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US 5,607,181 AGranted
Liquid-fueled inflator with a porous containment device
AssigneeMorton International, Inc.
InventorsWilliam B. Richardson, Karl K. Rink, Linda M. Rink
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A liquid fueled inflator for a vehicle passive restraint airbag system is enhanced by storing the liquid fuel or propellant in a porous solid structure. The structure provides enhanced control over the combustion process by its influence over disbursement of the fuel or propellant into the combustion chamber. Porous structures which meter the disbursement of fuel or propellant into the combustion chamber, and frangible porous structures which propel the fuel throughout the combustion chamber are described.
Claims28
In an inflator comprising:
- (a) an initiator;
- (b) a fuel chamber containing a liquid fuel;
- (c) a housing containing a combustion chamber;
- (d) an oxidant in said combustion chamber;
- and
- (e) at least one discharge port;
- arranged so that activation of said initiator initiates the burning of said liquid fuel and oxidant in said combustion chamber producing gases which exit the inflator through said discharge port;
- the improvement comprising:
- said liquid fuel stored in a porous solid structure within said fuel chamber.
6 more elements
In an inflator comprising:
- (a) an initiator;
- (b) a liquid propellant;
- (c) a housing containing a combustion chamber;
- and
- (d) at least one discharge port;
- arranged so that activation of said initiator initiates the burning of said liquid propellant in said combustion chamber producing gases which exit the inflator through said discharge port;
- the improvement comprising providing:
- (e) a propellant chamber adjacent said initiator;
- (f) a porous solid structure within said propellant chamber;
- (g) an openable seal located between said propellant chamber and said combustion chamber;
- and
- said liquid propellant stored in said porous structure.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.