Vented gas passenger side air bag inflator

• US 5,269,561 A
• Filed: 07/06/1992
• Issued: 12/14/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Morton International Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Davis, Terry R., Bolieau, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tyson, Karin L.
• Application Number:
  US07/909,518
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 102/530, 102/531, 422/164, 422/165, 422/166, 280/736, 280/741, 280/742, 280/728, 280/738, 280/739
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/276 with means to vent the inflation fluid source, e.g. in case of overpressure B60R21/30 takes precedence; venting means on inflatable member walls B60R21/239
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/04 for producing gas under pressure generators of inflation fluid especially adapted for vehicle air bags B60R21/26

Abstract

An air bag inflator having a plurality of gas exit orifices of three different sizes arranged so as to provide thrust neutral operation maintains air bag performance at the same level over the temperature range of ambient to +85° C., directing all of the generated gases into the air bag at ambient temperature, but allowing a portion of the gases to be directed away from the air bag at +85° C.

Claims

1. An inflator for generating gas for inflating a vehicle occupant restrain, said inflator comprising,

an elongated housing, said housing having a first plurality of orifices and a second plurality of orifices for directing gas generated by said inflator into the restraint and a third plurality of orifices for directing gas directed by said inflator away from the restraint,

wherein said housing has a longitudinal axis,

wherein said first plurality of orifices and said second plurality of orifices are distributed on opposite sides of said housing along a first portion along the length thereof with the orifices of each of said first plurality of orifices and of said second plurality of orifices being positioned in a plane individual thereto that passes through the longitudinal axis of said housing, and

wherein said third plurality of orifices are uniformly distributed in at least one row around the periphery of a second portion of said housing adjacent an end thereof,

means covering said first plurality of orifices, said second plurality of orifices, and said third plurality of orifices which ruptures at a first predetermined pressure to allow gas to flow into the restrain through said first plurality of orifices, which ruptures at a second predetermined pressure higher than said first predetermined pressure to allow gas to flow into the restraint through said second plurality of orifices, and which ruptures at a third predetermined pressure higher than said first and second predetermined pressures to allow gas to flow away from the restrain through said third plurality of orifices,

with the orifices of the first, second and third plurality of orifices being so positioned with respect to said housing as to provide a thrust neutral configuration.

2. An inflator as defined by claim 1 wherein the orifices of each of said first plurality of orifices and of said second plurality of orifices are uniformly distributed along the length of said housing with the orifices of said first plurality of orifices being offset from said second plurality of orifices, and

wherein the orifices of said third plurality of orifices are positioned in one or more parallel planes that are substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said housing.

3. An inflator assembly for air bag passenger restraint systems comprising,

an elongated housing, said housing having a generally cylindrical wall, and a longitudinal axis,

said wall having first and second pluralities of gas discharge orifices formed on opposite sides thereof with each of said first and said second plurality of orifices positioned in spaced relation in a plane individual thereto, which planes are disposed at an angle to one another and intersect coincidently with the longitudinal axis of said housing, said orifices of said first plurality of orifices having a larger area than the orifices of the second plurality of orifices, said orifices of said first and said second plurality of orifices being spaced generally uniformly along a first portion of the length of said elongated housing with the orifices of said first and said second pluralities of orifices being offset from one another,

first rupturable foil means on the inner side of the wall of said housing blocking all of said first and second pluralities of orifices, and

said wall further having a third plurality of gas discharge orifices provided in two rows in a second portion of the wall of said housing located adjacent and parallel to an end thereof, the orifices of said third plurality of orifices being all of the same size, with each such orifice having an area that is intermediate in size the areas of the orifices of said first and second pluralities of orifices, and extending in a plurality of rows completely around the periphery of said housing, and

second rupturable foil means on the inner side of the wall of said housing blocking the orifices of said third plurality of orifices.