Gas generation system
First Claim
1. An inflatable member system, comprising:
- an inflatable member expandable from a stowed condition to a deployed condition;
a gas generant, initially located within the inflatable member; and
an initiator;
a housing having upstream and downstream ends and an interior space and wherein the initiator is mounted in the upstream housing end; and
a sustainer gas generant initially positioned within the housing;
wherein;
the initiator is positioned to, upon triggering, cause ignition of the gas generant so that the gas generant combusts over a first time interval so as to generate inflation gas in a sufficient amount to substantially fully inflate the inflatable member from the stowed condition to the deployed condition in which the inflatable member contains a first volume of inflation gas; and
the initiator is positioned to, upon triggering, cause ignition of the sustainer gas generant so that the sustainer gas generant combusts over a second time interval, ending after an end of the first time interval, so as to generate sustainer gas in a sufficient amount to substantially maintain the inflatable member in the deployed condition containing approximately the first volume of inflation gas.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A gas generator (24; 140) may be used in an inflatable member system (20) which includes an inflatable member (22) expandable from a stowed condition to a deployed condition. The generator may include a flexible container (30; 150) within the inflatable member, a gas generant (28; 148), initially located within the flexible container, and an initiator (34). A propagating member (60; 142) may be located within the container to permit the initiator to initiate the generant upon triggering of the initiator to inflate the inflatable member from stowed to deployed conditions. A sustainer (44; 152; 156) may be provided to sustain the gas generation and may be positioned within a generator housing upstream of the propagating member or at or adjacent the downstream end of the propagating member.
123 Citations
34 Claims
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1. An inflatable member system, comprising:
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an inflatable member expandable from a stowed condition to a deployed condition; a gas generant, initially located within the inflatable member; and an initiator; a housing having upstream and downstream ends and an interior space and wherein the initiator is mounted in the upstream housing end; and a sustainer gas generant initially positioned within the housing; wherein; the initiator is positioned to, upon triggering, cause ignition of the gas generant so that the gas generant combusts over a first time interval so as to generate inflation gas in a sufficient amount to substantially fully inflate the inflatable member from the stowed condition to the deployed condition in which the inflatable member contains a first volume of inflation gas; and the initiator is positioned to, upon triggering, cause ignition of the sustainer gas generant so that the sustainer gas generant combusts over a second time interval, ending after an end of the first time interval, so as to generate sustainer gas in a sufficient amount to substantially maintain the inflatable member in the deployed condition containing approximately the first volume of inflation gas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for deploying an inflatable member (22) from a stowed condition to a deployed condition, comprising:
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providing a gas generant (148), initially located within a flexible container within the inflatable member; and providing an initiator (34); providing a conduit (142) at least partially within the flexible container, the conduit having a sidewall extending from a proximal end proximate the initiator to a distal end and separating a conduit interior from a conduit exterior, the sidewall having a plurality of apertures (146) and the gas generant substantially external to the conduit; triggering the initiator to cause a flame front to migrate from the proximal end toward the distal end; permitting the flame front to communicate through each aperture from the conduit interior to the conduit exterior so as to ignite a portion of the gas generant proximate such aperture and cause a distributed ignition of said gas generant to generate gas; permitting the generated gas to substantially inflate the inflatable member from the stowed condition the deployed condition. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A gas generator comprising:
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an initiator; a housing having upstream and downstream ends and an interior space and wherein the initiator is mounted in the upstream housing end; a gas generant, a major portion of which is located external to the housing; and a sustainer gas generant initially positioned within the housing; wherein; the initiator is positioned to, upon triggering, cause ignition of the gas generant so that the gas generant combusts over a first time interval so as to generate a first gas; and the initiator is positioned to, upon triggering, cause ignition of the sustainer gas generant so that the sustainer gas generant combusts over a second time interval, ending after an end of the first time interval, so as to generate sustainer gas in a sufficient amount to substantially maintain the inflatable member in the deployed condition. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An inflatable member systems, comprising:
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an inflatable member expandable from a stowed condition to a deployed condition; a flexible container within the inflatable member; a gas generant, initially located within the flexible container; and an initiator; characterized in that; an elongate ignition propagating member, at least partially within the flexible container, extends from a proximal end to a distal end of the flexible container; the gas generant is located external to the ignition propagating member; the initiator is positioned to, upon triggering, cause a flame front to migrate from the proximal end toward the distal end; and the inflation gas generated by combustion of the gas generant is of sufficient amount to substantially inflate the inflatable member from the stowed condition to the deployed condition. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A gas generating system, comprising:
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a flexible container (150); a gas generant (148), initially located within the flexible container; and an initiator (34); characterized in that; a conduit (142) is at least partially within the flexible container, the conduit having a sidewall extending from a proximal end (142A) proximate the initiator to a distal end (142B) and separating a conduit interior from a conduit exterior, the sidewall has a plurality of apertures (146) and the gas generant is located substantially external to the conduit; the initiator is positioned to, upon triggering, cause a flame front to migrate from the proximal end toward the distal end; and
the plurality of apertures are positioned and having sufficient size to permit the flame front to communicate through each aperture from the conduit interior to the conduit exterior so as to ignite a portion of the gas generant proximate such aperture and cause a distributed ignition of said gas generant to generate gas.
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33. An inflatable member system comprising:
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a. an inflatable member expandable by gas to a substantially fully-inflated volume V; b. means, comprising a primary gas generant initially located within the inflatable member, for rapidly inflating the inflatable member to volume V; c. means, comprising a sustainer gas generant, for sustaining inflation of the inflatable member at substantially volume V for a period of time longer than is sustainable through use of the primary gas generant alone; and d. means for igniting the primary gas generant and the sustainer gas generant.
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34. An inflatable member system comprising:
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a. an inflatable member expandable by gas to a substantially fully-inflated volume V; b. a primary gas generant initially located within the inflatable member, for rapidly inflating the inflatable member to volume V; c. an elongated flexible member (i) containing the primary gas generant and (ii) having (A) an upstream end and (B) a closed downstream end; d. an elongated housing having (i) an upstream end, (ii) a downstream end coupled to the upstream end of the elongated flexible member, and (iii) a shoulder proximate the downstream end; e. a sustainer gas generant contained within the elongated housing, for sustaining inflation of the inflatable member at substantially volume V for a period of time longer than is sustainable through use of the primary gas generant alone; f. means, comprising an initiator, for igniting (i) the primary gas generant so that it combusts over a first time interval so as to generate inflation gas in a sufficient amount to inflate the inflatable member to volume V and (ii) the sustainer gas generant so that it combusts over a second time interval, ending after the first time interval, so as to generate sustainer gas in a sufficient amount to maintain inflation of the inflatable member at approximately volume V; g. an end plug (i) positioned within the elongated housing adjacent the upstream end and (ii) carrying the initiator; h. means, comprising (i) a first annular elastomeric foam ring positioned intermediate the end plug and the sustainer gas generant and (ii) a second annular elastomeric foam ring positioned intermediate the sustainer gas generant and the shoulder, for supporting the sustainer gas generant under slight longitudinal compression; i. a ferrule having (i) a radially-extending flange positioned between the second annular elastomeric foam ring and the shoulder and (ii) a central aperture; and j. an elongated ignition propagating member (i) comprising a sheath and an explosive contained therein and (ii) having (A) an upstream end received by the central aperture and (B) a downstream end positioned within the elongated flexible member.
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Specification