Lightweight discoidal filterless air bag inflator
First Claim
1. A method of assembling an inflator comprising:
- (a) providing a substantially cup-shaped base member having first and second ends, the base member open at the first end and defining in the second end an aperture configured and adapted for insertion therein of the initiator assembly;
(b) installing the initiator assembly adapted for effecting combustion of a pyrotechnic material into the aperture of the second end of the base member;
(c) positioning a gas-generant container comprising a gas-generating composition and a gas-generant cup configured and adapted for containing the gas-generating composition in surrounding relation to the initiator assembly; and
(d) closing the base member first end by sealing thereover a closure cap, said closure cap secured to the base member; and
(e) press-fitting the gas-generant cup in surrounding relation to the initiator assembly.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A non-hybrid pyrotechnic filterless inflator, i.e., gas generator, for an automotive passive restraint air bag having a generally discoidally-shaped pressure vessel having a diameter that preferably is greater than or about equal to its height formed of a cup-shaped closure cap and a base member and having at least one exhaust nozzle for directing gaseous products out of the inflator and into the air bag. The pressure vessel contains an initiator assembly and a gas-generant cup assembly including a stamped metal cup which contains the main pyrotechnic gas-generating propellant composition positioned about and in some embodiments in contact with the initiator assembly and preferably spaced a small distance from the walls of the pressure vessel. The initiator assembly includes an initiator plug received in the opening of the base, a standard initiator which ignites the gas-generating products or ignition-enhancing materials in the inflator and the electrical connections to connect the inflator to a crash-sensing diagnostic system. An ignition-enhancer cup assembly may be provided which includes an ignition enhancing charge material placed inside a stamped metal cup containing numerous gas ports and positioned about the initiator assembly to place the ignition-enhancing generant charge about and in contact with the initiator.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method of assembling an inflator comprising:
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(a) providing a substantially cup-shaped base member having first and second ends, the base member open at the first end and defining in the second end an aperture configured and adapted for insertion therein of the initiator assembly; (b) installing the initiator assembly adapted for effecting combustion of a pyrotechnic material into the aperture of the second end of the base member; (c) positioning a gas-generant container comprising a gas-generating composition and a gas-generant cup configured and adapted for containing the gas-generating composition in surrounding relation to the initiator assembly; and (d) closing the base member first end by sealing thereover a closure cap, said closure cap secured to the base member; and (e) press-fitting the gas-generant cup in surrounding relation to the initiator assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A pyrotechnic inflator comprising:
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(a) a substantially discoidally-shaped pressure vessel consisting essentially of a base member having first and second ends, said base member open at said first end and defining, in said second end, an aperture configured and adapted for insertion therein of an initiator assembly, and a closure cap closing said base member first end, said pressure vessel defining at least one exhaust nozzle adapted to permit passage of gaseous combustion products rendered within said inflator out of said pressure vessel, wherein said pressure vessel is free of internal structural members; (b) the initiator assembly adapted for effecting combustion within said pressure vessel of a pyrotechnic gas-generating material, said initiator assembly received within the aperture in said base member second end and extending therefrom into said pressure vessel; (c) a gas-generant container located within said pressure vessel and positioned adjacent said initiator assembly, configured for containing a pyrotechnic gas-generating composition and adapted to expose said pyrotechnic gas-generating composition to an effect of said initiator assembly upon activation of said initiator assembly; and (d) an auto-ignitor abutting the pressure vessel, said auto-ignitor adapted for igniting the gas-generating composition at a temperature lower than ignition temperature of the gas-generating composition;
wherein the inflator is filterless. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A pyrotechnic air bag inflator capable of producing and exhausting a sufficient volume of gas into an air bag operatively associated therewith to inflate said air bag within a time interval between a primary and a secondary collision and without damaging the integrity of the air bag, said inflator comprising:
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(a) a substantially discoidally-shaped pressure vessel consisting essentially of a cup-shaped base member having first and second ends, said base member open at said first end and defining in said second end an aperture configured and adapted for receiving an initiator assembly, and a closure cap covering said base member first end, said pressure vessel defining at least one exhaust nozzle adapted to permit passage of gaseous combustion products produced within said inflator out of said pressure vessel, wherein said pressure vessel is free of internal structural members; (b) a gas-generating composition free of azide containing gas-generants which generates a gaseous product upon combustion; (c) the initiator assembly adapted for effecting combustion of the gas-generating composition within the pressure vessel, the initiator assembly received in the aperture in the base member second end and extending therefrom into said pressure vessel, said initiator assembly comprising an initiator adapted for producing energy to ignite the gas-generating composition, an initiator plug received in the aperture of the base member and adapted to retain the initiator in position in said pressure vessel, a seal between the initiator and the initiator plug to provide a substantially pressure-tight fit between the initiator and the pressure vessel and means for connecting the initiator to a crash-sensing diagnostic system; and (d) a gas-generant container within said pressure vessel positioned adjacent said initiator assembly and configured for containing an amount of a gas-generating composition said gas-generant container is adapted to expose said gas-generating composition to the effect of said initiator upon activation of said initiator assembly and said gas-generant container is free from attachment to the closure cap; (e) the gas-generant container comprises a substantially cup-shaped metal container having an open end and a closed end defining in a side wall portion thereof a plurality of openings adapted to allow passage of a gaseous product produced within said container upon combustion of said gas-generating composition out of said gas-generant container and a spring-loaded lid adapted for closing the open end of said cup-shaped metal container and for substantially preventing the gas-generating composition from moving within said gas-generant container; wherein the inflator is filterless. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A pyrotechnic inflator comprising:
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(a) a substantially discoidally-shaped pressure vessel consisting essentially of a base member having first and second ends, said base member open at said first end and defining, in said second end, an aperture configured and adapted for insertion therein of an initiator assembly, and a closure cap closing said base member first end, said pressure vessel defining at least one exhaust nozzle adapted to permit passage of gaseous combustion products rendered within said inflator out of said pressure vessel, wherein said pressure vessel is free of internal structural members; (b) the initiator assembly adapted for effecting combustion within said pressure vessel of a pyrotechnic gas-generating material, said initiator received within the aperture in said base member second end and extending therefrom into said pressure vessel; and (c) a gas-generant container located within said pressure vessel, free from attachment to the closure cap, positioned in substantially surrounding relation to the initiator assembly and configured for containing a pyrotechnic gas-generating composition and adapted to expose said pyrotechnic gas-generating composition to an effect of said initiator assembly upon activation of said initiator assembly, the gas-generant container comprising; (i) a substantially cup-shaped container defining, in a side wall portion thereof, a plurality of openings adapted to allow passage of a gaseous product produced upon combustion of said gas-generating composition out of said gas-generant container; and (ii) a spring-loaded lid adapted for closing an open end of said substantially cup-shaped container and for substantially preventing the pellets from moving within the gas-generant container; wherein the gas-generating composition is in the form of pellets and the openings in the container are smaller than the pellets, and the inflator is filterless.
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Specification