Autoignition compositions

• US 8,784,585 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition, LLC
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Burns, Sean P., Hordos, Deborah L., Newell, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): MCDONOUGH, JAMES E
• Application Number:
  US11/479,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20070113940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,944 Days
• Field of Search: 149/38, 149/75, 149/77, 149/108.6, 149/108.8, 149/109.2, 149/109.4
• US Class Current: 149/77
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2648 comprising a plurality of combustion chambers or sub-chambers
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 23/009 Wetting agents, hydrophobing agents, dehydrating agents, antistatic additives, viscosity improvers, antiagglomerating agents, grinding agents and other additives for working up
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 29/02 of an alkali metal
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 29/08 with an organic non-explosive or an organic non-thermic component
• CPC Class Codes: C06C 9/00 Chemical contact igniters; Chemical lighters
• CPC Class Codes: C06D 5/06 by reaction of two or more solids

Abstract

A gas generator 10 includes an autoignition composition that contains an alkali metal chlorate such as potassium chlorate as an oxidizer, a carboxylic acid such as DL-tartaric acid as a fuel, and a desiccant in operable communication therewith. Gas generating systems 180 such as vehicle occupant protection systems 180, containing the gas generator 10, are also provided.

Claims

1. A nitrogen-free autoignition composition consisting of:

an alkali metal chlorate as an oxidizer provided at about 25-75 weight percent;

a fuel consisting of D,L-tartaric acid and succinic acid provided at about 25-75 weight percent; and

a desiccant provided at about 5-35 weight percent, said percentages stated by weight of the total gas generant composition.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said alkali metal chlorate is potassium chlorate.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein said desiccant is selected from the group consisting of silica, zeolite, and calcium oxide.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein said desiccant is zeolite.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein said desiccant is selected to provide a mass differential after heat aging at 107 C for 400 hours, of about -5.0% to 5.0 %.

6. A gas generator comprising:

a nitrogen-free auto-ignition composition consisting of an alkali metal chlorate as an oxidizer provided at about 25-75 weight percent, and one or more carboxylic acids as a fuel provided at about 25-75 weight percent, said percentages stated by weight of the total composition;

and

a zeolite in vapor communication with said composition.