Airbag inflator with adaptive valve
First Claim
1. An airbag inflator comprising:
- a pressure vessel having a control orifice through which inflation gas may flow when it reaches a predetermined pressure within said pressure vessel;
a manifold having an inner end connected to said pressure vessel in fluid communication with said control orifice, said manifold comprising an exhaust opening through which inflation gas from said pressure vessel may pass for inflation of an airbag, said manifold having an outer end; and
an adaptive valve connected to the outer end of said manifold, said adaptive valve being in fluid communication with said manifold and comprising an exhaust orifice for diverting inflation gas to an area outside of an airbag in communication with said manifold exhaust opening to lower the inflation rate thereof, and a valve member movably mounted in said adaptive valve for selective movement between a first position wherein it closes said exhaust orifice and a second position wherein it opens said exhaust orifice.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An adaptive valve for an airbag inflator having a manifold with an exhaust opening for fluid communication with an airbag. The adaptive valve is constructed for connection to a manifold so that it is in fluid communication therewith. The adaptive valve has an exhaust orifice and is constructed to selectively open the exhaust orifice to divert inflation gas away from an inflator manifold when it is connected thereto to lower the rate of inflation of an airbag in fluid communication with the exhaust opening of the manifold. The adaptive valve may have a valve member movably mounted therein for movement between a first position wherein it closes the exhaust orifice and a second position wherein it opens the exhaust orifice. An initiator is provided in the adaptive valve to generate sufficient gas pressure to move the valve member to the first or second position.
35 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An airbag inflator comprising:
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a pressure vessel having a control orifice through which inflation gas may flow when it reaches a predetermined pressure within said pressure vessel; a manifold having an inner end connected to said pressure vessel in fluid communication with said control orifice, said manifold comprising an exhaust opening through which inflation gas from said pressure vessel may pass for inflation of an airbag, said manifold having an outer end; and an adaptive valve connected to the outer end of said manifold, said adaptive valve being in fluid communication with said manifold and comprising an exhaust orifice for diverting inflation gas to an area outside of an airbag in communication with said manifold exhaust opening to lower the inflation rate thereof, and a valve member movably mounted in said adaptive valve for selective movement between a first position wherein it closes said exhaust orifice and a second position wherein it opens said exhaust orifice. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An airbag inflator, comprising:
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a pressure vessel having a control orifice through which inflation gas may flow when it reaches a predetermined pressure within said pressure vessel; a manifold having an inner end connected to said pressure vessel in fluid communication with said control orifice, said manifold comprising an exhaust opening through which inflation gas from said pressure vessel may pass for inflation of an airbag, said manifold having an outer end; and an adaptive valve connected to the outer end of said manifold, said adaptive valve being in fluid communication with said manifold and comprising an exhaust orifice for diverting inflation gas to an area outside of an airbag in communication with said manifold exhaust opening to lower the inflation rate thereof; said adaptive valve comprising a generally cylindrical valve body having said exhaust orifice therein, said valve body having an open inner end that is closed by a rupture disk disposed adjacent to said manifold, a support tube extending longitudinally in the center portion of said valve body, said support tube being of smaller diameter than said valve body and having an inner end in spaced relation to said rupture disk, a support plug slidably mounted in said support tube and having an inner end extending beyond the inner end of said support tube into engagement with said rupture disk to support said rupture disk, an initiator disposed in said valve body, said support tube having an open outer end in fluid communication with said initiator, said initiator being operable to create sufficient gas pressure in said support tube to move said support plug inwardly through said rupture disk to open said disk and enable inflation gas from said manifold to flow through said disk, between said support tube and said valve body, and through said exhaust orifice. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. An airbag inflator comprising:
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a pressure vessel having a control orifice through which inflation gas may flow when it reaches a predetermined pressure within said pressure vessel; a manifold having an inner end connected to said pressure vessel in fluid communication with said control orifice, said manifold comprising an exhaust opening through which inflation gas from said pressure vessel may pass for inflation of an airbag, said manifold having an outer end; an adaptive valve connected to the outer end of said manifold, said adaptive valve being in fluid communication with said manifold and comprising an exhaust orifice for diverting inflation gas to an area outside of an airbag in communication with said manifold exhaust opening to lower the inflation rate thereof; said adaptive valve comprising a generally cylindrical valve body having said exhaust orifice therein, said valve body having an open inner end that is closed by a rupture disk disposed adjacent to said manifold, a support tube extending longitudinally in the center portion of said valve body, said support tube being of smaller diameter than said valve body and having an inner end in engagement with said rupture disk to support said rupture disk, an initiator disposed within said valve body, said support tube having an outer end in fluid communication with said initiator, said initiator being operable to create sufficient gas pressure in said support tube to open said rupture disk and enable inflation gas from said manifold to flow through said disk, between said support tube and said valve body, and through said exhaust orifice.
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- 19. An adaptive valve for an airbag inflator having a manifold with an exhaust opening for fluid communication with an airbag, said adaptive valve being constructed for connection to a manifold so that it is in fluid communication therewith, said adaptive valve having an exhaust orifice and being constructed to selectively open said exhaust orifice to divert inflation gas away from an inflator manifold when it is connected thereto to lower the rate of inflation of an airbag in fluid communication with the exhaust opening of the manifold.
Specification