Liquid propellant airbag inflator with auto injection combustion chamber
First Claim
1. A liquid propellant airbag inflator for inflating an airbag cushion in an airbag module, the airbag inflator comprising:
- an inflator housing;
a propellant piston slidingly received within the inflator housing and internally dividing the inflator housing into a combustion chamber and a propellant reservoir;
at least one inflation gas exhaust port communicating with the combustion chamber;
liquid propellant contained within the propellant reservoir;
at least one propellant injection port connecting the combustion chamber and the propellant reservoir, the at least one propellant injection port defined by the inflator housing;
propellant plug means preventing the liquid propellant from flowing through the at least one propellant injection port until the propellant piston moves towards the liquid propellant; and
initiating means for forcing the propellant piston against the liquid propellant, thereby breaching the propellant plug means and causing the liquid propellant to be injected into the combustion chamber through the propellant injection port, and for igniting the liquid propellant upon entering the combustion chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved liquid propellant airbag inflator including a tubular sidewall internally defining a combustion chamber and a propellant reservoir separated by a piston. A propellant injection port connecting the combustion chamber to the propellant reservoir is defined by a propellant guide surface of the tubular sidewall receiving the piston. According to one embodiment of the invention, the propellant injection port is provided in the form of a plurality of longitudinal grooves. According to another embodiment of the invention, an inner diameter of the propellant guide surface is larger than an outside diameter of the piston so that a gap, acting as the propellant injection port, is created between the propellant guide surface and the piston. The present invention also provides an improved liquid propellant airbag inflator including a tubular sidewall internally defining a combustion chamber and a propellant reservoir separated by a piston, wherein the sidewall defines a series of gas exhaust ports communicating with the combustion chamber. A cylindrical exhaust sleeve extends from the piston into the combustion chamber and seals the gas exhaust ports until the inflator is initiated and the piston is forced into the propellant reservoir. The present invention additionally provides an improved liquid propellant airbag inflator including a tubular sidewall internally defining a coolant reservoir, a combustion chamber and a propellant reservoir, with a propellant piston separating the propellant reservoir from the combustion chamber, and a coolant piston, independent from the propellant piston, separating the coolant reservoir from the combustion chamber.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A liquid propellant airbag inflator for inflating an airbag cushion in an airbag module, the airbag inflator comprising:
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an inflator housing; a propellant piston slidingly received within the inflator housing and internally dividing the inflator housing into a combustion chamber and a propellant reservoir; at least one inflation gas exhaust port communicating with the combustion chamber; liquid propellant contained within the propellant reservoir; at least one propellant injection port connecting the combustion chamber and the propellant reservoir, the at least one propellant injection port defined by the inflator housing; propellant plug means preventing the liquid propellant from flowing through the at least one propellant injection port until the propellant piston moves towards the liquid propellant; and initiating means for forcing the propellant piston against the liquid propellant, thereby breaching the propellant plug means and causing the liquid propellant to be injected into the combustion chamber through the propellant injection port, and for igniting the liquid propellant upon entering the combustion chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A liquid propellant airbag inflator for inflating an airbag cushion in an airbag module, the airbag inflator comprising:
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an inflator housing; a propellant piston slidingly received within the inflator housing; a coolant piston slidingly received within the inflator housing spaced-apart from the propellant piston; a combustion chamber defined by the inflator housing, the propellant piston and the coolant piston; at least one inflation gas exhaust port communicating with the combustion chamber; a propellant reservoir defined by the inflator housing and the propellant piston; liquid propellant contained within the propellant reservoir; at least one propellant injection port connecting the combustion chamber and the propellant reservoir; propellant plug means preventing the liquid propellant from flowing through the at least one propellant injection port until the propellant piston moves towards the liquid propellant; a coolant reservoir defined by the inflator housing and the coolant piston; coolant contained in the coolant reservoir; at least one coolant injection port communicating with the coolant reservoir; and initiating means for forcing the coolant piston against the coolant to force the coolant through the coolant injection port, and for forcing the propellant piston against the liquid propellant to breach the propellant plug means and cause the liquid propellant to be injected into the combustion chamber through the propellant injection port, and for igniting the liquid propellant upon entering the combustion chamber. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A liquid propellant airbag inflator comprising:
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an inflator housing; a piston slidingly received within the inflator housing and internally dividing the inflator housing into a combustion chamber and a propellant reservoir; liquid propellant contained within the propellant reservoir; at least one propellant injection port connecting the combustion chamber and the propellant reservoir; propellant plug means preventing the liquid propellant from flowing through the at least one propellant injection port until the piston moves towards the liquid propellant; initiating means for forcing the piston against the liquid propellant, thereby breaching the propellant plug means and causing the liquid propellant to be injected into the combustion chamber through the propellant injection port, and for igniting the liquid propellant upon entering the combustion chamber; and at least one inflation gas exhaust port defined by the inflator housing transverse to and communicating with the combustion chamber; a cylindrical exhaust sleeve extending from the piston into the combustion chamber and substantially sealing the at least one inflation gas exhaust port until the piston moves towards the propellant reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification