Side impact air bag system

Abstract

A combination and a method for protecting an occupant in a vehicle in the event of a collision involving the vehicle. The combination has an inflatable bag for confining, when inflated, the disposition of the occupant in the vehicle, a container for holding pyrotechnic material, a housing having an inner surface, an interior volume and a seal for holding a gas at a first pressure, and opening at a second, higher pressure, wherein the gas is expansible when subjected to heat, an initiator for initiating the combustion of the pyrotechnic material upon the occurrence of a collision involving the vehicle, and a manifold, having a length, the manifold enveloping the housing and defining a passage with the housing. The manifold defines holes along the length of the manifold for introducing into the inflatable bag the gas flowing through the passage between the housing and the manifold. In addition, the first pressure is sufficiently high and the pyrotechnic material has a burning time that is sufficiently short, such that, upon combustion, the pyrotechnic material burns substantially completely and without substantial contact of burning material upon the inner surface as it leaves the container, such that the pressurized gas at the first pressure is heated, thereby increasing the gas pressure to at least the second pressure to cause the seal to open and the gas to exit the interior volume in a time sufficiently short to substantially prevent transfer of heat to the housing.