Gas generating device for air bag and air bag inflating method

• US 6,607,213 B2
• Filed: 10/21/1999
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Miyata Industry Co., Ltd. (Morita Holdings Corporation), Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Miyata Industry Co., Ltd. (Morita Holdings Corporation), Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Usui, Yasushi, Eto, Norimasa, Yamamori, Kiyoshi, Ono, Takuhiro, Takahashi, Hiroyuki, Kawauchi, Yoshikazu, Takeyama, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bottorff, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US09/403,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20020038948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: 280/734, 280/736, 280/737, 280/740, 280/741, 102/530, 102/531
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2633 with a plurality of inflation levels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/264 using instantaneous generation of gas, e.g. pyrotechnic B60R21/268 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C06D 5/08 by reaction of two or more liquids

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gas generator for an air bag apparatus mounted in a vehicle or the like for protecting an occupant in the vehicle by charging gas into the air bag interposed between the occupant and a vehicle member at the time of collision of the vehicle. The gas generator for the air bag of the present invention comprises a first chamber (9) accommodating a flammable fluid (7) having a first vent opening (8) which is in communication with the air bag (3), a second chamber (5) accommodating the flammable fluid (7) and having a volume greater than that of the first chamber (9), a first occluding member (31) for occluding the first vent opening (8), and an ignition device (14) for igniting the flammable fluid (7) in the first chamber (9). By burning at least a portion of the flammable fluid (7) in the first chamber (9), the fluid in the first chamber (9) and the second chamber (5) is discharged out through the first vent opening (8), thereby inflating the air bag (3). Therefore, since the first occluding member is swiftly destroyed and burnt fluid mixture in the first chamber is discharged, it is possible to shorten the initial responding time at which the air bag starts inflating.

Claims

1. A gas generator for an air bag apparatus comprising charging means which is sealed after a flammable fluid is charged, a first bottomed cylindrical vessel having an open end to which a first lid member is welded, a second bottomed cylindrical vessel welded to the first lid member to form a first chamber filled with said charged flammable fluid and having a first vent opening occluded by a first occluding member formed in said lid member, a second chamber filled with said flammable fluid and having a volume greater than that of said first chamber and having a second vent opening occluded by a second occluding member which is capable of being in communication with said first chamber, at least one communication hole formed in a portion of a wall forming said first chamber and bringing said first and second chambers into communication with each other, first ignition means for igniting said flammable fluid in said first chamber, second ignition means for igniting said flammable fluid in said second chamber, and a diffuser which can be in communication with said first chamber through said first vent opening.

2. A gas generator for an air bag apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an ignition preliminary chamber formed such as to surround said second ignition means and having at least one communication hole which is in communication with said second chamber.

3. A gas generator for an air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said flammable fluid includes fuel gas, oxidizer gas and inert gas.

4. A gas generator for an air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein only one of said ignition means is allowed to ignite.

5. A gas generator for an air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein ignition timings of said two ignition means are different from each other.

6. A gas generator for an air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein ignition timing of said two ignition means are the same.

7. An inflating method, comprising inflating an air bag using the gas generator described in claim 1.

8. A gas generator for an air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second vent opening is formed in said second bottomed cylindrical vessel.

9. A gas generator for an air bag apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one end of the first ignition means is secured in the first lid member and the other end of the ignition means is secured by a second lid member, the first and second lid members forming respective ends of the diffuser.