Inflator device ignition of gas generant

• US 20030121578A1
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David W. Parkinson, Gregg Hess, Ivan V. Mendenhall, Steve Hammer, Steven B. Kenney
• Original Assignee: David W. Parkinson, Gregg Hess, Ivan V. Mendenhall, Steve Hammer, Steven B. Kenney
• Inventors: Kenney, Steven B., Hess, Gregg, Mendenhall, Ivan V., Parkinson, David W., Hammer, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 6,739,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 149/73
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26047 of film shape
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 45/14 a layer or zone containing an inorganic explosive or an inorganic explosive or an inorganic thermic component
• CPC Class Codes: C06C 9/00 Chemical contact igniters; Chemical lighters

Abstract

Inflator device assemblies wherein an igniter composition used to ignite an associated gas generant material is provided on a selected surface, such as on a damper pad, within the inflator device. Suitable igniter compositions may include a silicone resin additive effective to adhere the igniter composition to a surface within the inflator device.

Claims

1. In an igniter composition used to ignite a gas generant material within an inflator device, the improvement comprising the igniter composition including a silicone resin additive effective to adhere the igniter composition to a surface within the inflator device.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the silicone resin additive has a hydroxyl content in the range of about 1% to about 10% by weight.

3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the silicone resin additive has a solubility of at least one gram per 100 ml of organic solvent.

4. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the igniter composition comprises at least about 1 wt. % of the silicone resin additive and no more than about 10 wt. % of the silicone resin additive.

5. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the igniter composition is adherable to a non-gas generant surface within the inflator device.

6. The improvement of claim 5 wherein the igniter composition is adherable to a glass fiber-based surface.

7. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the igniter composition is adherable to a damper pad at least in part contained within the inflator device.

8. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the igniter composition is adherable to a cord contained within the inflator device.

9. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the igniter composition is adherable to a gas generant material surface within the inflator device.

10. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the silicone resin additive has a solubility of at least one gram per 100 ml of organic solvent selected from the group of solvents consisting of alcohols, ketones, esters, aromatics and chlorinated organics.

11. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the igniter composition includes a fuel component comprising an Al/Mg alloy.

12. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the igniter composition includes an oxidizer selected from the group consisting of strontium nitrate, alkali metal nitrates and combinations thereof.

13. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the igniter composition comprises:

at least about 10 wt. % and no more than about 60 wt. % of an Al/Mg alloy igniter fuel;

at least about 30 wt. % and no more than about 80 wt. % of an igniter oxidizer selected from the group consisting of strontium nitrate, alkali metal nitrates and combinations thereof; and

at least about 1 wt. % and no more than about 10 wt. % of the silicone resin additive.

14. In an airbag inflator device containing a quantity of gas generant material reactable to produce gas for inflation of an associated inflatable device, the inflator device also containing a quantity of an igniter material reactable to ignite at least a portion of the quantity of gas generant material, the improvement comprising:

a damper pad within the inflator device and onto which damper pad at least a portion of the quantity of igniter material forms a coating.

15. The improvement of claim 14 wherein at least a portion of the damper pad onto which the igniter composition forms a coating comprises a glass fiber-based surface.

16. The improvement of claim 14 wherein the igniter material includes a silicone resin additive effective to adhere the igniter material to the damper pad.

17. The improvement of claim 16 wherein the silicone resin additive has a hydroxyl content in the range of about 1% to about 10% by weight and a solubility of at least one gram per 100 ml of organic solvent.

18. The improvement of claim 17 wherein the igniter material comprises:

at least about 10 wt. % and no more than about 60 wt. % of an Al/Mg alloy igniter fuel;

at least about 30 wt. % and no more than about 80 wt. % of an igniter oxidizer; and

at least about 1 wt. % and no more than about 10 wt. % of the silicone resin additive.

19. The improvement of claim 17 wherein the silicone resin additive has a solubility of at least one gram per 100 ml of organic solvent selected from the group of solvents consisting of alcohols, ketones, esters, aromatics and chlorinated organics.

20. A method of including an igniter material within an inflator device, said method comprising:

applying an igniter material composition which includes an igniter fuel, an igniter oxidizer and a silicone resin additive effective to adhere the igniter material composition to an inner surface of the inflator device.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said application comprises spraying the igniter material composition onto a selected inner surface of the inflator device.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the igniter material composition is applied to a non-gas generant surface within the inflator device.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the igniter material composition is applied to a glass fiber-based surface.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the igniter material composition is applied to a damper pad.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the igniter material composition is applied to the damper pad prior to placement of the damper pad into the inflator device.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the igniter material composition is applied to a gas generant material surface.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein the igniter material composition comprises at least about 1 wt. % and no more than about 10 wt. % of the silicone resin additive, and wherein the silicone resin additive has a hydroxyl content in the range of about 1% to about 10% by weight and a solubility of at least one gram per 100 ml of organic solvent selected from the group of solvents consisting of alcohols, ketones, esters, aromatics and chlorinated organics.

28. The method of claim 20 wherein the igniter material composition includes a fuel component comprising an Al/Mg alloy.

29. The method of claim 20 wherein the igniter material composition includes an oxidizer selected from the group consisting of strontium nitrate, alkali metal nitrates and combinations thereof.

30. The method of claim 20 wherein the igniter material composition comprises:

at least about 10 wt. % and no more than about 60 wt. % of an Al/Mg alloy igniter fuel;

at least about 30 wt. % and no more than about 80 wt. % of an igniter oxidizer selected from the group consisting of strontium nitrate, alkali metal nitrates and combinations thereof; and

at least about 1 wt. % and no more than about 10 wt. % of the silicone resin additive.

31. A method of providing an igniter material for inclusion within an inflator device which contains at least one damper pad, said method comprising:

coating a damper pad substrate with an igniter material composition which includes an igniter fuel, an igniter oxidizer and an additive effective to adhere the igniter material composition to the damper pad substrate.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the additive effective to adhere the igniter material composition to the damper pad substrate comprises a silicone resin material having a hydroxyl content in the range of about 1% to about 10% by weight and a solubility of at least one gram per 100 ml of organic solvent selected from the group of solvents consisting of alcohols, ketones, esters, aromatics and chlorinated organics.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the igniter material comprises:

at least about 10 wt. % and no more than about 60 wt. % of an Al/Mg alloy igniter fuel;

at least about 30 wt. % and no more than about 80 wt. % of an igniter oxidizer; and

at least about 1 wt. % and no more than about 10 wt. % of the silicone resin additive.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein the damper pad substrate is sprayed with the igniter material composition.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein the damper pad substrate is glass fiber-based.