Electrically operated propellants with elevated self-sustaining threshold pressures
First Claim
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1. A gas generation system with an electrically operated propellant comprising:
- a combustion chamber;
at least two electrodes configured for coupling with an electrical power source;
an electrically operated propellant within the combustion chamber and electrically coupled to each of the at least two electrodes, said electrically operated propellant having a self-sustaining threshold pressure of at least 1,000 psi at which the propellant once ignited cannot be extinguished and below which the propellant can be extinguished by interruption of an electrical input; and
wherein the electrically operated propellant is configured to ignite at an ignition condition and generate gas, and to extinguish under an extinguishing condition,in the ignition condition, the electrical input is applied across the at least two electrodes to ignite the electrically operated propellant, andin the extinguishing condition, the electrical input is interrupted, the pressure within the combustion chamber is less than the self-sustaining threshold pressure, and the electrically operated propellant transitions from ignited to extinguished.
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Abstract
The rate of combustion of an electrically operated propellant having a self-sustaining threshold of at least 1,000 psi is controlled to produce chamber pressures that are sufficient to produce a desired pressure profile in the airbag to accommodate a range of human factors and crash conditions yet never exceeding the self-sustaining threshold. The combustion of the propellant is extinguished to control the total pressure impulse delivered to the airbag. Propellants formed with an ionic perchlorate-based oxidizer have demonstrated thresholds in excess of 1,500 psi and higher.
54 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A gas generation system with an electrically operated propellant comprising:
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a combustion chamber; at least two electrodes configured for coupling with an electrical power source; an electrically operated propellant within the combustion chamber and electrically coupled to each of the at least two electrodes, said electrically operated propellant having a self-sustaining threshold pressure of at least 1,000 psi at which the propellant once ignited cannot be extinguished and below which the propellant can be extinguished by interruption of an electrical input; and wherein the electrically operated propellant is configured to ignite at an ignition condition and generate gas, and to extinguish under an extinguishing condition, in the ignition condition, the electrical input is applied across the at least two electrodes to ignite the electrically operated propellant, and in the extinguishing condition, the electrical input is interrupted, the pressure within the combustion chamber is less than the self-sustaining threshold pressure, and the electrically operated propellant transitions from ignited to extinguished. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An electrically operated propellant comprising:
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a perchlorate based oxidizer of approximately 50 to 90 percent of a mass of the electrically operated propellant; a binder of approximately 10 to 30 percent of the mass of the electrically operated propellant; a metal based fuel of approximately 5 to 30 percent of the mass of the electrically operated propellant; and wherein the electrically operated propellant is configured to ignite and extinguish according to a respective application and interruption of an electrical input to the electrically operated propellant; wherein said electrically operated propellant has a self-sustaining threshold pressure of at least 1,000 psi at which pressure the propellant once ignited cannot be extinguished and below which the propellant can be extinguished by interruption of the electrical input. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of using an electrically operated propellant located within a combustion chamber comprising:
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igniting an electrically operated propellant by applying an electrical input to the electrically operated propellant, said electrically operated propellant having a self-sustaining threshold pressure of at least 1,000 psi at which the propellant once ignited cannot be extinguished and below which the propellant can be extinguished by interruption of the electrical input; generating pressurized gas within the combustion chamber from the combustion of the ignited electrically operated propellant; and extinguishing the electrically operated propellant with the interruption of the electrical input while the electrically operated propellant is subject to a pressure less than the self-sustaining threshold pressure. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification