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. 27, 1999
Filed:
Jul. 02, 1996
Benjamin R Davis, Chandler, AZ (US);
Kim R Gauen, Noblesville, IN (US);
Motorola, Inc., Schaumburg, IL (US);
Abstract
A squib ignitor circuit (20,40) reduces the probability of an accidental airbag deployment to greatly increase the safety of an automobile. A squib (24,28,44) operates at a voltage significantly higher than the squib ignitor circuit (20,40) to produce heat sufficient to ignite pyrotechnic material. Thus, a short condition to the squib (24,28,44) does not produce an inadvertent airbag deployment. The squib ignitor circuit (20,40) forms a conductive path through an inductor (23,43) via a first transistor (21,41) and a second transistor (22,42). The inductor (23,43) stores energy. The inductor (23,43) produces a voltage substantially greater than the voltage powering the squib ignitor circuit (20,40) when the conductive path is broken. The inductor (23,43) releases the stored energy to the squib (24,28,44) generating heat. A sequence (more than one time) of storing energy and releasing energy by the inductor (23,43) is required to generate heat sufficient to ignite pyrotechnic material by the squib (24,28,44).