Liquid cooled inflator
First Claim
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 sealed storage reservoir and a piston assembly,the sealed storage reservoir comprising a liner including a cup-shaped base having a closed first end and an oppositely disposed open second end, the cup-shaped base including a side wall covering an interior side wall surface of the second chamber and an end wall covering an end wall surface of the second chamber, the storage reservoir also comprises a lid to seal close the second end of the base, the sealed storage reservoir containing a quantity of liquid,the piston assembly including a piston, wherein during deployment, the piston moves to unseal the storage reservoir to release at least a portion of the quantity of liquid such that the released 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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Accused Products
Abstract
An inflator including a housing with a first chamber that contains a quantity of gas generant. An initiator is 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, acts to ignite at least a portion of the quantity of gas generant to form gas. The housing further has a second chamber adjacently disposed to the first chamber. The second chamber contains a sealed storage reservoir and a piston assembly. The sealed storage reservoir includes a liner and a lid and contains a quantity of liquid. The piston assembly includes a piston. During deployment, the piston moves to unseal the storage reservoir to release at least a portion of the quantity of liquid such that the released liquid contacts and cools gas formed by the ignition of the gas generant. A discharge opening permits gas to exit the housing.
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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 sealed storage reservoir and a piston assembly, the sealed storage reservoir comprising a liner including a cup-shaped base having a closed first end and an oppositely disposed open second end, the cup-shaped base including a side wall covering an interior side wall surface of the second chamber and an end wall covering an end wall surface of the second chamber, the storage reservoir also comprises a lid to seal close the second end of the base, the sealed storage reservoir containing a quantity of liquid, the piston assembly including a piston, wherein during deployment, the piston moves to unseal the storage reservoir to release at least a portion of the quantity of liquid such that the released 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, 14)
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15. 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 solid 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 sealed storage reservoir and a piston assembly, the sealed storage reservoir comprising a liner including a cup-shaped base having a closed first end and an oppositely disposed open second end, the cup-shaped base including a side wall covering an interior side wall surface of the second chamber and an end wall covering an end wall surface of the second chamber, the storage reservoir also comprises a lid to seal close the second end of the base, the sealed storage reservoir containing a quantity of liquid, 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, wherein during deployment, the piston moves to unseal the storage reservoir to release at least a portion of the quantity of liquid such that the released 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 (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. 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 sealed storage reservoir and a piston assembly, the sealed storage reservoir comprising a liner including a cup-shaped base having a closed first end and an oppositely disposed open second end, the cup-shaped base including a side wall covering an interior side wall surface of the second chamber and an end wall covering an end wall surface of the second chamber, the storage reservoir also comprises a lid to connect to the base to seal close the second end of the base, the sealed storage reservoir containing a quantity of liquid, the piston assembly including a piston, the method comprising:
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igniting the gas generant to form gas; and moving the piston to unseal the storage reservoir 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.
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Specification