GAS-GENERATING DEVICES WITH GRAIN-RETENTION STRUCTURES AND RELATED METHODS AND SYSTEMS

• US 20100307775A1
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Sampson, William P., Robbins, Steven M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,672,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 169/44
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2648 comprising a plurality of combustion chambers or sub-chambers
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/04 for producing gas under pressure generators of inflation fluid especially adapted for vehicle air bags B60R21/26
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/16 characterised by composition or physical dimensions or form of propellant charge, with or without projectile, or powder chemical composition C06B; F42B5/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/494 Fluidic or fluid actuated device making

Abstract

Gas-generating devices with grain-retention structures and related methods and systems are described. In particular, gas-generating devices having at least one retention structure fixed to a frame and positioned between adjacent gas-generant grains arranged in a longitudinal stack. Fire suppression systems comprising such gas-generating devices are also described. Additionally, methods of manufacturing gas-generating devices, as well as methods of generating a gas and methods of suppressing a fire utilizing such gas-generating devices are described.

Claims

1. A gas-generating device comprising:

a plurality of gas-generant grains constrained to a longitudinally stacked configuration by a frame; and

at least one retention plate coupled to the frame, fixed relative to the frame, and positioned between at least one gas-generant grain and at least one adjacent gas-generant grain of the plurality of gas-generant grains.

2. The gas-generating device of claim 1, wherein the at least one retention plate comprises a generally disc-shaped perforated metal sheet.

3. The gas-generating device of claim 2, wherein the frame comprises a sleeve having a bore sized and shaped to substantially conform to an outer surface of each gas-generant grain of the plurality of longitudinally stacked gas-generant grains and wherein each of the plurality of gas-generant grains and the at least one retention plate are positioned within the bore of the sleeve.

4. The gas-generating device of claim 3, wherein the sleeve comprises a perforated metal pipe or tube.

5. The gas-generating device of claim 4, wherein an outer diameter of the at least one retention plate is larger than an inner diameter of the bore of the sleeve and wherein the at least one retention plate is positioned within the bore such that the at least one retention plate is compressed by the bore of the sleeve forming an interference fit between the at least one retention plate and the sleeve.

6. The gas-generating device of claim 5, wherein the at least one retention plate comprises a plurality of cantilevered members and wherein the outer diameter of the plurality of cantilevered members prior to positioning thereof in the bore of the sleeve is larger than the inner diameter of the bore of the sleeve.

7. The gas-generating device of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises at least one rod and wherein the at least one retention plate is coupled to the at least one rod and fixed to the at least one rod.

8. The gas-generating device of claim 7, wherein the at least one retention plate comprises a perforated metal sheet including at least one guide aperture having a dimension smaller than a dimension of an outer surface of the at least one rod and wherein the at least one rod is positioned within the at least one guide aperture such that that a region of the perforated metal sheet surrounding the at least one guide aperture is compressed by the outer surface of the at least one rod and forms an interference fit between the at least one retention plate and the at least one rod.

9. The gas-generating device of claim 8, wherein the at least one retention plate has a shape similar to a shape of a cross-section of each gas-generant grain of the plurality of gas-generant grains.

10. The gas-generating device of claim 1, wherein the at least one retention plate is positioned between each gas-generant grain and at least one adjacent gas-generant grain of the plurality of gas-generant grains.

11. A gas-generating device comprising:

a plurality of longitudinally stacked gas-generant grains;

a frame; and

at least one retention structure coupled to the frame and positioned between adjacent gas-generant grains of the plurality of longitudinally stacked gas-generant grains, the at least one retention structure sized and configured to remain fixed to the frame and constrain the longitudinal position of the adjacent gas-generant grains relative to the frame as the adjacent gas-generant grains generate gas.

12. The gas-generating device of claim 11, wherein the at least one retention structure is positioned between each gas-generant grain and at least one adjacent gas-generant grain of the plurality of longitudinally stacked gas-generant grains.

13. The gas-generating device of claim 11, further comprising an interference fit coupling the at least one retention structure to the frame.

14. A fire suppression system comprising:

at least one combustion chamber;

at least one effluent train coupled to the at least one combustion chamber; and

at least one gas-generating device located within the at least one combustion chamber, the at least one gas-generating device comprising;

a plurality of fire-suppressing gas-generant grains constrained to a longitudinally stacked configuration by a frame; and

at least one retention plate coupled to the frame, fixed relative to the frame, and positioned between adjacent gas-generant grains of the plurality of fire-suppressing gas-generant grains.

15. A method of manufacturing a gas generator, the method comprising:

arranging a plurality of gas-generant grains in a longitudinal stack;

positioning at least one retaining member between at least one gas-generant grain and at least one adjacent gas-generant grain of the plurality of gas-generant grains in the longitudinal stack; and

fixing the at least one retaining member to a frame.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising aligning a feature of each gas-generant grain with a retaining feature of the frame.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein aligning a feature of each gas-generant grain with a retaining feature of the frame comprises aligning an arcuate outer surface of each gas-generant grain with a bore of a sleeve.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein aligning a feature of each gas-generant grain with a retaining feature of the frame comprises aligning at least one aperture of each gas-generant grain with at least one rod.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

sliding a feature of a first gas-generant grain along the retaining feature of the frame to position the first gas-generant grain at a first longitudinal position relative to the frame;

sliding a first retaining member to a second longitudinal position relative to the frame adjacent a surface of the first gas-generant grain;

fixing the first retaining member to the frame at the second longitudinal position by compressing at least a portion of the first retaining member with the frame to form an interference fit between the first retaining member and the frame; and

sliding an alignment feature of a second gas-generant grain along the retaining feature of the frame to position the second gas-generant grain adjacent to the first gas-generant grain and position the first retaining member between the adjacent first gas-generant grain and second gas-generant grain.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein positioning at least one retaining member between at least one gas-generant grain and at least one adjacent gas-generant grain of the plurality of gas-generant grains in the longitudinal stack further comprises positioning at least one retaining member between each gas-generant grain and at least one adjacent gas-generant grain of the plurality of gas-generant grains in the longitudinal stack.

21. A method of generating a gas, the method comprising:

combusting a plurality of longitudinally stacked gas-generant grains to generate a gas;

restricting lateral movement of the plurality of longitudinally stacked gas-generant grains during combustion with a frame structure; and

restricting longitudinal movement of at least some of the plurality of longitudinally stacked gas-generant grains during combustion by maintaining at least one retaining member between adjacent gas-generant grains of the plurality of longitudinally stacked gas-generant grains and maintaining the at least one retaining member fixed relative to the frame structure during combustion.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein combusting a plurality of longitudinally stacked gas-generant grains to generate a gas comprises combusting a plurality of longitudinally stacked gas-generant grains to generate a fire-suppressing gas.