Key Safety Systems, Inc.

Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.

Michael Eugene Kelley

Michael F Mulville

Anthony J Curtis

John Herman Adams

Dennis A Trevillyan

Edward Otis Hosey

Guido Klettenheimer

Samir Heric

Marko Morhard

Richard Townsend

Axel Josef Wehrwein

William Francis McLeod, Ii

Keith Lam

Mark C Horton

Kevin Fitzgerald

Michael K Dennis

Kimberly Ritter

Carter L Burroughs

Richard Mead Townsend

Edward R Stembler

Don Burroughs

Russell Watrous

Richard M Townsend

An airbag module assembly () has a module housing (). An airbag () and an airbag inflator () are positioned inside the module housing. The airbag inflator () has an exhaust port end () extending external of the module housing () for venting inflation gasses directly from the airbag inflator () externally of the module housing ().

Airbag module with external venting

An airbag inflator () for inflating an airbag has a tubular inflator housing () having a first end (A) and a second end (B). A gas release mechanism () has an exhaust port end or housing () at the first end (A) for releasing gas directly from the tubular inflator housing () to ambient air, bypassing the airbag. A heater assembly () containing a gas generant is located and attached at the second end (B). An igniter () ignites the heater assembly (). A primary gas vent port () vents gas from the tubular inflator housing () into an airbag during normal deployment of the airbag. The gas release mechanism () has a passageway or opening () for exhausting gas from the tubular inflator housing () to an exhaust port (). A seal () seals the passageway or opening () of the gas release mechanism (). An igniterfor opens the seal () thereby terminating or slowing deployment and normal inflation of the airbag through the primary vent port ().

Airbag inflator

A hybrid inflator for inflating an airbag system has one or more heater assemblies with an enhancer charge contained in the heater with bypass ports or openings in direct communication with the inert gas. Upon ignition a portion of the enhancer charge bypasses the heater gas generant charge to pre-heat the inert gas prior to or simultaneously with a remaining portion of the enhancer charge igniting the heater gas generant charge.

Hybrid inflator

A dual stage inflator is disclosed in the present invention. The dual stage inflator comprises a diffuser subassembly and a gas generator subassembly. Also disclosed is a multiple stage inflator, which comprises a diffuser subassembly, a first gas generator subassembly, and a second gas generator subassembly. Both the dual stage inflator and the multiple stage inflator have numerous output characteristics or output profiles associated therewith to protect different size and position vehicle occupants. The dual stage inflator and the multiple stage inflator release either stored gas or stored gas mixed with combustion gaseous products from the burning of gas generant.

Multiple stage inflator

A dual stage invention is designed to autoignite an autoignition material before a low temperature gas generant melts. Low temperature gas generants include a high nitrogen content organic fuel with ammonium nitrate as the oxidizer. The dual stage inflator has a first gas generant and a second gas generant that are ignited by separate igniters. The first gas generant and the second gas generant are insulated from the inflator housing to delay the heat transfer from the housing to the first gas generant and second gas generant during a bonfire test, which needs to be passed to receive Department of Transportation classification. The dual stage inflator also has an autoignition cartridge for disposing of the second gas generant by the first gas generant after the first gas generant burns for a predetermined amount of time.

Dual stage inflator for low melting gas generants

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

A cold gas inflator has a pressure vessel made of first and second cylindrical members that are joined by friction welding, the friction welding producing curls that serve to preclude an orifice plate from sliding into the second cylindrical member. The cold gas inflator is filled with stored gas. The cold gas inflator has a burst disk, which prevents the stored gas from exiting the pressure vessel. In the event of an automobile accident, an opening device is actuated, which causes the ignition of pyrotechnic material. This ignition generates a shockwave of sufficient energy to rupture a burst disk. The stored gas flows from the cold gas inflator in a radial direction.

Opening device for a cold gas inflator

A cold gas inflator having an opening device for rupturing a burst disk. The cold gas inflator is filled with stored gas. The cold gas inflator has a burst disk, which prevents the stored gas from exiting the pressure vessel. In the event of a automobile accident, the opening device is actuated, which causes the ignition of pyrotechnic material. This ignition generates a shockwave of sufficient energy to rupture the burst disk. The stored gas flows into the diffuser and then exits the cold gas inflator in the radial direction. In another embodiment, the stored gas exits the cold gas inflator in the axial direction.

Growing community of inventors

Valrico, FL, United States of America

Michael Eugene Kelley