Dual output inflator with independent gas storage vessels

• US 6,851,705 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2002
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Young, Anthony M., Green, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US10/298,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20030062713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 280/737, 280/736, 280/741, 280/730.2, 280/730.1, 280/749, 280/729, 137/68.13, 102/530, 102/531
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2648 comprising a plurality of combustion chambers or sub-chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/8249 Bipolar and MOS technology
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0623 in combination with bipolar transistors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1647 Explosive actuation

Abstract

An airbag inflator having two individual sections coupled together by a connection member is disclosed. The vessel may be configured to have different airbag inflation characteristics. The sections may have different gas generants, volumes, and orifice sizes. The inflator may also include modular components. Various vessels having different inflation characteristics may be attached to a connection member. The use of modular components allows multiple inflator configurations to be created from a smaller number of components.

Claims

1. An airbag inflator comprising:

a first vessel having a first end and a second end, wherein the first vessel has an ejection orifice at the first end;

a second vessel having a first end and a second end, wherein the second vessel has an ejection orifice at the first end;

a connection member coupled to the second end of the first vessel and to the second end of the second vessel, such that the first vessel is not in fluid communication with the second vessel, wherein the ejection orifice of the first vessel is oriented to eject gas in a direction generally opposite to the ejection orifice of the second vessel.

2. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 1, wherein the first vessel has a size different from the size of the second vessel.

3. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 1, wherein the first vessel has a first gas generant to produce a first volume of gas, and the second vessel has a second gas generant to produce a second volume of gas.

4. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 3, wherein the first gas generant is different from the second gas generant.

5. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 4, wherein the first and second gas generants are selected such that the ratio of the molecular weight of a gas produced by the first gas generant to the molecular weight of a gas produced by the second gas generant is inversely proportionate to the ratio of the volume of the gas produced by the first gas generant to the volume of the gas produced by the second gas generant.

6. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 3, wherein the first gas generant and the second gas generant are selected such that the inflator is substantially thrust neutral.

7. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 6, wherein the first gas generant and the second gas generant are selected such that the molecular masses of the gas generants are substantially equal.

8. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 3, wherein the first vessel has a different quantity of gas generant than the second vessel.

9. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 1, wherein the inflator is substantially thrust neutral.

10. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 1, wherein the first vessel ejection orifice and the second vessel ejection orifice are substantially coaxial.

11. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 1, wherein the first vessel ejection orifice and the second vessel ejection orifice are oriented such that the inflator is substantially thrust neutral along one axis.

12. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a first connection member burst disk positioned at the second end of the first vessel; and

a second connection member burst disk positioned at the second end of the second vessel.

13. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 12, wherein the first and second connection member burst disks each include a convex deflection into the connection member.

14. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a first toggling disk positioned at the second end of the first vessel wherein the first toggling disk bows inwardly toward the connection member; and

a second toggling disk positioned at the second end of the second vessel, wherein the second toggling disk bows inwardly toward the connection member.

15. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 1, further comprising an initiator in communication with the connection member.

16. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a first displaceable piston positioned at the second end of the first vessel; and

a second displaceable piston positioned at the second end of the second vessel.

17. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 1, wherein the first end of the first vessel is coupled to a first inflatable curtain and the first end of the second vessel is coupled to a second inflatable curtain such that the airbag inflator may expel inflation gas into the first and second inflatable curtains.

18. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 17, wherein the first inflatable curtain is a first cushion and the second inflatable curtain is a second cushion.

19. The airbag inflator, as recited in claim 17, wherein the first inflatable curtain and the second inflatable curtain are portions of a single cushion.

20. The airbag inflator, as recited in claim 19, wherein the first inflatable curtain and the second inflatable curtain are not in fluid communication with each other.

21. The airbag inflator, as recited in claim 17, wherein the first inflatable curtain and the second inflatable curtain are different sizes.

22. The airbag inflator, as recited in claim 21, wherein the first vessel is selected to inflate the first inflatable curtain and the second vessel is selected to inflate the second inflatable curtain.

23. The airbag inflator, as recited in claim 21, wherein the first vessel includes a first gas generant selected according to the volume of the first inflatable curtain and wherein the second vessel includes a second gas generant selected according to the volume of the second inflatable curtain.

24. The airbag inflator, as recited in claim 23, wherein the first and second gas generants are selected such that the ratio of the molecular weight of a gas produced by the first gas generant to the molecular weight of a gas produced by the second gas generant is inversely proportionate to the ratio of the volume of the gas produced by the first gas generant to the volume of the gas produced by the second gas generant.

25. The airbag inflator, as recited in claim 17, wherein the first inflatable curtain and the second inflatable curtain are similar in size.

26. The airbag inflator, as recited in claim 17, wherein the first inflatable curtain and the second inflatable curtain are not in fluid communication with each other.

27. An airbag inflator comprising:

a first vessel having a first end and a second end, the first end including an ejection orifice, wherein the second end of the first vessel is sealed by a burst disk;

a second vessel having a first end and a second end, the first end including an ejection orifice, wherein the second end of the second vessel is sealed by a burst disk;

a connection member coupled to the second end of the first vessel and to the second end of the second vessel, wherein the ejection orifice of the first vessel is oriented to eject gas in a direction generally opposite to the ejection orifice of the second vessel; and

an initiator coupled to the connection member.

28. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 27 wherein the first vessel is a different size than the second vessel.

29. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 27, wherein the first vessel has a first gas generant and the second vessel has a second gas generant.

30. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 29, wherein the first gas generant is different from the second gas generant.

31. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 30, wherein the first and second gas generants are selected such that the ratio of the molecular weight of a gas produced by the first gas generant to the molecular weight of a gas produced by the second gas generant is inversely proportionate to the ratio of the volume of the gas produced by the first gas generant to the volume of the gas produced by the second gas generant.

32. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 29, wherein the first gas generant and the second gas generant are selected such that the inflator is substantially thrust neutral.

33. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 32, wherein the gas generant of the first vessel and the gas generant of the second vessel are selected such that the molecular masses of the gas generants are substantially equal.

34. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 29, wherein the first vessel has a different quantity of gas generant than the second vessel.

35. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 27, wherein the inflator is substantially thrust neutral.

36. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 27, wherein the first vessel ejection orifice and second vessel ejection orifice are substantially coaxial.

37. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 27, wherein the ejection orifice of the first vessel and the ejection orifice of the second vessel are oriented such that the inflator is substantially thrust neutral along one axis.

38. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 27, further comprising:

a first burst disk positioned at the first end of the first vessel; and

a second burst disk positioned at the first end of the second vessel.

39. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 27, wherein the burst disks at the second ends of the first and second vessels bow inwardly toward the connection member.

40. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 27, wherein the first end of the first vessel is coupled to a first inflatable curtain and the first end of the second vessel is coupled to a second inflatable curtain.

41. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 40, wherein the first inflatable curtain is a first cushion and the second inflatable curtain is a second cushion.

42. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 40, wherein the first inflatable curtain and the second inflatable curtain are portions of a single cushion.

43. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 42, wherein the first inflatable curtain and the second inflatable curtain are not in fluid communication with each other.

44. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 40, wherein the first inflatable curtain and the second inflatable curtain are different sizes.

45. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 44, wherein the first vessel is selected to inflate the first inflatable curtain and the second vessel is selected to inflate the second inflatable curtain.

46. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 44, wherein the first vessel has a first gas generant selected to inflate the volume of the first inflatable curtain and the second vessel has a second gas generant selected to inflate the volume of the second inflatable curtain, wherein the airbag inflator is substantially thrust neutral.

47. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 46, wherein the first and second gas generants are selected such that the ratio of the molecular weight of a gas produced by the first gas generant to the molecular weight of a gas produced by the second gas generant is inversely proportionate to the ratio of the volume of the gas produced by the first gas generant to the volume of the gas produced by the second gas generant.

48. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 40, wherein the first inflatable curtain and the second inflatable curtain are similar in size.

49. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 40, wherein the first inflatable curtain and the second inflatable curtain are not in fluid communication with each other.

50. The airbag inflator as recited in claim 49, wherein the first and second vessels include first and second gas generants selected such that the ratio of the molecular weight of a gas produced by the first gas generant to the molecular weight of a gas produced by the second gas generant is inversely proportionate to the ratio of the volume of the gas produced by the first gas generant to the volume of the gas produced by the second gas generant.

51. A method for assembling a modular inflator system comprising:

selecting a first vessel from a first group of vessels, wherein the first vessel has a first end and a second end, wherein the first vessel has an ejection orifice at the first end;

selecting a second vessel from a second group of vessels, wherein the second vessel has a first end and a second end, wherein the second vessel has an ejection orifice at the first end; and

attaching a connection member to the second end of the first vessel and to the second end of the second vessel, such that the ejection orifice of the first vessel is oriented to eject gas in a direction generally opposite to the ejection orifice of the second vessel.

52. The method for assembling a modular inflator system as recited in claim 51, wherein the second end of the first vessel and the second end of the second vessel are threadably attached to the connection member.

53. The method for assembling a modular inflator system as recited in claim 51, wherein the first vessel and the second vessel are different sizes.

54. The method for assembling a modular inflator system as recited in claim 51, wherein the first vessel and the second vessel are the same size.

55. The method for assembling a modular inflator system as recited in claim 51, wherein the first group of vessels and the second group of vessels are the same group of vessels.

56. The method for assembling a modular inflator system as recited in claim 51, wherein the first group of vessels and the second group of vessels each have vessels of varying sizes.

57. The method for assembling a modular inflator system as recited in claim 51, wherein the first group of vessels and the second group of vessels each have vessels of varying gas generants.

58. The method for assembling a modular inflator system as recited in claim 51, wherein the first vessel is selected to inflate a first inflatable curtain and the second vessel is selected to inflate a second inflatable curtain.