Key Safety Systems, Inc.

Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.

Keith Lam

J B Canterberry

Edward Otis Hosey

John Herman Adams

Michael Eugene Kelley

Robert Mark Spangler

Jb Canterberry

Don Burroughs

Russell Watrous

A tubular inflator has a bulkhead that divides the inflator into a first and second combustion chambers. Each combustion chamber has an igniter assembly, gas generant, and compressed wire filter. The wire filters in the inflator are positioned so that they contact the bulkhead. The filters and the bulkhead prevent sympathetic ignition in the inflator, which is defined as the ignition of gas generant in one combustion chamber from the heat generated from the burning of the gas generant in the other combustion chamber. The igniter assembly has an igniter core that is molded by a unitary plastic material. The plastic overmold has threads for attaching the igniter assembly to the inflator, and the plastic overmold has a retainer portion for retaining an enhancer tablet.

Tubular dual stage inflator

The inflator has a first combustion chamber and a second combustion chamber. Gas generant contained in the first combustion chamber is independently ignited from gas generant contained in the second combustion chamber. A divider plate extends across the entire inflator dividing the inflator into a first combustion chamber and a second combustion chamber. The divider plate has a generally flat shape associated therewith. A first igniter of the inflator ignites the gas generant in the first combustion chamber, and the inflation gas from the burning of this gas generant passes through only a first filter and then exits the inflator via first exit ports. A second igniter of the inflator ignites the gas generant in the second combustion chamber. The burning of gas generant in the second combustion chamber produces inflation gas which travels through only the second filter and then through second exit ports. The first igniter and the second igniter are disposed on the same end of the inflator.

Dual stage pyrotechnic inflator

A pyrotechnic side impact inflator is provided for inflating a side airbag in an automobile. The inflator has a few number of physical components and has a tubular shape. The inflator has an igniter that directly ignites the main gas generant in the inflator. The burning of the gas generant produces combustion products or inflation gas that is utilized to inflate a folded airbag. The inflation gas travels in a tortuous path in the inflator, which reduces the kinetic energy associated with the gas molecules thereby cooling the inflation gas.

Pyrotechnic side impact inflator

A low onset dual stage hybrid inflator comprising a diffuser subassembly, a gas generator subassembly, and a pressure vessel. The dual stage inflator offers a variety of different output levels of inflation gas. The four main deployment scenarios for the dual stage inflator are primary output, staged output, full output, and secondary only. For primary output, only the stored gas is released from the inflator. For staged output, the stored gas is released and after a short period of time (i.e. 30 ms), the gas generant is ignited. For the full output, the stored gas is released from the dual stage inflator at the same time the gas generant is ignited. For secondary output, only the gas generant subassembly is fired, and the hot gases from the gas generant subassembly mix with the stored gas. The combination of the hot gas and the stored gas has sufficient pressure to rupture the burst disk.

Low onset dual stage hybrid inflator

An initiator has a circuit board with two spaced copper traces and a bridge resistor of Nichrome&reg; or tantalum nitride at one end, and wire leads or pins joining the wire traces at the other end. A zener diode is placed between the wire leads and a bridge resistor. Immediately before the wire leads reach the circuit board they pass through a ferrite core. The wire leads, the ferrite core, and the circuit board except for the end of the board to which the bridge resistor is mounted, is insert molded into a body of glass filled nylon 6,6. The nylon body mounts an aluminum can that covers the bridge resistor and is bonded to a circumferential groove in the nylon body. The bridge resistor is covered with primary explosives such as zirconium potassium perchlorate and the can is filled with gas generating granules such as 5-aminotetrazole.

Low cost ignition device for gas generators

A gas generator according has a polymeric closure and an igniter subassembly comprising an igniter and a polymeric gas generator body. The gas generator body and the polymeric closure define a hermetically sealed combustion chamber for receiving a gas generant. The igniter receives an electrical current and ignites the gas generant. The generated gas can be used in vehicle occupant safety devices including seat belt pretensioners, airbags, compressed gas vessel openers, and other devices requiring a rapid pulse of high-pressure gas.

Growing community of inventors

Lakeland, FL, United States of America

Keith Lam