Hybrid inflator with reduced solid emissions
First Claim
1. In a hybrid inflator including a pressure vessel holding a quantity of stored gas, and a quantity of gas generant operatively associated with said stored gas, the improvement comprising:
- a generant housing having an end face and a peripheral wall defining an interior, and at least one gas port extending through said end face;
a generant sleeve received within said interior in spaced opposed relation to said peripheral wall to define a free flow area between said generant sleeve and said peripheral wall, said at least one gas port communicating with said free flow area, said generant sleeve being porous;
said quantity of gas generant being received within said generant sleeve in said interior, said gas generant producing, upon activation, a quantity of created inflation gas which flows through said generant sleeve to said free flow area, impinges upon said peripheral wall, and is thereby deflected to flow through said free flow area to, and through, said at least one gas port.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hybrid inflator having a quantity of stored gas in a pressure vessel, and a quantity of gas generant stored within a generant housing having at least one port in its longitudinal end. Within the generant housing the gas generant is retained within a porous sleeve. This sleeve is spaced inward from the non-porous generant housing, such that a free flow area is formed between the sleeve and the generant housing. The inflation gas created by the gas generant will thus flow radially outward through the sleeve, and then be turned to flow longitudinally toward the port(s) in the generant housing. Providing the free flow area reduces the pressure drop across the generant sleeve, resulting in less slag being forced through the sleeve to be entrained within the created gas flow. Additionally, the changes in direction forced upon the created gas flow to exit the generant housing cause additional amounts of slag to be removed from the created gas flow. This results in a hybrid inflator having reduced solid emissions. A second embodiment employs longitudinal flow directly from the gas generant with a free flow area leading to radial ports on the generant housing.
61 Citations
14 Claims
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1. In a hybrid inflator including a pressure vessel holding a quantity of stored gas, and a quantity of gas generant operatively associated with said stored gas, the improvement comprising:
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a generant housing having an end face and a peripheral wall defining an interior, and at least one gas port extending through said end face; a generant sleeve received within said interior in spaced opposed relation to said peripheral wall to define a free flow area between said generant sleeve and said peripheral wall, said at least one gas port communicating with said free flow area, said generant sleeve being porous; said quantity of gas generant being received within said generant sleeve in said interior, said gas generant producing, upon activation, a quantity of created inflation gas which flows through said generant sleeve to said free flow area, impinges upon said peripheral wall, and is thereby deflected to flow through said free flow area to, and through, said at least one gas port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification