Dual stage inflator
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A dual stage inflator device comprising:
- a housing, the housing at least in part defining a first chamber containing a quantity of a first gas generant material ignitable to produce first combustion products including a first inflation gas, the housing also at least in part defining a second chamber containing a quantity of a second gas generant material ignitable to produce second combustion products including a second inflation gas;
a divider plate disposed and fixed within the housing, the divider plate separating the first chamber from the second chamber, the divider plate including a first opening to allow gas flow communication from the second chamber to the first chamber; and
a plug element disposed in the first opening of the divider plate to prevent gas flow communication between the first chamber and the second chamber through the first opening in a static state.
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Abstract
A dual stage inflator device including a housing defining first and second chamber each containing a quantity of gas generant material ignitable to produce combustion products. A divider plate, separating the first chamber from the second chamber, is disposed and fixed within the housing. The divider plate includes an opening to allow gas flow communication from the second chamber to the first chamber. A removable plug element is normally disposed in the divider plate opening to prevent gas flow communication between the first chamber and the second chamber when in a static state.
55 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A dual stage inflator device comprising:
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a housing, the housing at least in part defining a first chamber containing a quantity of a first gas generant material ignitable to produce first combustion products including a first inflation gas, the housing also at least in part defining a second chamber containing a quantity of a second gas generant material ignitable to produce second combustion products including a second inflation gas; a divider plate disposed and fixed within the housing, the divider plate separating the first chamber from the second chamber, the divider plate including a first opening to allow gas flow communication from the second chamber to the first chamber; and a plug element disposed in the first opening of the divider plate to prevent gas flow communication between the first chamber and the second chamber through the first opening in a static state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A dual stage inflator device comprising:
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a housing comprises a cup-shaped base portion and a diffuser cap portion, the housing at least in part defining a first chamber containing a quantity of a first gas generant material ignitable to produce first combustion products including a first inflation gas, the housing also at least in part defining a second chamber containing a quantity of a second gas generant material ignitable to produce second combustion products including a second inflation gas, the housing at least in part defining the first chamber including a plurality of spaced apart gas exit ports to permit passage of first and second inflation gas from said inflator device; a first igniter device operatively associated with the first chamber; a second igniter device operatively associated with the second chamber; a filter element disposed within the first chamber adjacent the plurality of spaced apart gas exit ports for filtration of combustion products of the first and second chambers; a divider plate disposed and fixed within the housing, the divider plate at least in part separating the first chamber from the second chamber, the divider plate including a first opening to allow gas flow communication from the second chamber to the first chamber; and a plug element disposed in the first opening of the divider plate to prevent gas flow communication between the first chamber and the second chamber through the first opening in a static state, wherein upon actuation of the second igniter device, the second gas generant material ignites to produce the second combustion products including the second inflation gas and the plug element disposed in the first opening of the divider plate is displaced to permit gas flow communication from the second chamber into the first chamber through the first opening. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of operation for a dual stage inflator device that includes a housing at least in part defining a first chamber containing a quantity of a first gas generant material ignitable to produce first combustion products including a first inflation gas, the housing also at least in part defining a second chamber containing a quantity of a second gas generant material ignitable to produce second combustion products including a second inflation gas, the housing at least in part defining the first chamber including a plurality of spaced apart gas exit ports to permit passage of first and second inflation gas from the inflator device;
- a first igniter device operatively associated with the first chamber;
a second igniter device operatively associated with the second chamber;
the inflator device also including a divider plate disposed and fixed within the housing, the divider plate separating the first chamber from the second chamber, the divider plate including a first opening to allow gas flow communication from the second chamber to the first chamber; and
a plug element disposed in the first opening of the divider plate to prevent gas flow communication between the first chamber and the second chamber through the first opening in a static state, the method comprising;actuating the second igniter device to ignite the second gas generant material and to produce the second combustion products including the second inflation gas; and displacing the plug element disposed in the first opening of the divider plate when the pressure against the plug element becomes sufficiently high to permit gas flow communication from the second chamber into the first chamber through the first opening.
- a first igniter device operatively associated with the first chamber;
Specification