INFLATING DEVICE FOR USE WITH VEHICLE SAFETY SYSTEMS

• US 3,868,124 A
• Filed: 09/05/1972
• Issued: 02/25/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James T. Johnson
• Original Assignee: James T. Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schonberg, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/286,482
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15AB 102/37.7,39,40 23/281 141/4
• US Class Current: 280/737
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2633 with a plurality of inflation levels
• 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 apparatus for use in safety systems of the type utilizing an inflatable safety member, a stored fluid under pressure and a propellant for the generation of hot gas. The apparatus includes storage means for storing a fluid under pressure and propellant storage means for storing at least two distinct propellant charges. Only one of the charges is ignited when slow deployment of the system can be tolerated while all charges are ignited when fast deployment of the system is required. In either mode of operation, the hot gas generated by the burning of the propellant augments the stored fluid to inflate the inflatable safety member.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in connection with safety systems of the type including an inflatable member, a stored fluid under pressure, and a propellant for the generation of hot gas, said apparatus including:

a. storage means for storing a fluid under pressure and including a closed outlet;

b. propellant storage means for storing at least two distinct propellant charges in separate propellant chambers;

c. a propellant charge in each of said propellant chambers;

d. means for igniting only one of said propellant charges in response to the sensing of a condition wherein slow deployment of the system can be used, and for causing the ignition of all of said propellant charges in response to the sensing of a condition wherein fast deployment of the system is required;

f. means providing communication between each of said propellant chamber and said storage means if the propellant charge therein is ignited; and

g. means operable when the system is actuated to open the outlet and permit the propellant gas and stored fluid to escape from said storage means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said propellant storage means includes an axially extending housing attached to said storage means, means in said housing dividing the interior thereof into a primary propellant chamber adjacent one end and a secondary propellant chamber adjacent the other end, means at said one end for sealing said primary chamber from the interior of said storage means and operable upon the development of a predetermined pressure in said primary chamber after ignition of the propellant charge therein to unseal said chamber, said means in said housing dividing the interior thereof including means operable upon development of a predetermined pressure in said secondary chamber after ignition of said propellant charge to provide communication between said secondary and said primary propellant chambers, said meaans for igniting said propellant charges including means for igniting the propellant charge in said primary propellant chamber in response to the sensing of a condition wherein slow deployment of the system is desired and igniting the propellant charges in both said primary and secondary chambers in response to the sensing of a condition wherein fast deployment of the system is desired.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for igniting said propellant charges include a first ignitor communicating with the propellant charge in said primary propellant chamber and a second ignitor communicating with the propellant charge in the secondary propellant chamber.