Trw Limited

Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Eric R McFarland

Lloyd G Green, Jr

John P O'Loughlin

Homer William Fogle, Jr

Craig M Fischer

Halley O Stevens

Robert R Debbs

Darin P Mika

Keven D Thomas

Thomas H Deming

Eric J Champa

An apparatus () provides inflation fluid for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (). The apparatus () includes a primary housing (), a primary inflation fluid source (), a secondary housing (), and a secondary inflation fluid source (). The primary housing () is constructed from sheet metal by stamping. The primary inflation fluid source () is located in the primary housing (). The primary inflation fluid source () is actuatable to effect a primary flow of inflation fluid out of the primary housing () to inflate the inflatable device (). The secondary housing () is constructed from sheet metal by stamping. The secondary housing () is disposed within the primary housing (). The secondary inflation fluid source () is located in the secondary housing. The secondary inflation fluid source () is actuatable to affect a secondary flow of inflation fluid to supplement the primary flow of inflation fluid. The secondary housing () has a first portion () that moves at least partially out of engagement with a second portion () of the secondary housing () when the secondary inflation fluid source is actuated.

Dual stage air bag inflator

Apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device includes a primary housing, a primary inflation fluid source, a secondary housing, and a secondary inflation fluid source. The primary and secondary housings are constructed from sheet metal by stamping. The primary inflation fluid source is located in the primary housing. The primary inflation fluid source is actuatable to effect a primary flow of inflation fluid out of the primary housing to inflate the inflatable device. The secondary housing is disposed within the primary housing. The secondary inflation fluid source is located in the secondary housing. The secondary inflation fluid source is actuatable to affect a secondary flow of inflation fluid to supplement the primary flow of inflation fluid. The secondary housing has a first portion that moves at least partially out of engagement with a second portion of the secondary housing when the secondary inflation fluid source is actuated.

An apparatus () includes a primary housing () constructed from sheet metal by stamping, a primary inflation fluid source (), a secondary housing () constructed from sheet metal by stamping, and a secondary inflation fluid source (). The primary inflation fluid source () is located in the primary housing () and is actuatable to effect a primary flow of inflation fluid out of the primary housing to inflate the inflatable device (). The secondary housing () is disposed within the primary housing (). The secondary inflation fluid source () is located in the secondary housing () and is actuatable to affect a secondary flow of inflation fluid to supplement the primary flow of inflation fluid. The secondary housing () has a first portion () that moves at least partially out of engagement with a second portion () of the secondary housing () when the secondary inflation fluid source is actuated.

An actuatable fastener () includes a body () including a head () and a shank (). The body () includes an interior chamber () partially defined by a side wall () extending from the head () into the shank () and an end wall () positioned in the shank. A member () is disposed in the chamber (). An initiator () is actuatable to produce combustion products in the chamber () that act on the member () to move the member in a first direction in the chamber to strike the end wall (). The member () strikes the end wall () creating a fracture () in the shank () separating at least a portion of the shank from a remainder () of the shank. The combustion products moving the member () beyond the fracture () at least a predetermined distance () to move the portion of the shank () at least the predetermined distance from the remainder () of the shank.

Actuatable fastener

An inflator ( ) for inflating an inflatable device includes a housing ( ). A primary propellant ( ) in a primary chamber ( ) in the housing ( ) is ignitable to provide inflation fluid to inflate the inflatable device. A secondary propellant ( ) in a secondary chamber ( ) in the housing ( ) is ignitable to provide inflation fluid to inflate the inflatable device. The inflator (10) includes initiator means ( ) for selectively igniting either the primary propellant ( ) alone or both of the primary and secondary propellants ( ). The inflator ( ) also includes a secondary propellant cap ( ) for closing the secondary chamber ( ) and for maintaining the secondary propellant ( ) in the secondary chamber. The secondary propellant cap ( ) has a first position blocking flow of combustion products of the first propellant ( ) into the secondary chamber ( ) when only the primary propellant is ignited. The secondary propellant cap ( ) is movable by combustion products of the secondary propellant ( ) when ignited from the first position to a second position enabling flow of inflation fluid out of the secondary chamber ( ) to inflate the inflatable device.

Dual stage air bag inflator with secondary propellant cap

An inflator ( ) includes a housing ( ). A first inflation fluid source ( ) in the housing ( ) is actuatable to effect flow of inflation fluid to inflate an inflatable device. A first actuatable initiator ( ) in the housing ( ), when energized, effects actuation of the first inflation fluid source ( ). A second inflation fluid source ( ) in the housing ( ) is actuatable to effect flow of inflation fluid to inflate the inflatable device. A second actuatable initiator ( ) in the housing ( ), when energized, effects actuation of the second inflation fluid source ( ). The housing ( ) has a fluid passage ( ) for directing flow of inflation fluid out of the housing ( ) to the inflatable device. The housing ( ) deforms due to the pressure of inflation fluid in the housing upon actuation of one or both of the inflation fluid sources ( ). The flow area of the fluid passage ( ) increases due to deformation of the housing ( ) and varies in accordance with the pressure of inflation fluid in the housing.

An apparatus (,) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (,) comprises an inflator housing (,) including first and second end walls (,). An inflation fluid source (,) in the inflator housing (,) is actuatable to provide inflation fluid under pressure. An igniter assembly (,) in the inflator housing (,), for actuating the inflation fluid source (,), includes an igniter housing (,) located between the first and second end walls (,) of the inflator housing and an igniter (,) located in the igniter housing. The first and second end walls (,) of the inflator housing (,) move away from each other upon actuation of the inflation fluid source (,). The igniter housing (,) moves with the second end wall (,) away from the first end wall (,). The igniter assembly (,) further includes a cap (,) on the igniter housing (,) for closing an open end of the igniter housing. The cap (,) bodily moves with the first end wall (,) away from the second end wall (,) and relative to the igniter housing (,) upon actuation of the inflation fluid source (

Air bag inflator with pressure regulation

An apparatus (,) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (,) includes a housing (,) defining a generally ring-shaped propellant chamber (,) extending around an axis (,) of the inflator. The housing (,) has a fluid outlet (,) for directing flow of inflation fluid out of the housing to the inflatable device (,). The propellant chamber (,) has first and second axially spaced portions (,). A quantity of ignitable propellant (,) is located in the first portion (,) of the propellant chamber (,) for, when ignited, producing inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable device (,). A heat sink (,) is located in the second portion (,) of the propellant chamber (,) for cooling inflation fluid flowing from the propellant chamber. The heat sink (,) has a generally conical configuration and acts between the propellant (,) and the housing (,) to limit movement of the propellant in the housing.

An apparatus (,) for providing inflation fluid for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (,) includes a housing (,) and an inflation fluid source (,) in the housing actuatable to provide inflation fluid under pressure. The housing (,) has a fluid passage (,) for directing flow of inflation fluid out of the housing (,) to the inflatable device (,). The housing (,) deforms due to the pressure of inflation fluid in the housing upon actuation of the inflation fluid source (,). The flow area of the fluid passage (,) increases due to deformation of the housing (,) and varies in accordance with the pressure of inflation fluid in the housing upon actuation of the inflation fluid source (,). The apparatus also includes a flow control member (,) defining a control passage (,) located between the inflation fluid source (,) and the fluid passage (,). The control passage (,) has a smaller flow area than the fluid passage (,). The flow area of the control passage (,) increases due to deformation of the housing (,) and varies in accordance with the pressure of inflation fluid in the housing (,) upon actuation of the inflation fluid source (,).

An air bag inflator (10) includes a housing (20) and an inflation fluid source (140) in the housing actuatable to provide inflation fluid under pressure. The housing (20) is deformable due to the pressure of inflation fluid in the housing upon actuation of the inflation fluid source (140). The housing (20) has a fluid outlet (52) for directing flow of inflation fluid out of the housing. A control passage (160) is located between the inflation fluid source (140) and the fluid outlet (52). The control passage (160) has a smaller flow area than the fluid outlet (52). The inflator (10) further includes portions (84, 82, 110, 42) for causing substantially all inflation fluid flowing between the inflation fluid source (140) and the fluid outlet (52) to flow through the control passage (160). The flow area of the control passage (160) increases due to deformation of the housing (20). The flow area of the control passage (160) varies in accordance with the pressure of inflation fluid in the housing (20) upon actuation of the inflation fluid source (140).

In one embodiment, an air bag inflator (10) includes a canister (74) which has a lower canister section (76) and a canister cover (78). Disks (110) of gas generating material are located within a chamber (75) defined by the canister (74). A cushion (120) is located in the space between the uppermost disk (110U) and the canister cover (78). A wall (122) of the cushion (120) has a frustum shape prior to assembly of the inflator (10) and defines a cushion chamber (124). During assembly, the wall (122) of the cushion (120) is elastically bent into the cushion chamber (124). In another embodiment, an air bag inflator (160) includes a housing (176). Grains (212, 216) of gas generating material are located within a chamber (182) in the housing (176). A cushion (260) is located in a space between the last grain (216R) and the end cap (226). A wall (262) of the cushion (260) has a frustum shape prior to assembly of the inflator (160) and defines a cushion chamber (264). During assembly, the wall (262) of the cushion (260) is elastically bent into the cushion chamber (264). In both embodiments, the cushion (120 or 260) inhibits movement of the gas generating material with a force which is substantially constant and unrelated to the distance (D1 or D2) between the gas generating material (110U, 216R) and the canister cover (78) or end cap (226).

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Mesa, AZ, United States of America

Eric R McFarland