Gas generator

• US 20010013300A1
• Filed: 02/09/2001
• Published: 08/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH & Co., KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH & Co., KG
• Inventors: Schonhuber, Georg, Lutz, Harald, Sponfeldner, Oskar
• Granted Patent: US 6,626,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 102/530
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2633 with a plurality of inflation levels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2648 comprising a plurality of combustion chambers or sub-chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder

Abstract

The invention relates to a gas generator comprising at least two combustion chambers filled with propellant charges and delimited by combustion chamber walls. The combustion chamber walls have outflow openings which in a non-activated state are closed by at least one applied membrane having an edge. One of an additional fastening device and a protective device is provided at least sections of the edge of the membrane. The device prevents a coming-off of the membrane from the combustion chamber wall.

Claims

1. A gas generator, comprising

at least two combustion chambers filled with propellant charges and delimited by combustion chamber walls,

said combustion chamber walls having outflow openings which in a non-activated state are closed by at least one applied membrane having an edge,

one of an additional fastening device and a protective device being provided at least sections of said edge of said membrane, which device prevents a coming-off of said edge from said combustion chamber wall.

2. The gas generator according to

claim 1

, wherein said combustion chamber wall has an outer side facing away from said propellant charge and said membrane is fastened on said outer side of said combustion chamber wall.

3. The gas generator according to

claim 1

, wherein said membrane has an outer side and wherein one of said additional fastening device and said protective device is applied on said outer side of said membrane.

4. The gas generator according to

claim 1

, wherein said additional fastening device is an adhesive applied externally to said edge of said membrane.

5. The gas generator according to

claim 4

, wherein said adhesive is a metal adhesive.

6. The gas generator according to

claim 1

, wherein at least one protective foil is provided which covers said edge of said membrane from an outer side of said membrane.

7. The gas generator according to

claim 6

, wherein said protective foil is a ductile metal foil.

8. The gas generator according to

claim 7

, wherein said membrane is of metal and said protective foil is fastened by welding.

9. The gas generator according to

claim 1

, wherein said protective device is a depression in said combustion chamber wall, into which depression said edge of said membrane is pressed.

10. The gas generator according to

claim 1

, wherein said protective device is a projection of said combustion chamber wall, which projection runs along said edge so as to adjoin said edge.

11. The gas generator according to

claim 1

, wherein said membrane is open in a peripheral direction, wherein said edges are provided on peripheral ends of said membrane and wherein said protective device is one of a chamfer and a rounding of said edge of said membrane on said peripheral ends.

12. The gas generator according to

claim 11

, wherein said edge of said membrane is chamfered over an entire width of said edge in axial direction.

13. The gas generator according to

claim 11

, wherein said edge of said membrane is rounded over an entire width of said edge in axial direction.

14. The gas generator according to

claim 1

, wherein at least two of said membranes are provided so as to be adjacent, one of a common additional fastening device and a common protective device being provided for said adjacent membranes.