Airbag inflator with adaptive valve

An airbag inflator, comprising:

• a pressure vessel having a control orifice through which inflation gas may flow when it reaches a predetermined pressure within said pressure vessel;
• a manifold having an inner end connected to said pressure vessel in fluid communication with said control orifice, said manifold comprising an exhaust opening through which inflation gas from said pressure vessel may pass for inflation of an airbag, said manifold having an outer end;
• and
• an adaptive valve connected to the outer end of said manifold, said adaptive valve being in fluid communication with said manifold and comprising an exhaust orifice for diverting inflation gas to an area outside of an airbag in communication with said manifold exhaust opening to lower the inflation rate thereof;
• said adaptive valve comprising a generally cylindrical valve body having said exhaust orifice therein, said valve body having an open inner end that is closed by a rupture disk disposed adjacent to said manifold, a support tube extending longitudinally in the center portion of said valve body, said support tube being of smaller diameter than said valve body and having an inner end in spaced relation to said rupture disk, a support plug slidably mounted in said support tube and having an inner end extending beyond the inner end of said support tube into engagement with said rupture disk to support said rupture disk, an initiator disposed in said valve body, said support tube having an open outer end in fluid communication with said initiator, said initiator being operable to create sufficient gas pressure in said support tube to move said support plug inwardly through said rupture disk to open said disk and enable inflation gas from said manifold to flow through said disk, between said support tube and said valve body, and through said exhaust orifice.

An airbag inflator comprising:

• a pressure vessel having a control orifice through which inflation gas may flow when it reaches a predetermined pressure within said pressure vessel;
• a manifold having an inner end connected to said pressure vessel in fluid communication with said control orifice, said manifold comprising an exhaust opening through which inflation gas from said pressure vessel may pass for inflation of an airbag, said manifold having an outer end;
• an adaptive valve connected to the outer end of said manifold, said adaptive valve being in fluid communication with said manifold and comprising an exhaust orifice for diverting inflation gas to an area outside of an airbag in communication with said manifold exhaust opening to lower the inflation rate thereof;
• said adaptive valve comprising a generally cylindrical valve body having said exhaust orifice therein, said valve body having an open inner end that is closed by a rupture disk disposed adjacent to said manifold, a support tube extending longitudinally in the center portion of said valve body, said support tube being of smaller diameter than said valve body and having an inner end in engagement with said rupture disk to support said rupture disk, an initiator disposed within said valve body, said support tube having an outer end in fluid communication with said initiator, said initiator being operable to create sufficient gas pressure in said support tube to open said rupture disk and enable inflation gas from said manifold to flow through said disk, between said support tube and said valve body, and through said exhaust orifice.