US 5,131,680 A · Inflator assembly

Abstract

An inflator assembly inflates a vehicle occupant restraint. The inflator assembly includes a container which stores gas under pressure. A body of an ignitable pyrotechnic material is disposed within the container. An igniter assembly is actuatable in response to being struck to ignite the body of pyrotechnic material. An actuator assembly is provided to release the stored gas from the container and to actuate the igniter assembly. The actuator assembly includes a pyrotechnic which moves an actuator member to rupture a portion of the container and to strike the igniter assembly. Upon actuation of the igniter assembly, the pyrotechnic material is ignited and begins to burn. During initial burning of the pyrotechnic material, an orifice plate restricts a flow of combustion products to promote burning of the pyrotechic material. During continued burning of the pyrotechnic material, the flow of combustion products enlarges the size of the orifice in the orifice plate to reduce the restriction to the flow of combustion products. The combustion products heat the gas in the container to increase the fluid pressure in the container.

Claims38

Dependent claims

An apparatus for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint, said apparatus comprising:

container means for storing gas under pressure;
a body of ignitable material within said container means;
igniter means for igniting said body of ignitable material;
and
actuator means for releasing the stored gas from said container means and for actuating said igniter means to ignite said body of ignitable material, said actuator means including,
an actuator member movable along a path to establish a flow of stored gas from said container means and to actuate said igniter means to ignite said body of ignitable material, and
means for moving said actuator member along said path.

4 more elements

An apparatus for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint, said apparatus comprising:

container means for storing gas under pressure;
a body of ignitable material within said container means;
housing means at least partially disposed within said container means for enclosing said body of ignitable material, said housing means including an end portion having surface means for defining a first orifice having a first area;
igniter means for igniting said body of ignitable material to initiate burning of said body of ignitable material;
and
an orifice plate disposed in said housing means between said body of ignitable material and said end portion of said housing means, said orifice plate having surface means for defining a second orifice with a second area which is smaller than the first area to restrict a flow of combustion products from said housing means upon initiation of burning of said body of ignitable material, said first and second orifices conducting a flow of combustion products from said housing means during burning of said body of ignitable material, said orifice plate being deformable by the flow of combustion products to increase the size of said second orifice from the second area to an area which is at least approximately as great as the first area to reduce the extent to which said orifice plate restricts the flow of combustion products from said housing means.

3 more elements

An apparatus for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint, said apparatus comprising:

container means for storing gas under pressure, said container means including a side wall and having a first opening at a first end portion of said side wall;
housing means for holding a body of ignitable material within said container means;
and
a first friction weld interconnecting said housing means and the first end portion of said side wall of said container means.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Inflator assembly

Life of this patent

Inflator assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims38