CRASH RESTRAINT NITROGEN GENERATING INFLATION SYSTEM

• US 3,785,674 A
• Filed: 06/14/1971
• Issued: 01/15/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald R. Poole, James E. Mars, Peter L. Stang
• Original Assignee: Donald R. Poole, James E. Mars, Peter L. Stang
• Inventors: Poole, Donald R., Stang, Peter L., Mars, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Betts, Kenneth H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mitchell, David M.
• Application Number:
  US05/152,899
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15AB 149/35,36 23/281,220,184,182 60/39.47 102/39
• US Class Current: 280/741
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/264 using instantaneous generation of gas, e.g. pyrotechnic B60R21/268 takes precedence

Abstract

A crash restraint system for an automobile comprising an inflatable bag mounted forward of the automobile passenger seat. A bag inflating device comprising a cluster of gas generating units, each of which has a primary combustion chamber to produce the driving gas mixture, a secondary reaction chamber to react with some of the products of the gas mixture to remove them from the gas mixture, and a gas generating coolant chamber which generates additional gas by vaporization and produces a cooler gas mixture to inflate the bag. In the combustion chamber is a composition made up of an azide (e.g. sodium azide) and an oxidizer (e.g. potassium perchlorate), which upon ignition produces free nitrogen and other combustion products, such as sodium oxide, free sodium and potassium chloride. In the secondary reaction chamber is a porous composition (e.g. copper oxide and carbon) that reacts with the free sodium and sodium oxide and permits the free nitrogen to pass through to the coolant chamber. The coolant chamber contains a liquid halocarbon (e.g. Freon) which atomizes and vaporizes with the nitrogen to form an inflating gas for the bag.

Claims

2. a second structure defining a secondary reaction zone downstream of said primary reaction zone and arranged to receive a gaseous discharge therefrom;

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said secondary reaction composition is selected from a group consisting of silicon oxide, aluminium oxide, boric oxide, boric acid, cupric oxide and mixtures thereof.

4. said third structure having an outlet leading into said inflatable to direct gaseous discharge therefrom into said inflatable;

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said secondary reaction composition comprises cupric oxide.

6. a secondary composition located in said secondary reaction zone and arranged to permit passage therethrough of nitrogen and to remove at least a substantial portion of said other combustion product, said secondary composition being at least partly made up of an acidic oxide, and

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said secondary reaction composition comprises boric oxide.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said secondary reaction composition comprises boric acid.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said oxidizer is selected from a group consisting of metal perchlorates, metal chlorates, metal peroxides, metal superoxides, chlorocarbons, metal chlorides, and mixtures thereof.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said azide is contained in the primary reaction composition in a percentage greater than the stoichiometric proportion of the azide to the oxidizer.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, comprising charcoal in said secondary reaction chamber.

12. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said azide is essentially sodium azide.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said oxidizer is essentially a metal perchlorate.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein said oxidizer is essentially potassium perchlorate.

15. In an occupant carrying vehicle having an occupant carrying location and structure spaced from said location, a crash restraint inflating system adapted to inflate a collapsed inflatable and so disposed and mounted in said vehicle that upon being inflated the inflatable is positioned between said structure and said occupant carrying location to protect an occupant in said location from impact with said structure, said system comprising:

a. a first structure defining a primary combustion zone and arranged to discharge gaseous products along a predetermined downstream path;

b. a second structure defining a secondary reaction zone downstream of said primary reaction zone and arranged to receive a gaseous discharge therefrom and provide a gaseous discharge from said second structure to inflate the inflatable;

c. a primary gas producing composition located in said primary reaction chamber and comprising a nitrogen containing ingredient which is an azide selected from a group consisting of alkali metal azides, alkaline earth metal azides and mixtures thereof, and a second ingredient which is an oxidizer that reacts with the nitrogen containing ingredient to form free nitrogen and at least one other combustion product; and

d. a secondary composition located in said secondary reaction chamber and arranged to permit passage therethrough of the free nitrogen and to remove at least a substantial portion of said outer combustion product, said secondary composition being at least partly made up of an acidic oxide.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, comprising carbon in said secondary reaction chamber.

17. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein at least a portion of said secondary reaction composition is selected from a group conisting of silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, boric oxide, boric acid, cupric oxide and mixtures thereof.

18. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein said secondary reaction composition comprises silicon oxide.

19. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein said secondary reaction composition comprises cupric oxide.

20. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein said secondary reaction composition comprises aluminum oxide.

21. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein said secondary reaction composition comprises boric oxide.

22. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein said secondary reaction composition comprises boric acid.

23. The system As recited in claim 15, wherein said oxidizer is selected from a group consisting of metal perchlorates, metal chlorates, metal peroxides, metal superoxides, chlorocarbons, metal chlorides, and mixtures thereof.

24. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein said azide is contained in the primary reaction composition in a percentage greater than the stoichiometric proportion of the azide to the oxidizer.

25. The system as recited in claim 24, comprising charcoal in said secondary reaction chamber.

26. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein said azide is essentially sodium azide.

27. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein said oxidizer is essentially a metal perchlorate.

28. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein said oxidizer is essentially potassium perchlorate.

29. In an occupant carrying vehicle having an occupant carrying location and structure spaced from said location, a method of inflating a crash restraint inflatable for protecting an occupant in said location from impact with sais structure, said method comprising:

a. producing a primary reaction gas by reacting in a primary reaction chamber a primary gas producing composition comprising a nitrogen producing ingredient which is an azide selected from a group consisting of alkali metal azides, alkaline earth metal azides and mixtures thereof, and a second ingredient to react therewith, which second ingredient is an oxidizer, to produce a gas mixture comprising free nitrogen and at least one other combustion product;

b. directing said gas mixture through a secondary composition in a secondary reaction chamber, which secondary composition is at least partly made up of an acidic oxide to remove at least a substantial portion of said other combustion product and permit said free nitrogen to pass therethrough so as to emit a gaseous discharge; and

c. directing said gaseous discharge into said inflatable.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein there is carbon in the secondary reaction chamber.

31. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein at least a portion of said secondary reaction composition is selected from a group consisting of silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, boric oxide, boric acid, cupric oxide and mixtures thereof.

32. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein said secondary reaction composition comprises silicon oxide.

33. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein said secondary reaction composition comprises cupric oxide.

34. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein said secondary reaction composition comprises aluminum oxide.

35. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein said secondary reaction composition comprises boric oxide.

36. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein said secondary reaction composition comprises boric acid.

37. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein said oxidizer is selected from a group consisting of metal perchlorates, metal chlorates, metal peroxides, metal superoxides, chlorocarbons, metal chlorides, and mixtures thereof.

38. The system as recited in claim 37, wherein said azide is contained in the primary reaction composition in a percentage greater than the stoichiometric proportion of the azide to the oxidizer.

39. The system as recited in claim 38, comprising charcoal in said secondary reaction chamber.

40. The system as recited in claim 38, wherein said azide is essentially sodium azide.

41. The system as recited in claim 40, wherein said oxidizer is essentially a metal perchlorate.

42. The system as recited in claim 41, wherein said oxidizer is essentially potassium perchlorate.