Pressure regulator

• US 20060202457A1
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory, Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory, Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Patterson, Donald B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,641,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/740
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10

Abstract

A gas generator (10) is provided including a housing (12). A gas generating composition (16) produces expanded gases upon activation of the inflator (10), thereby increasing the internal pressure and compressing the spring (50) operably coupled to the gas release member (40). As the spring (50) is compressed, at least one gas exit aperture (44), sealed prior to gas generator (10) activation, is opened as the gas release member (40) slidably engages an inner wall (11) of the housing (12). After gas generator (10) activation, the spring energy of the spring (50) gradually equalizes and then exceeds the gas pressure of the system gases, thereby once again attenuating the gas exit opening to maintain an optimum average system pressure as the gas is released from the housing (12).

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant protection system comprising:

a housing comprising at least one gas exit orifice, said housing further defining an inner wall;

a gas generating composition contained within said housing for producing combustion gases upon activation of said vehicle occupant protection system;

a spring-biased gas release member in flush engagement with said inner wall, said gas release member employed for sealing said at least one gas exit orifice prior to activation of said vehicle occupant protection system, and, said gas release member slidably engaged with said inner wall upon production of combustion gases, thereby releasing gas from said at least one gas exit orifice; and

a spring operably coupled to said gas release member and to said housing, thereby affecting a resilient sealing of said at least one gas exit orifice both before and after activation of said gas generating system, said spring also facilitating sliding engagement of said gas release member with said inner wall.

2. The vehicle occupant protection system of claim 1 wherein said spring-biased gas release member is a piston.

3. The vehicle occupant protection system of claim 1 wherein said housing further comprises a first end and a second end, and, said spring is positioned between said gas release member and said second end.

4. A gas generating system comprising:

a housing comprising at least one gas exit orifice, said housing defining an inner wall also containing said at least one gas exit orifice;

a gas generating composition contained within said housing for producing expanded gases upon activation of said gas generator;

a spring-biased gas release member in flush engagement with said inner wall, said gas release member sealing said at least one gas exit orifice prior to activation of said gas generator;

a spring operably coupled to said gas release member and to said housing thereby affecting a resilient sealing of said at least one gas exit orifice both before and after activation of said gas generator,

wherein upon activation of said gas generator, said spring-biased gas release member slidably engages said inner wall to open said at least one gas exit orifice.

5. The gas generating system of claim 4 wherein said spring-biased gas release member is a piston.

6. The gas generating system of claim 4 wherein said housing further comprises a first end and a second end, and, said spring positioned between said gas release member and said second end to exert a bias on said gas release member for sealing said at least one gas exit orifice.

7. The gas generating system of claim 4 further comprising:

a plurality of gas exit orifices sealed by said spring-biased gas release member prior to activation of said gas generating system.

8. The gas generating system of claim 7 wherein each of said plurality of gas exit orifices are equilaterally aligned about a periphery of said housing.

9. A gas generator comprising:

a housing comprising an inner wall, and, at least one gas exit orifice passing through said inner wall and said housing;

a gas generating composition contained within said housing for gas production upon ignition of the same;

a spring-biased gas release member in flush engagement with said inner wall, said gas release member sealing said at least one gas exit orifice prior to combustion of said gas generating composition; and

a spring operably coupled to said gas release member and to said housing thereby affecting a resilient sealing of said at least one gas exit orifice after combustion of said gas generating composition,

wherein upon ignition of said gas generating composition, said spring-biased release member slidably engages said inner wall to open said at least one gas exit orifice.

10. The gas generator of claim 9 wherein said spring-biased gas release member is a piston.

11. The gas generator of claim 9 wherein said housing further comprises a first end and a second end, and, said spring positioned between said gas release member and said second end to exert a bias on said gas release member for sealing said at least one gas exit orifice.

12. The gas generator of claim 9 further comprising:

a plurality of gas exit orifices sealed by said spring-biased gas release member prior to activation of said gas generating system.

13. The gas generator of claim 12 wherein each of said plurality of gas exit orifices are equilaterally aligned about a periphery of said housing.

14. A vehicle occupant protection system comprising the gas generator of claim 9.

15. A gas generating system comprising the gas generator of claim 9.