Temperature-compensated airbag inflator

A method for inflating an airbag, comprising:

• generating gas within a combustion chamber, the combustion chamber being defined by at least two structurally attached walls;
• forming a variable resistance conduit between at least two structurally attached walls that are spaced apart from one another prior to and after gas is generated within the combustion chamber the walls being spaced apart from one another to define an exit opening of the conduit therebetween prior to the generation of gas within the combustion chamber;
• directing the gas through the conduit leading from the combustion chamber and out of the exit opening into the airbag;
• and
• varying the conduit flow resistance properties or a dimension of the exit opening as a function of at least one of temperature and pressure to thereby provide control of the amounts of gas flowing into the airbag as a function of the at least one of temperature and pressure of the gas within the combustion chamber.

In a vehicle having a passenger compartment with locations suitable for mounting of an airbag module, an airbag module adapted for mounting in the passenger compartment to protect an occupant in the event of a crash of the vehicle, comprising:

• at least one airbag;
• an inflator for producing pressurized gas to inflate said at least one airbag, said inflator comprising:
• a housing;
• a gas generator arranged within said housing and having a combustion chamber;
• a variable exit opening formed by at least two structurally attached walls leading from said combustion chamber in said housing through which gas from said combustion chamber flows to inflate said at least one airbag, one of said at least two walls partially defining said combustion chamber, said variable exit opening having a plurality of different sizes such that the size of said variable exit opening is controlled by the pressure and/or the temperature of the gas within said combustion chamber;
• and
• an initiation device that initiates production of the pressurized gas in response to a crash of the vehicle,
• said walls being spaced apart from one another to define said variable exit opening therebetween prior to production of pressurized gas.

An airbag system comprising:

• an airbag system controller for generating airbag deployment signals upon determination of a crash involving a vehicle;
• an inflatable airbag;
• and
• a controllable airbag inflator system coupled to said airbag system controller and for inflating said airbag with gas, comprising:
• a housing;
• and
• a gas generating system arranged in said housing for generating gas, said gas generating system comprising a combustion chamber in which the gas is generated, a conduit interposed between said combustion chamber and said airbag and through which gas flows from said combustion chamber to said airbag, and an arrangement for controlling the flow of gas out of said combustion chamber in response to signals from said airbag system controller such that the gas flow out of said combustion chamber is based on the crash involving the vehicle, said conduit having an open state prior to generation of gas in said combustion chamber, said conduit being defined by first and second walls spaced apart from one another to define an exit opening therebetween prior to generation of gas by said gas generating system, said first wall being displaceable relative to said second wall to thereby vary at least one dimension of said conduit or said exit opening of said conduit after and as a result of generation of gas by said gas generating system and control flow of gas out of said combustion chamber to said airbag.

A temperature or pressure-compensated airbag inflator system, comprising:

• an inflatable airbag;
• a housing;
• and
• a gas generating system arranged in said housing for generating gas,
• said gas generating system comprising a combustion chamber having an ignitable material and an arrangement for controlling flow of gas out of said combustion chamber as a function of at least one of temperature and pressure of the gas within said combustion chamber,
• said arrangement comprising:
• a first wall at least partially defining said combustion chamber, said first wall having an opening through which gas flows from said combustion chamber to inflate said airbag;
• a filter arranged in said combustion chamber between said ignitable material and said opening in said first wall;
• and
• a base forming a second wall exterior of said combustion chamber, said first wall being spaced apart from said second wall to define a conduit therebetween, said conduit having an exit opening defined between said spaced apart first and second walls prior to generation of gas by said gas generating system, the gas once generated by said gas generating system passing through said conduit and out of said exit opening,
• said first wall being displaceable relative to said second wall to thereby vary at least one dimension of said conduit or said exit opening of said conduit after and as a result of generation of gas by said gas generating system and control a size of said conduit and therefore flow of gas out of said combustion chamber.