( ) for, when energized, actuating the inflator. The assembly ( ) further comprises a sensor mechanism ( ) for sensing a condition of the inflator ( ) and for generating a control signal indicative of the sensed condition. The plurality of MEMS devices ( ) are responsive to the control signal to control actuation of the inflator ( ).

Air bag inflators

An apparatus ( ) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle ( ) that has a side structure ( ) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device ( ). The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device ( ) is inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. The apparatus ( ) includes an inflator ( ) for inflating the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device ( ) and for maintaining the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in an inflated condition for at least five seconds. The inflator ( ) contains a stored inflation fluid under pressure. The inflation fluid consists essentially of helium.

A vehicle safety system (,) includes a first vehicle occupant safety device (,) including a first pyrotechnic device (,) that is electrically energizable in response to a first actuation signal (,). The system also includes a second vehicle occupant safety device (,) including a second pyrotechnic device that is electrically energizable in response to a second actuation signal (,). The system includes at least one sensor (,) for sensing a first occupant or vehicle condition and for providing a first output signal indicative of the sensed first condition. An electronic control unit (ECU) (,) receives the first output signal (,) and in response to the first output signal determines whether one or both of the first and second safety devices should be actuated. An radio frequency (RF) transmitter (,) electrically connected with the ECU (,) is selectively actuatable by the ECU to transmit first and second individually coded RF signals (,). The system (,) includes a first RF receiver (,) electrically connected with the first safety device (,) for receiving the first individually coded RF signal (,) and for providing a first actuation signal (,) for energizing the first pyrotechnic device. The system (,) also includes a second RF receiver electrically connected with the second safety device for receiving the second individually coded RF signal (,) and for providing a second actuation signal for energizing the second pyrotechnic device.

Vehicle safety system

An actuatable inflator (10) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (12) includes a container (70) having a cup-shaped wall including a base portion (72) and a side wall portion (74). The container (70) is a one-piece structure. The base portion (72) and the side wall portion (74) at least partially define a combustion chamber (84) in the container (70). An ignitable material (110) in the combustion chamber (84), when ignited, rapidly increases the fluid pressure inside the combustion chamber. An electrically actuatable initiator (112) ignites the ignitable material (110). The base portion (72) of the cup-shaped wall includes a predefined rupture portion (90). The rupture portion (90) ruptures when the fluid pressure inside the combustion chamber (84) reaches a predetermined elevated fluid pressure level to form an orifice (120) through which the inflation fluid in the combustion chamber flows. The orifice (120) controls the rate at which the inflation fluid flows into the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (12).

Inflator for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device

An apparatus (10) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (36) includes a container (12) defining a chamber (14) for storing a quantity of inflation fluid (78) under pressure. First and second outlet passages (60, 62) in the container (12) can each direct flow of fluid (78) out of the chamber (14) to the inflatable device (36) for inflating the inflatable device. The first outlet passage (60) has a first flow area. The second outlet passage (62) has a second flow area less than the flow area of the first outlet passage (60). A first burst disk (70) on the container (12) blocks the first outlet passage (60). A second burst disk (72) on the container (12) blocks the second outlet passage (62). The apparatus (10) includes means (80) for rupturing the first burst disk (70) to direct flow of fluid out of the chamber (14) through the first outlet passage (60) without rupturing the second burst disk (72). The apparatus (10) also includes means (82) for rupturing the second burst disk to direct flow of fluid out of the chamber through the second outlet passage (62) without rupturing the first burst disk.

Air bag inflator

An apparatus (10) for use in inflating an air bag (12) includes an ignitable body (110) of gas generating material and an igniter (206). The body (110) of gas generating material, when ignited, generates gas for inflating the air bag (12). The body (110) of gas generating material has an outer surface area (132). The igniter (206) contains a first output charge (230) and a second output charge (232). When the first and second output charges (230) and (232) are ignited sequentially, the body (110) of gas generating material is ignited at a first ignitable surface area including the outer surface area (132). When the first and second output charges (230 and 232) are ignited simultaneously, the body (110) of gas generating material is ignited at a second ignitable surface area in addition to the first ignitable surface area.

Growing community of inventors

Tempe, AZ, United States of America

Dean M Esterberg