Gas generant filter assemblies

• US 6,886,855 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kemp, John D., Hammer, Steve, Cheal, Blake L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAYES, BRET C
• Application Number:
  US10/159,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 280/741, 280/736
• US Class Current: 280/741
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder

Abstract

Gas generant filter assemblies and related combinations, including airbag inflator devices, are provided which assemblies include a tubular wall portion with a sleeve member and a central opening adapted to at least in part contain a supply of gas generant material reactable to produce reaction products including a quantity of gas. The assemblies also include a closure such as disposed within the central opening at the second end of the central opening. The sleeve member is shapeable to form a plurality of retention tabs effective to secure the closure within the central opening at the second end.

Claims

1. A gas generant filter assembly comprising:

a tubular wall portion including a sleeve member and having a central opening to contain a supply of gas generant material reactable to produce reaction products including a quantity of gas, the tubular wall portion constructed at least in part of a material effective in treating reaction products produced upon reaction of the gas generant material, the central opening having opposed first and second ends, and

a closure disposed within the central opening at the second end of the central opening, the closure effective to prevent passage through the second end of the central opening by the supply of gas generant material contained within the central opening,

wherein the sleeve member is shapeable to form a plurality of retention tabs effective to secure the closure within the central opening at the second end.

2. The gas generant filter assembly of claim 1 wherein the tubular wall portion is cylindrical.

3. The gas generant filter assembly of claim 1 wherein the closure comprises a damper pad member.

4. The gas generant filter assembly of claim 1 wherein the tubular wall portion comprises a plurality of layers of filter material.

5. The gas generant filter assembly of claim 4 wherein the sleeve member is an inner layer of said plurality of layers of filter material.

6. The gas generant filter assembly of claim 5 wherein the tubular wall portion comprises a one-piece web of filter material spirally wound to form the plurality of layers.

7. The gas generant filter assembly of claim 1 wherein the tubular wall portion comprises a metal filter material.

8. The gas generant filter assembly of claim 7 wherein the metal filter material comprises a steel.

9. The gas generant filter assembly of claim 8 wherein the metal filter material comprises at least one form selected from the group consisting of a meshed metal, a knitted metal and an expanded metal.

10. A combination comprising:

the gas generant filter assembly of claim 1 and a quantity of gas generant material disposed in the central opening of the tubular wall portion,

wherein the tubular wall portion is effective to contain the quantity of gas generant material in the central opening thereof.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein at least a portion of the quantity of gas generant material disposed in the central opening of the tubular wall portion comprises gas generant wafers.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein the combination forms a unit insertable in a gas generating device.

13. An airbag inflator comprising the combination of claim 12.

14. The airbag inflator of claim 13 containing a supply of gas generant material consisting essentially of the quantity of gas generant material disposed in the central opening of the tubular wall portion.

15. The airbag inflator of claim 13 wherein the retention tabs are adjustable dependent on at least one factor selected from the group consisting of volume of the supply of gas generant material contained within the central opening and free volume within the inflator.

16. The combination of claim 10 wherein the combination forms a unit insertable in a gas generating device.

17. A combination comprising:

a cylindrical filter assembly having a central opening with opposed first and second ends;

a closure disposed at the second end of the cylindrical filter assembly; and

a quantity of gas generant material contained within the cylindrical filter assembly, in the central opening thereof,

wherein,

the first end of the central opening to receive an initiator effective upon actuation to initiate reaction of at least a portion of the quantity of the gas generant material to produce gaseous reaction products;

the closure effective to prevent passage of the gas generant material through the second end of the central opening; and

the filter assembly having a plurality of layers including an inner layer forming a sleeve member, the sleeve member shapeable to form a plurality of retention tabs effective to secure the closure within the central opening at the second end.

18. The combination of claim 17 wherein the closure comprises a damper pad member.

19. The combination of claim 17 wherein the filter assemble comprises a one-piece web of filter material spirally wound to form the plurality of layers.

20. The combination of claim 19 wherein the filter material comprises a metal.

21. The combination of claim 20 wherein the filter material metal comprises a steel.

22. The combination of claim 21 wherein the filter material metal comprises at least one form selected from the group consisting of a meshed metal, a knitted metal and an expanded metal.

23. The combination of claim 17 wherein the filter assembly comprises a one-piece web of a filter material spirally wound to form the plurality of layers.

24. The combination of claim 17 wherein the combination forms a unit insertable in a gas generating device.

25. An airbag inflator comprising the combination of claim 24.

26. The airbag inflator of claim 25 containing a supply of gas generant material consisting essentially of the quantity of gas generant material contained within the filter assembly.

27. An airbag inflator comprising the combination of claim 17 wherein at least a portion of the quantity of gas generant material contained in the central opening of the cylindrical filter assembly comprises gas generant wafers.

28. An airbag inflator comprising:

an inflator housing forming a combustion chamber,

a gas generant-containing filter assembly combination unit disposed within the combustion chamber, the gas generant-containing filter assembly combination unit including,

a cylindrical filter assembly having a central opening with opposed first and second ends,

a quantity of gas generant material contained within the filter assembly, in the central opening thereof, the gas generant material reactable to produce gaseous reaction products, and

a closure disposed within the central opening at the second end of the central opening, the closure effective to prevent passage of gas generant material through the second end, and

an initiator received in the first end, the initiator effective upon actuation to initiate reaction of at least a portion of the quantity of the gas generant material to produce gaseous reaction products,

wherein the filter assembly includes a sleeve member, the sleeve member shapeable to form a plurality of retention tabs effective to secure the closure within the central opening at the second end.

29. The airbag inflator of claim 28 wherein the closure comprises a damper pad member.

30. The airbag inflator of claim 28 wherein the filter assembly comprises a plurality of layers and wherein the sleeve member is an inner layer of said plurality of layers.

31. The airbag inflator of claim 30 wherein the filter assembly comprises a one-piece web of filter material spirally wound to form the plurality of layers.

34. The airbag inflator of claim 28 wherein the filter assembly comprises a plurality of layers of filter material.

35. The airbag inflator of claim 34 wherein the filter material comprises a metal having at least one form selected from the group consisting of a meshed metal, a knitted metal and an expanded metal.

32. An airbag inflator comprising:

an inflator housing forming a combustion chamber,

a gas generant-containing filter assembly combination unit disposed within the combustion chamber, the gas generant-containing filter assembly combination unit including,

a cylindrical filter assembly having a central opening with opposed first and second ends,

quantity of gas generant material contained within the filter assembly, in the central opening thereof, the gas generant material reactable to produce gaseous reaction products and

a closure disposed within the central opening at the second end of the central opening, the closure effective to prevent passage of gas generant material through the second end; and

an initiator received in the first end, the initiator effective upon actuation to initiate reaction of at least a portion of the quantity of the gas generant material to produce gaseous reaction products,

wherein the filter assembly comprises a plurality of layers of filter material.

33. The airbag inflator of claim 32 wherein the filter material comprises a metal having at least one form selected from the group consisting of a meshed metal, a knitted metal and an expanded metal.

36. The airbag inflator of claim 32 wherein the filter assembly is shapeable to retain the closure disposed within the central opening at the second end of the central opening.