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:
Feb. 11, 1997
Filed:
Sep. 19, 1995
Applicant:
Inventors:
Michael Di Giacomo, Warrenton, VA (US);
Robert S Scheffee, Lorton, VA (US);
Assignee:
Atlantic Research Corporation, Gainesville, VA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B60R / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
280741 ; 280736 ; 222-3 ;
Abstract
A hybrid inflator and method of inflating airbags include a pressure vessel which utilizes a solid propellant, a liquid fuel and a compressed oxidizing gas to produce an inflator gas for inflating devices such as airbags. The solid propellant vaporizes and superheats the liquid fuel, thus raising it above its autoignition temperature. When put in contact with the compressed oxidizing gas the liquid fuel ignites. The thus-ignited liquid fuel and compressed gas rupture a burst disk in the inflator to release the inflator gas for inflation purposes.