Compressed gas inflator with composite overwrap

An inflator device comprising:

• a steel liner at least in part forming a pressure vessel and
• an external composite wrap overlying at least a portion of the steel liner, the composite wrap comprising a composite of fibers and a resin matrix system;
• wherein the steel liner is incapable of withstanding the pressure generated within the pressure vessel upon actuation of the inflator device without support provided by the composite wrap and
• wherein at functional pressures the composite wrap and the steel liner share loading with the composite wrap subject to a proportionally larger amount of the total load at increasing functional pressures.

A method of making an inflator device, the method comprising:

• providing a steel inner liner to at least in part form a pressure vessel;
• overwrapping the steel inner liner with a composite of fibers and a resin matrix system;
• and
• treating the composite overwrapped steel inner liner to form an inflator device that withstands the pressure generated within the pressure vessel upon actuation of the inflator device and wherein the steel inner liner is incapable of withstanding the pressure generated within the pressure vessel upon actuation of the inflator device without support provided by the composite overwrap.