Inflation device for a vehicle occupant restraint system

• US 20040183292A1
• Filed: 03/15/2004
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Airbag Systems GmbH (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Ruckdeschel, Rolf
• Application Number:
  US10/800,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20040183292A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/741
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• 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: F42B 3/04 for producing gas under pressure generators of inflation fluid especially adapted for vehicle air bags B60R21/26

Abstract

An inflation device (10) adapted for use in a vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a housing (12), an igniter (14) received in the housing, and a first cord-type gas generator (22) connected to the housing (12), the cord-type gas generator (22) including a cord-shaped propellant strand (24). The igniter housing (12) has at least one relief opening (20a, 20b) which is associated to a surrounding region outside the cord-type gas generator (22) and the housing (12).

Claims

1. An inflation device (10) adapted for use in a vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising a housing (12), an igniter (14) received in the housing, and a first cord-type gas generator (22) connected to the housing (12), the cord-type gas generator (22) including a cord-shaped propellant strand (24), characterized in that the igniter housing (12) has at least one relief opening (20a, 20b) which is associated to a surrounding region outside the cord-type gas generator (22) and the housing (12).

2. The inflation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing encircles an igniter chamber (13) and that the igniter chamber (13) is in flow connection with the surrounding region (21) outside the housing (12) through at least one of the relief openings (20a, 20b) after activation of the igniter (16).

3. The inflation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the inflation device (10) has a pyrotechnical gas generator (30) including propellant elements (34), which gas generator is in flow connection through at least one of the relief openings (20a, 20b) with the igniter (14) after the ignition thereof, for igniting the propellant elements (34).

4. The inflation device according to claim 3, characterized in that the propellant elements (34) in the pyrotechnical gas generator (30) have a longer combustion time than the cord-shaped propellant strand (24).

5. The inflation device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the propellant elements (34) are propellant tablets arranged in loose fill.

6. The inflation device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inflation device (10) has at least one further cord-type gas generator (22) connected to the housing (12).