Morton International, Inc.

Joseph D Francis

Daniel L Steimke

Wm Gregory Lowe

A device for sealing a gas fill port of an inflator of a vehicle restraint system, for providing pressure release of gases during bonfire of the inflator. During normal functioning of the inflator, the device can be examined to indicate the amount of compressed gas present in the inflator at the time of deployment. In one embodiment, a seal seals the fill port of the inflator. The seal is made of a material which melts at or just below auto-ignition temperature of the inflator during bonfire to allow the gases to vent from the inflator chamber, thereby preventing the inflator from experiencing extremely high internal pressures. Another embodiment of the device seals the fill port of the inflator and also acts as a tell-tale device, whereupon examination of the device after deployment, the amount of gas present in the inflator at the time of functioning can be determined.

Device for pressure relief during bonfire and tell-tale of compressed gas

The invention replaces the diffuser that is slid over a non-symmetrical gas output inflator, or diffuser as part of the module assembly, with concentric low cost and low mass rings that are pressed onto the gas outlet area of the inflator. The concentric rings straighten the gas flow coming out of the inflator and serve also to cool the gas flow at the source instead of downstream.

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Ogden, UT, United States of America

Joseph D Francis