Morton International, Inc.

Autoliv Asp, Incorporated

Other

Walter A Moore

Karl K Rink

David J Green

Kelly B Johnson

L John Pierotti

Leland B Kort

Brett Hussey

Robert E Lewis

Harry W Miller, Ii

Bradley W Smith

Gregory J Lang

Linda M Rink

William G Lowe

Ivan V Mendenhall

Marcus T Clark

Brent K Olson

J Kirk Storey

Michael J Ravenberg

Randall J Clark

S Mark Bunker

Daniel R Leininger

David D Schroeder

Glen S Beus

David P Kosoff

Kerry A Cooke

Don T Jensen

Glenn S Beus

Bryan D Matzl

An inflator apparatus for inflating an inflatable device is provided wherein a gas generant reactant reacts with oxygen to produce a gaseous inflation medium. The apparatus includes a closed first chamber wherein a supply of oxygen and a quantity of at least one unreactive reaction modifier are stored. The apparatus also includes an initiator to initiate reaction of at least a fraction of the supply of oxygen with the gas generant reactant to produce a quantity of the gaseous inflation medium. Also provided are associated methods for inflating an inflatable safety device in a vehicle.

Airbag inflation gas generation

An inflator apparatus for inflating an inflatable device and a method are provided wherein a combination of a dissociative gas source material and at least one unreactive dissociation reaction modifier is stored at least partially in liquefied form with the reaction modifier effective to moderate at least one of the temperature and concentration of the at least one gas source material upon the dissociation of at least a portion of the at least one gas source material.

Airbag inflation gas generation via a dissociating material and the moderation thereof

An inflator apparatus for inflating an inflatable device and a method are provided which utilize a burst disk arrangement which results in a sequential opening regime such as may desirably provide a form of the above-described S curve inflation performance behavior without necessitating the use of or reliance on mechanical opening devices such as projectiles or piston members.

Flow-open inflator

An initiator suitable for use with airbag passive restraint systems and which does not use pyrotechnic materials is disclosed. The initiator provides an electrically actuated igniter which ignites an adjacently stored non-pyrotechnic fluid combustible material which may comprise a mixture of a fluid fuel and a fluid oxidizer, a fluid monopropellant or a fluid exothermically decomposable material. A sub-assembly of the non-pyrotechnic initiator with a fuel containment chamber and inflators which use the non-pyrotechnic initiator are also disclosed.

Non-pyrotechnic initiator

An inflator apparatus and method for inflating an inflatable device wherein a solid fuel material and nitrous oxide are stored in intimate contact and, when properly actuated, react to produce inflation gas for use in inflating the inflatable device.

Airbag inflator

An improved adaptive output inflator is provided wherein inflator performance, such as measured by inflator gas output, can be appropriately varied and selected by appropriately varying and selecting the operational oxidant composition of the inflator.

Adaptive output inflator having a selectable oxidant composition

A hybrid inflator having a quantity of stored gas in a pressure vessel, and a quantity of gas generant stored within a generant housing having at least one port in its longitudinal end. Within the generant housing the gas generant is retained within a porous sleeve. This sleeve is spaced inward from the non-porous generant housing, such that a free flow area is formed between the sleeve and the generant housing. The inflation gas created by the gas generant will thus flow radially outward through the sleeve, and then be turned to flow longitudinally toward the port(s) in the generant housing. Providing the free flow area reduces the pressure drop across the generant sleeve, resulting in less slag being forced through the sleeve to be entrained within the created gas flow. Additionally, the changes in direction forced upon the created gas flow to exit the generant housing cause additional amounts of slag to be removed from the created gas flow. This results in a hybrid inflator having reduced solid emissions. A second embodiment employs longitudinal flow directly from the gas generant with a free flow area leading to radial ports on the generant housing.

Hybrid inflator with reduced solid emissions

An improvement in an air bag system for a motor vehicle relating to a multiple level fluid fueled air bag inflator and method of operation thereof are provided. Such a multiple level inflator includes a stored gas chamber, a combustion chamber wherein, upon actuation, a fluid fuel and an oxidant are burned, an opener to open the stored gas chamber and an initiator device to initiate the burning of the fluid fuel and oxidant in the combustion chamber. Various performance levels can be obtained through the proper selected actuation and sequencing of actuation of the opener and the initiator device.

Multiple level fluid fueled airbag inflator

Apparatus for inflating an inflatable device, methods for inflating an inflatable safety device and a method of manufacturing an apparatus for inflating an inflatable device are provided having a fuel containment assembly to contain a fuel in the form of a fluid. The fuel, upon proper initiation, is burned to produce gas used in the inflation of the inflatable device.

Fuel containment for fluid fueled airbag inflators

The use of unitary liquid fuel storage chambers provides advantages in the manufacturing and assembly of inflators for use in airbag passive restraint systems. A unique process of injecting liquid fuel through a conduit which is controlled to discharge the liquid fuel beneath the rising surface of the liquid fuel in the container and then sealing the storage chamber with a unique stopper provides consistently accurately filled unitary fuel containing storage chambers. The filled and sealed unitary storage chambers can then be either stored or assembled into an inflator. The assembly of the inflator can be at a location separate from that at which the storage container is loaded with fuel, whereby the relatively hazardous loading and handling of liquid fuels can be separated from the inflator assembly area.

Process and apparatus for filling liquid fuel storage containers and

An apparatus and method for inflating a vehicular inflatable device adaptable to a variety of fuels and oxidants wherein a fluid fuel is burned to produce hot gas, with the hot gas undergoing a reversal in direction of flow and mixing with stored, pressurized gas to produce inflation gas containing little or no particulate.

Fluid fueled inflator with flow reversal

A unitary storage structures for the fluid components of a inflator of a vehicular airbag passive restraint system. The unitary storage structures facilitate the storage, testing, transportation and assembly of such components in the inflator. Advantageous methods of filling the storage chambers and of testing the filled structures for leaks prior to their transportation and assembly into the inflator housing are also disclosed.

Canister assembled fluid fueled inflator

A hybrid inflator has porous substrate coated with a heat-producing, essentially non gas-producing composition for heating pressurized inflation gases in the inflator.

Airbag inflators employing coated porous substrates

The invention comprises a high rate pressure vessel filling process which improves the accuracy of filling pressure vessels to required gas mass. The approach overcomes heating effects of high rate filling and volume variation effects by slowly prefilling a series of temperature monitored and controlled cylinders of a set volume, then rapidly discharging the premeasured gas mass into the pressure vessel.

High rate pressure vessel filling process

A pressurized gas inflator suited for side impact airbags comprises an elongated cylindrical bottle having a closed end and an open end defining an outlet opening. A diaphragm is sealed across the open end of the bottle to form a chamber containing pressurized gas. A cup-shaped diffuser also has an open end secured to the open end of the bottle with the periphery of the diaphragm therebetween. A squib is mounted in the diffuser for rupturing the diaphragm. An enhanced squib with 300-400 milligrams of ZPP is used in one disclosed inflator and an augmented directional initiator is used in another disclosed inflator. The enhanced squib and augmented directional initiator provide heating to offset adiabatic cooling of the gas. The diffuser defines outlet ports for delivering the inflation gas. The cylindrical bottle has a mounting flange on its closed end, and the mounting flange may be an end cap with a radially extending flange. The diameter of the bottle may be necked down at the open end defining the outlet opening. The squib may be mounted through the wall of the diffuser, with the squib terminals exposed for plug connection.

Growing community of inventors

Ogden, UT, United States of America

Walter A Moore