Gas generating system

• US 20080111356A1
• Filed: 06/19/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition, LLC (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Stevens, Bruce A., Krupp, Robert M., McCormick, David M., Patterson, Donald B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,806,436 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/272 with means for increasing the pressure of the gas just before or during liberation, e.g. hybrid inflators

Abstract

A gas generating system includes a first enclosure containing a gas, and a second enclosure having a gas generant material contained therein. The second enclosure is operatively coupled to the first enclosure so as to enable fluid communication between the first enclosure and the second enclosure. After activation of the gas generating system, the gas in the first enclosure passes through the second enclosure prior to exiting the system.

Claims

1. A gas generating system comprising:

a first enclosure containing a gas;

a second enclosure containing a gas generant material therein, the second enclosure being operatively coupled to the first enclosure so as to enable fluid communication between the first enclosure and the second enclosure,

and wherein the gas in the first enclosure passes through the second enclosure prior to exiting the gas generating system.

2. The gas generating system of claim 1 wherein the second enclosure is positioned within the first enclosure and comprises a tube extending along substantially the entire length of the first enclosure.

3. The gas generating system of claim 2 wherein the second enclosure includes a first opening enabling fluid communication between the second enclosure and an interior portion of the first enclosure exterior of the second enclosure, and a second opening enabling fluid communication with an exterior of the gas generating system.

4. The gas generating system of claim 3 wherein the first opening is sized to achieve a predetermined flow rate of gas from the interior portion of the first enclosure into the second enclosure after activation of the gas generating system.

5. The gas generating system of claim 3 further comprising a second gas generant material positioned within the second enclosure.

6. The gas generating system of claim 5 wherein the second gas generant material comprises at least one solid fuel grain.

7. The gas generating system of claim 6 wherein the at least one solid fuel grain is positioned along a fluid flow path extending between the first gas generant and the second opening.

8. The gas generating system of claim 6 wherein the at least one solid fuel grain has an opening therethrough enabling fluid communication between the first gas generant material and the second opening.

9. The gas generating system of claim 5 wherein the second gas generant material has an opening therethrough enabling fluid communication between a first portion of the second enclosure and a second portion of the second enclosure.

10. The gas generating system of claim 3 further comprising a filter positioned in the second enclosure along a fluid flow path extending between the gas generant and the second opening.

11. The gas generating system of claim 10 wherein the filter is positioned adjacent the gas generant material.

12. The gas generating system of claim 10 wherein the filter resides within the second enclosure.

13. The gas generating system of claim 3 further comprising a cap affixed to an end of the second enclosure to seal the end of the second enclosure, and wherein the second opening is formed in the cap.

14. The gas generating system of claim 3 wherein a fluid-tight seal is provided to prevent fluid communication through the first opening between the second enclosure and the interior portion of the first enclosure exterior of the second enclosure.

15. The gas generating system of claim 14 wherein the seal comprises a rupturable member.

16. The gas generating system of claim 14 further comprising a support member for supporting the seal against a pressure exerted by the stored gas in the first enclosure.

17. The gas generating system of claim 16 wherein the support member comprises a gas generant material.

18. The gas generating system of claim 17 wherein the support member is positioned within the first opening in the second enclosure.

19. The gas generating system of claim 16 wherein the support member is fusible in response to heat generated by combustion of the gas generant.

20. The gas generating system of claim 14 wherein the seal is fusible in response to heat generated by combustion of the gas generant.

21. The gas generating system of claim 2 further comprising a diffuser coupled to an end of the first enclosure so as to enable fluid communication between the diffuser and the second enclosure.

22. The gas generating system of claim 21 wherein the diffuser is formed integrally with the first enclosure.

23. The gas generating system of claim 1 wherein the second enclosure is exterior of the first enclosure.

24. The gas generating system of claim 23 wherein the first enclosure includes an opening enabling fluid communication with an exterior of the first enclosure, the second enclosure includes a first opening enabling fluid communication with an exterior of the second enclosure, and the second enclosure abuts the first enclosure to form a fluid-tight junction between the first enclosure and the second enclosure such that the first enclosure opening is in fluid communication with the second enclosure first opening.

25. The gas generating system of claim 24 further comprising a third enclosure enclosing the junction between the first enclosure and the second enclosure, the third enclosure having at least one opening enabling fluid communication between the third enclosure and an exterior of the gas generating system.

26. The gas generating system of claim 23 wherein the second enclosure further comprises a second opening enabling fluid communication with an exterior of the second enclosure;

and further including a filter positioned in the second enclosure along a fluid flow path extending between the gas generant and the second opening.

27. The gas generating system of claim 26 wherein the filter is positioned along a fluid flow path extending between the second enclosure first opening and the second opening.

28. The gas generating system of claim 23 wherein the first enclosure includes an opening enabling fluid communication with an exterior of the first enclosure, the second enclosure includes a first opening enabling fluid communication with an exterior of the second enclosure, and wherein the gas generating system further comprises a third enclosure enclosing both the first enclosure first opening and the second enclosure first opening, the third enclosure having at least one opening enabling fluid communication between the third enclosure and an exterior of the gas generating system.

29. A gas generating system comprising:

a first enclosure containing a gas;

a combustion chamber for a gas generant material, the combustion chamber being operatively coupled to the first enclosure so as to enable fluid communication between the first enclosure and the combustion chamber,

and wherein the gas in the first enclosure passes through the combustion chamber prior to exiting the gas generating system.

30. A vehicle occupant protection system including a gas generating system having a first enclosure containing a gas, a second enclosure containing a gas generant material therein, the second enclosure being operatively coupled to the first enclosure so as to enable fluid communication between the first enclosure and the second enclosure, and wherein the gas in the first enclosure passes through the second enclosure prior to exiting the gas generating system.