Inflator for vehicle occupant protection system
First Claim
1. Apparatus comprising:
- an inflator defining an inflation fluid pressure chamber and having an end wall, said end wall being a monolithic structure and including a fluid exit opening through which inflation fluid flows to exit from the inflator and a fluid flow path extending between said chamber and said exit opening; and
an initiator assembly attached to said end wall; and
a modular valve assembly comprising a plurality of parts that are interconnected separately from said inflator, said parts including a spool and a tubular valve housing containing and supporting said spool for movement within said valve housing, said modular valve assembly having an installed position in which said valve housing extends longitudinally across said flow path,said end wall further defining a valve compartment in which said valve housing is receivable and movable longitudinally across said flow path upon movement of said modular valve assembly to said installed position,said inflator having a cylindrical shape with a longitudinal central axis, said valve housing having an axis which is transverse to said longitudinal central axis and extending longitudinally across a portion of said flow path that extends radially of said longitudinal central axis.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (10) includes an inflator structure (12) and a modular valve assembly (18). The inflator structure (12) defines an inflation fluid pressure chamber (15), a fluid exit opening (60), and a fluid flow path (62) extending between the chamber (15) and the exit opening (60). The modular valve assembly (18) has a plurality of parts that are interconnected separately from the inflator structure (12), including a metering member (182) and a tubular valve housing (180) containing and supporting the metering member (182) for movement within the valve housing (180). The modular valve assembly (18) has an installed position in which the valve housing (180) extends longitudinally across the flow path (62) defined by the inflator structure (12). The inflator structure (12) further defines a valve compartment (76) in which the valve housing (180) is receivable and movable longitudinally across the flow path (62) upon movement of the modular valve assembly (18) to its installed position.
14 Citations
10 Claims
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1. Apparatus comprising:
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an inflator defining an inflation fluid pressure chamber and having an end wall, said end wall being a monolithic structure and including a fluid exit opening through which inflation fluid flows to exit from the inflator and a fluid flow path extending between said chamber and said exit opening; and an initiator assembly attached to said end wall; and a modular valve assembly comprising a plurality of parts that are interconnected separately from said inflator, said parts including a spool and a tubular valve housing containing and supporting said spool for movement within said valve housing, said modular valve assembly having an installed position in which said valve housing extends longitudinally across said flow path, said end wall further defining a valve compartment in which said valve housing is receivable and movable longitudinally across said flow path upon movement of said modular valve assembly to said installed position, said inflator having a cylindrical shape with a longitudinal central axis, said valve housing having an axis which is transverse to said longitudinal central axis and extending longitudinally across a portion of said flow path that extends radially of said longitudinal central axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. Apparatus comprising:
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an inflator structure defining an inflation fluid pressure chamber, a fluid exit opening, and a fluid flow path extending between said chamber and said exit opening; and a modular valve assembly comprising a plurality of parts that are interconnected separately from said inflator structure, said parts including a spool and a tubular valve housing containing and supporting said spool for movement within said valve housing, said modular valve assembly having an installed position in which said valve housing extends longitudinally across said flow path; said inflator structure further defining a valve compartment in which said valve housing is receivable and movable longitudinally across said flow path upon movement of said modular valve assembly to said installed position; and a temporary, thrust-neutral diffuser received over said exit opening.
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Specification