Gas generator, in particular for a vehicle occupant restraint system, and method of activating a vehicle occupant restraint system
First Claim
1. A gas generator, in particular for a vehicle occupant restraint system, comprisinga pyrotechnical propellant (16),a combustion chamber (12) filled with said pyrotechnical propellant (16),an igniter (14) associated with said combustion chamber (12),a pressure chamber (18), filled with compressed gas, which is adjacent to said combustion chamber (12) and has a first opening (22) remote from said combustion chamber (12) closed by a first diaphragm (26), said diaphragm (26) being destroyed upon activation of said igniter (14), anda second pressure chamber (28) which is filled with compressed gas and has a second opening (34) closed by a second diaphragm (36),said second diaphragm (36) being likewise destroyed upon activation of said igniter (14), and said openings (22, 34) and the gas volumes of said pressure chambers (18, 28) being adapted so that compressed gas flows out from said second pressure chamber (28) for a longer period than compressed gas from said first pressure chamber (18) to increase a gas supply time of said gas generator (10).
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A gas generator, in particular for a vehicle occupant restraint system, has a pyrotechnical propellant (16), a combustion chamber (12) filled with the pyrotechnical propellant (16), an igniter (14) associated with the combustion chamber (12), a pressure chamber (18), filled with compressed gas, which is adjacent to the combustion chamber (12) and has a first opening (22) remote from the combustion chamber (12) closed by a first diaphragm (26), the diaphragm (26) being destroyed upon activation of the igniter (14), and a second pressure chamber (28) which is filled with compressed gas and has a second opening (34) closed by a second diaphragm (36). The second diaphragm (36) is likewise destroyed upon activation of the igniter (14), and the openings (22, 34) and the gas volumes of the pressure chambers (18, 28) are adapted so that compressed gas flows out from the second pressure chamber (28) for a longer period than compressed gas from the first pressure chamber (18) to increase a gas supply time of the gas generator (10). Further, a method of activating a vehicle occupant restraint system is described.
22 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A gas generator, in particular for a vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising
a pyrotechnical propellant (16), a combustion chamber (12) filled with said pyrotechnical propellant (16), an igniter (14) associated with said combustion chamber (12), a pressure chamber (18), filled with compressed gas, which is adjacent to said combustion chamber (12) and has a first opening (22) remote from said combustion chamber (12) closed by a first diaphragm (26), said diaphragm (26) being destroyed upon activation of said igniter (14), and a second pressure chamber (28) which is filled with compressed gas and has a second opening (34) closed by a second diaphragm (36), said second diaphragm (36) being likewise destroyed upon activation of said igniter (14), and said openings (22, 34) and the gas volumes of said pressure chambers (18, 28) being adapted so that compressed gas flows out from said second pressure chamber (28) for a longer period than compressed gas from said first pressure chamber (18) to increase a gas supply time of said gas generator (10).
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14. A method of activating a vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising the following steps:
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providing a gas generator (10) which includes a combustion chamber (12) having an associated igniter (14), providing a first compressed gas container close to said combustion chamber (12), providing a second compressed gas container remote from said combustion chamber (12), generating a shock wave by activating said igniter (14) and by destroying a diaphragm (46) closing said first compressed gas container and facing said igniter (14), opening a further diaphragm (26) of said first compressed gas container by said shock wave, opening a diaphragm (36) of said second compressed gas container by said shock wave, and outflow of compressed gas from both said first and said second compressed gas containers, with compressed gas flowing out from said second compressed gas container for a longer period than from said first compressed gas container to increase a gas supply time of said gas generator (10).
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Specification