Additives for liquid-cooled inflators
First Claim
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1. An inflator comprising:
- a housing at least in part defining a first chamber containing a quantity of gas generant;
an initiator operatively associated with the first chamber and in reaction initiating communication with at least a portion of the quantity of gas generant, the initiator, upon actuation, to ignite at least a portion of the quantity of gas generant to form gas;
the housing further at least in part defining a second chamber adjacently disposed to the first chamber, the second chamber containing a quantity of liquid and a piston assembly, the liquid includes at least one of a fuel soluble in the liquid or an oxidizer soluble in the liquid, the piston assembly including a piston having an interior sealed from the quantity of liquid, wherein during deployment, the piston moves to unseal the interior of the piston from the liquid to expel at least a portion of the quantity of liquid from the second chamber such that the expelled liquid contacts and cools gas formed by the ignition of the gas generant; and
the housing further having at least one discharge opening to permit gas to exit the housing.
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Abstract
An inflator that includes a quantity of gas generant housed within a chamber. A liquid including at least one of a fuel soluble in the liquid or an oxidizer soluble in the liquid and a piston are housed within another chamber of the inflator. This chamber is sealed. Upon actuation, movement of the piston hydraulically expels the liquid through an opening in the piston such that the liquid contacts the gas formed by combustion of the gas generant and cools the same. The fuel and/or oxidizer in the liquid can react to form additional gas.
28 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An inflator comprising:
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a housing at least in part defining a first chamber containing a quantity of gas generant; an initiator operatively associated with the first chamber and in reaction initiating communication with at least a portion of the quantity of gas generant, the initiator, upon actuation, to ignite at least a portion of the quantity of gas generant to form gas; the housing further at least in part defining a second chamber adjacently disposed to the first chamber, the second chamber containing a quantity of liquid and a piston assembly, the liquid includes at least one of a fuel soluble in the liquid or an oxidizer soluble in the liquid, the piston assembly including a piston having an interior sealed from the quantity of liquid, wherein during deployment, the piston moves to unseal the interior of the piston from the liquid to expel at least a portion of the quantity of liquid from the second chamber such that the expelled liquid contacts and cools gas formed by the ignition of the gas generant; and the housing further having at least one discharge opening to permit gas to exit the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An inflator comprising:
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a housing at least in part defining a first chamber containing a quantity of gas generant solid, the first chamber having a constant volume; an initiator operatively associated with the first chamber in reaction initiating communication with at least a portion of the quantity of gas generant solid, the initiator, upon actuation, to ignite the gas generant to form gas; the housing additionally at least in part defining a second chamber adjacently disposed to the first chamber, the second chamber containing a quantity of liquid and a piston assembly, the liquid includes at least one soluble fuel and at least one soluble oxidizer that upon actuation are reactable to form additional gas, the piston assembly includes a piston having an interior sealed from the quantity of liquid, wherein during deployment, the piston moves to unseal the interior of the piston from the liquid to hydraulically expel at least a portion of the quantity of liquid from the second chamber such that the expelled liquid contacts, vaporizes, mixes with and cools gas formed by the ignition of the gas generant and at least a portion of the at least one soluble fuel and at least one soluble oxidizer react to form additional gas; and the housing further having at least one discharge opening to permit gas to exit the housing. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method of cooling gas formed in an inflator, the inflator comprising a housing at least in part defining a first chamber containing a quantity of gas generant, an initiator, the housing further at least in part defining a second chamber adjacently disposed to the first chamber, the second chamber containing a quantity of liquid and a piston assembly, the liquid includes at least one of a fuel or an oxidizer soluble in the liquid, the method comprising:
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igniting the gas generant to form gas; unsealing an opening in the piston assembly that was used to seal the interior of the piston; and moving the piston to expel at least a portion of the quantity of liquid from the second chamber such that the expelled liquid contacts and cools gas formed by the ignition of the gas generant and the at least one of a fuel soluble in the liquid or an oxidizer soluble in the liquid reacts to form additional gas. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification