Fluid supply for occupant restraint system
First Claim
1. A fluid supply for inflating an expandable confinement of a vehicle occupant restraint system of the type activated in response to a vehicle collision signal, said fluid supply comprising:
- (a) housing means defining a fluid discharge port for directing fluid flow from said housing means;
(b) gas generating means disposed within said housing means and including combustible means having(i) a sustaining charge comprising a plurality of layers of granulated material, said sustaining charge being of the type which, upon combustion, produces solid, porous sinters and fly ash;
(ii) screen means disposed between adjacent layers of said sustaining charge, each of said screen means having a mesh substantially finer than the granules of material in the layer adjacent said screen means and upstream therefrom, each of said screen means permitting gas to pass freely therethrough and retaining said sinters upstream therefrom, said retained sinters being effective for permitting said generated gas to pass therethrough while simultaneously filtering said fly ash; and
(c) means operable to activate said sustaining charge in response to said collision signal.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fluid supply is provided for inflating an expandable confinement of a vehicle occupant restraint system of the type activated in response to a vehicle collision signal. The fluid supply includes a housing defining a fluid discharge port for directing fluid flow from the housing and a gas generating material disposed within the housing. The gas generating material includes a sustaining charge comprising a plurality of layers of granulated material, the layers being approximately equal by weight. Screens are disposed between each pair of adjacent layers of the sustaining charge. Each of the screens has a mesh substantially finer than the granules of material in the layer adjacent the screen and oppositely disposed from the fluid discharge port. The sustaining charge is activated in response to a collision signal. Preferably, a filter is included between the fluid discharge port and the layer of granulated material closest thereto and the screens act as intermediate filters to trap any particles of the combustion product which are approximately as large as the original granules, thus preventing too many of these particles from clogging the filter, which would restrict the fluid flow area and cause an undesirable pressure buildup within the housing.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A fluid supply for inflating an expandable confinement of a vehicle occupant restraint system of the type activated in response to a vehicle collision signal, said fluid supply comprising:
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(a) housing means defining a fluid discharge port for directing fluid flow from said housing means; (b) gas generating means disposed within said housing means and including combustible means having (i) a sustaining charge comprising a plurality of layers of granulated material, said sustaining charge being of the type which, upon combustion, produces solid, porous sinters and fly ash; (ii) screen means disposed between adjacent layers of said sustaining charge, each of said screen means having a mesh substantially finer than the granules of material in the layer adjacent said screen means and upstream therefrom, each of said screen means permitting gas to pass freely therethrough and retaining said sinters upstream therefrom, said retained sinters being effective for permitting said generated gas to pass therethrough while simultaneously filtering said fly ash; and (c) means operable to activate said sustaining charge in response to said collision signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A fluid supply for inflating an expandable confinement of a vehicle occupant restraint system of the type activated in response to a vehicle collision signal, said fluid supply comprising:
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(a) housing means defining a fluid discharge port for directing fluid flow from said housing means; (b) gas generating means disposed within said housing means and including combustible means having, (i) a sustaining charge comprising first, second, and third layers of granulated material having granules in the range of 8-14 mesh, 6-8 mesh, and 4-6 mesh, respectively; (ii) screen means disposed between adjacent layers of said sutaining charge, said screen means includes a first screen disposed between said first and second layers, and a second screen disposed between said second and third layers, each of said screen means having a mesh substantially finer than the granules of material in the layer adjacent said screen means and upstream therefrom; and (c) means operable to activate said sustaining charge in response to said collision signal. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A fluid supply for an expandable confinement of a vehicle occupant restraint system, said fluid supply being operable in response to an activating means and comprising:
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(a) housing means defining a fluid discharge port operable to direct fluid flow from said housing means; (b) gas generating means disposed within said housing means; (c) filter means disposed downstream from said gas generating means and adjacent said fluid discharge port; (d) said gas generating means including a sustaining charge of the type which, upon combustion, produces solid, porous sinters and fly ash, said sustaining charge comprising a first layer of granulated material adjacent said filter means, a second layer of granulated material upstream from said first layer and a third layer of granulated material upstream from said second layer, said first, second and third layers comprising granules in the range of about 4 to 14 mesh; and (e) a first layer of screen disposed between said first and second layers of granulated material and a second layer of screen disposed between said second and third layers of granulated material, said first and second layers of screen having a mesh size in the range of about 60-100, each of said screen means permitting gas to pass freely therethrough and retaining said sinters upstream therefrom, said retained sinters effective for permitting said generated gas to pass therethrough while simultaneously filtering said fly ash. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification