Initiator
AssigneesToyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Hino Motors, Ltd., Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsIsamu Takahara, Kazuo Nose, Akitoshi Yoshigai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An initiator is incorporated in an inflator in order to trigger the inflator through propagation of flame from an initiating explosive to a gas generator of the inflator. The initiator includes a closed-bottomed tubular capsule for accommodating the initiating explosive. A tubular portion of the capsule includes a plurality of rupture-accelerating means (grooves each having a V-shaped cross section) for accelerating rupture upon ignition of the initiating explosive, whereby flame propagates from the initiating explosive to the gas generator of the inflator along a plurality of directions.
Claims16
An initiator incorporated in an inflator and adapted to trigger the inflator through propagation of flame from an initiating explosive to a gas generator of the inflator, wherein the initiator comprises a single capsule for accommodating the initiating explosive, the capsule having a tubular side portion and a closed bottom portion, the tubular side portion comprising a pair of grooves located on a surface of the tubular side portion in opposition to each other with respect to a longitudinal axis of the tubular side portion, the pair of grooves being configured to accelerate rupture of the tubular side portion and to propagate the flame in opposite directions upon ignition of the initiating explosive.
An inflator comprising:
- a casing having two chambers, each chamber enclosing gas-generating materials and combustion accelerators;
- and
- an initiator incorporated into the casing at a longitudinally central portion of the casing, the initiator adapted to trigger the inflator through propagation of flame from an initiating explosive to the gas-generating materials and the combustion accelerators in each of the chambers, wherein
- the two chambers of the casing are disposed on one and the other sides, respectively, of the initiator so as to be in opposition to each other with respect to the initiator, and
- the initiator includes a single capsule for accommodating the initiating explosive, the capsule having a tubular side portion and a closed bottom portion, the tubular side portion comprising a pair of grooves located on a surface of the tubular side portion in opposition to each other with respect to a longitudinal axis of the tubular side portion, the pair of grooves being configured to accelerate rupture of the tubular side portion and to propagate the flame in opposite directions toward the gas-generating materials and the combustion accelerators in the respective chambers upon ignition of the initiating explosive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.