Special geometry generant bodies for automotive gas bag inflator
First Claim
1. In a gas generant wafer comprising a solid body having a plurality of relatively flat-surfaced, alike projections equally spaced and radially equidistant about the periphery of at least one side or face of the wafer thereby defining lower flat-surfaced sections or spaces between the projections, the improvement wherein each projection is defined by a first arcuate inside wall which is spaced from a second inside wall and both of which walls emanate from the center of the generant wafer curving and flaring outwardly to the peripheral edge of the wafer, and wherein at least one angular arc length of each projection is significantly greater than the angular arc length of each space therebetween.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A gas generant body having a plurality of alike, flat-surfaced projections equally spaced and radially equidistant about the periphery of one or both sides of the body. The spaced projections are defined by curved or arcuate walls emanating from the center of the generant body which flare outwardly to the body'"'"'s perimeter, each having an angular arc length greater than the space therebetween. The outer edge of each projection is preferably contiguous with the perimeter of the body. When the projections are on both sides, as is preferred, the projections on one side are preferably in a staggered or offset relationship to those on the other side. A washer-shaped wafer disc is the most preferred overall generant body form. A stack or assembly of the multiprojection generant wafers may be formed into an array for use in a gas generator for an automobile gas bag inflator. Each generant wafer acts as its own spacer, can be assembled independent of orientation, will not mesh or interlock with adjacent wafers and does not need extra inflator hardware.
37 Citations
16 Claims
- 1. In a gas generant wafer comprising a solid body having a plurality of relatively flat-surfaced, alike projections equally spaced and radially equidistant about the periphery of at least one side or face of the wafer thereby defining lower flat-surfaced sections or spaces between the projections, the improvement wherein each projection is defined by a first arcuate inside wall which is spaced from a second inside wall and both of which walls emanate from the center of the generant wafer curving and flaring outwardly to the peripheral edge of the wafer, and wherein at least one angular arc length of each projection is significantly greater than the angular arc length of each space therebetween.
Specification