Apparatus for inflating a side curtain

Abstract

A vehicle occupant safety apparatus (10) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (20) and a container (32) for storing gas (36) under pressure. The container (32) has an outlet (38). The apparatus (10) includes a mechanism (42) for opening the container (32) to release the gas (36) to flow from the outlet (38) at supersonic speed. The apparatus (10) also includes a pyrotechnic material (70) which is ignitable to generate gas for helping to inflate the inflatable device (20). The pyrotechnic material (70) is ignitable in response to being impacted by the gas (36) flowing from the outlet (38) at supersonic speed. The apparatus (10) further includes a conduit (50) directing at least a first portion of the gas (36) flowing from the container (32) to the pyrotechnic material (70) to ignite the pyrotechnic material.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.