Inflator for a vehicle airbag system and a pyrogen igniter used therein
First Claim
1. A gas generator for a vehicle airbag system, comprising:
- an elongated housing having gas outlet openings therein,a combustion chamber containing an arrangement of a pyrotechnic gas generant material,said arrangement providing an essentially open ignition channel into the interior of said gas generant material,an igniter located adjacent said arrangement,said igniter comprising an initiator and a unitary grain of an igniter material within an ignitor housing, said unitary grain being formed from an ignitor material that has been cast, pressed or extruded into a shaped unitary structure the periphery of which is commensurate with the interior walls of said igniter housing,said unitary grain of igniter material containing a cavity, the walls of which partially define an ignition chamber,said ignition chamber containing at least one port through which the ignition products of said igniter material can be discharged,said igniter and arrangement of gas generant material being located within the gas generator such that ignition and burning of the igniter material will produce hot ignition products which discharge through said at least one port and are directed into said open ignition channel to heat the gas generant material to its ignition temperature causing it to generate gas which flows to and through said gas outlet openings.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An elongated gas generator, or inflator, includes a pyrogen igniter mounted at one end thereof. The pyrogen igniter encloses a unitary grain of ignition material having a centrally located cavity. An initiator, or squib, is located to ignite the unitary grain at the surface of its centrally located cavity. The combustion products given off by the igniter are directed through a port and into a clear ignition channel provided in the center of the pyrotechnic gas generant material which extends the length of the gas generator, thereby causing the gas generant material to produce sufficient gas to inflate an associated airbag. The unitary grain of ignition material used in the pyrogen igniter facilitates and simplifies the assembly and manufacture of the igniter structure.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A gas generator for a vehicle airbag system, comprising:
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an elongated housing having gas outlet openings therein, a combustion chamber containing an arrangement of a pyrotechnic gas generant material, said arrangement providing an essentially open ignition channel into the interior of said gas generant material, an igniter located adjacent said arrangement, said igniter comprising an initiator and a unitary grain of an igniter material within an ignitor housing, said unitary grain being formed from an ignitor material that has been cast, pressed or extruded into a shaped unitary structure the periphery of which is commensurate with the interior walls of said igniter housing, said unitary grain of igniter material containing a cavity, the walls of which partially define an ignition chamber, said ignition chamber containing at least one port through which the ignition products of said igniter material can be discharged, said igniter and arrangement of gas generant material being located within the gas generator such that ignition and burning of the igniter material will produce hot ignition products which discharge through said at least one port and are directed into said open ignition channel to heat the gas generant material to its ignition temperature causing it to generate gas which flows to and through said gas outlet openings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In a gas generator for a vehicle airbag system, comprising:
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a housing having gas outlet openings, and containing a body of pyrotechnic gas generant material, said body of gas generant material having a clear ignition channel extending into its interior, an igniter containing igniter material and having an exit opening, an initiator operable to ignite said igniter material, said exit opening of said igniter being located adjacent said clear ignition channel in said gas generant material, whereby, ignition and burning of the igniter material produce hot ignition products which flow through said exit opening and into said clear ignition channel where they ignite said gas generant material, the improvement comprising; providing said igniter material as a solid unitary grain of igniter material within an ignitor housing, said unitary grain being formed from ignitor material that has been cast, pressed, or extruded into a shaped unitary structure the periphery of which is commensurate with the interior walls of said ignitor housing and having a central cavity in flow communication with said exit opening.
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8. An igniter for igniting the gas generant material in vehicle airbag systems, comprising:
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a housing comprising metal walls extending about a compartment within said housing, one end of said housing having a rim extending inwardly from said walls, said rim defining at least one opening from said compartment, and second end structure opposite said one end, a unitary grain of igniter material provided within said compartment, said unitary grain being formed from ignitor material that has been cast, pressed or extruded into a unitary structure shaped such that its peripheral exterior sides are substantially commensurate with the interior walls of said housing, said grain of igniter material having a cavity extending generally through the central portion of said compartment from said one end to said second end, said cavity defining the interior surfaces of said unitary grain, and an initiator capable of igniting said igniter material at said interior surfaces, whereby ignition and burning of the igniter material causes an expulsion of hot igniter combustion products from said at least one opening. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification