Air bag module with pressure regulator
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device;
an inflator having a housing, said inflator including a propellant charge in said housing actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable device;
said housing having an end wall and having a side wall, said side wall having a fluid passage for directing flow of inflation fluid out of said housing to said inflatable device; and
a flow control member extending over said end wall and said side wall, said flow control member having a movable portion at least partially blocking said fluid passage, said flow control member having an outlet opening located over said housing end wall;
said movable portion of said flow control member moving as the pressure of inflation fluid acting on said portion of said flow control member increases upon actuation of said inflator to control the pressure in said housing and to direct inflation fluid to flow toward said outlet opening.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inflator (14) for an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (12) has a housing (20). A propellant charge (240) in the housing (20) is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating the device (12). The housing (20) has an end wall (42) and a side wall (44). The side wall (44) has a fluid passage (55) for directing flow of inflation fluid to the device (12). A flow control member (16) extends over the end wall (42) and the side wall (44) and has a movable portion (300) at least partially blocking the fluid passage (55). The control member (16) has an outlet opening (288) located over the end wall (42). The movable portion (300) moves as the pressure of inflation fluid acting on it increases upon inflator actuation to control the pressure in the housing (20) and to direct inflation fluid toward the outlet opening (288).
30 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; an inflator having a housing, said inflator including a propellant charge in said housing actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable device; said housing having an end wall and having a side wall, said side wall having a fluid passage for directing flow of inflation fluid out of said housing to said inflatable device; and a flow control member extending over said end wall and said side wall, said flow control member having a movable portion at least partially blocking said fluid passage, said flow control member having an outlet opening located over said housing end wall; said movable portion of said flow control member moving as the pressure of inflation fluid acting on said portion of said flow control member increases upon actuation of said inflator to control the pressure in said housing and to direct inflation fluid to flow toward said outlet opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; and an inflator having a generally cylindrical configuration centered on an axis, said inflator being actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said protection device; said inflator having a housing including a generally cylindrical housing side wall extending about said axis, said housing side wall having a fluid passage for directing flow of inflation fluid out of said housing to said protection device, said housing also having a housing end wall extending radially of said axis and said housing side wall; said inflator also including a flow control member having a control member side wall overlying and facing said housing side wall and a control member end wall extending radially of said axis and overlying and facing said housing end wall, said control member side wall having the same cross-sectional configuration throughout the circumference of said control member, said flow control member being mounted on said housing and at least partially blocking said fluid passage in said housing side wall prior to actuation of said inflator; said control member end wall defining a plurality of flow directing openings for directing fluid flow into said device, said control member side wall and said control member end wall upon actuation of said inflator deforming to form a fluid flow path between said fluid passage of said housing side wall and said flow directing openings. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; and an inflator having a generally cylindrical configuration centered on an axis, said inflator being actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said protection device; said inflator having a housing including a generally cylindrical housing side wall extending about said axis, said housing side wall having a fluid passage for directing flow of inflation fluid out of said housing to said protection device, said housing also having a housing end wall extending radially of said axis and said housing side wall; said inflator also including a flow control member having a control member side wall overlying and facing said housing side wall and a control member end wall extending radially of said axis and overlying and facing said housing end wall, said control member side wall having the same cross-sectional configuration throughout the circumference of said control member, said flow control member being mounted on said housing; said control member end wall defining a plurality of flow directing openings for directing fluid flow into said device, said control member side wall and said control member end wall upon actuation of said inflator deforming to form a fluid flow path between said fluid passage of said housing side wall and said flow directing openings, wherein said control member end wall includes a plurality of axially projecting portions spaced apart equally circumferentially in an array around said axis, each one of said projecting portions defining a respective one of said plurality of flow directing openings.
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; and
an inflator having a generally cylindrical configuration centered on an axis, said inflator being actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating said protection device;said inflator having a housing including a generally cylindrical housing side wall extending about said axis, said housing side wall having a fluid passage for directing flow of inflation fluid out of said housing to said protection device, said fluid passage providing said housing side wall with a cross-sectional configuration that varies around the circumference of said housing, said housing also having a housing end wall extending generally radially in a direction between said axis and said housing side wall; said inflator also including a flow control member having a control member side wall extending over said housing side wall and at least partially blocking said fluid passage when said inflator is unactuated, said control member side wall having the same cross-sectional configuration throughout the circumference of said control member; said control member side wall moving away from said fluid passage due to the pressure of inflation fluid acting on said control member side wall upon actuation of said inflator to increase fluid flow through said fluid passage. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification