Inflatable restraint system

Apparatus for generating gas, said apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of grains each of which has a central longitudinal axis and opposed, radially extending end faces spaced apart along the longitudinal axis, each of said grains being made of a material which generates gas upon combustion;
• each of said grains having parallel passages therethrough intersecting said end faces at locations spaced radially inwardly of the outer sides of each of said grains;
• said passages in each of said grains being defined by surfaces where combustion takes place to produce gas which flows through the passages;
• each of said grains having surfaces defining a plurality of recesses extending along the outer side of said grain between said end faces;
• a structure surrounding said plurality of grains;
• and
• elongated and resiliently yieldable retainer means extending along and projecting from said recesses into engagement with said structure for retaining said grains in positions in which the passages through said grains are axially aligned and for cushioning said grains against the influence of forces applied to said structure.

Apparatus for generating gas for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint, said apparatus comprising:

• a material for generating gas upon burning;
• a container for said material, said container having a first plurality of openings for directing gas into the restraint and a second plurality of openings which are smaller than the openings in said first plurality of openings for directing gas away from the restraint;
• and
• means covering said first and second plurality of openings which ruptures at one predetermined pressure to allow gas to flow into the restraint through the first plurality of openings and which ruptures at a predetermined pressure higher than said one pressure to allow gas to flow away from the restraint through the second plurality of openings.

Apparatus for generating gas for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint, said apparatus comprising:

• a material for generating gas upon combustion;
• a container for said material;
• a filter in said container and through which the generated gas flows;
• said container having first passage means for directing gas into the restraint and second passage means for directing gas away from the restraint;
• and
• first and second means blocking said first and second passage means respectively and which open at different pressures to enable gas to flow through said first passage means into said restraint when the pressure in said container reaches a predetermined magnitude and excess gas to flow through said second passage means away from said restraint when the pressure in said container reaches a magnitude higher than said predetermined magnitude.

Apparatus for generating gas for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint, said apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of grains of gas generating material arranged in a longitudinal array;
• said gas generating material generating gas upon combustion;
• at least one of said plurality of grains having a central opening;
• an ignitor for igniting said gas generating grains and located in said opening;
• each of said grains being cylindrically shaped and having a central longitudinal axis and opposite, radially extending ends spaced apart along the longitudinal axis, each of said grains having a plurality of passages extending therethrough and intersecting said ends, said passages being parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the grain;
• at least one end of each grain having projections extending therefrom to engage projections from the end of an adjacent grain to provide space between the grains for the flow of gas radially between the grains;
• and
• each of said grains having aligned recesses on the outer surface thereof and resilient means located in said recesses and projecting therefrom to align said parallel passages in said grains.

Apparatus for generating gas, said apparatus comprising:

• a cylindrically shaped grain having a central longitudinal axis and opposite, radially extending end faces spaced apart along the longitudinal axis;
• said grain being made of a material which generates gas upon combustion;
• said grain having a plurality of parallel passages extending therethrough and intersecting said opposite end faces each of the passage having a circular cross-section in a plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said grain and having a uniform cross-section throughout its length;
• said passages having central longitudinal axes located on concentric circles which have their centers on the longitudinal axis of said grain;
• the axis of each of the passages on the first one of said concentric circles being circumferentially spaced around said grain from the axes of adjacent passages on the second one of said concentric circles so that the axis of each of the passages on the first one of said concentric circles is disposed in a radial plane angularly offset from a radial plane containing the axis of any of the adjacent passages on the second one of said concentric circles, said angular offset being five degrees (5.degree.) to fifteen degrees (15.degree.);
• the circumferential distance between axes of adjacent passages disposed on the first concentric circle being equal to the circumferential distance between the axes of adjacent passages disposed on the second concentric circle.