Spontaneous firing explosive composition for use in a gas generator for an airbag

• US 6,177,028 B1
• Filed: 06/01/1998
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Klaus Schmidt, Nippon Kayaku Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Klaus Schmidt, Nippon Kayaku Company Limited
• Inventors: Ito, Yuji, Kimura, Ayumu, Yokote, Nobuaki, Tanaka, Koji, Kanda, Takeshi, Kuroiwa, Akihiko, Saso, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): ANTHONY, JOSEPH DAVID
• Application Number:
  US09/077,299
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 149/36, 149/37, 149/45, 149/41, 149/46, 149/47, 149/61, 149/62, 149/74, 149/88, 149/110, 102/288, 102/289, 102/290, 102/324, 280/741, 280/740, 252/186.1, 252/186.2
• US Class Current: 252/186.2
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 23/007 Ballistic modifiers, burning rate catalysts, burning rate depressing agents, e.g. for gas generating
• CPC Class Codes: C06C 9/00 Chemical contact igniters; Chemical lighters
• CPC Class Codes: C06D 5/06 by reaction of two or more solids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 149/11 Particle size of a component

Abstract

A spontaneous firing explosive composition for use in a gas generator for an airbag containing a fuel, an oxidizer, a combustion modifier, and a binder.

Claims

1. A spontaneous firing explosive composition for use in a gas generator for an air bag, comprising:

a fuel, an oxidizer, a combustion modifier and 2-30% by weight of a binder, wherein

said binder has 30 μ

m or less of a 50% average particle diameter of a reference number and the above agents are mixed, and

said fuel is at least one nitrogen atom-containing organic compound selected from the group consisting of azodicarbonamide, carbohydrazide, dicyandiamide, aminotetrazole, aminoguanidine, triaminoguanidine nitrate, nitroguanidine, triazole, tetrazole, azobitetrazole, bitetrazole, and salts thereof,

said oxidizer contains at least 50% by weight of potassium nitrate,

said combustion modifier is selected from the following groups (1)-(3);

(1) at least one member selected from the group consisting of zirconium, hafnium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, nickel, iron and oxides and sulfides of those members,

(2) at least one member selected from the group consisting of carbon and phosphorus, and

(3) a mixture of the above members (1) and (2),

said binder, which binds said fuel, oxidizer and combustion modifier, is at least one member selected from the following groups i)-iv);

i) hydrotalcite-type compound having the formula;

2. The spontaneous firing explosive composition as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said binder is selected from the group consisting of hydrotalcite having a formula Mg₆Al₂(OH)₁₆CO₃·

4H₂O, pyroaurite having a formula of Mg₆Fe₂(OH)₁₆CO₃·

4H₂O and a mixture thereof.

3. The spontaneous firing explosive composition as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fuel is aminotetrazole.

4. The spontaneous firing explosive composition set forth in claim 1, wherein said combustion modifier is molybdenum or an oxide thereof.

5. The spontaneous firing explosive composition as set forth in claim 1, wherein a 50% average particle diameter of a reference number of said potassium nitrate is 5-80 μ

m.

6. The spontaneous firing explosive composition as set forth in claim 1, wherein said combustion modifier is present in an amount of 2-10% by weight.

7. The spontaneous firing explosive composition as set forth in claim 1, wherein a 50% average particle diameter of a reference number of said combustion modifier is 10 μ

m or less.

8. The spontaneous firing explosive composition as set forth in claim 1, wherein said explosive composition is granulated.

9. The spontaneous firing explosive composition as set forth in claim 1, wherein a spontaneous firing temperature of said explosive composition falls in the range of 150 to 180°

C.

10. An enhancer comprising said spontaneous firing explosive composition as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A gas generating agent comprising said spontaneous firing explosive composition as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 9.

12. A gas generator comprising said enhancer set forth in claim 10.

13. A gas generator for an air bag comprising said gas generating agent as set forth in claim 11.

14. The gas generator comprising an enhancer and a gas generating agent comprising said spontaneous firing explosive composition as set forth in any one of claims 1 or 9 wherein a composition of said enhancer is substantially the same composition as said gas generating agent.