Apparatus for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint
First Claim
1. An apparatus for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint, such as an air bag, said apparatus comprising:
- a container for holding a supply of gas;
a supply of gas in said container, said supply of gas comprising a mixture of an inert gas, a combustible gas, an oxidizer gas, and a combustion rate modifier gas selected from the group consisting of an inert carbonaceous gas, water vapor, and mixtures thereof;
said combustion rate modifier gas being present in said container in an amount sufficient to reduce the rate of combustion of said combustible gas;
igniter means for igniting said combustible gas to generate heat to heat said inert gas; and
directing means for directing said inert gas from said container toward said vehicle occupant restraint.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle safety apparatus (10) for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint (12) includes a container (14) for receiving gases. The gases in the container (14) are a combustible gas, an oxidizer gas, an inert gas and a combustion rate modifier gas selected from the group consisting of an inert carbonaceous gas, water vapor, and mixtures thereof. An igniter is activated to effect ignition of the combustible gas in response to sudden vehicle deceleration indicative of a collision condition. The ignition of the combustible gas in the presence of oxygen results in combustion products including heat. The heat from the combustion products heats at least the inert gas. A directing means directs a flow of gases from the container into the inflatable occupant restraint. The combustion rate modifier gas is present in the container (14) in an amount sufficient to reduce the rate of combustion of the combustible gas.
18 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint, such as an air bag, said apparatus comprising:
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a container for holding a supply of gas; a supply of gas in said container, said supply of gas comprising a mixture of an inert gas, a combustible gas, an oxidizer gas, and a combustion rate modifier gas selected from the group consisting of an inert carbonaceous gas, water vapor, and mixtures thereof; said combustion rate modifier gas being present in said container in an amount sufficient to reduce the rate of combustion of said combustible gas; igniter means for igniting said combustible gas to generate heat to heat said inert gas; and directing means for directing said inert gas from said container toward said vehicle occupant restraint. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for inflating an vehicle occupant restraint, such as an air bag, said apparatus comprising:
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a container for holding a supply of gas; a supply of gas in said container comprising nitrogen at about 47 to about 80 mole percent based on the total moles of gases in said container;
hydrogen at about 4 to about 15 mole percent based on the total moles of gases in said container;
oxygen at about 15 to about 30 mole percent based on the total moles of gases in said container; and
carbon dioxide at about 1 to about 8 mole percent based on the total moles of gases in said container;igniter means for igniting said hydrogen to generate heat to heat said nitrogen; and directing means for directing said nitrogen as heated toward said vehicle occupant restraint. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification