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. 20, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 21, 1998
Brent A. Parks, Englewood, CO (US);
Ron J. Butt, Castle Rock, CO (US);
Brian K. Hamilton, Littleton, CO (US);
David W. Struckman, Westminster, CO (US);
Stanley W. Pierce, Denver, CO (US);
Autoliv ASP Inc., Ogden, UT (US);
Abstract
A dual initiator inflator for selective activation, depending upon detection of a low impact vehicle collision or a high impact vehicle collision, is provided for use with an air bag in a vehicle. The inflator can be configured to function at any one of a number of vehicle locations, including a driver side inflator and a passenger side inflator. The inflator includes first and second initiators and first and second propellants. When a low impact vehicle collision is detected, the first initiator is triggered to ignite the first propellant. Essentially all inflation gases that are received in the air bag are due to products of combustion from the first propellant and stored gas contained in the inflator housing. After a predetermined time delay, the second propellant is ignited by the second initiator so that no combustible propellant remains after inflator usage. When a high impact vehicle collision is detected, both first and second propellants are ignited at essentially the same time so that inflation gases received by the air bag are the result of products of combustion from both the first and second propellants, together with the stored gas.