Air bag inflator initiator housing with stored fluid pressure relief
First Claim
1. An air bag inflator comprising:
- a container defining a first chamber for storing inflation fluid under pressure, said container having an opening through which the inflation fluid from the first chamber flows to inflate an air bag;
a housing including a closure portion fixed to said container to block flow through the opening, said housing defining a second chamber;
actuatable means in the second chamber in said housing for, when actuated, producing pressure within the second chamber in said housing; and
said closure portion of said housing rupturing in response to a pressure increase within the second chamber of said housing due to actuation of said actuatable means and rupturing in response to pressure in the first chamber reaching a predetermined pressure when said actuatable means is unactuated;
wherein said housing comprises a first area which ruptures in response to actuation of said actuatable means and a second area which ruptures in response to the pressure in the chamber reaching a predetermined pressure when said actuatable means is unactuated; and
wherein said housing further includes a tubular portion having a longitudinal central axis and being connected to said closure portion, said first area being located radially inside of said tubular portion and said second area being located radially outside of said tubular portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An air bag inflator (20) comprises a container (22) defining a chamber (42) for storing inflation fluid under pressure. The container (22) has an opening (44) through which the inflation fluid flows from the chamber (42) for inflating an air bag. An initiator (26, 226, 326, 426) includes a housing (84, 240, 328, 428) which contains an actuatable device (164). A closure (86, 242, 344, 464) forms a portion of the housing (84, 240, 328, 428) and is fixed to the container (22) to block the flow of inflation fluid from the chamber (42). The housing (84, 240, 328, 428) is rupturable in response to actuation of the actuatable device (164) and is rupturable in response to the pressure of the inflation fluid in the chamber (42) reaching a predetermined pressure when the actuatable device is unactuated. The housing may rupture in different areas (102, 108, 122, 246, 262, 362, 364, 386, 464, 484) depending on whether the rupture occurs in response to actuation of the actuatable device or in response to the pressure of the inflation fluid reaching the predetermined pressure.
41 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An air bag inflator comprising:
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a container defining a first chamber for storing inflation fluid under pressure, said container having an opening through which the inflation fluid from the first chamber flows to inflate an air bag; a housing including a closure portion fixed to said container to block flow through the opening, said housing defining a second chamber; actuatable means in the second chamber in said housing for, when actuated, producing pressure within the second chamber in said housing; and said closure portion of said housing rupturing in response to a pressure increase within the second chamber of said housing due to actuation of said actuatable means and rupturing in response to pressure in the first chamber reaching a predetermined pressure when said actuatable means is unactuated; wherein said housing comprises a first area which ruptures in response to actuation of said actuatable means and a second area which ruptures in response to the pressure in the chamber reaching a predetermined pressure when said actuatable means is unactuated; and wherein said housing further includes a tubular portion having a longitudinal central axis and being connected to said closure portion, said first area being located radially inside of said tubular portion and said second area being located radially outside of said tubular portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An air bag inflator comprising:
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a container defining a first chamber for storing inflation fluid under pressure, said container having an opening through which the inflation fluid from the first chamber flows to inflate an air bag; a housing including a closure portion fixed to said container to block flow through the opening, said housing defining a second chamber; and actuatable means in the second chamber in said housing for, when actuated, producing pressure within the second chamber in said housing; said closure portion of said housing rupturing in response to a pressure increase within the second chamber of said housing due to actuation of said actuatable means and rupturing in response to pressure in the first chamber reaching a predetermined pressure when said actuatable means is unactuated; said housing further including a tubular portion connected to said closure portion and wherein said housing comprises a weakened area on said closure portion located inside of said tubular portion and a weakened area on said tubular portion.
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9. An air bag inflator comprising:
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a container defining a chamber for storing inflation fluid under pressure, said container having an opening through which inflation fluid from the chamber flows to inflate an air bag; a housing including a closure portion fixed to said container to block the flow of inflation fluid from the chamber through the opening; ignitable output pyrotechnic located in said housing; and a closure comprising a portion of said housing and being fixed to said container to block the flow of inflation fluid from the chamber; said closure portion of said housing rupturing in response to ignition of said output pyrotechnic and rupturing in response to pressure in the chamber reaching a predetermined pressure; wherein said housing comprises a first area which ruptures in response to ignition of said output pyrotechnic and a second area which ruptures in response to the pressure in the chamber reaching said predetermined pressure; and wherein said closure portion includes a flange having a first extent in a direction transverse to a central axis of said housing, the opening in said container having a second extent in the direction transverse to the central axis of said housing, the first extent being greater than the second extent, and wherein the second area comprises a weakened area having a third extent in the direction transverse to the central axis of said housing, said third extent being less than or equal to the second extent.
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10. An air bag inflator comprising:
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a container defining a chamber for storing inflation fluid under pressure, said container having an opening through which inflation fluid from the chamber flows to inflate an air bag; a housing including a closure portion fixed to said container to block the flow of inflation fluid from the chamber through the opening; ignitable output pyrotechnic located in said housing; and a closure comprising a portion of said housing and being fixed to said container to block the flow of inflation fluid from the chamber; said closure portion of said housing rupturing in response to ignition of said output pyrotechnic and rupturing in response to pressure in the chamber reaching a predetermined pressure; wherein said housing comprises a first area which ruptures in response to ignition of said output pyrotechnic and a second area which ruptures in response to the pressure in the chamber reaching said predetermined pressure; and wherein said housing further includes a tubular portion having a longitudinal central axis and being connected to said closure portion, said first area being located radially inside of said tubular portion and said second area being located radially outside of said tubular portion. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An air bag inflator comprising:
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a container defining a first chamber for storing inflation fluid under pressure; a diffuser defining a second chamber and having a passage for directing inflation fluid into an air bag; an initiator housing located in the second chamber and containing an output pyrotechnic; and a closure portion of said initiator housing blocking the flow of inflation fluid from the first chamber to the second chamber, said closure portion including a first area that is rupturable in response to ignition of said output pyrotechnic to allow the flow of inflation fluid from the first chamber, said ignition producing combustion products to heat the inflation fluid, said closure portion further including a second area that is rupturable in response to the pressure in the first chamber reaching a predetermined pressure to allow the flow of inflation fluid from the first chamber into the second chamber. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An air bag inflator comprising:
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a container defining a chamber for storing inflation fluid under pressure, said container having an opening through which inflation fluid from the chamber flows to inflate an air bag; a housing including a closure portion fixed to said container to block the flow of inflation fluid from the chamber through the opening; ignitable output pyrotechnic located in said housing; and a closure comprising a portion of said housing and being fixed to said container to block the flow of inflation fluid from the chamber; said closure portion of said housing rupturing in response to ignition of said output pyrotechnic and rupturing in response to pressure in the chamber reaching a predetermined pressure; and wherein said housing further includes a tubular portion connected to said closure portion and wherein said housing comprises a weakened area on said closure portion located radially inside of said tubular portion and a weakened area on said tubular portion.
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22. An air bag inflator comprising:
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a container defining a chamber for storing inflation fluid under pressure, said container having an opening through which inflation fluid from the chamber flows to inflate an air bag; a housing including a closure portion fixed to said container to block the flow of inflation fluid from the chamber through the opening; ignitable output pyrotechnic in said housing; a first area of said closure portion rupturing in response to ignition of said output pyrotechnic; and a second area of said closure portion which is different than said first area rupturing in response to pressure of inflation fluid in the chamber reaching a predetermined pressure; wherein said housing further includes a tubular portion connected to said closure portion, said first area being located radially inside of said tubular portion and said second area being located radially outside of said tubular portion. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. An air bag inflator comprising:
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a container defining a first chamber for containing inflation fluid under pressure, said container having portions defining an opening through which inflation fluid from said first chamber flows to inflate an air bag; an electrically actuatable initiator secured to said container for, when actuated, generating combustion products to increase the pressure of inflation fluid flowing from said first chamber, said initiator having a housing including a wall enclosing an ignitable charge; said housing wall of said initiator being in engagement with said portions of said container defining said opening, said housing wall extending across said opening and blocking flow of inflation fluid from said first chamber, said housing wall being exposed to the pressure of inflation fluid in said first chamber; said housing wall being rupturable upon actuation of said initiator by the force of combustion products of said initiator to enable inflation fluid to flow from said first chamber through said opening; said housing wall being rupturable prior to actuation of said initiator by the force of inflation fluid in said first chamber when the pressure in said first chamber exceeds a predetermined pressure to enable inflation fluid to flow from said first chamber through said opening. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification