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:
Mar. 28, 2006
Filed:
Jan. 14, 2005
Paul C. Edwards, Ii, Marysville, OH (US);
Graylon K. Williams, Warren, MI (US);
Donald B. Patterson, Rochester, MI (US);
Paul C. Edwards, II, Marysville, OH (US);
Graylon K. Williams, Warren, MI (US);
Donald B. Patterson, Rochester, MI (US);
Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc., Armada, MI (US);
Abstract
A multiple-chamber inflator () for a vehicle occupant protection system. The inflator () includes a housing () having a first end and a second end, and a divider disc () positioned in an interior of the housing () intermediate the housing ends to form a first (primary) propellant chamber () and a second (secondary) propellant chamber () within the interior of the housing (). The divider () has a first surface () in communication with the first propellant chamber (), a second surface () in communication with the second propellant chamber (), and at least one aperture () extending between the first and second surfaces to provide fluid communication between the first propellant chamber () and the second propellant chamber (). A pressure-resistant shim () fabricated from a low-melting point material is fixed on the divider first surface () over the at least one aperture () to block the aperture. The shim () is configured to melt upon exposure to a predetermined temperature generated by combustion of the propellant () in the first propellant chamber (), thereby opening the at least one aperture (). The shim () isolates the first chamber () from the second chamber (). The shim () also facilitates an increase in pressure in the first chamber () during combustion of the first gas generating propellant (), thereby increasing the efficiency of the combustion reaction in the first chamber ().