Thiokol Corporation

Morton Thiokol Inc.

Morton International, Inc.

George F Kirchoff

Fred E Schneiter

Gary V Adams

David P Dahle

Leland E Davis

Donald R Lauritzen

Roy T Minert

Arnold R Thompson

Wilbur J Ahlf

Howard E Jorgensen

Larry K Hansen

Bliss W Law

Rholand E Lange

A gas generator which may be used for ejecting submunitions. The gas generator comprises a diffuser chamber which is flanked by differently sized combustion chambers whereby three different ejection velocities may be achieved by firing only one of the combustion chambers or by firing both of them together. The generated gas is exited from the gas generator at the same central location, i.e., the centrally located diffuser chamber, to control submunition yaw and loading locations. The provision of combustion chambers at opposite ends of the diffuser chamber permits minimization of gas generator diameter, and a tie member in the diffuser chamber permits a non-complicated and inexpensive structure which is rugged and reliable. The gas generator may have other applications such as for inflating airbags for automobiles.

Trilevel performance gas generator

An assembly for coupling an ignitive reaction to the inflator of a steering wheel mounted air bag safety system utilizes a through bulkhead initiator of the inflator through a slip joint or ring on the steering shaft which holds stationary a pyrotechnic transfer/booster from a collision responsive sensor and allows the inflator to turn with the steering wheel.

Inflator and remote sensor with through bulkhead initiator

The pyrotechnics in an air cushion inflator are caused to function by the auto ignition device when the device is subjected to a high temperature environment, such as a bonfire, at a temperature of 350.degree. F. (177.degree. C.) in place of in the 650.degree. F. (343.degree. C.) range which would occur if there were no auto ignition device. This enables the use of aluminum for the inflator housing, thereby to minimize weight, the aluminum having sufficient high temperature properties to contain the internal auto ignition pressures at 350.degree. F. (177.degree. C.) but not at 650.degree. F. (343.degree. C.).

Auto ignition device

An air bag inflator for the passenger side of an automobile includes an elongated, tubular housing having a plurality of perforations in its cylindrical wall for discharging gas. Within the housing are a gas generant composition, an igniter and filtering screens. The perforations are normally sealed with 0.003 inch (0.0762 mm.) thick non-tempered aluminum foil which is easily ruptured by the gas pressure when the inflator is ignited. The foil, in addition to serving as a hermetic seal for protecting the gas generant and igniter from moisture and dust, insures that the gas pressure will reach a certain, threshold level before being discharged into an air bag. In very cold weather the inflator attains its peak pressure considerably more slowly than in warm weather. As a result, the air bag may be inflated either too slowly or insufficiently to perform its intended purpose. In order to preclude this from happening at least some of the perforations in the housing are covered with an additional or buttressing layer of thicker (0.006 inch; 0.1524 mm.) non-tempered aluminum foil, so that the threshold gas pressure necessary to rupture these seals is raised. This shortens the time for attaining peak gas pressure within the tubular housing and results in faster, more satisfactory inflation of the air bag when the ambient temperature is low.

Method of and apparatus for speeding the response of an air bag inflator

A low-mount, air bag module for the passenger side of an automobile uses two bags that are folded within a housing that is open at one end. One of the bags is for restraining the knees of the passenger to prevent forward sliding in the event of a crash, the other bag being for restraining the torso. The knee bag is inside the torso bag and they are both attached directly to the inflator, the knee bag being arranged to be inflated first. The torso bag then is inflated to prevent forward rotation of the passenger from the hips.

Low mount, easily assembled, air bag passive restraint module

A safety cushion apparatus having a very short reaction time is attachable to automotive vehicle belt-type restraints for softening the shock of sudden constraint against the user's body and to maintain the belt restraints with an appropriate degree of tautness. The apparatus includes an inflatable cushion that is longitudinally folded to a compact, strap-like configuration conforming to the shape of the belt restraint, a flat, slim inflator being enclosed within and surrounded by the folded cushion. The folded cushion is releasably enclosed within an outer cover to which it is attached, the outer cover being attached to the underside of the belt restraint and fastened over the folded cushion by a long zipper. Velcro hook and hoop fastening material is utilized for attaching the cover to the belt restraint and the zipper. The inflator is actuatable by a crash impact sensor mounted on the vehicle and is operable to generate an innocuous gas for inflating the cushion, the cover being automatically opened upon such inflation of the cushion.

Safety cushion attachable to belt-type restraints

Mixtures of alkali metal azides, metal and metalloid oxides, molybdenum disulfide and optionally sulfur are easily pressed into pellets, are rapid, stable and cool burners and give high purity cool nitrogen gas. The compositions are useful in applications such as automotive crash bag inflators and the like.

Pelletizable, rapid and cool burning solid nitrogen gas generant

An elongated gas generator, designed especially for use on the passenger side of the front seat position of an automotive vehicle, has a combustion cartridge having a central, electrically initiated igniter surrounded by gas generant material. This, in turn, is surrounded by filtering screens and by a perforated, tubular housing. A pH neutralizing material is located adjacent the openings of the housing for neutralizing gases produced by the burning gas generant. At least one other perforated case encloses the housing, and multiple layers of wire cooling screens are interposed between the housing and the case enclosing it. The openings in the housing are arranged relative to those of the outer case so that a long path is created for gases passing through the cooling screens, parallel to the layers thereof. The cooled and filtered gases are discharged directly from the outer case into a structure to be inflated.

Gas generator for automobile safety cushions

An electric squib igniter and a gas generant composition surrounding it are enclosed in a hermetically sealed container. This is enclosed in an inner housing which is surrounded by an annular outer housing. An annular filter surrounds the gas generant composition inside the container, which is rupturable through orifices in the inner housing by gases produced when the gas generant composition is ignited. A cooling device in the annular chamber between the two housings is positioned between the orifices of the inner housing and peripheral orifices in the outer housing, through which the filtered, cooled gases may be expelled radially into an inflatable structure. A mounting flange fixed to the outer housing is provided for attachment to related apparatus.

Gas generator

A gas generator for inflating safety cushions in automotive vehicles has a tubular housing, closed at both ends except for a discharge orifice in one end. A hermetically sealed container in the completely closed end of the housing is divided by a consumable partition into two chambers containing gas generant material. Each of the two chambers is also equipped with an ignition means for igniting the gas generant. The remainder of the tubular housing is filled with the following elements, arranged in tandem series from the sealed container to the orifice of the housing: a filtering means, a first perforated plate, pH neutralizing material, a second perforated plate, cooling means, and a third perforated plate. An impact sensor, which is not a part of the present invention, determines whether one or both of the ignition means are fired on impact, depending upon the force of a collision; and, hence, the rate at which an inflatable structure is filled with gas.

Growing community of inventors

Brigham City, UT, United States of America

George F Kirchoff