The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 04, 1989
Filed:
Oct. 03, 1986
George W Goetz, Detroit, MI (US);
TRW Automotive Products Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An inflatable restraint system includes an airbag which is expanded by an inflator assembly to restrain movement of an occupant of a vehicle in the event of a collision. The inflator assembly includes a plurality of grains or bodies of gas generating material which are disposed in a longitudinally extending array and are enclosed by a filter assembly and a housing. To promote a rapid and uniform combustion of the grains to quickly generate a large volume of gas, passages extend through the grains between spaces at opposite ends of the grains. Uniform combustion of the grains is promoted by having the passages located on concentric circles with the longitudinal axes of the passages spaced apart by equal distances along the circles. The axes of the passages on one concentric circle are circumferentially spaced from the axes of the passages on another concentric circle. The grains positioned with the passages in axial alignment and are cushioned by resilient retainer tubes which engage the outside of the grains. When the airbag has become inflated, a pressure control valve system is opened to exhaust excess gas generated by the combustion of the grains.