Dual flow inflator for a vehicular airbag system

An inflator for a vehicular airbag system, the inflator comprising:

• a gas chamber having a longitudinal axis, the gas chamber comprising a first end with a first exit orifice and a second end with a second exit orifice displaced from the first orifice along the longitudinal axis, the first and second exit orifices each having an open configuration and a sealed configuration;
• an initiator receptacle formed separately from and attached to the gas chamber;
• and
• an initiator seated in the initiator receptacle, displaced from the longitudinal axis, to produce heat between the first and second ends to induce a first gas flow through the first exit orifice and a second gas flow through the second exit orifice.

An inflator for a vehicular airbag system, the inflator comprising:

• a first vessel having an interior end with a first interior opening and an exterior end with a first exit orifice that opens in response to activation of the inflator to permit pressurized gas to escape from the first vessel;
• a second vessel having an interior end with a second interior opening and an exterior end with a second exit orifice that opens in response to activation of the inflator to permit pressurized gas to escape from the second vessel;
• a bulkhead with a first aperture shaped to communicate with the interior end of the first vessel and a second aperture sized to communicate with the interior end of the second vessel, the second aperture positioned opposite the first aperture;
• and
• an initiator oriented nonparallel to a longitudinal axis extending through the first and second orifices.

An inflator for a vehicular airbag system, the inflator comprising:

• a first hemispherical portion with a first exit orifice having an open configuration and a sealed configuration;
• a second hemispherical portion with a second exit orifice positioned opposite the first exit orifice, the second exit orifice having an open configuration and a sealed configuration;
• and
• an initiator oriented nonparallel to a longitudinal axis extending through the first and second orifices and disposed in communication with a cavity formed by the first and second hemispherical portions to induce a first gas flow through the first exit orifice and a second gas flow through the second exit orifice.

A method for manufacturing an inflator for a vehicular airbag system, the method comprising:

• providing a gas chamber having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;
• providing an initiator receptacle;
• forming a first exit orifice in the first end, the first exit orifice having a sealed configuration and an open configuration;
• forming a second exit orifice in the second end, the second exit orifice having a sealed configuration and an open configuration;
• providing an initiator;
• attaching the initiator receptacle to the gas chamber;
• installing the initiator in the initiator receptacle such that the initiator is displaced from a longitudinal axis extending through the first and second orifices to position the initiator in communication with a portion of the gas chamber between the first and second ends;
• inserting gas-producing material into the gas chamber;
• and
• sealing the chamber with the first and second exit orifices in the sealed configuration to prevent escape of the gas-producing material until the initiator has been activated.

A method for inflating an inflatable curtain of a vehicular airbag system, the vehicular airbag system comprising an inflator having an initiator, a first end with a first exit orifice disposed proximate a first inlet port of the inflatable curtain, and a second end with a second exit orifice disposed proximate a second inlet port of the inflatable curtain, wherein each of the first and second exit orifices have an open configuration and a sealed configuration, the method comprising:

• activating the initiator, wherein the initiator is oriented nonparallel to a longitudinal axis extending through the first and second exit orifices;
• moving the first exit orifice from the sealed configuration to the open configuration to permit a first gas flow to flow into the inflatable curtain from the inflator through the first exit orifice;
• and
• moving the second exit orifice from the sealed configuration to the open configuration to permit a second gas flow to flow into the inflatable curtain from the inflator through the second exit orifice.

A method for manufacturing an inflator for a vehicular airbag system, the method comprising:

• providing a gas chamber having a first hemispherical portion and a second hemispherical portion;
• forming a first exit orifice in the first hemispherical portion, the first exit orifice having a sealed configuration and an open configuration;
• forming a second exit orifice in the second hemispherical portion, the second exit orifice positioned opposite the first exit orifice and having a sealed configuration and an open configuration;
• and
• attaching an initiator to one of the hemispherical portions such that the initiator is oriented nonparallel to a longitudinal axis extending through the first and second orifices.