Hybrid inflator with foam as a fuel
AssigneeTRW Airbag Systems GmbH
InventorsDetlef Last, Ruckdeschel Rolf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An inflator (10) is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The inflator (10) includes a volume of stored gas and a propellant (52) that is ignitable to undergo a reaction that produces reaction products. The reaction products include heat and gas that mix with the stored gas to produce a mixture of inflation fluid. The inflator (10) is configured to discharge the inflation fluid to inflate the protection device. The propellant (52) comprises an open cell foam fuel propellant (140). The reaction includes a combustion reaction in which the foam fuel propellant (140) reacts with a gas oxidizer comprising oxygen to produce heat and gas reaction products that mix with the stored gas.
Claims38
An inflator that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, the inflator comprising:
- a volume of stored gas stored at a pressure of al least 5000 psi;
- and
- a propellant that is ignitable to undergo a reaction that produces reaction products, the reaction products comprising heat and gas that mix with the stored gas to produce a mixture of inflation fluid, the inflator being configured to discharge the inflation fluid to inflate the protection device,
- wherein the propellant comprises an open cell foam fuel propellant, the reaction comprising a combustion reaction in which the foam fuel propellant reacts with a gas oxidizer comprising oxygen to produce heat and gas reaction products that mix with the stored gas.
An inflator that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, the inflator comprising:
- a volume of stored gas stored at a pressure of at least 5000 psi;
- a propellant that is ignitable to undergo a reaction that produces reaction products, the reaction products comprising heat and gas that mix with the stored gas to produce a mixture of inflation fluid, the inflator being configured to discharge the inflation fluid to inflate the protection device, the propellant comprising an open cell foam fuel propellant, the reaction comprising a combustion reaction in which the foam fuel propellant reacts with a gas oxidizer comprising oxygen to produce heat and gas reaction products that mix with the stored gas;
- a housing defining a reaction chamber for containing the propellant and the gas oxidizer, and a pressure chamber for containing the stored gas, the reaction chamber and the pressure chamber being separated by a first closure member that is rupturable in response to actuation of the inflator to permit the reaction products produced by the propellant to mix with the stored gas in the pressure chamber;
- and
- an igniter that is actuatable to ignite the propellant in the reaction chamber, the igniter being configured to produce a shock wave when actuated, and wherein the foam fuel propellant in the reaction chamber is configured to permit the shock wave to propagate through the reaction chamber without a significant loss of intensity, the shock wave acting on and rupturing the first closure member separating the reaction chamber from the pressure chamber, thereby allowing the reaction products to enter the pressure chamber and mix with the stored gas.
An inflator that is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, the inflator comprising:
- a volume of stored gas stored at a pressure of at least 5000 psi;
- a propellant that is ignitable to undergo a reaction that produces reaction products, the reaction products comprising heat and gas that mix with the stored gas to produce a mixture of inflation fluid, the inflator being configured to discharge the inflation fluid to inflate the protection device, the propellant comprising an open cell foam fuel propellant, the reaction comprising a combustion reaction in which the foam fuel propellant reacts with a gas oxidizer comprising oxygen to produce heat and gas reaction products that mix with the stored gas;
- a housing defining a reaction chamber for containing the propellant and the gas oxidizer, and a pressure chamber for containing the stored gas, the reaction chamber and the pressure chamber being separated by a first closure member that is rupturable in response to actuation of the inflator to permit the reaction products produced by the propellant to mix with the stored gas in the pressure chamber;
- and
- an inflator outlet portion positioned at an end of the pressure chamber opposite the first closure member, and a second closure member that closes the inflator outlet, wherein the first closure member is configured to produce a shock wave in response to being ruptured, the shock wave produced by rupture of the first closure member propagating through the pressure chamber and rupturing the second closure member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.