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US 5,683,105 AGranted
Electromechanical automotive air bag inflator
AssigneeMorton International, Inc.
InventorScott A. Jackson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrically energized coil or solenoid activates a magnetic piston/plunger assembly which forces pressurized gas out of a container through a diffuser and into an air bag without using pyrotechnic material, and thereby eliminating all of the undesirable effects associated with current state of the art inflators (i.e., particulate, smell, smoke, manufacturing dangers, etc.).
Claims10
An inflator for delivering pure inert cold gas to an air bag comprising,
- a container in which a pressurized cold pure inert gas is stored, said container having a first end and a second end, said container including a cylindrical section positioned between said first end and said second end and having an outlet conduit positioned at said second end, said outlet conduit being sealed by a burst disk that ruptures upon a predetermined increase of pressure in said container,
- a piston in sealed, slidable relation over a substantial portion of the length of said cylindrical section of said container, said piston during storage of said cold pure inert gas in said container being positioned at the end of said cylindrical section that is closest to the first end of said container,
- electromagnetic means positioned between said piston and the first end of said container with both sides of said piston being at the same pressure during storage of said pure inert gas in said container, and
- means for activating said electromagnetic means.
1 more element
An inflator for delivering pure inert cold gas to an air bag comprising,
- a container in which a pressurized cold pure inert gas is stored, said container having a first end and a second end, said container including a cylindrical section positioned between said first end and said second end of said container and having an outlet conduit positioned at said second end, said outlet conduit being sealed by a burst disk that ruptures upon a predetermined increase of pressure in said container,
- a piston in sealed, slidable relation over a substantial portion of the full length of said cylindrical section of said container, said piston during storage of said pure inert gas in said container being positioned at the end of said cylindrical section that is closest to the first end of said container,
- electromagnetic means positioned between said piston and the first end of said container with both sides of said piston being at the same pressure during storage of said pure inert gas in said container, and initiating means for activating said electromagnetic means,
- whereby, upon activation of said electromagnetic means by said initiating means, said piston is driven through a substantial portion of said cylindrical section to increase the pressure of the pressurized cold pure inert gas in said container, and
- when the pressure in said container exceeds the burst disk strength, the burst disk ruptures and allows the pressurized cold pure inert gas in said container to expand through said outlet conduit to an air bag to be inflated.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.