CRASH RESTRAINT AIR GENERATING INFLATION SYSTEM

• US 3,797,854 A
• Filed: 06/14/1971
• Issued: 03/19/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald R. Poole, Duane A. Williams, James E. Mars, Peter L. Stang
• Original Assignee: Donald R. Poole, Duane A. Williams, James E. Mars, Peter L. Stang
• Inventors: Poole, Donald R., Stang, Peter L., Mars, James E., Williams, Duane A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Padgett, Benjamin R.
• Application Number:
  US05/152,897
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 149/26,35,2,19 280/15AB 102/39 23/281 60/219,220
• US Class Current: 280/741
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 21/00 Devices for producing oxygen from chemical substances for respiratory apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/04 for producing gas under pressure generators of inflation fluid especially adapted for vehicle air bags B60R21/26

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 nitrogen generating combustion chamber to produce free nitrogen and other gas products, a second oxygen generating chamber to receive the gas mixture from the first chamber and generate free oxygen and introduce this into the gas mixture, and a tertiary chamber which functions to receive this mixture to react out, filter out and condense out undesired combustion products and also cool the remaining nitrogen-oxygen mixture to provide a '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'breathable air'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' inflating system for the bag. Alternately the first and second zones can be combined into a single nitrogen and oxygen generating zone. 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 second oxygen generating chamber is an oxygen generating composition (e.g., potassium chlorate) that liberates free oxygen into the gaseous mixture from the first combustion chamber. When these first and second zones are combined in a single nitrogen and oxygen generating zone, pellets of the nitrogen generating composition and pellets of the oxygen generating composition are placed together in a single zone or chamber. In the tertiary chamber or zone is a bed of a porous composition (e.g. aluminum oxide granules bonded with boric oxide) that reacts with, condenses and filters out the sodium, sodium oxide and potassium chloride, and permits the free nitrogen and free oxygen mixture to pass therethrough while cooling the same. Thus, the inflating gas mixture is breathable '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'air.

Claims

2. a secondary oxygen generating zone arranged to receive said gaseous products from said primary zone and provide a gaseous discharge on a downstream path, b. a primary nitrogen generating composition located in said primary zone and comprising a metal azide and an oxidizer which reacts with the metal azide to form free nitrogen, said oxidizer being selected from a group consisting of inorganic oxidizers, halocarbons and mixtures thereof, and c. a secondary oxygen generating composition in said secondary zone to generate free oxygen which mixes with said free nitrogen to form a gas mixture of nitrogen and oxygen, said oxygen generating composition being selected fRom a group consisting of metal chlorates, perchlorates, halogenates, manganates, permanganates, peroxides, superoxides and mixtures thereof.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the tertiary composition mechanically filters out at least a portion of the other combustion product.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said tertiary composition condenses out at least a portion of the other combustion product.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said tertiary composition functions to chemically react out, filter out and condense out at least a substantial portion of said other combustion product.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said metal azide is selected from a group consisting of alkali metal azides, alkaline earth metal azides and mixtures thereof.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein said azide is essentially sodium azide.

8. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein said oxidizer comprises a metal perchlorate.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein said metal perchlorate is essentially potassium perchlorate.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said oxygen generating composition is essentially potassium permanganate.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said oxygen generating composition comprises a metal chlorate and a fuel.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein a. said nitrogen generating composition comprises an azide selected from a group consisting of alkali metal azides, alkaline earth metal azides and mixtures thereof, and b. said tertiary composition is at least partly made up of an acidic oxide.

13. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said tertiary composition is selected from a gorup consisting of silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, cupric oxide, boric oxide and mixtures thereof.

14. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said tertiary composition comprises silicon oxide.

15. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said tertiary composition comprises cupric oxide.

16. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said tertiary composition comprises aluminum oxide.

17. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said tertiary composition comprises boric oxide.

18. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said metallic azide is essentially sodium azide, and said oxidizer is essentially metal perchlorate.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein said secondary oxygen generating composition comprises a metal chlorate and a fuel.

20. In the system as recited in claim 1, wherein said primary nitrogen generating composition is located in a plurality of primary subzones, and said secondary oxygen generating composition is located in a plurality of secondary subzones, and said primary and secondary subzones are intermixed with one another.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein said primary nitrogen generating composition is arranged in pellets, said secondary oxygen generating composition is arranged in pellets, and said primary nitrogen generating composition pellets and said secondary oxygen generating composition pellets are intermixed with one another.

22. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein there is restricted flow means downstream of said primary nitrogen generating zone.

23. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein said restricted flow means comprises a perforate plate.

24. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein said perforate plate is between said parmary zone and said secondary zone.

25. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said tertiary composition is formed as a porous monolithic bed.

26. The system as recited in claim 25, therein said porous monolithic bed comprises aluminum oxide coated with boric oxide.

27. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein there is a mechanical filter downstream of said tertiary composition.

28. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein said mechanical filter has a tacky coating thereon to filter out solid particles from said primary composition.

29. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein there is a perforate plate downstream of said primary nitrogen generating zone and there is a diaphragm means closing perforations in said perforate plate.

30. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said tertiary chamber has an uneven interior wall surface, whereby proper flow through said tertiary chamber is enhanced.

31. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein there is destructable sheet means separating at least two zones from one another.

32. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein there is a flexible cushioning pad means in at least one of said primary and secondary zones whereby breaking and abrasion of said composition pellets is alleviated.

33. In an occupant carrying vehicle having an occupant carrying location and structure spaced from the location, and further having a crash restraint inflatable 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, a system adapted to inflate said inflatable, said system comprising:

a. structure defining

34. The system as recited in claim 33, wherein said azide is selected from a group consisting of alkali metal azides, alkaline earth metal azides and mixtures thereof.

35. The system as recited in claim 34, wherein said azide is essentially sodium azide.

36. The system as recited in claim 33, wherein said oxidizer is selected from a group consisting of metal perchlorates, metal chlorates, chlorocarbons, metal chlorides, and mixtures thereof.

37. The system as recited in claim 36, wherein said oxidizer comprises a metal perchlorate.

38. The system as recited in claim 37, wherein said metal perchlorate is essentially potassium perchlorate.

39. The system as recited in claim 33, wherein said oxygen generating composition is essentially potassium permanganate.

40. The system as recited in claim 33, wherein said oxygen generating composition comprises a metal chlorate and a fuel.

41. The system as recited in claim 33, wherein said primary nitrogen generating composition is located in a plurality of primary subzones, said secondary oxygen generating composition is located in a plurality of secondary subzones, and said primary and secondary subzones are intermixed with one another.

42. The system as recited in claim 41, wherein said primary nitrogen generating composition is arranged in pellets, said secondary oxygen generating composition is arranged in pellets, and said primary nitrogen generating composition pellets and said secondary oxygen generating composition pellets are intermixed with one another.

43. The system as recited in claim 33, wherein there is restricted flow means downstream of said primary nitrogen generating zone.

44. The system as recited in claim 43, wherein said restricted flow means comprises a perforate plate.

45. The system as recited in claim 44, wherein said perforate plate is between said primary zone and said secondary zone.