EP0180408A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Gas generator housing construction
Assignee: ATK Launch Systems LLC
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Filing: 1985-10-23
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-10-23
Abstract
Abstract A housing construction for a gas generator comprises four structural components (14a, 16a, 64, 66) which between them define an inner cylindrical chamber (34) for an ignition charge (38) and a concentric outer cylindrical chamber (36) divided into three annular compartments (72, 74, 76) for gas generant (86) and for first and second filter/coolers (88, 90) respectively. Parts (78, 80, 82, 84) provide communication between the ignition charge, the gas generant, the filter/coolers and the outside. The housing is preferably made of aluminium in the place of steel, thereby effecting a further reduction in weight while enabling manufacture in high production rates at low cost and meeting the high reliability standards required of a safety device.
Inventors
- 👤 Christopher W. Bolieau
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 23:21
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/02; B60R21/12; B60R21/16; B60R21/26; B60R21/264; B60R21/2644; B01; B01J; B01J7/00; F; F42; F42B; F42B3/00; F42B3/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
319 words
A housing construction for a gas generator using solid fuel for the generation of gas to inflate vehicle passive restraint inflatable crash protection bags comprising, first, second, third and fourth structural components (14a, 16a, 64, 66), said first structural component (14a) forming a first subassembly (14) and including first and second concentric cylinders (22,24) each of which has an end, that extend from a first common wall (26) to form structural walls of the generator and at least one of which (22) has exit holes (84) for the passage of gas, said second structural component (16a) forming a second subassembly (16) and including third and fourth concentric cylinders (28, 30) each of which has an end, that extend from a second common wall (32) to form structural walls of the generator, and at least one of which (30) has exit holes (78). for the passage of gas, the ends of said first and third (22,28) and said second and fourth (24,30) concentric cylinders providing mating surfaces to form therebetween, in cooperation with said first and second common walls (26,32) inner and outer concentric chambers (34, 36), said third and fourth structural components (64,66) being annular and substantially flat in form and positioned in said outer concentric chamber (36) to form therein three separate annular chambers (72,74,76) that are concentric with all of said concentric cylinders with a first annular chamber (72) located adjacent said second common wall (32), a third annular chamber (76) located adjacent said first common wall (26) and a second annular chamber (74) located between said first and third annular chambers, said third and fourth structual components having exit holes (80,82) for the passage of gas from one to another of said first, second and third annular chambers, and means (18,20) to join said first and second structural components together at the mating surface of said first and third and said second and fourth concentric cylinders.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
319 words
A housing construction for a gas generator using solid fuel for the generation of gas to inflate vehicle passive restraint inflatable crash protection bags comprising, first, second, third and fourth structural components (14a, 16a, 64, 66), said first structural component (14a) forming a first subassembly (14) and including first and second concentric cylinders (22,24) each of which has an end, that extend from a first common wall (26) to form structural walls of the generator and at least one of which (22) has exit holes (84) for the passage of gas, said second structural component (16a) forming a second subassembly (16) and including third and fourth concentric cylinders (28, 30) each of which has an end, that extend from a second common wall (32) to form structural walls of the generator, and at least one of which (30) has exit holes (78). for the passage of gas, the ends of said first and third (22,28) and said second and fourth (24,30) concentric cylinders providing mating surfaces to form therebetween, in cooperation with said first and second common walls (26,32) inner and outer concentric chambers (34, 36), said third and fourth structural components (64,66) being annular and substantially flat in form and positioned in said outer concentric chamber (36) to form therein three separate annular chambers (72,74,76) that are concentric with all of said concentric cylinders with a first annular chamber (72) located adjacent said second common wall (32), a third annular chamber (76) located adjacent said first common wall (26) and a second annular chamber (74) located between said first and third annular chambers, said third and fourth structual components having exit holes (80,82) for the passage of gas from one to another of said first, second and third annular chambers, and means (18,20) to join said first and second structural components together at the mating surface of said first and third and said second and fourth concentric cylinders.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
75 words
A housing construction according to claim 1, wherein said fourth structural component (66) in cooperation with said second common wall (32) forms said first annular chamber (72), and wherein the exit holes (82,84) in said third and fourth structural components (64,66) are disposed on circles that are concentric with said concentric cylinders, with the diameter of the circle of the fourth structural component (66) being substantially greater than that of said third structural component (64).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
A housing construction according to claim 2, including exit holes (78) in said fourth concentric cylinder (30) providing communication between said inner concentric chamber (34) and said first annular chamber (72) and including exit holes (84) in said first concentric cylinder (22) adjacent said first common wall (26).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
A housing construction according to claim 3, wherein the exit holes (82) in said third structural component (64) are disposed on a circle that is adjacent said second concentric cylinder (24), and the exit holes (80) in said fourth structural component (66) are disposed on a circle that is adjacent said third concentric cylinder (28).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
152 words
A housing construction according to any preceding claim, further including an ignition materual (38), Wn ignition material initiator (56), a gas generant (86) and first and second cooling and filtering means (88,90), wherein said ignition material (38) and said initiator (56) are fixedly attached to said second structural component (16a), in said inner concentric chamber (34), said gas generant (86) is positioned in said first annular, chamber (72) being retained therein by said fourth structural component (66), said fourth structural component being fixedly attached to said second structural component(16a),said first cooling and filtering means (88) are positioned in said second annular chamber (74) being fixedly attached to fourth structural component (66) and said second cooling and filtering means (90) are positioned in said third annular chamber (76) being retained therein by said third structural component (64), and wherein said third structural component (64) is fixedly attached to said first structural component (14a).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
A housing construction according to claim 5, wherein a clearance space (52) is provided between said first structural component (14a) and said ignition material (38) and initiator (56), and wherein a clearance space (92) is provided between said first cooling and filtering means (88) and said third structural component (64).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
122 words
A housing construction according to claim 6 which, in the fabrication thereof, is formed as two subassemblies a first one of which (14) comprises said first structural component (14a) containing said third structural component (64) and said second cooling and filtering means (76), and a second one of which (16) comprises said second structural component (16a) containing said ignition material (38), said initiator (56), said gas generant (86), said fourth structural component (66) and said first cooling and filtering means (88), and wherein said subassemblies (14,16) are joined together at the mating surfaces of said first and third (22,28) and said second and fourth (24,30) concentric cylinders of said first and second structural components (14a,16a) respectively, with two simultaneous inertia welds (18,20).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A housing construction according to any preceding claim, wherein said first, second, third and fourth structural components (14a,16a,64,66) are all made of aluminium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method of making a housing construction according to claim 7, wherein in the joining of said subassemblies together said first subassembly (14) is held stationery in an inverted position and said second subassembly (16) is raised up into contact with said first subassembly while rotating at high speed about the common axis of said concentric cylinders.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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