Biaxial dual stage inflator with extended gas delivery for a vehicular airbag system

A dual stage biaxial inflator for a vehicular airbag system, the inflator comprising:

• at least one primary gas chamber providing first and second exit orifices displaced from each other along a longitudinal axis of the inflator, each of the exit orifices having an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein each exit orifice is disposed in an exterior wall of the inflator;
• a secondary gas chamber;
• a flow restrictor comprising a restricted flow channel sized to limit the flow rate of gas from the secondary gas chamber, said flow restrictor being positioned between the at least one primary gas chamber and the secondary gas chamber to enable gas from the secondary gas chamber to reach the first and second exit orifices at a limited flow rate;
• and
• an initiator in communication with an interior of the at least one primary gas chamber to selectively initiate a flow of gas through at least one of the exit orifices.

A dual stage biaxial inflator for a vehicular airbag system comprising:

• a primary gas chamber having a longitudinal axis, a first exit orifice at a first end of the primary gas chamber, and a second exit orifice at a second end of the primary gas chamber;
• the first and second exit orifices having an open and a closed configuration;
• a secondary gas chamber capable of gaseous communication with said primary gas chamber;
• a flow restrictor positioned between the primary gas chamber and the secondary gas chamber;
• and
• an initiator in communication with the interior of one of said gas chambers, the initiator being configured to selectively initiate a flow of gas through at least one of the exit orifices.

A dual stage biaxial inflator for a vehicular airbag system comprising:

• a first primary gas chamber having a first longitudinal axis and a first exit orifice, the first exit orifice having an open and a closed configuration;
• a second primary gas chamber having a second longitudinal axis and a second exit orifice, the second exit orifice having an open and a closed configuration;
• a secondary gas chamber;
• a plurality of flow restrictors positioned between the primary gas chambers and the secondary gas chamber to enable gas from the secondary gas chamber to reach the first and second exit orifices at a limited flow rate;
• and
• an initiator in communication with the interior of one of said primary gas chambers, such that activation of the initiator causes the inflator to initiate a flow of gas through at least one of the first and second exit orifices.

A dual stage biaxial inflator for a vehicular airbag system comprising:

• a primary gas chamber with a first exit orifice at a first end and a second exit orifice at a second end, each exit orifice having open and closed configurations;
• a secondary gas chamber in gaseous communication with said primary gas chamber;
• at least one flow restrictor positioned between the primary gas chamber and the secondary gas chamber;
• and
• an initiator positioned in the primary gas chamber, wherein the initiator is in communication with the interior of the primary gas chamber, and is configured to initiate a first primary flow of gas through the first exit orifice and a second primary flow of gas through the second exit orifice.