US 6,764,097 B2Granted

Opening device for a cold gas inflator

AssigneeKey Safety Systems, Inc.

InventorsMichael Eugene Kelley, William Francis McLeod, II, Anthony J. Curtis, Michael Felix Mulville

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Abstract

A cold gas inflator has a pressure vessel made of first and second cylindrical members that are joined by friction welding, the friction welding producing curls that serve to preclude an orifice plate from sliding into the second cylindrical member. The cold gas inflator is filled with stored gas. The cold gas inflator has a burst disk, which prevents the stored gas from exiting the pressure vessel. In the event of an automobile accident, an opening device is actuated, which causes the ignition of pyrotechnic material. This ignition generates a shockwave of sufficient energy to rupture a burst disk. The stored gas flows from the cold gas inflator in a radial direction.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An inflator comprising:

a first cylindrical member having a pressure vessel portion and a conduit portion for directing inflation gas, the pressure vessel portion has an annular end plate extending radially inward defining a discharge opening;
a second cylindrical member having a first end that is closed and a second end that is fused to the pressure vessel portion of the first cylindrical member by friction welding whereby curls are formed therefrom;
a burst disk having a substantially dome shape with a peak of the dome facing away from the second cylindrical member, the burst disk is attached to the end plate, wherein the burst disk, the first cylindrical member and the second cylindrical member define a pressure vessel;
and
an orifice plate having an orifice therethrough wherein the orifice is smaller than the discharge opening, the first cylindrical member has an annular ledge disposed within the pressure vessel portion thereof for precluding the orifice plate from contacting the end plate, and the curls preclude the orifice plate from sliding into the second cylindrical member.

2 more elements

An inflator for inflating an airbag comprising:

a pressure vessel containing gas comprising
(a) a first cylindrical member having a pressure vessel portion and a conduit portion for directing inflation gas, the pressure vessel portion has an annular end plate extending radially inward defining a discharge opening for the pressure vessel,
(b) a second cylindrical member having a first end that is closed and a second end that is fused to the pressure vessel portion of the first cylindrical member, and
(c) a burst disk having a substantially dome shape with a peak of the dome facing away from the second cylindrical member, the burst disk is attached to the end plate;
and an opening device attached to the conduit portion of the first cylindrical member, wherein the center of the burst disk is less than 8.0 mm away from the opening device, the opening device comprises an igniter and a nozzle for focusing the output energy of the igniter, whereby actuation of the igniter produces combustion products that rupture the burst disk allowing inflation gas to flow through the discharge opening, wherein the pressure vessel has curls formed from the fusing of the pressure vessel portion of the first cylindrical member with the second cylindrical member and the first cylindrical member has an annular ledge disposed within the pressure vessel portion thereof for precluding an orifice plate from contacting the end plate, and the curls preclude the orifice plate from sliding into the second cylindrical member.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/262,976Filed 3 Oct 2002 · continuation in part
Priority: 14 Dec 2001
Published: US 2003/0111831 A119 Jun 2003
Granted: 20 Jul 2004
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B60R 21/268
Characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow: using instantaneous release of stored pressurised gas
B60R 21/261
Characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow: with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide…
B60R 2021/26029
Characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow: ignitors
B60R 2021/2612
With means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid: gas guiding means, e.g. ducts

Family

Application10/017,022Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 14 Dec 2001
US 2003/0111832 A1Pre-grant publication · published 19 Jun 2003
US 6,629,703 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2003/0111831 A1Published application
US 6,764,097 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.