Gas generator

• US 6,709,012 B1
• Filed: 01/28/2002
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippon Kayaku Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nippon Kayaku Company Limited
• Inventors: Hori, Hiroshi, Tanaka, Koji, Saso, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Toan C
• Application Number:
  US10/030,145
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 280/736, 280/741, 280/742, 102/202.9, 102/202.7
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26029 Ignitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2633 with a plurality of inflation levels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2648 comprising a plurality of combustion chambers or sub-chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/017 including arrangements for providing electric power to safety arrangements or their actuating means, e.g. to pyrotechnic fuses or electro-mechanic valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0173 Diagnostic or recording means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/124 characterised by the configuration or material of the bridge F42B3/13 takes precedence

Abstract

It is the object of the present invention to provide a gas generator that can provide a controlled expansion and inflation of the airbag with improved reliability. The gas generator D of the present invention is so structured that gas generating agents 7 packed in combustion chambers 3, 4 can be burnt by two ignitors 8, 9 independently of each other, wherein the ignitors 8, 9 electrically ignite ignition agents 26 by use of bridge wires 24 for generating heat by electrifying, and resistance values thereof are differentiated from each other.

Claims

1. A gas generator comprising a cylindrical housing, gas generating agents, packed in the housing to generate gas by burning, and a plurality of ignitors fitted to the housing for burning the gas generating agents, wherein each ignitor has a resistance exothermic body to generate heat by electrifying and thereby ignite ignition agents, and respective resistance values of the resistance exothermic bodies are different from each other.

2. The gas generator according to claim 1, wherein a difference of resistance value between the resistance exothermic bodies of the respective ignitors is no less than 0.3 Ω

.

3. The gas generator according to claim 2, wherein the difference of resistance value is 0.6 Ω

to 2.0 Ω

.

4. A gas generator comprising a cylindrical housing, a partition member for partitioning an interior space of the housing into a plurality of combustion chambers, gas generating agents packed in the combustion chambers to generate gas by burning, and a plurality of ignitors fitted to the housing for burning the gas generating agents packed in the combustion chambers independently of each other, wherein the each ignitor has a resistance exothermic body to generate heat by electrifying and thereby ignite ignition agents, and respective resistance values of the resistance exothermic bodies are different from each other.

5. The gas generator according to claim 4, wherein a difference of resistance value between the resistance exothermic bodies of the respective ignitors is no less than 0.3 Ω

.

6. The gas generator according to claim 4, wherein a difference of resistance value between the resistance exothermic bodies of the respective ignitors is 0.6 Ω

to 2.0 Ω

.