US 7,243,946 B2Granted

Peroxide linear inflator

AssigneeAutomotive Systems Laboratory, Inc.

InventorsBruce A. Stevens, Graylon K. Williams

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Abstract

An inflator includes a housing and a gas source material enclosed in a rupturable container in the housing. The gas source material is adapted to undergo decomposition to form an inflation gas. A reactant material is adapted to react with the gas source material to produce decomposition thereof, and is positioned in a cavity extending between a housing outer wall and an enclosure positioned within the housing. The container and an expandable bladder are positioned in the enclosure. Ignition of a propellant within the bladder generates combustion gases, thereby expanding the bladder. Bladder expansion forces portions of the container into openings formed along the enclosure, thereby stressing and rupturing the portions of the container in the openings and releasing gas source material to flow through the openings into the cavity, where it reacts with the catalyst to produce inflation gas.

Claims47

Dependent claims

An inflator comprising:

a housing having an interior and a plurality of orifices formed therealong to enable fluid communication between the interior of the housing and an exterior of the housing;
an amount of a gas source material positioned in the interior of the housing, the gas source material being formulated to undergo decomposition to form decomposition products including at least one gaseous decomposition product comprising an inflation gas;
an amount of a reactant material positioned in the interior of the housing in fluid isolation from the gas source material, the reactant material being selected to react with the gas source material to produce decomposition of the gas source material including the at least one gaseous decomposition product, one of the gas source material and the reactant material being contained in a substantially rupturable container;
and
a mechanism for producing rupture of the container to enable fluid communication between the gas source material and the reactant material;
and
an enclosure positioned within the housing to form a cavity between an outer wall of the housing and the enclosure, the enclosure having an interior and a plurality of orifices formed therealong to enable fluid communication between the interior of the enclosure and the interior of the housing, and wherein the container is positioned in the interior of the enclosure;
wherein the mechanism for producing rupture of the container forces a portion of the container into at least one orifice of the plurality of enclosure orifices, thereby stressing and rupturing the portion of the container in the at least one orifice and releasing contents of the container to flow through the orifice into the cavity.

5 more elements

An airbag system comprising:

at least one airbag;
and
an inflator including:
a housing having an interior and a plurality of orifices formed therealong to enable fluid communication between an interior of the housing and an exterior of the housing;
an amount of a gas source material positioned in the interior of the housing, the gas source material being adapted to undergo decomposition to form decomposition products including at least one gaseous decomposition product comprising an inflation gas;
an amount of a reactant material positioned in the interior of the housing in fluid isolation from the gas source material, the reactant material being adapted to react with the gas source material to produce decomposition of the gas source material including the at least one gaseous decomposition product, a first one of the gas source material and the reactant material being enclosed in a rupturable container, the other one of the gas source material and the reactant material being positioned to communicate with the first one of the gas source material and the reactant material upon rupture of the rupturable container;
and
a mechanism for producing rupture of the container to enable fluid communication between the gas source material and the reactant material;
wherein the mechanism for producing rupture of the container forces a portion of the container into at least one orifice of the plurality of enclosure orifices, thereby stressing and rupturing the portion of the container in the at least one orifice and releasing contents of the container to flow through the orifice into the interior of the housing.

6 more elements

A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising:

a safety belt assembly including a safety belt housing and a safety belt extending from the safety belt housing, and an airbag system comprising at least one airbag and an airbag inflator including:
a housing having an interior and a plurality of orifices formed therealong to enable fluid communication between an interior of the housing and an exterior of the housing;
an amount of a gas source material positioned in the interior of the housing, the gas source material being adapted to undergo decomposition to form decomposition products including at least one gaseous decomposition product comprising an inflation gas;
an amount of a reactant material positioned in the interior of the housing in fluid isolation from the gas source material the reactant material being adapted to react with the gas source material to produce decomposition of the gas source material including the at least one gaseous decomposition product, a first one of the gas source material and the reactant material being enclosed in a pliable, substantially rupturable gas-and-moisture-impermeable container, the other one of the gas source material and the reactant material being positioned to communicate with the first one of the gas source material and the reactant material upon rupture of the rupturable container;
and
a mechanism for producing rupture of the container to enable fluid communication between the gas source material and the reactant material;
an enclosure positioned within the housing to form a cavity between an outer wall of the housing and the enclosure, the enclosure having an interior and a plurality of orifices formed therealong to enable fluid communication between the interior of the enclosure and the interior of the housing, and wherein the container is positioned in the interior of the enclosure;
and
wherein the mechanism for producing rupture of the container forces a portion of the container into at least one orifice of the plurality of enclosure orifices, thereby stressing and rupturing the portion of the container in the at least one orifice and releasing contents of the container to flow through the orifice into the interior of the housing.

6 more elements

A method for generating inflation gas for a vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising the steps of:

providing a housing having an interior and a plurality of orifices formed therealong to enable fluid communication between an interior of the housing and an exterior of the housing;
positioning an amount of a gas source material in the interior of the housing, the gas source material being adapted to undergo decomposition to form decomposition products including at least one gaseous decomposition product comprising an inflation gas;
positioning an amount of a reactant material in the interior of the housing in fluid isolation from the gas source material, the reactant material being adapted to react with the gas source material to produce decomposition of the gas source material including the at least one gaseous decomposition product, a first one of the gas source material and the reactant material being enclosed in a pliable, substantially rupturable gas-and-moisture-impermeable container, the other one of the gas source material and the reactant material being positioned to communicate with the first one of the gas source material and the reactant material upon rupture of the rupturable container;
providing a mechanism for rupturing the container to enable fluid communication between the gas source material in the container and the reactant material;
and
rupturing the container to provide fluid communication between the gas source material and the reactant material, thereby producing decomposition of the gas source material and formation of an inflation gas;
providing an enclosure positioned within the housing to form a cavity between an outer wall of the housing and the enclosure, the enclosure having an interior and a plurality of orifices formed therealong to enable fluid communication between the interior of the enclosure and the cavity;
and
positioning the container in the interior of the enclosure;
and
wherein the step of providing a mechanism for rupturing the container comprises providing a mechanism for forcing a portion of the container into at least orifice of the plurality of enclosure orifices, thereby stressing and rupturing the portion of the container in the at least one orifice and releasing contents of the container to flow through the orifice into the interior of the housing.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/991,232Filed 17 Nov 2004 · us provisional application
Priority: 18 Nov 2003
Published: US 2005/0104349 A119 May 2005
Granted: 17 Jul 2007
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

B60R 21/272
Using instantaneous release of stored pressurised gas: with means for increasing the pressure of the gas just before or during liberation, e.g.…
B60R 2021/2725
With means for increasing the pressure of the gas just before or during liberation, e.g. hybrid inflators: using a fluid fuel gas generator
B60R
Vehicle fittings and parts