Air bag inflator with pressure regulation
First Claim
1. An apparatus for providing inflation fluid for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
an inflation fluid source in said housing actuatable to provide inflation fluid under pressure;
said housing deforming due to the pressure of inflation fluid in said housing upon actuation of said inflation fluid source;
said housing having a fluid outlet for directing flow of inflation fluid out of said housing to the inflatable device;
means for defining, control passage located between said inflation fluid source and said fluid outlet, said control passage having a smaller flow area than said fluid outlet; and
means for causing substantially all inflation fluid flowing between said inflation fluid source and said fluid outlet to flow through said control passage;
the flow area of said control passage increasing due to deformation of said housing;
the flow area of said control passage varying in accordance with the pressure of inflation fluid in said housing upon actuation of said inflation fluid source.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An air bag inflator (10) includes a housing (20) and an inflation fluid source (140) in the housing actuatable to provide inflation fluid under pressure. The housing (20) is deformable due to the pressure of inflation fluid in the housing upon actuation of the inflation fluid source (140). The housing (20) has a fluid outlet (52) for directing flow of inflation fluid out of the housing. A control passage (160) is located between the inflation fluid source (140) and the fluid outlet (52). The control passage (160) has a smaller flow area than the fluid outlet (52). The inflator (10) further includes portions (84, 82, 110, 42) for causing substantially all inflation fluid flowing between the inflation fluid source (140) and the fluid outlet (52) to flow through the control passage (160). The flow area of the control passage (160) increases due to deformation of the housing (20). The flow area of the control passage (160) varies in accordance with the pressure of inflation fluid in the housing (20) upon actuation of the inflation fluid source (140).
52 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus for providing inflation fluid for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said apparatus comprising:
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a housing; an inflation fluid source in said housing actuatable to provide inflation fluid under pressure; said housing deforming due to the pressure of inflation fluid in said housing upon actuation of said inflation fluid source; said housing having a fluid outlet for directing flow of inflation fluid out of said housing to the inflatable device; means for defining, control passage located between said inflation fluid source and said fluid outlet, said control passage having a smaller flow area than said fluid outlet; and means for causing substantially all inflation fluid flowing between said inflation fluid source and said fluid outlet to flow through said control passage; the flow area of said control passage increasing due to deformation of said housing; the flow area of said control passage varying in accordance with the pressure of inflation fluid in said housing upon actuation of said inflation fluid source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification