Passenger automotive restraint generator
First Claim
1. A gas generator comprising,a single impact extruded perforated elongated housing having a first end and a second end,an end cap base enclosing said first end of said housing,an end cap enclosing said second end of said housing,a perforated bulkhead positioned at an intermediate location within said housing, said bulkhead forming first and second elongated chambers within said housing and having formed therein a ball valve including a ball valve chamber and first and second openings connecting said ball valve chamber to said first and second elongated chambers, respectively, with the entrance to said second chamber being denoted a first position and the entrance to said first chamber being denoted a second position, said ball valve chamber housing a ball therein that is movable,whereby, said ball is operable to move between said first and second positions to restrict flow of gas through said bulkhead,whereby, at a second instant, said first chamber is pressurized, forcing said ball of said ball valve into said first position, suppressing gas flow into the second chamber and thereby insulating said first chamber from said second chamber,whereby, at a third instant, a pressure drop in said first chamber loosens engagement of said ball of said ball valve in said ball valve chamber from said first position and increased pressure in said second chamber forces said ball into said second position and isolates said second chamber from said first chamber,first and second elongated gas generating charges of solid pyrotechnic material contained in said first and second elongated chamber, respectively,first and second elongated perforated igniter tubes provided in operative relation with said first and second elongated gas generating charges, respectively, each of said perforated igniter tubes having a first end and a second end, andan initiator provided in operative relation with only one of said perforated igniter tubes.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An impact extruded perforated aluminum housing contains a two-stage gas generator having a perforated bulkhead positioned between the stages. Each stage includes a combustion chamber having an igniter and pyrotechnic charge therein with cooling and filter screens surrounding the combustion chamber. The igniter of the first stage is fired by a squib responsively to an external electrical signal. A rupturable barrier and a ball valve associated with the bulkhead control the flow of gas through the bulkhead and provide mechanical timing for ignition delay in the firing of the second stage after the first stage has been fired, and also provide pressure control after ignition of both stages to prevent repressurizing the first stage. A rupturable foil barrier surrounding the combustion chamber in the first stage promotes a rapid rise in pressure therein and thus breakout sooner therefrom of gas to an airbag to be inflated. A rupturable foil barrier surrounds the cooling and filter screens in the second stage and delays the breakout of gas therefrom to the airbag as the pressure rises, the rate of which pressure rise is less than that at which the pressure in the first stage rises. The thickness of the foil barrier surrounding the combustion and filter screens is selected to be sufficiently less than that of the foil barrier surrounding the first stage combustion chamber so as to achieve substantial equalization of pressure in the first and second stages.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A gas generator comprising,
a single impact extruded perforated elongated housing having a first end and a second end, an end cap base enclosing said first end of said housing, an end cap enclosing said second end of said housing, a perforated bulkhead positioned at an intermediate location within said housing, said bulkhead forming first and second elongated chambers within said housing and having formed therein a ball valve including a ball valve chamber and first and second openings connecting said ball valve chamber to said first and second elongated chambers, respectively, with the entrance to said second chamber being denoted a first position and the entrance to said first chamber being denoted a second position, said ball valve chamber housing a ball therein that is movable, whereby, said ball is operable to move between said first and second positions to restrict flow of gas through said bulkhead, whereby, at a second instant, said first chamber is pressurized, forcing said ball of said ball valve into said first position, suppressing gas flow into the second chamber and thereby insulating said first chamber from said second chamber, whereby, at a third instant, a pressure drop in said first chamber loosens engagement of said ball of said ball valve in said ball valve chamber from said first position and increased pressure in said second chamber forces said ball into said second position and isolates said second chamber from said first chamber, first and second elongated gas generating charges of solid pyrotechnic material contained in said first and second elongated chamber, respectively, first and second elongated perforated igniter tubes provided in operative relation with said first and second elongated gas generating charges, respectively, each of said perforated igniter tubes having a first end and a second end, and an initiator provided in operative relation with only one of said perforated igniter tubes.
Specification