Morton International, Inc.

Autoliv Asp, Incorporated

Autiliv Asp, Inc.

Paul T Philpot

Christopher Hock

Linda M Rink

Scott A Jackson

Kurt E Kottke

Bradley W Smith

David W Lindsey

A wrapped gas generant cartridge is incorporated in an inflator of a vehicle occupant restraint system. The gas generant cartridge includes a stacked, aligned plurality of substantially flat annular wafers of gas generant material having a central opening therethrough. A wrap of sheet material surrounds the plurality of wafers and has marginal end panels folded along the end surfaces of the plurality of wafers, leaving at least one end opening exposed for receiving an ignition tube of the inflator. The wrap of sheet material is selected from metal foil, expanded metal, cellulose, thermoplastics, including polyolefin shrink wrap, with tape, adhesive or adhesive laminates holding the wrap in position. The gas generant cartridge is received in a filter and screen pack within the inflator.

Wrapped gas generant cartridge

An improved method for the fabrication of filter assemblies for use in automotive air bag inflators by spirally winding a hollow cylindrical combustion screen comprised of layers of filter material. The spirally wound filter is then cut into individual units of desired length by the use of a conventional cutting device and additional filtering layers can optionally be added to form an inflator filter assembly.

Spiral wrapped inner tube for gas generator filter

An improved method for fabricating a filter for use in automotive air bag inflators which comprises forming a hollow cylindrical inner core or combustion screen of filter material and outer filter layers wound outward from the surface of the core so as to be maintained in cylindrical relation thereabout. This invention is specifically directed to an improved filter which does not include a perforated support tube and relies on only the interior combustion screen for support in the final wrapping of the remaining filter structure.

Method for constructing an inflator filter made of wrapped mesh

Inflator filter made of wrapped mesh

A method for re-sizing and re-shaping wrapped multiple layered or stack-up cylindrical air bag inflator filter assemblies. This invention is specifically directed to manufacturing cylindrical air bag filter assemblies exhibiting superior dimensioned characteristics such as diameter, wall thickness, roundness, straightness, clylindricity by subjecting the as-wrapped filter assemblies to a rotary swaging operation.

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Layton, UT, United States of America

Paul T Philpot