Heater for air bag inflator

• US 6,279,947 B1
• Filed: 07/02/1999
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Faigle, Ernst M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUM VANNUCCI, LEE SIN YEE
• Application Number:
  US09/347,474
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 280/736, 280/741
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2607 characterised by heating or heat insulating means, e.g. for use under extreme temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10

Abstract

A vehicle safety apparatus (10) comprises an inflatable occupant protection device (12) having a deflated condition and an inflated condition for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle. The apparatus also comprises an inflator (14) for providing inflation fluid to the inflatable device (12) to inflate the inflatable device. The apparatus further comprises a heater (30) with an electrically energizable heating element (32) for controlling the temperature of the inflator (14). Preferably, an adhesive material (40) secures the heating element to the inflator. Alternatively, or additionally, the heater (30) is flexible and conforms to a surface (22) of the inflator (14).

Claims

1. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

an inflatable occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle;

an inflator for providing inflation fluid to said inflatable device to inflate said inflatable device;

a heater including an electrically energizable heating element for controlling a temperature of said inflator, and

an adhesive material securing said heater to said inflator.

2. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a temperature sensor on said heater for sensing the temperature of said inflator and a controller on said heater responsive to said temperature sensor for controlling energization of said heating element.

3. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said controller is programmed to maintain the temperature of said inflator in a predetermined temperature range of a few degrees of a set point temperature.

4. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said set point temperature is 23 degrees Centigrade.

5. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heater is adhesively secured to an outer wall portion of said inflator.

6. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said outer wall portion of said inflator has a non-planar configuration and said heater is flexible and conforms to the non-planar configuration of said wall portion of said inflator.

7. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said outer wall portion has a cylindrical configuration including a cylindrical outer surface to which said heater is attached.

8. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heater is flexible and able to conform to a non-planar configuration of the object to which said heater is attached.

9. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heater is adhesively secured to an outer wall portion of said inflator, said outer wall portion of said inflator having a non-planar configuration and said heater being flexible and conforming to the non-planar configuration of said wall portion of said inflator.

10. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

an inflatable occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle;

an inflator for providing inflation fluid to said inflatable device to inflate said inflatable device, said inflator having an outer surface; and

a heater secured to said outer surface of said inflator, said heater including an electrically energizable heating element for controlling a temperature of said inflator, said heater being flexible and conforming to a configuration of said outer surface of said inflator.

11. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said outer surface of said inflator has a cylindrical configuration.

12. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said heater is adhesively secured to said outer surface of said inflator.

13. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 10 further comprising a temperature sensor on said heater for sensing the temperature of said inflator and a controller on said heater responsive to said temperature sensor for controlling energization of said heating element.

14. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said controller is programmed to maintain the temperature of said inflator in a predetermined temperature range of a few degrees of a set point temperature.

15. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said set point temperature is 23 degrees Centigrade.

16. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

an inflatable occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle;

an inflator for providing inflation fluid to said inflatable device to inflate said inflatable device;

a heater for increasing a temperature of said inflator, said heater including an electrically energizable heating element, and

an adhesive material securing said heater to said inflator.

17. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 16 further comprising a temperature sensor on said heater for sensing the temperature of said inflator and a controller on said heater responsive to said temperature sensor for controlling energization of said heating element.

18. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein said controller is programmed to maintain the temperature of said inflator in a predetermined temperature range of a few degrees of a set point temperature.

19. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said set point temperature is 23 degrees Centigrade.

20. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said heater is adhesively secured to an outer wall portion of said inflator.

21. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein said outer wall portion of said inflator has a non-planar configuration and said heater is flexible and conforms to the non-planar configuration of said wall portion of said inflator.

22. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said outer wall portion has a cylindrical configuration including a cylindrical outer surface to which said heater is attached.

23. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said heater is flexible and able to conform to a non-planar configuration of the object to which said heater is attached.

24. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said heater is adhesively secured to an outer wall portion of said inflator, said outer wall portion of said inflator having a non-planar configuration and said heater being flexible and conforming to the non-planar configuration of said wall portion of said inflator.

25. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

an inflatable occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle;

an inflator for providing inflation fluid to said inflatable device to inflate said inflatable device, said inflator having an outer surface; and

a heater secured to said outer surface of said inflator for increasing a temperature of said inflator, said heater including an electrically energizable heating element, said heater being flexible and conforming to a configuration of said outer surface of said inflator.

26. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 25 wherein said outer surface of said inflator has a cylindrical configuration.

27. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 25 wherein said heater is adhesively secured to said outer surface of said inflator.

28. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 25 further comprising a temperature sensor on said heater for sensing the temperature of said inflator and a controller on said heater responsive to said temperature sensor for controlling energization of said heating element.

29. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 28 wherein said controller is programmed to maintain the temperature of said inflator in a predetermined temperature range of a few degrees of a set point temperature.

30. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 29 wherein said set point temperature is 23 degrees Centigrade.