Acetylene-based airbag inflator

• US 5,964,479 A
• Filed: 12/02/1997
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Green, David J., Hepworth, Michael, Rink, Karl K.
• Primary Examiner(s): CULBRETH, ERIC D
• Application Number:
  US08/982,884
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 280/737, 280/736, 280/741
• US Class Current: 280/741
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2725 using a fluid fuel gas generator
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/264 using instantaneous generation of gas, e.g. pyrotechnic B60R21/268 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/272 with means for increasing the pressure of the gas just before or during liberation, e.g. hybrid inflators
• CPC Class Codes: C06D 5/10 by reaction of solids with liquids

Abstract

An inflator apparatus and method for inflating an inflatable device which rely on the formation and subsequent reaction of acetylene are provided.

Claims

1. An apparatus for inflating an inflatable device, said apparatus comprising:

a first chamber containing a supply of calcium carbide, a supply of water and a supply of a combustion oxidant, and wherein at least a portion of said supply of calcium carbide and at least a portion of said supply of water react to form acetylene when said apparatus is actuated, with at least a portion of the formed acetylene reacting to produce at least one gaseous product species, at least a portion of the at least one gaseous product species being released from said first chamber for inflating the inflatable device and wherein at least a portion of the formed acetylene contacts at least a portion of said supply of combustion oxidant and burns to produce the at least on gaseous product species.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the formed acetylene decomposes to produce at least a second gaseous product species, at least a portion of the at least the second gaseous product species also being released from said first chamber for inflating the inflatable device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first chamber includes a first storage container containing said supply of water, said apparatus additionally comprises an initiator device sufficiently adjacent said first storage container such that, upon activation, said initiator device produces a sufficient quantity of initiation products directed towards said first storage container that said first storage container opens to permit contact between at least a portion of said supply of calcium carbide and at least a portion of said supply of water.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first chamber includes a first storage container containing said supply of calcium carbide, said apparatus additionally comprises an initiator device sufficiently adjacent said first storage container such that, upon activation, said initiator device produces a sufficient quantity of initiation products directed towards said first storage container that said first storage container opens to permit contact between at least a portion of said supply of calcium carbide and at least a portion of said supply of water.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said first chamber also includes a second storage container containing said supply of water adjacent said first storage container, and wherein, upon activation, said initiator device produces a sufficient quantity of initiation products directed towards said first and second storage containers such that said storage containers open to permit contact between at least a portion of said supply of calcium carbide and at least a portion of said supply of water.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first chamber is adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said first chamber is realized and wherein a sufficient quantity of the at least one gaseous product species is produced whereby said first chamber is opened.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising a second chamber containing a supply of pressurized stored gas, said second chamber in fluid communication with said first chamber upon the opening of said first chamber with the at least a portion of the at least one gaseous product released from said first chamber mixing with the pressurized stored gas to produce inflation gas and increasing the pressure within said second chamber, said second chamber adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said second chamber is realized, whereby at least a portion of the inflation gas is released from said second chamber to inflate the inflatable device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising physical means to moderate the combustion reaction of the formed acetylene.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said physical means to moderate the combustion reaction of the formed acetylene comprises a passage member separating at least a portion of said combustion oxidant from the formed acetylene, said passage member having a plurality of ports passing therethrough to permit a metered contact between the at least separated portion of the combustion oxidant and the formed acetylene.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said physical means to moderate the combustion reaction of the formed acetylene comprises said first chamber having the form of an elongated tube wherein the formed acetylene and said combustion oxidant contact and react.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 additionally comprising a second chamber containing a supply of pressurized stored gas, said second chamber in fluid communication with said first chamber upon the opening of said first chamber with the at least a portion of the at least one gaseous product released from said first chamber mixing with at least a portion of said supply of pressurized stored gas to produce inflation gas and increasing the pressure within said second chamber, said second chamber adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said second chamber is realized, whereby at least a portion of the inflation gas is released from said second chamber to inflate the inflatable device.

12. A method for inflating an inflatable safety device, said method comprising the steps of:

reacting calcium carbide and water in a first chamber of an inflation apparatus additionally containing a supply of a combustion oxidant to form acetylene,

reacting at least a portion of the formed acetylene to produce at least one gaseous product species, with at least a portion of the formed acetylene burning to produce at least a portion of the at least one gaseous product species, and

releasing at least a portion of the at least one gaseous product species from the inflation apparatus to inflate the inflatable safety device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein at least a portion of the formed acetylene decomposes to produce at least a second gaseous product species also released from the first chamber.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the first chamber includes a first storage container containing the water and wherein an initiator device is actuated to produce a sufficient quantity of initiation products dirested towards the first storage container to open the first storage container whereby the calcium carbide and the water are in contact.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the first chamber includes a first storage container containing the water and wherein an initiator device is actuated to produce a sufficient quantity of initiation products directed towards the first storage container to open the first storage container whereby the calcium carbide and the water are placed in contact.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first chamber also includes a second storage container containing the water and wherein the initiator device is actuated to produce a sufficient quantity of initiation products directed towards the first and second storage containers to open the first and second storage containers whereby the calcium carbide and the water are placed in contact.

17. The method of claim 12 comprising the step of opening the first chamber when a predetermined increase in pressure within the first chamber is realized whereby at least a portion of the at least one gaseous product species is expelled from the first chamber.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the apparatus includes a second chamber containing a supply of pressurized stored gas, the second chamber being in fluid communication with the first chamber upon the opening of the first chamber, said method additionally comprising the steps of:

mixing at least a portion of the at least one gaseous product released from the first chamber with the pressurized stored gas to produce inflation gas and increasing the pressure within the second chamber; and

opening the second chamber when a predetermined increase in pressure within the second chamber is realized to release at least a portion of the inflation from the second chamber to inflate the inflatable device.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein contact between the formed acetylene and the supply of combustion oxidant is physically restricted.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the formed acetylene is passed through a plurality of ports of a passage member separating at least a portion of the combustion oxidant from the formed acetylene.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the first chamber wherein the formed acetylene and the combustion oxidant contact and react is in the form of an elongated tube.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the apparatus includes a second chamber containing a supply of pressurized stored gas, the second chamber being in fluid communication with the first chamber upon the opening of the first chamber, said method additionally comprising the steps of:

mixing at least a portion of the at least one gaseous product released from the first chamber with the pressurized stored gas to produce inflation gas and increasing the pressure within the second chamber; and

opening the second chamber when a predetermined increase in pressure within the second chamber is realized to release at least a portion of the inflation from the second chamber to inflate the inflatable device.