Oea, Inc.

Trw Limited

Autoliv Asp, Incorporated

Ron J Butt

Brent A Parks

Brian K Hamilton

Robert N Renz

James L Baglini

Dean W Grages

Eldron L Boehmer

Charles B Kafadar

David W Struckman

Royce M Strickland, Jr

Stanley W Pierce

A dual initiator inflator for selective activation, depending upon detection of a low impact vehicle collision or a high impact vehicle collision, is provided for use with an air bag in a vehicle. The inflator can be configured to function at any one of a number of vehicle locations, including a driver side inflator and a passenger side inflator. The inflator includes first and second initiators and first and second propellants. When a low impact vehicle collision is detected, the first initiator is triggered to ignite the first propellant. Essentially all inflation gases that are received in the air bag are due to products of combustion from the first propellant and stored gas contained in the inflator housing. After a predetermined time delay, the second propellant is ignited by the second initiator so that no combustible propellant remains after inflator usage. When a high impact vehicle collision is detected, both first and second propellants are ignited at essentially the same time so that inflation gases received by the air bag are the result of products of combustion from both the first and second propellants, together with the stored gas.

Inflator with multiple initiators

A hybrid inflator that includes a solid propellant and a pressurized medium comprising oxygen and at least one inert gas is provided. The solid propellant can be fuel-rich in that without excess oxygen it generates significant amounts of CO and H,. The at least one inert gas is contained in an inflator housing and the amount thereof is greater, on a molar basis, than the oxygen. The propellant has acceptable long-term stability in that such propellant does not ignite when exposed to a temperature of 107&deg; C. for a period of 400 hours.

Hybrid inflator

An inflation apparatus that includes at least two inflators for selected use in inflating an air bag is disclosed. In one embodiment, the two inflators include a micro hybrid inflator and a pyrotechnic inflator. The micro hybrid inflator includes a pressurized medium having oxygen that contributes to the inflation gases that fill the inflatable. The pyrotechnic inflator is essentially free of any such stored gas. Both inflators include a fuel-rich gas generating material. In another embodiment, instead of a micro hybrid inflator, another pyrotechnic inflator is utilized that includes an oxygen-rich gas generating material. In still another embodiment, a fluid fuel acts as a source of oxygen for the fuel-rich gas generating material of the pyrotechnic inflator. When both inflators of the dual inflation apparatus are activated, the oxygen gas that is present is used in further combusting products of combustion from the pyrotechnic inflator having the fuel-rich gas generating material. Preferably, activation of each inflator depends upon whether the vehicle collision that results in air bag activation is low impact or high impact. In at least one embodiment, the two inflators can be affixed to a support assembly with a desired arrangement of the inflators to provide a low profile and reduced space usage by the inflation apparatus.

Dual inflator apparatus including pyrotechnic inflator

A hybrid inflator including a torus-shaped stored gas housings and a central housing assembly extending through a central portion thereof. An activation assembly is disposed at one end of the central housing assembly. A diffuser assembly is located at its opposite end. The central housing assembly has a gas generator containing a propellant. The stored gas housing contains a pressurized medium that is used with the ignited propellant to provide gases to an inflatable. When the propellant is ignited, the force of the generated gas opens a closure disk adjacent to the diffuser assembly.

A gas generating composition, particularly useful for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint, comprises an organic fuel, an oxidant, and iron oxide in an amount effective to provide a coolant function in the gas generating composition. At least a major portion of the iron oxide is substantially free of catalytic or paint grade material and has an average particle size in a narrow particle size distribution range greater than 100 microns.

Iron oxide as a coolant and residue former in an organic propellant

Hybrid inflators for an inflatable safety system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the hybrid inflator uses a dual function initiator in that the combustion products from the initiator both ignite the propellant by direct contact therewith and propel a projectile through a outlet closure disk to release the stored pressurized medium. In another embodiment, the hardware configuration of the hybrid inflator allows the propellant to be loaded into the inflator after all hardware connections proximate the propellant, which require a weld, have in fact been welded. In another embodiment, the main inflator outlet closure disk is disposed at substantially a mid portion of the inflator. In another embodiment, the propellant gases are required to flow from the combustion chamber and into the stored gas housing prior to exiting the inflator, such by using a projectile to rupture the main inflator outlet closure disk and to thereafter seal the gas generator.

The present invention comprises a gas generating composition for, when ignited, providing inflation fluid for inflating an air bag (16) of a vehicle occupant protection device (12). The composition comprises a cyanamide compound complexed with a transition metal nitrate, and a supplemental oxidizing salt admixed with the complex. A preferred cyanamide is dicyandiamide. A preferred complex is bis(dicyandiamide)copper(I)nitrate.

Growing community of inventors

Castle Rock, CO, United States of America

Ron J Butt