Multiple mini hybrid with direct bag connection

• US 3,901,530 A
• Filed: 08/08/1973
• Issued: 08/26/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald G. Radke
• Original Assignee: Donald G. Radke
• Inventors: Radke, Donald G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Jr., M. Henson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mar, Michael
• Application Number:
  US05/386,806
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15AB 222/3,5 102/7.2R 141/4 137/68
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• 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

A stored compressed gas from a stored gas chamber is supplied with a combustion gas from a gas generating chamber in a multiplicity of units supplying a single bag directly, without intervening independent connecting, diffuser or manifold structure, the bag being held by a holding device through which the multiplicity of units extend directly into the bag.

Claims

1. A system for protecting a passenger in a vehicle consisting of an inflatable bag, a multiplicity of gas sources for said bag and a holding device for said bag through which each of the multiplicity of sources extends directly into said bag, said holding device comprising a bracket assembly and a retainer assembly with a bag pressed therebetween, said multiplicity of gas sources passing through an aperture in each of said assemblies so as to extend into said bag, gas outlet ports of each of said gas sources being contained within said bag and the gas storage and generating assemblies of the gas sources being located outside of the bag and one the opposite side of said holding device from said bag, each of said multiplicity of gas sources comprising:

a. a stored gas chamber adapted to be filled with compressed gas;

b. a gas generating chamber, adjacent to but separate from said stored gas chamber, said gas generating chamber being adapted to contain a combustible material, said combustible material being adapted to generate high pressure combustion gas in said gas generating chamber upon combustion, said gas generating chamber being adapted to contain an actuating means for igniting said combustible material, thereby causing combustion of said combustible material;

c. a mixing chamber in communication with said stored gas chamber, in which mixing chamber said stored compressed gas and said generated combustion gas are mixed to form a hybrid gas adapted for inflating said safety device;

d. a combustion gas barrier disposed between said mixing chamber and said gas generating chamber, said combustion gas barrier being adapted to prevent said stored compressed gas from entering said gas generating chamber from said mixing chamber prior to actuation of said combustible material, and being adapted to rupture when the heat and pressure in said gas generating chamber exceed a predetermined temperature and pressure of said combustion gas barrier, whereby said combustion gas flows into said mixing chamber;

e. an outlet means including said outlet ports being disposed between and being adjacent to said mixing chamber and said safety device, through which outlet means said hybrid gas passes from said mixing chamber to said safety device;

f. a hybrid gas barrier disposed between said mixing chamber and said outlet means to prevent said stored compressed gas from entering said outlet means from said mixing chamber prior to actuation of said combustible material, said hybrid gas barrier being adapted to rupture when the heat and pressure in said mixing chamber exceed a predetermined temperature and pressure, whereby said hybrid gas flows through said outlet ports and into said safety device, the pressure at which said combustion gas barrier is designed to rupture being higher than the pressure at which said hybrid gas barrier is designed to rupture;

g. said combustion gas barrier having weak points disposed therein, said weak points being designed to rupture to form gas passing apertures in said barrier when the heat and pressure in said gas generating chamber exceeds a predetermined temperature and pressure; and

h. wherein said actuating means for igniting said combustible material comprises a squib mounted in the wall of the gas generating chamber in communication with the exterior of the inflator and with said combustible material within said gas generating chamber.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising a strainer disposed between said gas generating chamber and said combustion gas barrier, said strainer being adapted to allow passage of said combustion gas from said gas generating chamber to said mixing chamber and said strainer being adapted to prevent passage of most of the combustion residue resulting from the combustion of said combustible material from said gas generating chamber to said mixing chamber.

3. A system for protecting a passenger in a vehicle consisting of an inflatable bag, a multiplicity of gas sources for said bag and a holding device for said bag through which each of the multiplicity of sources extends directly into said bag, each of said multiplicity of gas sources comprising:

a. a stored gas chamber adapted to be filled with a compressed gas;

b. a gas generating chamber, adjacent to but separate from said stored gas chamber, said gas generating chamber being adapted to contain a combustible material, said combustible material being adapted to generate high pressure combustion gas in said gas generating chamber upon combustion, said gas generating chamber being adapted to contain an actuating means for igniting said combustible material, thereby causing combustion of said combustible material;

c. a mixing chamber in communication with said stored gas chamber, in which mixing chamber said stored compressed gas and said generated combustion gas are mixed to form a hybrid gas adapted for inflating said safety device;

d. a combustion gas barrier disposed between said mixing chamber and said gas generating chamber, said combustion gas barrier being adapted to prevent said stored compressed gas from entering said gas generating chamber from said mixing chamber prior to actuation of said combustible material, and being adapted to rupture when the heat and pressure in said gas generating chamber exceed a predetermined temperature and pressure of said combustion gas barrier, whereby said combustion gas flows into said mixing chamber;

e. an outlet means including outlet ports being disposed between and being adjacent to said mixing chamber and said safety device, through which outlet means said hybrid gas passes from said mixing chamber to said safety device;

f. a hybrid gas barrier disposed between said mixing chamber and said outlet means to prevent said stored compressed gas from entering said outlet means from said mixing chamber prior to actuation of said combustible material, said hybrid gas barrier being adapted to rupture when the heat and pressure in said mixing chamber exceed a predetermined temperature and pressure, whereby said hybrid gas flows through said outlet ports and into said safety device, the pressure at which said combustion gas barrier is designed to rupture being higher than the pressure at which said hybrid gas barrier is designed to rupture;

g. said combuStion gas barrier having weak points disposed therein, said weak points being designed to rupture to form gas passing apertures in said barrier when the heat and pressure in said gas generating chamber exceed a predetermined temperature and pressure; and

h. wherein said actuating means for igniting said combustible material comprises a squib mounted in the wall of the gas generating chamber in communication with the exterior of the inflator and with said combustible material within said gas generating chamber.

4. A system as set forth in claim 3 and further comprising;

a strainer disposed between said gas generating chamber and said combustion gas barrier, said strainer being adapted to allow passage of said combustion gas from said gas generating chamber to said mixing chamber and said strainer being adapted to prevent passage of most of the combustion residue resulting from the combustion of said combustible material from said gas generating chamber to said mixing chamber.

5. A system for protecting a passenger in a vehicle consisting of an inflatable bag, a multiplicity of gas sources for said bag and a holding device for said bag through which each of the multiplicity of sources extends directly into said bag, said holding device comprising a bracket assembly and a retainer assembly with the bag pressed therebetween, said multiplicity of gas sources passing through an aperture in each of said assemblies so as to extend into said bag, each of said multiplicity of gas sources comprising:

a. a stored gas chamber adapted to be filled with a compressed gas;

b. a gas generating chamber, adjacent to but separate from said stored gas chamber, said gas generating chamber being adapted to contain a combustible material, said combustible material being adapted to generate high pressure combustion gas in said gas generating chamber upon combustion, said gas generating chamber being adapted to contain an actuating means for igniting said combustible material, thereby causing combustion of said combustible material;

c. a mixing chamber in communication with said stored gas chamber, in which mixing chamber said stored compressed gas and said generated combustion gas are mixed to form a hybrid gas adapted for inflating said safety device;

d. a combustion gas barrier disposed between said mixing chamber and said gas generating chamber, said combustion gas barrier adapted to prevent said stored compressed gas from entering said gas generating chamber from said mixing chamber prior to actuation of said combustible material, and being adapted to rupture when the heat and pressure in said gas generating chamber exceed a predetermined temperature and pressure of said combustion gas barrier, whereby said combustion gas flows into said mixing chamber;

e. an outlet means including outlet ports being disposed between and being adjacent to said mixing chamber and said safety device, through which outlet means said hybrid gas passes from said mixing chamber to said safety device;

f. a hybrid gas barrier disposed between said mixing chamber and said outlet means to prevent said stored compressed gas from entering said outlet means from said mixing chamber prior to actuation of said combustible material, said hybrid gas barrier being adapted to rupture when the heat and pressure in said mixing chamber exceed a predetermined temperature and pressure, whereby said hybrid gas flows through said outlet ports and into said safety device, the pressure at which said combustion gas barrier is designed to rupture being higher than the pressure at which said hybrid gas barrier is designed to rupture;

g. said combustion gas barrier having weak points disposed therein, said weak points being designed to rupture to form gas passing apertures in said barrier when the heat and pressure in said gas generating chamber exceeds a predetermined temperature and pressure; and

h. wherein said actuating means for igniting said combustible material comprising a squib mounted in the wall of the gas generating chamber in communication with the exterior or the inflator and with said combustible material within said gas generating chamber.

6. A system as set forth in claim 5 and further comprising a strainer disposed between said gas generating chamber and said combustion gas barrier, said strainer being adapted to allow passage of said combustion gas from said gas generating chamber to said mixing chamber and said strainer being adapted to prevent passage of most of the combustion residue resulting from the combustion of said combustible material from said gas generating chamber to said mixing chamber.

7. A system for protecting a passenger in a vehicle consisting of an inflatable bag, a multiplicity of gas sources for said bag and a holding device for said bag through which each of the multiplicity of sources extends directly into said bag, said holding device comprising a bracket assembly and a retainer assembly with the bag pressed therebetween, said multiplicity of gas sources passing through an aperture in each of said assemblies so as to extend into said bag, each of said multiplicity of gas sources comprising:

a. a stored gas chamber adapted to be filled with a compressed gas;

b. a gas generating chamber, adjacent to but separate from said stored gas chamber, said gas generating chamber being adapted to contain a combustible material, said combustible material being adapted to generate high pressure combustion gas in said gas generating chamber upon combustion, said gas generating chamber being adapted to contain an actuating means for igniting said combustible material, thereby causing combustion of said combustible material;

c. a mixing chamber in communication with said stored gas chamber, in which mixing chamber said stored compressed gas and said generated combustion gas are mixed to form a hybrid gas adapted for inflating said safety device;

d. a combustion gas barrier disposed between said mixing chamber and said gas generating chamber, said combustion gas barrier being adapted to prevent said stored compressed gas from entering said gas generating chamber from said mixing chamber prior to actuation of said combustible material, and being adapted to rupture when the heat and pressure in said gas generating chamber exceed a predetermined temperature and pressure of said combustion gas barrier, whereby said combustion gas flows into said mixing chamber;

e. an outlet means including said outlet ports being disposed between and being adjacent to said mixing chamber and said safety device, through which outlet means said hybrid gas passes from said mixing chamber to said safety device; and

f. a hybrid gas barrier disposed between said mixing chamber and said outlet means to prevent said stored compressed gas from entering said outlet means from said mixing chamber prior to actuation of said combustible material, said hybrid gas barrier being adapted to rupture when the heat and pressure in said mixing chamber exceed a predetermined temperature and pressure, whereby, said hybrid gas flows through said outlet ports and into said safety device, the pressure at which said combustion gas barrier is designed to rupture being higher than the pressure at which said hybrid gas barrier is designed to rupture.

8. A system as set forth in claim 7 and further comprising a strainer disposed between said gas generating chamber and said combustion gas barrier, said strainer being adapted to allow passage of said combustion gas from said gas generating chamber to said mixing chamber and said strainer being adapted to prevent passage of most of the combustion residue resulting from the combustion of said combustible material from said gas generating chamber to said mixing chamber.