Inflator system

A method for controlling combustion of a propellant which produces gas when burning, the gas being used to inflate an airbag on a vehicle, comprising:

• housing the propellant in a combustion chamber on the vehicle;
• forming a mixing chamber in which the gas generated upon combustion of the propellant mixes with a flow of aspirating gas with the mixed flow being directed into the airbag;
• providing at least one exit conduit from the combustion chamber through which gas generated upon combustion of the propellant flows into the mixing chamber;
• and
• adjusting the cross-sectional area of the at least one exit conduit during combustion of the propellant to thereby continuously control the pressure in the combustion chamber and thus the rate of combustion of the propellant.

A system for controlling combustion of a propellant which produces gas when burning, the gas being used to inflate an airbag on a vehicle, comprising:

• a housing;
• and
• an inflator including a combustion chamber having a propellant which generates gas upon burning,
• said housing defining a mixing chamber in which the gas generated upon combustion of said propellant mixes with a flow of aspirating gas with the mixed flow being directed into the airbag;
• said inflator being mounted to said housing to define at least part of at least one exit conduit from said combustion chamber and through which gas generated from said propellant flows into the mixing chamber and such that said at least one exit conduit is capable of having an adjustable cross-sectional area during combustion of said propellant to thereby continuously control the pressure in said combustion chamber and thus the rate of combustion of said propellant.

An occupant protection system for protecting an occupant in a vehicle in the event of an accident involving the vehicle, comprising:

• at least one airbag arranged to deploy into a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
• an inflator system for inflating said at least one airbag, said inflator system comprising a housing, and an inflator including a combustion chamber having a propellant which generates gas upon burning, said housing defining a mixing chamber in which the gas generated upon burning of said propellant mixes with a flow of aspirating gas with the mixed flow being directed into said at least one airbag, said inflator being mounted to said housing to define at least one exit conduit from said combustion chamber and through which gas generated from said propellant flows into said mixing chamber, said at least one exit conduit having an adjustable cross-sectional area;
• and
• an initiation device affanged to initiate burning of said propellant in response to an accident involving the vehicle such that upon burning of said propellant, gas is generated and flows through said at least one exit conduit into said at least one airbag to inflate said at least one airbag.

A method for inflating an airbag in a vehicle to protect an occupant in the event of a crash involving the vehicle, comprising:

• arranging an inflator having a propellant in the vehicle;
• igniting the propellant after determination of a crash involving the vehicle to generate gas therefrom;
• directing the gas into an airbag;
• controlling pressure in the airbag by varying the flow of gas into the airbag;
• and
• arranging the inflator in a housing having a cover exposed to a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the pressure in the airbag being controlled based on the occupant's position relative to the cover,
• the step of controlling pressure in the airbag based on the occupant comprising forming variable gas flow ports, the size of the gas flow ports being dependent on pressure exerted by the occupant against the airbag,
• each of the gas flow ports being formed in a flow path of the generated gas between a location at which the gas is generated and the airbag or being formed at a location between a location where the inflator is attached to a supporting base and the airbag.

A method for inflating an airbag in a vehicle to protect an occupant in the event of a crash involving the vehicle, comprising:

• arranging an inflator having a propellant in the vehicle;
• igniting the propellant after determination of a crash involving the vehicle to generate gas therefrom;
• directing the gas into an airbag;
• and
• controlling pressure in the airbag by varying the flow of gas into the airbag;
• the step of controlling pressure in the airbag based on the occupant comprising forming variable gas flow ports, the size of the gas flow ports being dependent on pressure exerted by the occupant against the airbag,
• each of the gas flow ports being formed in a flow path of the generated gas between a location at which the gas is generated and the airbag or being formed at a location between a location where the inflator is attached to a supporting base and the airbag.

A method for controlling combustion of a propellant which produces gas when burning, the gas being used to inflate an airbag on a vehicle, comprising:

• housing the propellant in a chamber on the vehicle, the chamber being defined by a gas generator;
• mounting the gas generator to a base to thereby define a nozzle between the gas generator and the base which constitutes an exit conduit;
• arranging the exit conduit in flow communication with the chamber;
• and
• adjusting the cross-sectional area of the exit conduit during combustion of the propellant to thereby continuously control the pressure in the chamber and thus the rate of combustion of the propellant, the cross-sectional area of the nozzle being adjusted by mounting the gas generator to the base via an elastic or flexible supporting structure which holds the gas generator against the base.

A method for controlling combustion of a propellant which produces gas when burning, the gas being used to inflate an airbag on a vehicle, comprising:

• housing the propellant in a chamber on the vehicle, the chamber being defined by a gas generator;
• mounting the gas generator to a base to thereby define a nozzle between the gas generator and the base which constitutes an exit conduit;
• arranging the exit conduit in flow communication with the chamber;
• adjusting the cross-sectional area of the exit conduit during combustion of the propellant to thereby continuously control the pressure in the chamber and thus the rate of combustion of the propellant;
• and
• maintaining a minimum cross-sectional area of the nozzle by arranging supports between a surface of the gas generator facing the base and the base.

A method for controlling combustion of a propellant which produces gas when burning, the gas being used to inflate an airbag on a vehicle, comprising:

• housing the propellant in a chamber on the vehicle, the chamber being defined by a gas generator;
• mounting the gas generator to a base to thereby define a nozzle between the gas generator and the base which constitutes an exit conduit;
• arranging the exit conduit in flow communication with the chamber;
• and
• adjusting the cross-sectional area of the exit conduit during combustion of the propellant to thereby continuously control the pressure in the chamber and thus the rate of combustion of the propellant, the cross-sectional area of the nozzle being adjusted by mounting the gas generator to the base via a deformable supporting structure.

A system for controlling combustion of a propellant which produces gas when burning, the gas being used to inflate an airbag on a vehicle, comprising:

• a housing;
• an inflator including a chamber having a propellant which generates gas upon burning, said inflator being mounted to said housing to define at least part of at least one exit conduit therebetween in flow communication with said chamber and through which gas generated from said propellant flows into the airbag and such that said at least one exit conduit is capable of having an adjustable cross-sectional area during combustion of said propellant to thereby continuously control the pressure in said chamber and thus the rate of combustion of said propellant;
• and
• an elastic or flexible supporting structure for mounting said inflator to said housing and loading said inflator toward said housing, the cross-sectional area of said at least one exit conduit being adjustable based on pressure differences between a pressure in said chamber and a pressure provided by said supporting structure.

A system for controlling combustion of a propellant which produces gas when burning, the gas being used to inflate an airbag on a vehicle, comprising:

• a housing;
• an inflator including a chamber having a propellant which generates gas upon burning, said inflator being mounted to said housing to define at least part of at least one exit conduit therebetween in flow communication with said chamber and through which gas generated from said propellant flows into the airbag and such that said at least one exit conduit is capable of having an adjustable cross-sectional area during combustion of said propellant to thereby continuously control the pressure in said chamber and thus the rate of combustion of said propellant;
• and
• a deformable supporting structure for mounting said inflator to said housing, the cross-sectional area of said at least one exit conduit being adjusted upon deformation of said supporting structure.

An occupant protection system for protecting an occupant in a vehicle in the event of an accident involving the vehicle, comprising:

• at least one airbag arranged to deploy into a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
• an inflator system for inflating said at least one airbag, said inflator system comprising a housing, and an inflator including a chamber having a propellant which generates gas upon burning, said inflator being mounted to said housing to define at least one exit conduit in flow communication with said chamber and through which gas generated from said propellant flows to inflate said at least one airbag, said at least one exit conduit having an adjustable cross-sectional area;
• and
• an initiation device arranged to initiate burning of said propellant in response to an accident involving the vehicle such that upon burning of said propellant, gas is generated and flows through said at least one exit conduit into said at least one airbag to inflate said at least one airbag,
• said inflator system further comprising an elastic or flexible supporting structure for mounting said inflator to said housing and loading said inflator toward said housing, the cross-sectional area of said at least one exit conduit being adjustable based on a pressure difference between a pressure in said chamber and a pressure provided by said supporting structure.

A method for inflating an airbag in a vehicle to protect an occupant in the event of a crash involving the vehicle, comprising:

• arranging an inflator having a propellant in the vehicle;
• igniting the propellant after determination of a crash involving the vehicle to generate gas therefrom;
• directing the gas into an airbag to cause the airbag to deploy;
• arranging the inflator and the airbag in a housing having a cover exposed to a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
• forming at least one variable gas flow port to enable a variable flow of gas into the airbag during deployment;
• and
• controlling pressure in the airbag by varying the at least one variable gas flow port based on the occupant and thereby providing for a variable pressure in the airbag, the pressure in the airbag being controlled during deployment when the cover is interposed between the airbag and the occupant based on the occupant's position relative to the cover,
• the step of controlling pressure in the airbag based on the occupant comprises opening exhaust ports when the occupant is leaning on the cover and preventing deployment of the airbag such that gas generated from the propellant flows out through the exhaust ports and not into the airbag when the occupant is leaning on the cover and preventing deployment of the airbag.

A method for controlling combustion of a propellant which produces gas when burning, the gas being used to inflate an airbag on a vehicle, comprising:

• housing the propellant in a first combustion chamber on the vehicle;
• igniting the propellant to cause combustion of the propellant and generation of gas from the propellant;
• forming a second chamber external to the first chamber;
• providing at least one exit conduit from the first chamber through which all of gas generated upon combustion of the propellant flows into the second chamber;
• and
• adjusting the cross-sectional area of the at least one exit conduit during combustion of the propellant to thereby vary the flow of gas generated upon combustion of the propellant into the second chamber, the variation enabling continuous control of the pressure in the combustion chamber and thus the rate of combustion of the propellant.