Gas generator

• US 7,780,193 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nippon Kayaku Company Limited, Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippon Kayaku Company Limited, Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayakawa, Shinichi, Matono, Shougo
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming; Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US12/088,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20090230664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 280/736, 280/740, 280/741, 280/742
• US Class Current: 280/741
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2648 comprising a plurality of combustion chambers or sub-chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/274 characterised by means to rupture or open the fluid source

Abstract

A gas generator (1A) comprising: an ignition chamber (13) in which an igniter (12) and an enhancer agent (14) stored therein; a first combustion chamber (23) and a second combustion chamber (33) in which gas generating agent (24, 34) stored therein respectively; a first transfer path (15) communicating the ignition chamber (13) with the first combustion chamber (23); and a second transfer path (16) communicating the ignition chamber (13) with the second combustion chamber (33). The first transfer path (15) and second transfer path (16) are disposed to be displaced in parallel such that a center line (15a) of the first transfer path (15) and a center line (16a) of the second transfer path (16) do not overlap on the same straight line. Because of such a configuration, in a gas generator having two or more gas output portions driven by one igniter, it becomes possible that an effect of combustion of a gas generating agent in each combustion chamber is substantially or completely independent.

Claims

1. A gas generator comprising:

an ignition chamber having a single igniter and an enhancer agent stored therein;

a first combustion chamber and a second combustion chamber each having a gas generating agent stored therein;

a first transfer path communicating said ignition chamber with said first combustion chamber; and

a second transfer path communicating said ignition chamber with said second combustion chamber,

said ignition chamber, said first combustion chamber and said second combustion chamber are provided inside an elongated housing,

said ignition chamber, said first combustion chamber and said second combustion chamber are arranged linearly in an axial direction of said elongated housing such that said ignition chamber is sandwiched between said first combustion chamber and said second combustion chamber, and

said first transfer path and said second transfer path are arranged to be displaced from each other in parallel such that a center line of said first transfer path and a center line of said second transfer path do not overlap on a same straight line.

7. The gas generator according to claim 1, further comprising a separation wall provided between an opening face of said first transfer path provided on a wall surface of said ignition chamber and an opening face of said second transfer path provided on a wall surface of said ignition chamber.

8. The gas generator according to claim 1, further comprising a check valve which is disposed at a position that allows said first transfer path to be closed and which is driven based on a pressure difference between said first combustion chamber and said second combustion chamber.

2. A gas generator comprising:

an ignition chamber having a single igniter and an enhancer agent stored therein;

a first combustion chamber and a second combustion chamber each having a gas generating agent stored therein;

a first transfer path communicating said ignition chamber with said first combustion chamber; and

a second transfer path communicating said ignition chamber with said second combustion chamber,

said ignition chamber, said first combustion chamber and said second combustion chamber are provided inside an elongated housing,

said ignition chamber, said first combustion chamber and said second combustion chamber are arranged linearly in an axial direction of said elongated housing such that said ignition chamber is sandwiched between said first combustion chamber and said second combustion chamber, and

wherein said first transfer path and said second transfer path are arranged to be displaced from each other such that a center line of said first transfer path and a center line of said second transfer path are non-parallel.

12. The gas generator according to claim 2, further comprising a separation wall provided between an opening face of said first transfer path provided on a wall surface of said ignition chamber and an opening face of said second transfer path provided on a wall surface of said ignition chamber.

13. The gas generator according to claim 2, further comprising a check valve which is disposed at a position that allows said first transfer path to be closed and which is driven based on a pressure difference between said first combustion chamber and said second combustion chamber.

3. A gas generator comprising:

an ignition chamber having a single igniter and an enhancer agent stored therein;

a first combustion chamber and a second combustion chamber each having a gas generating agent stored therein;

a first transfer path communicating said ignition chamber with said first combustion chamber; and

a second transfer path communicating said ignition chamber with said second combustion chamber,

said ignition chamber, said first combustion chamber and said second combustion chamber are provided inside an elongated housing,

said ignition chamber, said first combustion chamber and said second combustion chamber are arranged linearly in an axial direction of said elongated housing such that said ignition chamber is sandwiched between said first combustion chamber and said second combustion chamber, and

wherein said first transfer path and said second transfer path are arranged to be displaced from each other such that when an opening face of said first transfer path provided on a wall surface of said ignition chamber is projected onto a wall surface of said ignition chamber on which an opening face of said second transfer path is provided, along a center line of said first transfer path, the projected opening face of said first transfer path does not overlap with the opening face of said second transfer path.

14. The gas generator according to claim 3, further comprising a separation wall provided between an opening face of said first transfer path provided on a wall surface of said ignition chamber and an opening face of said second transfer path provided on a wall surface of said ignition chamber.

15. The gas generator according to claim 3, further comprising a check valve which is disposed at a position that allows said first transfer path to be closed and which is driven based on a pressure difference between said first combustion chamber and said second combustion chamber.

4. A gas generator comprising:

an ignition chamber having a single igniter and an enhancer agent stored therein;

a first combustion chamber and a second combustion chamber each having a gas generating agent stored therein;

a first transfer path communicating said ignition chamber with said first combustion chamber; and

a second transfer path communicating said ignition chamber with said second combustion chamber,

said ignition chamber, said first combustion chamber and said second combustion chamber are provided inside an elongated housing,

said ignition chamber, said first combustion chamber and said second combustion chamber are arranged linearly in an axial direction of said elongated housing such that said ignition chamber is sandwiched between said first combustion chamber and said second combustion chamber, and

wherein said first transfer path and said second transfer path are arranged to be displaced in an axial length of said igniter such that when an opening face of said first transfer path provided on a wall surface of said ignition chamber is projected onto a wall surface of said ignition chamber on which an opening face of said second transfer path is provided, along a center line of said first transfer path, the projected opening face of said first transfer path does not overlap with the opening face of said second transfer path; and

said ignition chamber is partitioned in the axial length of said igniter into two chambers by providing a separation wall between the opening face of said first transfer path provided on the wall surface of the ignition chamber and the opening face of said second transfer path provided on the wall surface of said ignition chamber.

5. The gas generator according to claim 4, wherein said separation wall is formed of a part of a cylindrical cup with a bottom part arranged in said ignition chamber.

6. The gas generator according to claim 5, wherein said cup member is press fitted and fixed in said ignition chamber.

16. The gas generator according to claim 4, further comprising a check valve which is disposed at a position that allows said first transfer path to be closed and which is driven based on a pressure difference between said first combustion chamber and said second combustion chamber.

9. A gas generator comprising:

an ignition chamber having a single igniter and an enhancer agent stored therein;

a first combustion chamber and a second combustion chamber each having a gas generating agent stored therein;

a first transfer path communicating said ignition chamber with said first combustion chamber;

a second transfer path communicating said ignition chamber with said second combustion chamber; and

a movable member movably arranged in said ignition chamber and a movement restriction member arranged in said ignition chamber and being in abutment with said movable member for restricting movement of said movable member,

wherein said movable member is moved against restriction of movement by said movement restriction member by a pressure produced in said ignition chamber, whereby at least one of an opening face of said first transfer path provided on a wall surface of said ignition chamber and an opening face of said second transfer path provided on a wall surface of said ignition chamber is closed by said movable member.

10. The gas generator according to claim 9, wherein said movable member is formed of a cylindrical cup with a bottom part arranged in said ignition chamber.

11. The gas generator according to claim 9, wherein said movement restriction member has a fragile portion broken off with a movement of said movable member.