Trw Limited

Paul S Headley

Mitchell P Zakula

Daniel R Hake

Tom Amherdt

Ernst M Faigle

Richard J Thompson

John H Semchena

Todd R Bailey

Stuart M Frey

Gregory B Grace

William A Kopp

Lindsay S Cisney

An apparatus (24) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (22) comprises a container (40) which defines a chamber (42) for material which effects inflation of the protection device. The container (40) includes an opening (60) of a flow area through which fluid flows to inflate the protection device (22). A rupturable closure (64) blocks fluid flow through the opening (60) in the container (40). A first actuatable initiator (164), upon actuation, effects the rupture of the closure (64). A member (120) is movable from a first position in which the flow of fluid through the opening (60) is unrestricted when the closure (64) is ruptured. The member (120) is movable to a second position in which fluid flow through the opening (60) is restricted by a portion of the member to reduce the flow area of the opening. A second actuatable initiator (162), upon actuation, moves the member (120) from the first position to the second position and effects the rupture of the closure (64).

Air bag inflator

An air bag inflator (10) contains inflation fluid in a chamber (40) in a container (20). The container (20) has a fluid outlet (28) closed by a closure means (30). An assembly (50) connected with the container (20) includes a fill tube (120) for filling the container (20) with inflation fluid (42). A glass seal (140) blocks leakage of inflation fluid from the chamber (40) around the fill tube. In a preferred embodiment, the assembly (50) is an igniter assembly that includes two electrodes (100, 110). The glass seal (140) blocks fluid leakage from the chamber (40) around the electrodes (110, 110).

Fill tube for air bag inflator

An apparatus (20) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (22) comprises a container (60) which defines a chamber (62) for storing gas for inflating the protection device. Fluid is in the chamber (62) and comprises a combustible fuel gas. The container (60) includes an inner housing (64) comprising an inner member (80) extending along an axis (A). The inner member (80) has a first surface portion defining the chamber (62). A second surface portion (180) of the inner member 80 defines at least a portion of the periphery of the inner member (80) extending along the axis (A). An outer housing (66) comprises an outer member (84) with a third surface portion (182) engaging and supporting the second surface portion (180) of the inner member (40) over its axial and circumferential extent. An igniter (100) ignites the fuel gas to create heat. An opening (220) in the outer housing (66) directs gas from the chamber (62) to inflate the protection device (22).

Container of vehicle air bag inflator having fluid with combustible

An apparatus for protecting a vehicle occupant comprises an Air bag having a stored deflated condition and an inflated condition for protecting a vehicle occupant. The apparatus also comprises an actuatable inflator (20, 320) for, when actuated, directing inflation fluid into the air bag. An energizable initiator (28, 228, 328) actuates the inflator (20, 320) upon energization. The initiator (28, 228, 328) comprises a foil, bridge section (126) and a flyer section (142). The foil bridge section (126) heats and explodes, in response to energization of the initiator (28, 228, 328), to propel the flyer section (142) to actuate the inflator (20, 320).

Exploding foil initiator for air bag inflator

An apparatus (24) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (22) comprises a container (40) which provides a source of inflation fluid. The container (40) has an opening (44) through which the fluid can flow to inflate the protection device (22). A support surface (84) is located adjacent the opening (44). A cavity (120) is located adjacent the support surface. A rupturable closure (100) extends across the opening (44) to block the flow of fluid through the opening. A weld (108) forms a fluid seal between the closure (100) and the support surface (84). A member (140) is located in the cavity (120) and has a first portion (144) engaging a surface defining the cavity to secure the member to the container (40). A second portion (142) of the member (140) engages the closure (100) to hold the closure against the support surface (84) of the container (40). The member (140) has an opening (146) through which fluid can flow when the closure (100) is ruptured. An actuatable igniter (160), upon actuation, ruptures the closure (100).

Swaged annular support for air bag inflator closure and method

An apparatus for inflating an air bag (22) comprises a container (40) which holds an inflation fluid under pressure. The container (40) has an opening (44) through which the inflation fluid flows to inflate the air bag (22). A rupturable closure (80) is fixed to the container (40) and extends across the opening (44) to block the flow of inflation fluid through the opening when the closure is reinforced. The closure (80), when unreinforced, ruptures in response to pressure of the inflation fluid acting on the closure. A combustible member (100) is supported by the container (40) to reinforce the closure (80) and resist rupturing of the closure. The closure (80) becomes unreinforced upon a predetermined amount of combustion of the member (100). An actuatable initiator (120), upon actuation, initiates combustion of the member (100).

Consumable closure support for air bag inflator

A side impact air bag inflator (14) includes an elongated tubular member (40) having an open end (52), a closed end portion (44), and a cylindrical portion (42) with a uniform inner diameter (d1) and a plurality of outlet openings (38). A rupturable closure wall (82) is fixed to the tubular member (40) at a location axially between the outlet openings (38) and the closed end portion (44). Inflation fluid is contained under pressure within the tubular member (40) between the closure wall (82) and the closed end portion (44). An initiator (100) has a cylindrical casing (106) extending coaxially within the tubular member (40) at a location axially between the closure wall (82) and the open end (52). A circular base (102) of the initiator (100) closes the open end (52).

Side impact air bag inflator

An air bag inflator (14) includes a pressure vessel (40), an initiator (42) and a filter (38). The pressure vessel (40) has a sealed chamber (44) containing inflation fluid under pressure, and includes a rupturable closure wall (100) which blocks the inflation fluid from exiting the chamber (44). The initiator (42) releases the inflation fluid to exit the chamber, and includes a casing (122) centered on an axis. The casing (122) contains pyrotechnic material which, when ignited, produces combustion products for rupturing the closure wall (100). The filter (38) is a sintered metal screen which filters the inflation fluid. The sintered metal screen (38) has an elongated tubular shape extending longitudinally over the casing (122) radially outward from the casing (122).

A process for forming a grain (10) of gas generating material includes the step of forming pieces (86) of gas generating material, and further includes the step of forming the grain (10) as a compacted agglomeration of the pieces (86) of gas generating material. The pieces (86) of gas generating material are formed by pressing a particle mixture (60) under a first pressure. The grain (10) is formed by pressing the pieces (86) together under a second pressure which is less than the first pressure.

Grains of gas generating material and process for forming the grains

An air bag inflator (20) includes gas stored at or above a predetermined pressure in a chamber (24) in a container (22). An initiator (10) connected with the container (22) is exposed to the pressure of the gas stored in the chamber (24). A closure can (120) of the initiator (10) includes an electrically conductive sensor portion (140) which is spaced apart from an electrically conductive contact can (200) when the pressure in the chamber (24) is at or above the predetermined pressure. If the pressure in the chamber (24) drops below the predetermined pressure, the sensor portion (140) moves into electrical contact with the contact can (200). The engagement of the sensor portion (140) with the contact can (200) completes an electrical circuit to provide an indication of low pressure in the inflator (20).

Air bag inflator with pressure sensor

An apparatus (10) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint (12) and an inflator (14) for inflating the restraint (12). The inflator (14) includes an inflator housing (40) which comprises a first structure with an axis (42) and a first annular surface portion (54) facing in a first direction along the axis (42). A second structure (30) has a second annular surface portion (108) facing in a second, opposite direction along the axis (42). A connector member (32) connects the first structure (40) to the second structure (30). The connector member (32) has first and second abutment surface portions (144) and (146) which respectively abut the first and second annular surface portions (54) and (108) of the first and second structures (40) and (30) when the connector member is in an installed position. One of the structures (40) and (30) has a passage (120) through which the connector member ( 32) is movable longitudinally into the installed position upon movement of the connector member (32) longitudinally through the passage (120).

Air bag inflator assembly

An inflator assembly for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint includes a container defining a chamber with a rupturable wall. The chamber contains a first ignitable material and gas. The gas is directed from the container to the inflatable vehicle occupant restraint when the rupturable wall of the chamber is ruptured. The assembly further includes an initiator for rupturing the rupturable wall of the chamber and for igniting the first ignitable material inside the chamber. The initiator includes a second ignitable material. The second ignitable material produces a pressure wave and emits products of combustion when it is ignited by the initiator. The rupturable wall of the chamber is located in the path of the pressure wave and is ruptured by the pressure wave. The first ignitable material inside the chamber is located in the path of the products of combustion emitted by the second ignitable material and is ignited by the products of combustion.

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Mesa, AZ, United States of America

Paul S Headley