INFLATOR

• US 3,856,180 A
• Filed: 06/25/1973
• Issued: 12/24/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard L. Merrell
• Original Assignee: Richard L. Merrell
• Inventors: Merrell, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reeves, Robert B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bartuska, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US05/373,283
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 222/3,5 280/15AB 9/316,324 23/281 137/68,69 141/19
• US Class Current: 222/5
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 7/00 Apparatus for generating gases production of inert gas mixtures B01J19/14; for generating specific gases, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. C01B, C10J ; in "air bags" on vehicles B60R21/26; for starter gas F02C7/26; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure F42B3/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/272 with means for increasing the pressure of the gas just before or during liberation, e.g. hybrid inflators

Abstract

An inflator of the augmented type includes a pressure vessel and a combustion chamber containing a gas generating charge of propellant and having a wall provided with an outlet opening to the pressure vessel. A cap telescopes over the combustion chamber and seats against a flat of the wall adjacent to the outlet. The cap is secured to the combustion chamber and mounts a rod for impacting a severable plug of the pressure vessel to open the plug and communicate the pressure vessel with an occupant restraint cushion when the charge of propellant is initiated and the resultant high pressure gases blow the cap from the opening.

Claims

1. An inflator comprising, in combination, a generally cylindrical pressure vessel containing pressure fluid and having an outlet for communicating the inflator with an occupant restraint cushion, rupturable means closing the outlet, generally cylindrical combustion chamber coaxially within the pressure vessel and containing a charge of propellant for generating gas, the chamber including a generally radially extending end wall at one end thereof having an outer surface provided with a central flat portion and a surrounding tapered portion, the end wall including a normally open outlet through the flat portion communicating the combustion chamber with the pressure vessel, a diaphragm cap of thin frangible material telescoped over the end of the combustion chamber and including an axial wall surrounding and secured to the chamber and a radial wall seating on the flat portion of the outer surface of the end wall of the chamber around the outlet to close the outlet, the seating of the radial wall of the cap on the flat portion of the outer surface of the end wall supporting the radial wall against rupture by the pressure fluid within the pressure vessel, and rigid means mounted on the radial wall of the Cap and projecting to adjacent the rupturable means for impacting and rupturing the rupturable means upon generation of gas within the combustion chamber and rupture of the radial wall of the cap.