Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

William F McLeod, Ii

Craig M Fischer

James R Hocking

Pongdet Paul Wipasuramonton

Joseph C Popek

Terrance J Coultas

Pondget P Wipasuramonton

Douglas J Rizzi

Douglas L Rizzi

An apparatus (10) for use in inflating a vehicle occupant restraint includes a storage chamber (22b) which stores a gas under pressure, and an ignitable material (46b) which produces combustion products when burning. The ignitable material (46b) is contained in a combustion chamber (108b). The combustion chamber (108b) communicates with the storage chamber (22b) before the ignitable material is ignited. The combustion chamber (108b) is closed and isolated from the storage chamber (22b) when the ignitable material (46b) is burning. A burst disk (200) is ruptured by the combustion products in the combustion chamber (108b) to permit passage of the combustion products into the storage chamber (22b) when the combustion products reach a predetermined elevated pressure.

Inflator assembly

An apparatus for inflating an air bag includes a container (12) which holds a supply of gas under pressure. The container (12) is filled with gas through an internally threaded opening (48). Once the container (12) has been filled with gas, an externally threaded plug (50) is threaded into the internally threaded opening (48) in the container. A seal ring (60) extends around the plug (50) and provides a first seal between the container and the plug. A weld (64), which extends around a peripheral portion of the plug (50) and extends between the plug and the container, provides a second seal between the container and plug.

Apparatus for use in inflating an air bag and method of assembly

An inflator assembly inflates a vehicle occupant restraint. The inflator assembly includes a container in which gas is stored under pressure. An ignitable material is disposed within the container. An actuator assembly is provided to release the stored gas from the container and to ignite the ignitable material. The actuator assembly includes a pyrotechnic charge of ignitable material which burns to move a piston to rupture a portion of the container. A passage through the piston conducts a flow of combustion products resulting from ignition of the pyrotechnic charge of ignitable material to ignite the ignitable material within the container. During burning of the ignitable material, the gas in the container is heated to increase the fluid pressure in the container.

Hybrid inflator having movable piston for releasing pressurized gas and

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Roseville, MI, United States of America

William F McLeod, Ii