Supplemental-restraint-system gas generating device with water-soluble polymeric binder

• US 6,224,099 B1
• Filed: 07/21/1998
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cordant Technologies, Inc. (Howmet Aerospace, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lund, Gary K., Nielson, Daniel B., Blau, Reed J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FELTON, AILEEN BAKER
• Application Number:
  US09/119,517
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 149/18, 149/19.7, 149/19.91, 149/108.6, 149/109.6, 149/45, 149/2, 149/17, 102/202.5, 102/202.7, 102/205, 102/202, 280/741
• US Class Current: 280/741
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 21/0075 by extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 33/00 Compositions containing particulate metal, alloy, boron, silicon, selenium or tellurium with at least one oxygen supplying material which is either a metal oxide or a salt, organic or inorganic, capable of yielding a metal oxide
• CPC Class Codes: C06C 5/00 Fuses, e.g. fuse cords
• CPC Class Codes: C06C 9/00 Chemical contact igniters; Chemical lighters

Abstract

The present invention relates to an igniter composition which is capable of being extruded to yield a robust igniter extrudate. The composition is particularly useful in the form of an igniter stick or other selected geometry for use in supplemental safety restraint systems designed for use such as in vehicles, ground or airborne, having such systems.

Claims

1. A supplemental-restraint-system gas generating device for use in a vehicle, said gas generating device comprising:

a sensor for sensing impact to the vehicle and generating an impact signal;

a squib which is operatively associated with the sensor to receive the impact signal from the sensor and which is activated by the impact signal;

an igniter which comprises at least one extruded dry igniter element and is operatively associated with the squib so as to be ignited by the activated squib; and

a gas generant composition in operative relation to the igniter so that the igniter, in an ignited state, initiates combustion of the gas generant composition to cause the gas generant composition to generate gas for inflating an air bag,

wherein said extruded dry igniter element is formed from an extrudable igniter composition comprising, as ingredients prior to drying of said composition to form said dry igniter element, at least one water-soluble binder dissolved into an aqueous solution, at least one oxidizing agent, at least one fuel, and, optionally, fibers, and wherein said water-soluble binder comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble polymeric binder, a water-soluble gum present in an amount of from about 2% by weight to about 10% by weight based on the total amount of dry ingredient in said extrudable igniter composition, and water-soluble gelatin.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said water-soluble polymeric binder comprises poly-N-vinyl pyrolidone.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said water-soluble polymeric binder comprises polyvinylalcohol.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said extrudable igniter composition comprises gum.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said extrudable igniter composition comprises said water-soluble polymeric binder.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said water-soluble polymeric binder comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide, sodium polyacrylates, and copolymers thereof.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said oxidizer is present in an amount of from about 40% by weight to about 90% by weight relative to the dry ingredients used in formulating said extrudable igniter composition.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said oxidizer comprises at least one ionic species selected from the group consisting of nitrate, nitrite, chlorate, perchlorate, peroxides, and superperoxides.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said extrudable igniter composition contains fibers.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said fibers comprise at least one of polyolefin fibers, polyamide fibers, polyester fibers, or poly(2,2′

-(m-phenylene)-5,5-bisbenzimidazole fibers.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein (a) said binder comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of poly-N-vinyl pyrolidone, polyvinylalcohol or copolymers thereof, and gum;

(b) said oxidizer is present in an amount of from about 40% by weight to about 90% by weight relative to the dry ingredients used in formulating said extrudable igniter composition, and said oxidizer contains at least one ionic species selected from the group consisting of nitrate, nitrite, chlorate, perchlorate, peroxides, and superperoxides;

(c) said extrudable igniter composition contains low-aspect ratio fibers, said fibers comprising at least one of polyolefin fibers, polyamide fibers, polyester fibers, or poly(2,2′

-(m-phenylene)-5,5-bisbenzimidazole fibers.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein said fuel comprises boron and said oxidizer comprises potassium nitrate.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said water-soluble polymeric binder comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide, sodium polyacrylates, and copolymers thereof.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said boron is present in an amount of about 5% to about 40% by weight, said potassium nitrate is present in an amount of about 40% to about 90% by weight, and the binder is present in an amount of about 2% to about 10% by weight.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein said extrudable igniter composition further comprises, as one of said ingredients, hexa ammine cobalt nitrate.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein said boron is present in an amount of about 10% to about 20% by weight, said hexa ammine cobalt is present in an amount of about 10% to about 20% by weight, said potassium nitrate is present in an amount of about 40% to about 90% by weight, and the binder is present in an amount of about 3% to about 7% by weight.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein said extrudable igniter composition further comprises, as one of said ingredients, guanidine nitrate.

35. The device of claim 17, wherein said extrudable igniter composition further comprises, as one of said ingredients, guanidine nitrate.

2. A vehicle equipped with a supplemental safety restraint system having a gas generating device therein, said gas generating device comprising:

a sensor for sensing impact to the vehicle and generating an impact signal;

a squib which is operatively associated with the sensor to receive the impact signal from the sensor and which is activated by the impact signal;

an igniter which comprises at least one extruded dry igniter element and is operatively associated with the squib so as to be ignited by the activated squib; and

a gas generant composition in operative relation to the igniter so that the igniter, in an ignited state, initiates combustion of the gas generant composition to cause the gas generant composition to generate gas for inflating an air bag,

wherein said extruded dry igniter element is formed from an extrudable igniter composition comprising, as ingredients prior to drying of said composition to form said dry igniter element, at least one water-soluble binder dissolved into an aqueous solution, at least one oxidizing agent, at least one fuel, and, optionally, fibers, and wherein said water-soluble binder comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble polymeric binder, a water-soluble gum present in an amount of from about 2% by weight to about 10% by weight based on the total amount of dry ingredient in said extrudable igniter composition, and water-soluble gelatin.

19. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said water-soluble polymeric binder comprises poly-N-vinyl pyrolidone.

20. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said water-soluble polymeric binder comprises polyvinylalcohol.

21. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said extrudable igniter composition includes gum.

22. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said extrudable igniter composition comprises said water-soluble polymeric binder.

23. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said water-soluble polymeric binder comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide and copolymers thereof.

24. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said oxidizer is present in an amount of from about 40% by weight to about 90% by weight relative to the dry ingredients used in formulating said extrudable igniter composition.

25. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said oxidizer comprises at least one ionic species selected from the group consisting of nitrate, nitrite, chlorate, perchlorate, peroxides, and superperoxides.

26. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said extrudable igniter composition contains fibers.

27. The vehicle of claim 24, wherein said fibers comprise at least one of polyolefin fibers, polyamide fibers, polyester fibers, or poly(2,2′

-(m-phenylene)-5,5-bisbenzimidazole fibers.

28. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein (a) said binder comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of poly-N-vinyl pyrolidone, polyvinylalcohol or copolymers thereof, and gum;

(b) said oxidizer is present in an amount of from about 40% by weight to about 90% by weight relative to the dry ingredients used in formulating said extrudable igniter composition, and said oxidizer contains at least one ionic species selected from the group consisting of nitrate, nitrite, chlorate, perchlorate, peroxides, and superperoxides;

(c) said extrudable igniter composition contains low-aspect ratio fibers, said fibers comprising at least one of polyolefin fibers, polyamide fibers, polyester fibers, or poly(2,2′

-(m-phenylene)-5,5-bisbenzimidazole fibers.

29. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said fuel comprises boron and said oxidizer comprises potassium nitrate.

30. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein said water-soluble polymeric binder comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide, sodium polyacrylates, and copolymers thereof.

31. The vehicle of claim 30, wherein said boron is present in an amount of about, 5% to about 40% by weight, said potassium nitrate is present in an amount of about 40% to about 90% by weight, and the binder is present in an amount of about 2% to about 10% by weight.

32. The vehicle of claim 30, wherein said extrudable igniter composition further comprises, as one of said ingredients, hexa ammine cobalt nitrate.

33. The vehicle of claim 32, wherein said boron is present in an amount of about 10% to about 20% by weight, said hexa ammine cobalt is present in an amount of about 10% to about 20% by weight, said potassium nitrate is present in an amount of about 40% to about 90% by weight, and the binder is present in an amount of about 3% to about 7% by weight.

34. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein said extrudable igniter composition further comprises, as one of said ingredients, guanidine nitrate.

36. The vehicle of claim 33, wherein said extrudable igniter composition further comprises, as one of said ingredients, guanidine nitrate.