Apparatus for rapid inflation of inflatable object and related method
First Claim
1. An inflator device adapted for producing a sufficient quantity of a gaseous product to substantially inflate an inflatable member operatively associated therewith, comprising:
- a first stage gas source;
a second stage gas source in fluid communication at a first location with said first stage gas source and, at a second location, with an inflatable member, wherein said second stage gas source contains liquified gas in an amount sufficient to, when vaporized, inflate the inflatable member; and
wherein the first stage gas source is capable of providing a sufficient quantity of gas at a sufficiently high temperature to vaporize substantially all of the liquified gas in the second stage gas source.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to an inflator device that is adapted for producing a sufficient quantity of a gaseous product to substantially inflate an inflatable member. The inflator device has a first stage gas source in fluid communication with a second stage gas source, which, in turn, is in fluid communication with the inflatable member. The second stage gas source contains a liquified gas in an amount sufficient to inflate the inflatable member upon vaporization of the liquified gas, and the first stage gas source is capable of providing a sufficient quantity of gas at a sufficiently high temperature to the second stage gas source to vaporize substantially all of the liquified gas in the second stage gas source.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. An inflator device adapted for producing a sufficient quantity of a gaseous product to substantially inflate an inflatable member operatively associated therewith, comprising:
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a first stage gas source; a second stage gas source in fluid communication at a first location with said first stage gas source and, at a second location, with an inflatable member, wherein said second stage gas source contains liquified gas in an amount sufficient to, when vaporized, inflate the inflatable member; and wherein the first stage gas source is capable of providing a sufficient quantity of gas at a sufficiently high temperature to vaporize substantially all of the liquified gas in the second stage gas source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An inflator device adapted for producing a sufficient quantity of a gaseous product to substantially inflate an inflatable member operatively associated therewith, comprising:
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a first stage gas source comprising; a first stage housing defining a first interior volume, and having an inner surface, the first stage housing containing a pressurized gas at a first pressure in the interior volume; a pyrotechnic material within the interior volume of the first stage housing; and a first stage seal adapted to maintain the pressurized gas at the first pressure within the first interior volume, and to open when the gas attains a predetermined second, higher pressure upon combustion of the pyrotechnic material located within the first stage housing to allow the gas to pass from the first stage housing to the second stage gas source; a second stage gas source in fluid communication at a first location with said first stage gas source and at a second location with an inflatable member, wherein said second stage gas source contains liquified gas in an amount sufficient to inflate the inflatable member upon vaporization of the liquified gas; and wherein the first stage gas source is capable of providing a sufficient quantity of gas at a sufficiently high temperature to vaporize substantially all of the liquified gas in the second stage gas source.
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19. An inflator device adapted for producing a sufficient quantity of a gaseous product to substantially inflate an inflatable member operatively associated therewith, comprising:
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a first stage gas source; a second stage gas source in fluid communication at a first location with said first stage gas source, said second stage gas source comprising a second stage housing defining an interior volume, an inlet, an outlet, and gas directing means for directing a quantity of gas from the first stage gas source to a predetermined location within the second stage gas source, wherein the inlet is in fluid communication with the first gas source and the gas directing means is configured and adapted to allow gas to pass from the first stage gas source to the predetermined location within the second stage gas source; and
whereinsaid second stage gas source is in fluid communication at a second location with an inflatable member, wherein said second stage gas source contains liquified gas in an amount sufficient, upon vaporization thereof, to inflate the inflatable member; and wherein the first stage gas source is capable of providing a sufficient quantity of gas at a sufficiently high temperature to vaporize substantially all of the liquified gas in the second stage gas source.
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20. A method for rapidly inflating an inflatable object, the method comprising:
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releasing gas from a first stage gas source, the first stage gas source providing a sufficient quantity of gas at a sufficiently high temperature to vaporize substantially all of a liquified gas in a second stage gas source in fluid communication therewith; introducing the gas released from the first stage gas source into a second stage gas source in fluid communication with an inflatable member, the second stage gas source containing liquified gas in an amount sufficient to inflate the inflatable member upon vaporization of the liquified gas; and distributing the vaporized gas from the second stage gas source within the inflatable member to inflate the inflatable member. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for rapidly inflating an inflatable object, the method comprising:
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providing a first stage gas source comprising a first stage housing defining a first interior volume, and having an inner surface, the first stage housing containing a pressurized gas at a first pressure in said interior volume, and a seal adapted to maintain the pressurized gas at the first pressure within the interior volume, and to open when the gas attains a predetermined second higher pressure; burning a pyrotechnic material located within the housing to generate heat, thereby increasing the pressure of the pressurized gas to at least the second higher pressure, and providing a sufficient quantity of gas at a sufficiently high temperature to vaporize substantially all of a liquified gas in a second stage gas source in fluid communication therewith; introducing the gas released from the first stage gas source into a second stage gas source containing liquified gas in an amount sufficient to vaporize said liquified gas, and to thereby produce an amount of gas sufficient to inflate an inflatable member in fluid communication with said second stage gas source; and distributing the vaporized gas from the second stage gas source within the inflatable member to inflate the inflatable member.
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Specification