Pyrotechnic inflator for a vehicular airbag system

An inflator for inflating a cushion of an airbag system for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact against an interior surface of the vehicle, the inflator comprising:

• an initiator that provides initiation gas in response to receipt of an activation signal;
• a baffle having a passageway disposed to receive the initiation gas, the passageway having a plurality of holes;
• and
• a quantity of generant disposed outside the passageway to receive the initiation gas through the holes;
• wherein the baffle is shaped to conduct the initiation gas to the generant through the holes without reaction with any additional igniter within the passageway to induce combustion of the generant with a speed sufficient to inflate the cushion to interpose the cushion between the occupant and the interior surface prior to impact of the occupant with the interior surface.

An inflator for inflating a cushion of an airbag system for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact against an interior surface of the vehicle, the inflator comprising:

• an initiator that provides initiation gas in response to receipt of an activation signal;
• a baffle having a passageway disposed to receive the initiation gas, the passageway having a plurality of holes;
• a quantity of additional igniter material disposed within the first end of the baffle to supplement the initiation gas;
• and
• a quantity of generant disposed outside the passageway to receive the initiation gas through the holes;
• wherein the baffle is shaped to conduct the initiation gas to the generant through the holes to induce combustion of the generant with a speed sufficient to inflate the cushion to interpose the cushion between the occupant and the interior surface prior to impact of the occupant with the interior surface.

A baffle for channeling gas flows within an inflator for inflating a cushion of an airbag system for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the baffle comprising:

• a first end having a plurality of first end holes disposed to release the initiation gas from the first end;
• a second end having a plurality of second end holes disposed to permit entry of inflation gas into the second end and a second aperture disposed to release the inflation gas from the second end;
• and
• a blockage integrally formed with and disposed between the first and second ends to restrict initiation gas from passing directly from the first end to the second end.

An inflator for inflating a cushion of an airbag system for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the inflator comprising:

• an initiator that provides initiation gas in response to receipt of an activation signal;
• a quantity of generant;
• and
• a baffle comprising a first end, a second end, and a blockage, wherein the first end comprises a first aperture disposed to receive the initiation gas and a plurality of first end holes disposed to permit passage of the initiation gas from the first end to the generant, wherein the second end comprises a plurality of second end holes disposed to permit entry of inflation gas into the second end from the generant and a second aperture disposed to release the inflation gas from the second end, wherein the blockage is integrally formed with and disposed between the first and second ends to restrict the initiation gas from passing directly from the first end to the second end.

A method for manufacturing an inflator for inflating a cushion of an airbag system for protecting an occupant of a vehicle from impact, the method comprising:

• forming a wall with a generally tubular shape having a passageway with a first end and a second end;
• deforming the wall between the first and second ends to form a blockage;
• forming a plurality of first end holes in the first end;
• and
• forming a plurality of second end holes in the second end.

A method for inflating a cushion of an airbag module through the use of an inflator having an initiator, a baffle, and a quantity of generant, the baffle having a passageway with a plurality of holes, the method comprising:

• applying an activation signal to trigger deployment of the initiator to produce initiation gas;
• conveying the initiation gas into the passageway;
• directing the initiation gas from the passageway to the generant via the holes without reaction of the initiation gas with any additional igniter material disposed within the passageway;
• and
• igniting the generant with the initiation gas to produce inflation gas with a speed sufficient to inflate the cushion to interpose the cushion between the occupant and the interior surface prior to impact of the occupant with the interior surface.

A method for inflating a cushion of an airbag module through the use of an inflator having an initiator, a baffle, a quantity of additional igniter material, and a quantity of generant, the baffle having a passageway with a plurality of holes, wherein the additional igniter material is disposed at least partially within the passageway, the method comprising:

• applying an activation signal to trigger deployment of the initiator to produce initiation gas;
• conveying the initiation gas into the passageway;
• igniting the additional igniter material to supplement the initiation gas;
• directing the initiation gas from the passageway to the generant via the holes;
• and
• igniting the generant with the initiation gas to produce inflation gas with a speed sufficient to inflate the cushion to interpose the cushion between the occupant and the interior surface prior to impact of the occupant with the interior surface.