Dual stage air bag inflator
First Claim
1. An apparatus for inflating an air bag, said apparatus comprising:
- a cylindrical container defining a chamber for storing inflation fluid at a first pressure, said container comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal central axis and a pair of end walls fixed to axially opposite ends of said tubular housing, said tubular housing having an opening at a location intermediate said end walls;
a rupturable closure extending across the opening in said tubular housing, said closure rupturing in response to the pressure of the inflation fluid in the chamber increasing from the first pressure to a predetermined second pressure; and
a pair of inflation fluid heating assemblies, each of the inflation fluid heating assemblies located at a different one of said end walls of said container and at least partially located in the chamber, each of said inflation fluid heating assemblies comprising;
an actuatable igniter supported by one of said end walls; and
an ignitable material surrounding an end of said igniter;
said igniter in one inflation fluid heating assembly, when actuated, igniting said ignitable material in said one inflation fluid heating assembly to produce combustion products which are released into the chamber to heat the inflation fluid and increase the pressure of the inflation fluid in the chamber to the predetermined second pressure for rupturing said closure;
said igniter in the other inflation fluid heating assembly, upon actuation, igniting said ignitable material in said other inflation fluid heating assembly to produce combustion products which are released into the chamber to further heat and further increase the pressure of the inflation fluid in the chamber.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An air bag inflator (20) comprises a container (40) defining a chamber (48) for storing inflation fluid at a first pressure. A rupturable closure or rupture disk (102) extends across an opening (60) in the container (40). Each one of a pair of inflation fluid heating assemblies (122, 124) is located in the chamber (48) and includes an actuatable igniter (222) and an ignitable material (168). The igniter (222) in one inflation fluid heating assembly (122) upon actuation, ignites the ignitable material (168) in the one inflation fluid heating assembly to produce combustion products. The combustion products heat the inflation fluid and increase the pressure of the inflation fluid in the chamber (48) to a second pressure to rupture the rupture disk (102). The igniter (222) in the other inflation fluid heating assembly (124), upon actuation, ignites the ignitable material in the other inflation fluid heating assembly to produce combustion products which further heat and further increase the pressure of the inflation fluid in the chamber (48).
101 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus for inflating an air bag, said apparatus comprising:
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a cylindrical container defining a chamber for storing inflation fluid at a first pressure, said container comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal central axis and a pair of end walls fixed to axially opposite ends of said tubular housing, said tubular housing having an opening at a location intermediate said end walls; a rupturable closure extending across the opening in said tubular housing, said closure rupturing in response to the pressure of the inflation fluid in the chamber increasing from the first pressure to a predetermined second pressure; and a pair of inflation fluid heating assemblies, each of the inflation fluid heating assemblies located at a different one of said end walls of said container and at least partially located in the chamber, each of said inflation fluid heating assemblies comprising; an actuatable igniter supported by one of said end walls; and an ignitable material surrounding an end of said igniter; said igniter in one inflation fluid heating assembly, when actuated, igniting said ignitable material in said one inflation fluid heating assembly to produce combustion products which are released into the chamber to heat the inflation fluid and increase the pressure of the inflation fluid in the chamber to the predetermined second pressure for rupturing said closure; said igniter in the other inflation fluid heating assembly, upon actuation, igniting said ignitable material in said other inflation fluid heating assembly to produce combustion products which are released into the chamber to further heat and further increase the pressure of the inflation fluid in the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for inflating an air bag, said apparatus comprising:
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a cylindrical container defining a chamber for storing inflation fluid at a first pressure, said container comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal central axis and a pair of end walls fixed to axially opposite ends of said tubular housing, said tubular housing having an opening at a location intermediate said end walls; a rupturable closure extending across the opening in said housing, said closure rupturing in response to pressure of the inflation fluid in the chamber increasing from the first pressure to a predetermined second pressure; and a pair of inflation fluid heating assemblies, each of said inflation fluid heating assemblies located at a different one of axially opposite end portions of said container and at least partially located in the chamber, each of said inflation fluid heating assemblies comprising; a rupturable cup fixed to a corresponding one of said end walls and cooperating with said one end wall to define a combustion chamber; an actuatable igniter supported by said one end wall and having a portion located in the combustion chamber; and an ignitable material in the combustion chamber and surrounding and end of said igniter; said igniter in one inflation fluid heating assembly, when actuated, igniting said ignitable material in said one inflation fluid heating assembly to produce combustion products which increase the pressure in its combustion chamber and rupture a portion of its rupturable cup to release the combustion products into the inflation fluid storage chamber to heat the inflation fluid and increase the pressure of the inflation fluid in the inflation fluid storage chamber to the predetermined second pressure for rupturing said closure; said igniter in the other inflation fluid heating assembly, upon being actuated after actuation of said igniter in said one inflation fluid heating assembly, igniting said ignitable material in said other inflation fluid heating assembly to produce combustion products which increase the pressure in its combustion chamber and rupture a portion of its rupturable cup to release the combustion products into the inflation fluid storage chamber to further heat the inflation fluid and further increase the pressure of the inflation fluid in the inflation fluid storage chamber.
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9. An apparatus for inflating an air bag, said apparatus comprising:
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a cylindrical container defining a chamber for storing inflation fluid at a first pressure, said container comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal central axis and a pair of end walls fixed to axially opposite ends of said tubular housing, said tubular housing having an opening at a location intermediate said end walls; a rupturable closure extending across the opening in said housing, said closure rupturing in response to pressure of the inflation fluid in the chamber increasing from the first pressure to a predetermined second pressure; an initiator assembly at a first axial end of said container and partially located in the chamber, said initiator assembly comprising; a rupturable cup fixed to one of said end walls and cooperating with said one end wall to define a combustion chamber; an actuatable igniter supported by said one end wall and having an end portion located in the combustion chamber; and an ignitable material in the combustion chamber; an ignition assembly at a second axial end of said container, said ignition assembly comprising; a canister having a base section fixed to another of said end walls and a movable section attached to said base section, said movable section being separable from said base section; a propellant in said canister; and an actuatable igniter supported by said another of said walls and having an end portion located in said canister; said igniter in said initiator assembly, upon actuation, igniting said ignitable material to produce combustion products which rupture a portion of said cup to release the combustion products into the inflation fluid storage chamber and heat the inflation fluid to the predetermined second pressure for rupturing said closure; and said igniter in said ignition assembly, upon actuation, igniting said propellant to produce combustion products which separate said movable section from said base section and propel said movable section in the inflation fluid storage chamber to further heat and pressurize the inflation fluid in the inflation fluid storage chamber. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for inflating an air bag, said apparatus comprising:
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a cylindrical container defining a chamber for storing inflation fluid at a first pressure, said container comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal central axis and a pair of end walls fixed to axially opposite ends of said tubular housing, said tubular housing having an opening at a location intermediate said end walls; a rupturable closure extending across the opening in said housing, said closure rupturing in response to pressure in the chamber increasing from the first pressure to a predetermined second pressure; and a pair of ignition assemblies located at axially opposite ends of said container and in the chamber, each of said ignition assemblies comprising; a canister having a base section fixed to one of said end walls and a movable section attached to said base section, said movable section being separable from said base section; a propellant located in said movable section of said canister; and an actuatable igniter supported by said one of said end walls and having an end portion located in said canister; said igniter in one ignition assembly, upon actuation, igniting said propellant to produce combustion products which separate said movable section from said base section and propel said movable section in the chamber and release the combustion products into the chamber to heat the inflation fluid to the second pressure for rupturing said closure; said igniter in the other ignition assembly, upon actuation, igniting said propellant to produce combustion products which separate said movable section from said base section of said other ignition assembly and propel said movable section in the chamber to further heat and further pressurize the inflation fluid in the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for inflating an air bag, said apparatus comprising:
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a cylindrical container defining a chamber for storing inflation fluid at a first pressure, said container comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal central axis and a pair of end walls fixed to axially opposite ends of said tubular housing, said tubular housing having an opening at a location intermediate said end walls; a rupturable closure extending across the opening in said housing, said closure rupturing in response to pressure of the inflation fluid in the chamber increasing from the first pressure to a predetermined second pressure; an initiator assembly at one axial end of said container and at least partially located in the chamber, said initiator assembly comprising; a rupturable cup fixed to one of said end walls and cooperating with said one end wall to define a combustion chamber; an actuatable igniter supported by said one end wall and having an end portion located in the combustion chamber; and an ignitable material located in the combustion chamber; an ignition assembly at another axial end of said container, said ignition assembly comprising; a canister having a base section fixed to another of said end walls and a movable section attached to said base section, said movable section being separable from said base section; a propellant located in said canister; and an actuatable igniter supported in said another of said end walls and having an end portion located in said canister; said igniter in one of said initiator assembly and said ignition assembly, upon actuation, producing combustion products to effect the heating and pressurizing of the inflation fluid in the chamber; and said igniter in the other of said ignition assembly and said initiator assembly, upon actuation, effecting the heating and pressurizing of the inflation fluid in the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for inflating an air bag, said apparatus comprising:
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a container defining a chamber for storing inflation fluid at a first pressure, said container having an opening through which the inflation fluid can flow; a rupturable closure extending across the opening of said container, said closure rupturing in response to pressure in the chamber increasing from the first pressure to a predetermined second pressure; and a pair of inflation fluid heating assemblies each of said inflation fluid heating assemblies comprising; an actuatable igniter; and an igniter material adjacent said igniter; said igniter in one inflation fluid heating assembly, upon actuation, igniting said ignitable material in the one inflation fluid heating assembly to produce combustion products which heat and pressurize the inflation fluid in the chamber to the predetermined second pressure to rupture said closure; said igniter in the other inflation fluid heating assembly, upon actuation, igniting said ignitable material in said other inflation fluid heating assembly to produce combustion products which further heat and pressurize the inflation fluid in the chamber; said container comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal central axis and a pair of end walls fixed to axially opposite ends of said tubular housing, the opening in said container being located in said tubular housing; said inflation fluid heating assemblies located coaxially along the axis of said tubular housing. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification