Apparatus for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint using a mixture of gases

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

• a container having an imperforate wall portion with inner and outer sides;
• an ignitable gaseous material consisting of a combustible mixture of gases disposed in said container;
• igniter means for igniting the combustible mixture of gases, said igniter means igniting the combustible mixture of gases in said container to effect a flow of the ignited combustible mixture of gases from said container, said igniter means including a source of energy disposed adjacent to the outer side of said imperforate wall portion of said container and means disposed adjacent to the inner side of said imperforate wall portion of said container and actuable due to the energy transmitted through said imperforate wall portion of said container to effect ignition of the ignitable gaseous material in said container, and
• directing means for directing the ignited combustible mixture of gases from said container to said vehicle occupant restraint to inflate said vehicle occupant resistant.

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

• containing means including a gaseous mixture of gases consisting of a fuel gas, an inert gas and an oxidizer gas;
• igniter means for igniting the fuel gas and which ignites the fuel gas in said containing means to heat the mixture of gases in said containing means;
• and
• directing means for directing the heated mixture of gases from said containing means to said vehicle occupant restraint to inflate said vehicle occupant restraint.

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

• containing means for containing a combustible, mixture of gases;
• a combustible, mixture of gases in said containing means;
• means separate from and independent of said combustible mixture of gases for opening said containing means and for igniting the combustible mixture of gases to heat the gases in said containing means;
• and
• directing means for directing the heated mixture of gases from said containing means to said vehicle occupant restraint to inflate said vehicle occupant restraint.

A method of inflating a vehicle occupant restraint, said method comprising:

• providing a mixture of gases consisting of a combustible mixture of gases in a single cavity in a container, said combustible mixture of gases being the only stored gases for inflating the vehicle occupant restraint;
• igniting the combustible mixture of gases in the single cavity to form an occupant restraint inflating gas from said combustible mixture of gases and comprising the ignited combustible mixture of gases;
• and
• directing the occupant restraint inflating gas, which comprises the ignited combustible mixture of gases, from the single cavity to the vehicle occupant restraint to inflate the vehicle occupant restraint.

A method of inflating a vehicle occupant restraint, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a gaseous mixture of gases in a container, said mixture of gases consisting of a fuel gas, an inert gas and an oxidizer gas;
• igniting the fuel gas in the container to heat the mixture of gases in the container;
• and
• directing the mixture of gases from the container to the vehicle occupant restraint to inflate the vehicle occupant restraint.

A method of inflating a vehicle occupant restraint, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a combustible mixture of gases in a container;
• providing a means separate from and independent of the combustible mixture of gases for opening the container;
• opening the container by said means separate from and independent of the combustible mixture of gases;
• igniting the combustible mixture of gases to heat the gases in the container;
• and
• directing the heated mixture of gases from the container to the vehicle occupant restraint to inflate the vehicle occupant restraint.

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

• gas containing means having a chamber for containing a mixture of gases;
• a mixture of gases in said chamber consisting of a homogeneous, combustible mixture of gases for filling the vehicle occupant restraint, said combustible mixture of gases including an ignitable fuel gas and being a fuel gas lean mixture;
• igniter means which ignites the combustible mixture of gases in said chamber and forms an occupant restraint inflating gas from said combustible mixture of gases, said occupant restraint inflating gas comprising the ignited combustible mixture of gases;
• and
• directing means for directing said occupant restraint inflating gas, which comprises the ignited combustible mixture of gases, from said chamber to said vehicle occupant restraint to inflate said vehicle occupant restraint.

A method of inflating a vehicle occupant restraint, said method comprising:

• providing a mixture of gases consisting of a homogeneous, combustible mixture of gases in a chamber in a container, said combustible mixture of gases being for inflating the vehicle occupant restraint, said combustible mixture of gases including an ignitable fuel gas and being a fuel gas lean mixture;
• igniting the combustible mixture of gases to form an occupant restraint inflating gas from said combustible mixture of gases and comprising the ignited combustible mixture of gases;
• and
• directing the occupant restraint inflating gas, which comprises the ignited combustible mixture of gases, from the container to the vehicle occupant restraint to inflate the vehicle occupant restraint.

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

• first and second separate containers for containing gas;
• a fuel gas in said first container;
• an oxidizer gas in said second container;
• a containing means for receiving said fuel gas and said oxidizer gas from said first and second separate containers when said fuel gas and said oxidizer gas are released from said first and second containers;
• means for releasing said fuel gas and said oxidizer gas from said first and second containers for flow into said containing means and providing a combustible mixture of gases said containing means;
• igniter means for igniting the combustible mixture of gases in said containing means;
• and
• directing means for directing the ignited combustible mixture of gases from said containing means to said vehicle occupant restraint to inflate the vehicle occupant restraint.

A method of inflating a vehicle occupant restraint, said method comprising:

• providing first and second separate containers for containing gas;
• storing a fuel gas in said first container;
• storing an oxidizer gas in said second container;
• providing a containing means for receiving said fuel gas and said oxidizer gas from said first and second separate containers when said fuel gas and said oxidizer gas are released from said first and second containers;
• releasing said fuel gas and said oxidizer gas from said first and second containers for flow into said containing means and providing a combustible mixture of gases in said containing means;
• igniting the combustible mixture of gases in said containing means;
• and
• directing the ignited combustible mixture of gases from said containing means to said vehicle occupant restraint to inflate the vehicle occupant restraint.

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

• first means defining a first chamber for containing a first gas;
• second means defining a second chamber for containing a second gas;
• a first gas in said first chamber;
• a second gas comprising a combustible mixture of gases in said second chamber;
• means for releasing at different times the first and second gases for flow from said first and second chambers at said different times;
• igniter means for igniting said combustible mixture of gases;
• and
• directing means for directing said first gas and said ignited combustible mixture of gases into the vehicle occupant restraint.

A method of inflating a vehicle occupant restraint, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing a first gas in a first chamber;
• storing a second gas in a second chamber, said second gas comprising a combustible mixture of gases;
• releasing at different times the first and second gases for flow from said first and second chambers at said different times;
• igniting said combustible mixture of gases;
• and
• directing said first gas and said ignited combustible mixture of gases into the vehicle occupant restraint.

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

• first means defining a first chamber for containing a first gas;
• second means defining a second chamber for containing a second gas;
• a first gas in said first chamber;
• a second gas comprising a combustible mixture of gases in said second chamber;
• first actuatable opener means, for when actuated, opening said first chamber to enable said first gas to flow therefrom;
• second actuatable opener means separate from said first actuatable opener means for opening said second chamber to enable said second gas to flow therefrom;
• igniter means for igniting said combustible mixture of gases;
• and
• directing means for directing said first gas into the vehicle occupant restraint and for directing the ignited combustible mixture of gases into the vehicle occupant restraint.

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

• first means defining a first chamber for containing a first gas;
• second means defining a second chamber, larger than said first chamber, for containing a second gas;
• a first gas in said first chamber;
• a second gas comprising a combustible mixture of gases in said second larger chamber;
• actuatable means for, when actuated, enabling said first and second gases to flow from said first and second chambers;
• igniter means for igniting said combustible mixture of gases;
• and
• directing means for directing said first gas into the vehicle occupant restraint and for directing the ignited combustible mixture of gases into the vehicle occupant restraint.