Arc Automotive, Inc.

Bendix Atlantic Inflator Co.

Atlantic Research Corporation

Other

James Michael Rose

Richard L Frantom

Donald W Renfroe

Robert J Bishop

Robert M Kremer

Klaus F Ocker

Teresa L Bazel

Roy L Brown

Charles D Woods

Douglas Earl Overton

Robert C Zimbrich

David A Bilbrey

Stephen Craig Gold

Steven L Ludeke

David A Pickett

John David Keller

William E Rogerson

Roy G Brown

Richard K Robbins

Robert William Rovito

Richard Husband

Todd Steven Carlson

Brian O Thomas

Lawrence Edward Herriford

Darton E Griest

Brian Orgyle Thomas

Judah Lee Wilkins

Rebekah Reid

Rebekah Lyn Locke Reid

Robb Calvin Isbell

Cornelia Jane Quimby

Joseph Scott DiGangi

Scott Lohmann

Clarence Richard Husband, Jr

Robert Schubert

Douglas H Freel

An airbag inflator includes a pressure vessel with a bottom portion, a top portion and a center structure connecting the bottom portion and the top portion. The top portion includes an exit orifice that is closed with a rupturable membrane. An energetics cover attached to the center structure houses a pyrotechnic material, and a diverter is attached to the top portion. The pressure vessel, the energetics cover and the diverter define a gas flow path from inside the energetics cover toward the bottom portion of the pressure vessel, the gas flow path turning at least a first 180 degrees toward the top portion of the pressure vessel and between the energetics cover and the pressure vessel. The longer gas flow path allows time for multi-perforation grain slivers to burn up before exiting the inflator, thereby reducing the amount of particulate exiting the inflator.

Multi-vent passenger side airbag inflator

A method and apparatus for securing a heat sink/filter positioned between a pressure vessel and a diffuser in an air bag inflator. The pressure vessel is constructed so that upon activation of the inflator of the area of gas exiting the pressure vessel is smaller than the area of gas exiting the diffuser to create pressures in the pressure vessel that are higher than the pressures in the diffuser. This results in deformation of the pressure vessel that is equal to or greater than the deformation of the diffuser to maintain compression of the heat sink/filter between the pressure vessel and the diffuser during activation of the inflator.

Air bag heat sink/filter securing method and apparatus

A pressure vessel for an air bag inflator. The pressure vessel has a portion that is deformable by internal pressure resulting from combustion of gas generant therein. The deformable portion of the pressure vessel has at least one exit orifice therein. Upon deformation of the pressure vessel portion by internal pressure, the size of the exit orifice is increased to expedite the release of pressurized combustion gas from the pressure vessel.

Variable orifice construction

A propellant grain retainer for an air bag inflator having a pressure vessel. A cantilevered finger is mounted in the pressure vessel and a propellant grain is mounted thereon. Upon assembly of the pressure vessel, the finger is deformed inwardly away from an adjacent wall of the pressure vessel to increase the air gap between the pressure vessel wall and the propellant grain to reduce heat transfer therebetween and increase the safety of the inflator.

Grain retainer construction for air bag inflator

An adaptive valve for an airbag inflator having a manifold with an exhaust opening for fluid communication with an airbag. The adaptive valve is constructed for connection to a manifold so that it is in fluid communication therewith. The adaptive valve has an exhaust orifice and is constructed to selectively open the exhaust orifice to divert inflation gas away from an inflator manifold when it is connected thereto to lower the rate of inflation of an airbag in fluid communication with the exhaust opening of the manifold. The adaptive valve may have a valve member movably mounted therein for movement between a first position wherein it closes the exhaust orifice and a second position wherein it opens the exhaust orifice. An initiator is provided in the adaptive valve to generate sufficient gas pressure to move the valve member to the first or second position.

Airbag inflator with adaptive valve

A gas generator comprising a housing having a mixing chamber and a pyrotechnic charge in the housing. A container having a liquid therein is disposed in the housing and has an open end and a closed end, with an end cap closing the open end and having a piston portion removably connected thereto and being movable within the liquid container to pressurize the liquid therein when the piston portion is separated from the end cap. The piston portion is positioned to be exposed to combustion gas from the pyrotechnic charge when it is ignited and is separable from the end cap when the combustion gas exceeds a predetermined pressure. In another embodiment, the liquid container may be a collapsible tube. The closed end of the liquid container has a weakened portion constructed to be opened when the pressure of the liquid in the container exceeds a predetermined pressure. The pyrotechnic charge and the weakened portion of the liquid container are in fluid communication with the mixing chamber so that combustion gases from the ignition of the pyrotechnic charge mix with and vaporize the liquid in the mixing chamber to generate a non-toxic, low temperature, low particulate inflation gas.

Solid propellant/liquid type hybrid gas generator

A gas generator comprising a pressure vessel containing a gas under a first predetermined pressure. An initiator housing closes one end of the pressure vessel and has an opening at the inner end thereof that is closed by an initiator rupture disk constructed to rupture at a second predetermined pressure in the initiator housing greater than the first predetermined pressure. A micro-gas generator or initiator is disposed within the initiator housing. A manifold closes the other end of the pressure vessel and has an opening at the inner end thereof closed by a manifold rupture disk constructed to rupture at a third predetermined pressure greater than the first predetermined pressure. Upon the firing of the micro-gas generator or initiator, the gas pressure in the initiator housing increases to or exceeds the second predetermined pressure to rupture the initiator rupture disk and create a pressure wave that travels through the pressure vessel to create a localized pressure at the manifold rupture disk that equals or exceeds the third predetermined pressure to rupture the manifold rupture disk and allow flow of cool pressurized gas through the manifold before the gas in the pressure vessel is significantly heated and pressurized by the gas flow from the initiator housing.

Pressure wave gas generator

A multi-level inflator for an air bag or other safety restraint device, comprising an elongated pressure vessel having a primary gas generating portion with a first open end and a gas storage portion with a second open end. The primary gas generating portion has a primary initiator and primary gas generating energetics disposed therein, the initiator being mounted on an igniter body secured to and closing the pressure vessel at the first open end thereof. A pressure vessel closure is secured to the second end of the pressure vessel, the closure having an aperture therethrough and a primary rupture disk secured thereto to close the aperture. The gas storage portion has an inert gas therein under a predetermined pressure. A secondary inflator of the all-pyrotechnic type is secured to the pressure vessel and closure at the second end thereof. The secondary inflator comprises a secondary housing having a secondary initiator and secondary gas generating energetics disposed therein. A choke plate having an opening therethrough is positioned between the secondary energetics and the pressure vessel closure. A secondary rupture disk is secured tot he choke plate to close the opening therein.

Compact multi-level inflator

A hybrid inflator (20) comprising: a pressure vessel (22) including a central member (24) closed at ends by a first (28) and a second closure member (30), one of the closure members including a passage means (70) for introducing pressurized inflation gas into the pressure vessel and the other of the closure members including a breakable disk (34) in communication with at least one exit port (40); a pyrotechnic container (80), within the pressure vessel, secured at one end to one of the closure members (28) and including a plurality of vent openings (90) thereabout, a first quantity of pyrotechnic material (100), located within the pyrotechnic container for providing, at a first controlled gas generation rate, the primary source of heating the inflation gas in the pressure vessel, a second quantity of pyrotechnic material (102) located at least partially within the first quantity of pyrotechnic material characterized by a gas generation rate greater than that of the gas generation rate of the first quantity of material, for producing products of combustion that ignite the first quantity of material and wherein a portion of these products of combustion directly heat the inflation gas, an initiator (104) for igniting the second quantity of pyrotechnic material.

Hybrid inflator

A pressure indicating device (30) for providing an indication of the pressure that existed within a fluid filled pressure vessel (22) just prior to depressurization of the pressure vessel. The device comprises: a housing (102); a piston (130) for temporarily sealing an open end of the housing and outwardly movable in response to a pressure differential not less than a predetermined level generated subsequent to the depressurization of the pressure vessel; and a sheer disk (150) including a first part (160) attached to an end of the piston and a second part (162) attached to an end of the housing (102). The piston and the housing cooperate to define a pressure storage cavity (170) bounded by the piston and housing, the sheer disk (150) including a valve (164) for permitting the fluid within the pressure vessel to enter the pressure cavity and stabilize at a level substantially equal to the pressure level within the pressure vessel and for inhibiting a rapid decrease in the pressure within the pressure cavity immediately subsequent to depressurization of the pressure vessel.

Sliding piston pressure sensing device

An inflation device including a pressure tank having stored therein a quantity of inflation gas under pressure, the pressure tank including a burst disk which prevents egress of the inflation gas from the tank, a sleeve member extending in substantially axial alignment with the burst disk, a piston having a first end portion slidably received in the sleeve member and having a second end portion which includes a cutting edge thereon for puncturing the burst disk. A first pyrotechnic material is positioned adjacent the first end portion of the piston, and a second pyrotechnic material is positioned externally of the sleeve member. Upon ignition of the first pyrotechnic material, a first combustion gas is produced which drives the piston to rupture the burst disk and permit the egress of the stored inflation gas. The sleeve member and the piston member are constructed to shield the second pyrotechnic material from the first combustion gas until after the piston has moved a predetermined distance and the burst disk has been ruptured. Upon the piston moving the predetermined distance a passage is created which enables the first combustion gas to contact and ignite the second pyrotechnic material to produce a second combustion gas which is operable to increase the temperature of the inflation gas, thereby providing an inflation device which has a delay between the release of the stored inflation gas and the heating thereof.

An inflator (110) including: a pressure means (12, 14, 16, 20) for storing a quantity of stored inflation gas under pressure. The pressure means including a first burst disk (46) in communication with the stored inflation gas and preventing egress of the gas from the chamber and a hollow sliding piston (172) having at one end thereof cutting edges (174) for puncturing the first burst disk (46). A shear disk (180) having a stationary outer portion (187) and a central portion or second disk (186), central portion is secured to one end of the piston (172) opposite the cutting edges (174). The central portion is capable of separating from the outer portion and moving with the piston (172). A quantity of propellant material (218) is provided near the second burst disk (80) to produce gaseous combustion products when burned. The piston is propelled into the first burst disk (46) after the central portion (186) of the shear disk separates from the outer portion in response to the build up of pressure generated due to the burning of a propellant (218), thereby permitting the egress of the stored inflation gas. The central portion (186) or second burst disk is ruptured by the continued build up of pressure due to the burning propellant material whereupon after the rupturing of the second burst disk the heated products of combustion resulting from the burning propellant material flow through the sliding piston (172).

An inflator (10) comprising: a pressure tank (12, 14, 16, 20) for storing a quantity of stored inflation gas under pressure. The pressure tank comprising a first burst disk (46) in communication with the stored inflation gas; a sliding piston (72) including at one end thereof a sharp edge (74) for puncturing the first rupture disk and at its other end a second rupture disk (80). The sliding piston (72) movable into engagement with the first rupture disk in response to the build up of pressure acting on the second rupture disk (80) in response to the burning of propellant material (90) thereby permitting egress of the stored inflation gas. The second burst disk being ruptured by the continued build up of pressure due to the burning propellant whereupon after the rupturing of same the heated products of combustion resulting from the burning propellant flow through the sliding piston (72) to increase the temperature of the stored inflation gas prior to its exit from the inflator.

A device (60) for inflating an air bag (36) adapted within a steering wheel comprising: a pressure vessel (66; 166; 210) formed of a length of narrow tubing for storing a quantity of inert gas under pressure and a rupturable disk (80) for enclosing a first end of the tubing; an activator or initiator such as a squib (120) responsive to a control signal indicative of a vehicular crash situation for opening the seal means to permit the pressurized gas to inflate the air bag and a manifold (50) for communicating released gas to an air bag.

Driver side hybrid inflator and air bag module

An inflator for an air cushion including a pressure vessel comprising a hollow sleeve for storing a quantity of inert gas such as Argon. One end of the sleeve is closed by a first pyrotechnic actuator assembly while the other end of the sleeve may include a closed end or another pyrotechnic actuator assembly. The pressure vessel is secured within a diffuser which directs inflation gases into the air cushion. The pressure vessel in cooperation with the diffuser defines various regions which assist in reducing the gas turbulence and heat transfer between the gas and the diffuser.

Growing community of inventors

Knoxville, TN, United States of America

James Michael Rose