GAS GENERATOR COMPOSITION AND METHOD

• US 3,862,866 A
• Filed: 08/02/1971
• Issued: 01/28/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HBB Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Hubert G. Timmerman, Vincent O. Catanzarite
• Inventors: Timmerman, Hubert G., Catanzarite, Vincent O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Padgett, Benjamin R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gluck, Irwin
• Application Number:
  US05/167,943
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 252/188.3R,187R 280/15AB 23/281 149/42,44,113,21,85
• US Class Current: 149/21
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/264 using instantaneous generation of gas, e.g. pyrotechnic B60R21/268 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 23/04 for cooling the explosion gases including antifouling and flash suppressing agents
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 29/08 with an organic non-explosive or an organic non-thermic component
• CPC Class Codes: C06D 5/06 by reaction of two or more solids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 149/113 Inorganic oxygen-halogen salt

Abstract

A deflagrating composition yielding a gas comprising principally carbon dioxide and water vapor comprises a substantially homogeneous mixture of powders preferably having an average particle size less than about 25 microns. The composition has an oxygen bearing oxidizing powder and an organic reducing powder having the formula CxHyOz, having a melting point greater than about 165*F, and a sufficiently low vapor pressure to have no more than a minute amount of sublimation prior to oxidation by the oxidizing powder upon ignition. The oxidizing powder and reducing power or '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'fuel'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' are sufficiently near stoichiometry to produce a gas comprising principally carbon dioxide and water vapor upon combustion for inflation of an automobile restraint bag with a non-toxic, at least partly condensable gas. In one embodiment the mixture further comprises an endothermic decomposition coolant having a thermal decomposition product selected from the class consisting of carbon dioxide and water and decomposable below the combustion temperature of the mixture. A method of this invention comprises inflation of a gas bag by combustion of a mixture like that described above. In one embodiment, the mixture may include a reducible metal oxide having a decomposition temperature in the same range as ferric oxide. In another embodiment the mixture is burned adjacent a reservoir of water for producing vapor for inflating the bag, to be followed by rapid deflation as the vapor condenses.

Claims

2. A gas generating composition as defined in claim 1 wherein the reducing powder is selected from the group consisting of starch and about 97 percent sucrose with about 3 percent starch, the oxidizing powder comprising potassium chlorate, and the coolant powder is selected from the group consisting of magnesium carbonate and zinc carbonate in a proportion of one part by weight per part by weight of reducing powder and oxidizing powder.

3. A composition of matter comprising an intimate mixture of:

a fuel powder having an average particle size less than about 15 microns and selected from the class consisting of sucrose, starch, cellulose, dextrose, dextrin, fructose, lactose, ascorbic acid, benzoic acid, maltose monohydrate, mannitol, mannoheptose, mannoheptose monohydrate, oxalic acid, propanediolic acid, and glyoxylic acid;

an oxidizer powder having an average particle size less than about 25 microns and selected from the class consisting of potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate, sodium chlorate, and sodium perchlorate; and

a coolant powder having an average particle size less than about 15 microns and selected from the class consisting of magnesium carbonate, magnesium carbonate trihydrate, magnesium carbonate pentahydrate, manganese carbonate, zinc carbonate, barium carbonate, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, zirconium hydroxide, and barium oxide octahydrate; and

wherein the proportion of fuel powder to oxidizer powder is in the range of from about 15 percent deficient fuel to 10 percent excess fuel relative to the stoichiometric proportion wherein all of the carbon and hydrogen in the fuel would react with the oxygen in the fuel and oxidizer to carbon dioxide and water;

the proportion of coolant powder is less than about 50 percent by weight of the composition; and

the composition is compacted together by a pressure less than about 5000 psi.

4. A composition as defined in claim 3 wherein the fuel powder is selected from the class consisting of sucrose and starch, the oxidizer powder is selected from the class consisting of potassium chlorate and potassium perchlorate and the coolant is selected from the class consisting of magnesium carbonate, manganese carbonate, zinc carbonate, hydrated magnesium carbonate, and barium oxide octahydrate, and the proportion of fuel powder to oxidizer powder is in the range of from about 6 percent deficient fuel to 6 percent excess fuel.

5. A composition as defined in claim 4 further comprising up to about 5 percent of catalyst selected from the class consisting of ferric oxide and cupric oxide, and having an average particle size less than about 1/2 micron.

6. A composition as defined in claim 4 wherein the fuel powder is selected from the group consisting of starch and about 97 percent sucrose with 3 percent starach, the oxidizer powder comprises potassium chlorate, and the coolant powder is selected from the class consisting of magnesium carbonate and zinc carbonate in a proportion of about 20 percent by weight of the total composition.