Method for discriminating between used and unused gas generators for air bags during car scrapping process

• US 6,012,659 A
• Filed: 09/12/1997
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Limited, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyaji, Masahiro, Nakazato, Yusaburo, Fujimoto, Osamu, Kondo, Yutaka, Nakazawa, Yuji, Fukabori, Mitsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, John M.
• Application Number:
  US08/913,318
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 241/24.1, 241/24.12, 241/24.13, 241/24.25, 241/27, 241/30, 241/DIG. 38
• US Class Current: 241/24.1
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3412 according to a code applied to the object which indicates a property of the object, e.g. quality class, contents or incorrect indication sorting according to size measured by light-responsive means B07C5/10; sorting according to optical properties B07C5/342; for packages B65D79/02; for information carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 5/00 Operations not covered by a single other subclass or by a single other group in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 5/02 Locating undetonated charges
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06225 using wavelength selection, e.g. colour code
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 241/38 Solid waste disposal

Abstract

To provide a method for easily discriminating used and unused gas generators from among gas generators for air bags separated from used cars in a car scrapping process. A method for discriminating between used and unused gas generators according to the present invention is a method for discriminating used and unused gas generators from among gas generators for air bags separated from used cars in a car scrapping process, and this method comprises the steps of:

a) crushing used cars mounted with gas generators each having on a surface thereof a material discoloring according to the surface temperatures in actuating the gas generator to separate the gas generators, and

b) discriminating the gas generators in which surfaces are discolored and the gas generators in which surfaces are not discolored from among the separated gas generators.

Claims

1. A method for discriminating between used and unused gas generators in a process for scrapping cars mounted with gas generators each having on a surface thereof, a material that discolors according to the surface temperatures in actuating the gas generators, comprising:

a) crushing the used cars to separate used or unused gas generators for air bags from the cars; and

b) discriminating the gas generators, in which surfaces are discolored, and the gas generators, in which surfaces are not discolored, from among the separated gas generators.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas generators have surfaces, which discolor in the form of characters, patterns, or marks.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas generators discolor in character-, pattern- or mark-shaped grooves formed on the surfaces thereof.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said material discolors irreversibly.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said material discolors at the temperature of 150°

C. or higher.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said material discolors at the temperature of 200°

C. or higher.