Adaptive output airbag inflation device
First Claim
1. An airbag inflator, comprising:
- a housing defining a storage chamber containing contents including a supply of a gas source material in a fluid form, the gas source material selected from the group consisting of nitrous oxide, inert materials and combinations thereof;
a propagation member contained at least in part within the storage chamber, the propagation member defining a propagation chamber having a volume containing a supply of a reactive material that reacts to at least produce heat, the propagation member having a first end and a second end, the propagation member including a plurality of gas exit holes;
a first initiator at the first end of the propagation member and in discharge communication with the supply of reactive material and effective to ignite the reactive material; and
a second initiator at the second end of the propagation member and in discharge communication with the supply of reactive material and effective to ignite the reactive material.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An airbag inflator is provided including a housing defining a storage chamber containing contents including a supply of a gas source material in a fluid form and a propagation member contained at least in part within the storage chamber and defining a propagation chamber having a volume containing a supply of a reactive material that reacts to at least produce heat. The propagation member having a first end and a second end and including a plurality of gas exit holes. A first initiator at the first end of the propagation member is in discharge communication with the supply of reactive material and effective to initiate the reactive material and a second initiator at the second end of the propagation member is in discharge communication with the supply of reactive material and effective to initiate the reactive material. At least one of the first and second initiators is actuated to produce a supply of inflation gas for inflating an airbag. The first and second initiator devices can be actuated substantially simultaneously or the second initiator can be actuated at a selected time interval subsequent to actuation of the first initiator, thereby providing various selected rates of inflation gas production.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An airbag inflator, comprising:
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a housing defining a storage chamber containing contents including a supply of a gas source material in a fluid form, the gas source material selected from the group consisting of nitrous oxide, inert materials and combinations thereof;
a propagation member contained at least in part within the storage chamber, the propagation member defining a propagation chamber having a volume containing a supply of a reactive material that reacts to at least produce heat, the propagation member having a first end and a second end, the propagation member including a plurality of gas exit holes;
a first initiator at the first end of the propagation member and in discharge communication with the supply of reactive material and effective to ignite the reactive material; and
a second initiator at the second end of the propagation member and in discharge communication with the supply of reactive material and effective to ignite the reactive material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of generating inflation gas via an airbag inflator which includes:
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a housing defining a storage chamber containing contents including a supply of a gas source material in a fluid form, the gas source material selected from the group consisting of nitrous oxide, inert materials and combinations thereof;
a propagation member contained at least in part within in the storage chamber, the propagation member defining a propagation chamber having a volume containing a supply of a reactive material that reacts to at least produce heat, the propagation member having a first end and a second end, the propagation member including a plurality of gas exit holes;
a discharge opening connecting the storage chamber and an airbag, the discharge opening including a rupturable seal normally sealing the storage chamber from the airbag and rupturable to at least in part release the contents of the storage chamber;
a first initiator at the first end of the propagation member and in discharge communication with the supply of reactive material and effective to ignite the reactive material; and
a second initiator at the second end of the propagation member and in discharge communication with the supply of reactive material and effective to ignite the reactive material;
the method comprising the step of actuating at least one of the first and second initiators. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification