Micro gas generator including an initiator blast shield

A gas generator comprising:

• a housing having a first end, a second end, and a plurality of gas exit orifices formed therealong;
• at least one gas exit orifice formed in said housing;
• a propellant contained within said housing;
• an initiator fixed within said first end to ignite said propellant upon actuation of said gas generator;
• and
• an initiator blast shield fixed about said initiator thereby insulating said propellant from said initiator,
• the blast shield having a plurality of portions adapted for facilitating localized passage of initiator combustion products therethrough upon activation of the initiator, to modify the force of the initiator combustion products as they pass into the propellant for combustion thereof,
• each of said blast shield portions corresponding to and being aligned with a respective gas exit orifice of said plurality of gas exit orifices,
• whereby upon actuation of said gas generator, said initiator produces combustion products within said initiator blast shield.

A method of tailoring an output of a gas generator comprising:

• providing a housing having a circumference;
• forming a plurality of gas exit orifices spaced circumferentially about the housing, wherein the gas exit orifices span an arc less than half of the circumference thereby providing a directed gas flow;
• providing a propellant contained within the housing;
• fixing an initiator within the housing to ignite the propellant upon actuation of the gas generator, and
• providing an initiator blast shield encased about at least a portion of the initiator thereby insulating the propellant from the initiator and modifying the force of the initiator combustion products as it passes through the initiator blast shield and into the propellant.