Opening apparatus for the gas pressure container of an airbag

An opening apparatus for a gas pressure container for inflating an airbag, comprising:

• a housing that is fixedly connected to a gas pressure container and communicates with said container via a discharge opening thereof, wherein said housing is predominantly filled with an inert gas;
• a counterbearing disposed in said housing;
• a sealing element for initially sealing said discharge opening, said sealing element comprising a concave portion;
• a pressure piece including a rounded end engaging said concave portion and disposed in said housing, wherein said sealing element is supported by said pressure piece on said counterbearing against opening forces acting on said sealing element via the gas pressure in said container;
• a triggering device that when activated removes support for said sealing element so that said discharge opening is opened by gas pressure in said container for inflation of an airbag, wherein support of said sealing element is stable independent of said triggering device;
• and
• a throttling means disposed upstream of said discharge opening relative to a direction of discharge of gas in said container through said discharge opening, wherein a cross-sectional area of said discharge opening is larger than a cross-sectional area of said throttling means, and wherein a pressure chamber is formed between said throttling means and said discharge opening.