Cold gas generator

• US 20050236821A1
• Filed: 02/04/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2004
• 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: Seidl, Lorenz, Hofmann, Achim, Gabler, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/051,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20050236821A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/737
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/268 using instantaneous release of stored pressurised gas B60R21/26005 takes precedence

Abstract

A cold gas generator, comprising a pressure chamber that is filled with pressurized gas, a diaphragm that closes the pressure chamber and that is attached at an attachment edge to a bearing wall, a propellant charge arranged outside the pressure chamber for destroying the diaphragm, and a support wall. The support wall is situated radially inwards from the attachment edge in such immediate vicinity to the interior side of the diaphragm that when an exterior-side pressure is exerted upon it, the diaphragm is deformed towards the interior and makes contact with the support wall before being destroyed.

Claims

1. A cold gas generator, comprising a pressure chamber (10) that is filled with pressurized gas,

a diaphragm (16) that closes said pressure chamber and that is attached at an attachment edge (44) to a bearing wall,

a propellant charge (22) arranged outside said pressure chamber (10) for destroying said diaphragm (16), and

a support wall (50), which is situated radially inwards from said attachment edge (44) in such immediate vicinity to an interior side (36) of said diaphragm (16) that when an exterior-side pressure is exerted upon it, said diaphragm (16) is deformed towards an interior of said pressure chamber (10) and makes contact with said support wall (50) before being destroyed.

2. The cold gas generator as recited in claim 1, wherein said bearing wall is a separate diaphragm holder (32).

3. The cold gas generator as recited in claim 2, wherein said diaphragm holder (32) is attached to an edge of a pressurized-gas container (12) that contains said pressure chamber (10).

4. The cold gas generator as recited in claim 2, wherein said diaphragm holder (32) is welded to a pressurized-gas container (12) that contains said pressure chamber (10).

5. The cold gas generator as recited in claim 2, wherein said support wall (50) is a separate part with respect to said a diaphragm holder (32).

6. The cold gas generator as recited in claim 2, wherein a pressurized-gas container (12) containing said pressure chamber (10) has an annular indentation (40), which forms said support wall (50).

7. The cold gas generator as recited in claim 2, wherein a pressurized-gas container (12) containing said pressure chamber (10) has an annular indentation (40), which forms said support wall (50), said indentation (40) is provided in said vicinity of an outwardly extending opening edge of said pressurized gas container (12), and said diaphragm holder (32) is attached to said opening edge.

8. The cold gas generator as recited in claim 1, wherein said diaphragm (16) is welded on its exterior side (48) to said bearing wall.

9. The cold gas generator as recited in claim 1, wherein said support wall (50) is curved in said contact area of said diaphragm (16).

10. The cold gas generator as recited in claim 1, wherein said support wall (50) in said contact area, viewed in cross-section, has a radius (R) that is at least eight times greater than said diaphragm thickness (d).

11. The cold gas generator as recited in claim 1, wherein said support wall is a separate part that is coupled to said pressurized-gas container (12).

12. The cold gas generator as recited in claim 1, wherein said support wall (50) is distanced from said diaphragm (16) by a gap in the initial state of the gas generator.

13. The cold gas generator as recited in claim 1, wherein said pressurized-gas container (12) has outlet openings at an end opposite to its end comprising diaphragm (16), the end opposite to the end comprising diaphragm (16) being closed by a membrane seal (60).