Linear gas generant and filter structure for gas generator

• US 5,503,079 A
• Filed: 09/27/1993
• Issued: 04/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited (Daicel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited (Daicel Corporation)
• Inventors: Kato, Jun, Kishi, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Peter A.
• Application Number:
  US08/122,536
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 102/289, 102/290
• US Class Current: 102/289
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0457 Specific fire retardant or heat resistant properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0471 Surface coating material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0636 Two or more types of fibres present in the filter material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/065 More than one layer present in the filtering material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0695 Wound layers
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/086 Binders between particles or fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2279/10 for air bags, e.g. inflators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/10 Filter screens essentially made of metal
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/1623 of synthetic origin
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/20 of inorganic material, e.g. asbestos paper, metallic filtering material of non-woven wires porous ceramic material C04B38/00 ; sintering metals C22C1/04; making porous sintered metal bodies B22F3/10, honeycomb filters B01D46/2418, materials used for filtering exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine F01N3/022, ceramic honeycomb structures C04B38/0006
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/10 Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using filter plates, sheets or pads having plane surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder
• CPC Class Codes: C06D 5/00 Generation of pressure gas, e.g. for blasting cartridges, starting cartridges, rockets explosive compositions containing an oxidizer, fuels for rocket engines intended for reaction with an oxidant other than air C06B
• CPC Class Codes: C06D 5/06 by reaction of two or more solids
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 9/34 Casings; Combustion chambers; Liners thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/04 for producing gas under pressure generators of inflation fluid especially adapted for vehicle air bags B60R21/26

Abstract

A linear gas generant to be used in, for example, a gas generator for rapidly launching a flier such as a rocket or for rapidly inflating an air bag in a motor vehicle characterized by disposing a fibrous substance, such as copper, silver, aluminum or carbon, along the axial direction thereof. This linear gas generant can be stably deflagrated under a lower ambient pressure, irrespective of a large specific burning area.

Disclosed further is a filter structure for a gas generator to be used in an air bag restraint system, which is produced by winding a continuous high-tensile-strength fiber bundle or yarn at a predetermined pitch around an outer surface of a member (a gas generation member) comprising ignition means and gas generation means actuated by the ignition means. This filter structure attains the reduction in weight of the gas generator.

Claims

1. A flexible composition for combustion in an air bag assembly, the composition comprising:

a gas generant material, said gas generant material disposed to have an axial direction; and

a fibrous substance disposed in the gas generant material along the axial direction thereof,

the fibrous substance having a longitudinal axis greater than a diameter of the fibrous substance.

2. A flexible composition for combustion in a gas generator, the composition comprising:

a gas generant formed to have an axial and a longitudinal direction; and

a fibrous substance having a length greater than a diameter thereof, the fibrous substance disposed in said gas generant with the length of the fibrous substance coinciding with the axial direction of the gas generant.

3. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the fibrous substance comprises:

a single fiber having a diameter of from about 0.1 μ

m to 1 μ

m.

4. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the fibrous substance comprises:

a plurality of fibers, each one of the plurality of fibers having a diameter of from about 0.1 μ

m to about 1 μ

m.

5. The composition according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of fibers are constructed and arranged as a bundle.

6. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the fibrous substance comprises:

a single metal selected from the group consisting of metals of aluminum, magnesium, iron, nickel, titanium, copper, silver, gold, and an alloy thereof.

7. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the fibrous substance comprises:

an inorganic substance selected from the group consisting of carbon, graphite, glass, silica, alumina and ceramics.

8. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the fibrous substance comprises:

an organic material selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyimides, polycarbonats, polyolefins, polyethers, polystyrene, cellulose acetate, cellulose, vinyl acetate, nylons and polyurethanes.

9. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the fibrous substance is distributed for arrangement with respect to the axial direction of the gas generant.

10. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the fibrous substance is distributed in a section perpendicular to the axial direction of the gas generant.

11. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the fibrous substance is a mixture comprising:

a metal selected from a group of single metals consisting of aluminum, magnesium, iron, nickel, titanium, copper, silver, gold, and an alloy thereof;

an inorganic substance selected from a group consisting of carbon, graphite, glass, silica, alumina and ceramics; and

an organic substance selected from a group consisting of polyesters, polyimides, polycarbonates, polyolefins, polyethers, polystyrene, cellulose acetate, cellulose, vinyl acetate, nylons and polyurethanes.

12. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the gas generant comprises:

a composite-type propellant.

13. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the gas generant comprises:

a two-component propellant.

14. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the gas generant comprises:

a multi-component propellant.

15. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the gas generant comprises:

an alkali metal chlorate.

16. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the gas generant comprises:

a perchlorate and an organic fuel binder.

17. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the gas generant comprises:

an alkali metal chlorate, a combustion catalyst and an inorganic binder.

18. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the gas generant comprises:

a perchlorate, a combustion catalyst and an inorganic binder.

19. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the gas generant comprises:

an alkaline earth metal carbonate and an inorganic binder.

20. The composition according to claim 3, wherein the single fiber is linear.

21. The composition according to claim 3, wherein the single fiber is wavily crimped.

22. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the composition has plasticity.