Dual stage air bag inflator

An apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said apparatus comprising:

• a container defining a chamber for inflation fluid, said container having an opening through which fluid may flow to inflate the protection device;
• a rupturable closure blocking fluid flow through the opening in said container;
• actuatable means for, upon actuation, producing combustion products to effect the rupture of said closure;
• a recess in said container for receiving said actuatable means, said recess being defined in part by a surface portion that limits movement of said actuatable means in a first direction relative to said container;
• a passage in said container communicating with the recess;
• and
• a member receivable in the passage for limiting movement of said actuatable means in a second direction opposite the first direction when said member is in the passage.

An apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said apparatus comprising:

• a container defining a chamber;
• inflation fluid and ignitable material in the chamber;
• means defining an opening in said container through which inflation fluid may flow from the chamber to inflate the protection device;
• a rupturable closure blocking flow through the opening in said container;
• a projectile supported by said container at a location spaced from said closure;
• actuatable means supported by said container for producing combustion products which propel said projectile to rupture said closure and are directed into the chamber to ignite said ignitable material in the chamber before said projectile ruptures said closure;
• surface means in said container for defining a recess which receives said actuatable means and a passage communicating with the recess, the recess being at least partially defined by a shoulder that limits movement of said actuatable means in a first direction relative to said container;
• and
• a member receivable in the passage to engage said actuatable means for limiting movement of said actuatable means relative to said container in a second direction opposite the first direction.

An apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said apparatus comprising:

• a container defining first and second chambers, said first chamber containing a combustible comprising mixture of gasescomprising inflation fluid and fuel gas, said second chamber containing ignitable material which, when ignited, produces combustion products for heating said inflation fluid;
• means for defining an opening through which said combustion products flow from said second chamber to said first chamber to heat said inflation fluid;
• means for igniting said ignitable material in said second chamber;
• and
• means for igniting said fuel gas in said first chamber before said combustion products flow from said second chamber to said first chamber to heat said inflation fluid.

An apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said apparatus comprising:

• a container having a chamber containing a combustible mixture of gases under pressure, said combustible mixture of gases including a fuel gas which is stored in said container;
• a first igniter which, when actuated, ignites said combustible mixture of gases in said chamber to increase said pressure;
• a second igniter which, when actuated, ignites said combustible mixture of gases in said chamber to increase said pressure;
• and
• controller means for actuating said first and second igniters in a selected one of a plurality of differing modes in response to parameters monitored by said controller means.