Inflator assembly having partitioning member redirecting gas flow

A gas assembly inflator comprising:

• a housing formed of a annular inner wall, an annular outer wall, disposed about a common longitudinal axis, and a first and second circular bases attached to said inner and outer wall and axially spaced from each other to form a central chamber disposed coaxially with said longitudinal axis and an annular chamber disposed about said central chamber and separated therefrom by said inner wall, said inner wall having a plurality of inner holes directed radially and axially outward of said inner chamber;
• an initiator disposed in said inner chamber for generating primer gas;
• a partitioning member for partitioning said outer chamber into a first portion and a second portion, said partitioning member having partition holes, and the partitioning member extending radially to the outer wall;
• a canister enclosing gas generator material disposed in said first portion, said material receiving said primer gas through said inner holes, said canister having a first section having a radial dimension substantially larger than a second section to define an L-shaped cross section, the partitioning member being provided with an axial section engaging an axial section of the second section of the canister, wherein the canister is radially disposed between the inner wall and the partitioning member;
• and
• a filter media disposed in said second portion and receiving gases from said first portion through said partition holes;
• said inner and partition holes defining respectively a first and second gas path, the gas paths being disposed at a path angle of at least 90.degree.;
• and
• said outer wall being formed with a plurality of exit holes for dispensing gases through said filter media.