Trw Limited

Universal Propulsion Company, Inc.

Todd R Bailey

Brian R Pitstick

Homer William Fogle, Jr

Paul S Headley

Daniel R Hake

Tom Amherdt

Eric Streif

Peter A Kennedy

Lindsay S Cisney

Personal mileage tracker

An airbag initiator having an ignition charge and a low temperature ignition charge in an inner case and a metal header closing the inner case, a glass seal providing feed through of one or more electrical connections to the ignition charge through the header. The seal is preferably formed using glass material. A ceramic base supports the header and their spaced relationship maintained by a single continuous glass seal. The ceramic base and glass seal electrically isolates the header and ignition charge against accidental ignition. The ceramic to glass to metal seal provides protection against leakage of unfiltered gas from the inflator system. A ferromagnetic pressed material is assembled into the ceramic base and it's spaced relationship to the ceramic body and the electrical connections are maintained by a single continuous glass seal.

Electric initiator having a sealing material forming a ceramic to metal

An electrically actuatable initiator (10) for an air bag inflator (20) includes an ignition charge (190) which is ignitable by thermal energy from a resistive element (130). The resistive element (130) is formed on a substrate (110) as part of a chip (100). The chip (100) is secured to a header (40) by a portion (156, 158, 160, 162) of a glass to metal seal (150). The resistive element is electrically connected to terminals (60, 90) of the initiator (10) by brazing with braze preforms (170, 180). The brazed electrical connections are made during the same heating operation in which a glass preform is melted to form the mechanical connection provided by the glass to metal seal (150).

Initiator for an air bag inflator

An air bag inflator (10) includes an igniter (142) for actuating the inflator in response to receiving an electrical signal. The igniter (142) has a pair of electrical terminals (144, 146) for electrical contact with an electrical connector (152) to receive the electrical signal from the electrical connector. A retainer (150) supports the igniter (142) adjacent the inflator (10). A shorting clip (200) establishes a short circuit between the terminals (144, 146) of the igniter (142) when the electrical connector (152) is not in electrical contact with the terminals. A crimp portion (180) of the retainer (150) engages the shorting clip (200) to block movement of the shorting clip relative to the retainer. The shorting clip (200) includes means (240, 242) for maintaining the electrical connector (152) in electrical contact with the electrical terminals (144, 146). Different shorting clips (200, 420) can alternatively be used with the same retainer (150) and igniter (142), to enable the inflator (10) to be electrically connected with different electrical connectors (152, 410).

Air bag inflator assembly with shorting clip

Inflation fluid (18) for an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as an air bag (12), is contained in a pressure vessel (30) at an elevated storage pressure. The pressure vessel (30) further contains ignitable material (18) which, when ignited, heats the inflation fluid (18). An ohmic heating element (92) is maintained in an ignitable heat transferring relationship with the ignitable material (18) under the influence of the storage pressure. When the vehicle experiences a predetermined collision-indicating condition, an actuating level of electric current is directed through the heating element (92) to ignite the ignitable material (18). The storage pressure is monitored by monitoring an electrical characteristic, such as the resistance, of the heating element (92) which has a predetermined relationship to the storage pressure.

Method and apparatus for storing fluid under pressure

An electrically actuatable initiator (10) for an air bag inflator (20) includes an electrically sensitive ignition charge (280) disposed in an electrically conductive ignition cup (290). A plastic insulation cup (320) overlies the ignition cup (290). The insulation cup (320) electrically insulates the ignition cup (290) to block the flow of electric current into the ignition cup to prevent unintended actuation of the ignition charge (280). A locking ring member (380) is made from a shape-memory alloy which shrinks in diameter when heated above a predetermined temperature. The locking ring member (380) secures an output cup (360) to a retainer (150) and hermetically seals between the output cup and the retainer. A second locking ring member (310) secures the ignition cup (290) to a header (150) and seals between the ignition cup and the header.

An initiator assembly (140) comprises a retainer (46), which can be the cover for an inflator housing (10), and an igniter (142). An opening (85) is formed in the retainer (46). The igniter (142) has a longitudinal axis (143) and comprises a pyrotechnic material (152, 156) on the axis. The pyrotechnic material (152, 156) on ignition exerts a force along the axis (143). The assembly further comprises a preformed compressible plastic coupler plug (148) which includes a plug portion (170) received within the retainer opening (85). The coupler plug (148) comprises locking surfaces (184, 188) which engage the igniter (142) and the retainer (46) and hold the igniter in a spaced relationship with respect to the retainer. The plastic coupler plug (148) further comprises an inwardly extending compressible web (174) integral with the locking surfaces (184, 188). The compressible web (174) provides a seal in the space between the igniter (142) and the retainer (46). On ignition of the igniter pyrotechnic material (152, 156), the resulting axial force in the igniter (142) causes the web (174) to be compressed between opposed surfaces (194, 196) of the igniter and the retainer, respectively, increasing the seal tightness of the compressible web (174).

Initiator assembly for 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).

Growing community of inventors

Higley, AZ, United States of America

Todd R Bailey