Dual chamber gas bag inflator

Claim 2

A gas generator (10) for inflating a vehicle inflata­ble restraint cushion (112), comprising an elongate extrud­ed housing (12) including a tubular portion (14) and at least one radially extending imperforate bulkhead portion (16) integral with said tubular portion to provide at least two isolated gas generation chambers (18,20) in said hous­ing, a pair of end portions on said tubular portion, means (22) for closing said end portions, means in each of said chambers for generating gas for inflating a vehicle in­flatable restraint cushion, and apertures (70) in said tubular portion for directing generated gas from each of said chambers to a vehicle inflatable restraint cushion.

Claim 3

A gas generator according to Claim 1 wherein the bulkhead portion (16) is disposed at a position along the length of said tubular portion (14) such that one of said chambers (20) is longer than another of said chambers (18).

Claim 4

A gas generator according to claim 1 or Claim 2, which is a passenger side inflatable restraint cushion inflator.

Claim 5

A gas generator according to any preceding claim wherein said housing (12) is composed of aluminum.

Claim 6

A gas generator according to any preceding claim wherein said gas generating means comprises an independent igniter (30,33,58) for each of said chambers (18,20).

Claim 7

A gas generator according to any preceding claim wherein said end portion closing means comprises a plate member (22) inertia welded to said respective end portion.

Claim 10

A method according to Claim 7 wherein the housing (12) is an extruded housing.

Claim 11

A method according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the position of the bulkhead portion (16) along the length of the tubular portion (14) is such that one of the chambers (20) is longer than another of the chambers (18).

Claim 13

An inflator comprising: a single impact extruded elongated housing (12) having a bulkhead (16) formed therein integrally therewith at an intermediate position along the length thereof, and a pyrotechnic gas generator contained within said housing comprised of first and second elongated gas-­generating charges of solid pyrotechnic material (74) extending in end-to-end relation therein with one of said charges positioned on one side of said bulkhead and the other charge positioned on the other side thereof.

Claim 14

An inflator comprising: a single impact extruded elongated housing (12) having a bulkhead (16) formed therein integrally therewith at an intermediate position along the length thereof, and a pyrotechnic gas generator contained within said housing comprised of first and second elongated gas-­generating charges of solid pyrotechnic material (74) extending in end-to-end relation therein with one of said charges positioned on one side of said bulkhead and the other charge positioned on the other side thereof.

Claim 15

An inflator according to claim 11 wherein said housing (12) includes a first end and a second end with said bulkhead (16) and said first and second ends forming first and second chambers (18,20) respectively, in said housing, and further including, an igniter tube (30) and initiator (50) assembly individual to each of said charges of solid pyrotechnic material for initiating functioning thereof, with one igniter tube and initiator assembly and the charge of solid pyrotechnic material associated therewith being positioned in said first chamber (18) and the other igniter tube and initiator assembly and the charge of solid pyrotechnic material associated therewith being positioned in said second chamber (20).

Claim 16

An inflator according to claim 12 wherein each igniter assembly (30,50) is positioned in said housing (12) in concentric relation with the associated charge of pyro­technic material.

Claim 17

An inflator according to claim 12 or claim 13 fur­ther including, a first base member (22), and a second base member (22), said first and second base members being inertia welded in sealing relation to the first and second ends, respectively, of said housing, with one of said initiator assemblies (50) being mounted in said first base member and the other one of said initiator assemblies (50) being mounted in the second base member.

Claim 18

An inflator according to claim 11 wherein said housing (12) has a cylindrical wall (14) ano has a first end and a second end with said wall between said first and said second ends and said bulkhead being perforated, and further including, an inner perforated cylindrical tube (64) individual to and containing an associated one of said charges of pyrotechnic material (74), each of the charges of pyrotechnic material being positioned with an associated igniter tube (30) and in the associated inner cylindrical tube (64) in concentric rela­tion therein with the cross section of each charge of pyrotechnic material being annular, an initiator assembly (50) individual to each of said igniter tubes (30) for initiating functioning thereof, a first base member (22), and a second base member (22) said first and second base members (22) being iner­tia welded in sealing relation to the first and second ends, respectively, of said housing, with one of said initiator assemblies being mounted in said first base member and the other one of said initiator assemblies being mounted in said second base member.

Claim 19

An inflator according to claim 15 further including, in association with each said charge of pyrotechnic materi­al (74) a foil seal (72) for sealing the inner wall of said housing on the side of the bulkhead in which each said charge of pyrotechnic material is positioned, and further including, an annular filter (68) positioned in concentric relation between each of said foil seals (72) and the associated inner perforated cylindrical tube (64).

Claim 20

An inflator according to claim 15 or claim 16 where­in said bulkhead forms first and second chambers (18,20) therebetween and said first and second ends of said hous­ing, and further including, a retainer disk (26) individual to and positioned in an associated one of said chambers adjacent the first and second end, respectively, of said housing, and a locator cap (44) individual to and positioned in an associated one of said chambers adjacent said bulkhead(16), each of said retainer disks and locator caps being configured to provide a cup portion (31,32) and a circular flange (46,48) for facilitating the assembly in each of said chambers of said inner perforated cylindrical tube (64) and said igniter tube (30) respectively, in concentric relation and for the retention thereof against radial movement.

Claim 21

An inflator according to any one of claims 12 to 17 further including an auto ignition device (36) associated with each of said igniter tubes (30) for effecting functioning thereof when said inflator is exposed to an abnormal high temperature environment, with each of said auto ignition devices being positioned between said bulk­head and an end of the associated igniter tube.

Claim 22

A dual chamber housing (12) for inflating large passenger side occupant restraint air bags (112) compris­ing, a single impact extruded elongated tube (14) having a bulkhead (16) formed therein integrally with said tube at a position intermediate the length thereof.

Claim 23

A dual chamber housing (12) for inflating large passenger side occupant restraint air bags (112) compris­ing, a single impact extruded elongated tube (14) having a bulkhead (16) formed therein integrally with said tube at a position intermediate the length thereof.

Claim 24

A vehicle safety system for restraining movement of a passenger in the vehicle upon the occurrence of a colli­sion condition, comprising: a passenger restraining member (112) movable between a collapsed inoperative position and a deployed position, deployment means operatively associated with the passenger restraining member for moving said member out of its collapsed position towards its deployed position, said deployment means comprising, a single impact extruded elongated perforated hous­ing (10) having first and second ends and having a bulkhead (16) integrally formed therein intermediate said first and second ends, said bulkhead forming in said housing first and second chambers (18,20) therebetween and said first and second ends, respectively, a pyrotechnic gas generator contained within said housing comprised of first and second gas generating charges of solid pyrotechnic material (74) positioned in said first and second chambers, respectively, an igniter tube and initiator assembly (30,50) individual to each of said charges of solid pyrotechnic material for initiating functioning thereof with one ignit­er tube and initiator assembly and the charge of solid pyrotechnic material associated therewith being positioned in said first chamber (18) and the other igniter tube and initiator assembly and the charge of pyrotechnic material associated therewith being positioned in said second cham­ber (20). a microprocessor (100) having a plurality of input means (102) and a plurality of output means (104) said microprocessor being operative to monitor substantially simultaneously a plurality of parameters applied to said input means, said parameters including ambient temperature, vehicle speed, and an incipient collision, sensing means connected to the input means of said microprocessor, said sensing means including means respon­sive to an incipient crash (106), ambient temperature (108), and vehicle speed (110) and means connecting the output means of said microproc­essor to said initiator assemblies (50) of said inflator, said microprocessor operating responsively to said input sensing means upon the sensing of an incipient crash of said vehicle to initiate operation of one of said initiator assemblies with initiation of the other one of said assem­blies being delayed for an interval of duration determined by said microprocessor in accordance with the ambient temperature and vehicle speed thereby to actuate said passenger restraining member (112) to the deployed position thereof by providing a controlled delivery of generated gas thereto at a pressure rise rate that is tailorable to the specific needs of the vehicle at the time of a crash there­by to preclude possible injury to an out-of-position pas­senger in the vehicle.

Claim 25

A vehicle safety system for restraining movement of a passenger in the vehicle upon the occurrence of a colli­sion condition, comprising: a passenger restraining member (112) movable between a collapsed inoperative position and a deployed position, deployment means operatively associated with the passenger restraining member for moving said member out of its collapsed position towards its deployed position, said deployment means comprising, a single impact extruded elongated perforated hous­ing (10) having first and second ends and having a bulkhead (16) integrally formed therein intermediate said first and second ends, said bulkhead forming in said housing first and second chambers (18,20) therebetween and said first and second ends, respectively, a pyrotechnic gas generator contained within said housing comprised of first and second gas generating charges of solid pyrotechnic material (74) positioned in said first and second chambers, respectively, an igniter tube and initiator assembly (30,50) individual to each of said charges of solid pyrotechnic material for initiating functioning thereof with one ignit­er tube and initiator assembly and the charge of solid pyrotechnic material associated therewith being positioned in said first chamber (18) and the other igniter tube and initiator assembly and the charge of pyrotechnic material associated therewith being positioned in said second cham­ber (20). a microprocessor (100) having a plurality of input means (102) and a plurality of output means (104) said microprocessor being operative to monitor substantially simultaneously a plurality of parameters applied to said input means, said parameters including ambient temperature, vehicle speed, and an incipient collision, sensing means connected to the input means of said microprocessor, said sensing means including means respon­sive to an incipient crash (106), ambient temperature (108), and vehicle speed (110) and means connecting the output means of said microproc­essor to said initiator assemblies (50) of said inflator, said microprocessor operating responsively to said input sensing means upon the sensing of an incipient crash of said vehicle to initiate operation of one of said initiator assemblies with initiation of the other one of said assem­blies being delayed for an interval of duration determined by said microprocessor in accordance with the ambient temperature and vehicle speed thereby to actuate said passenger restraining member (112) to the deployed position thereof by providing a controlled delivery of generated gas thereto at a pressure rise rate that is tailorable to the specific needs of the vehicle at the time of a crash there­by to preclude possible injury to an out-of-position pas­senger in the vehicle.

Claim 26

A vehicle safety system according to claim 20, wherein the pressure rise rate in the delivery of generated gas to said passenger restraining member (112) initially is depressed.

Claim 27

A vehicle safety system according to claim 20 or claim 21 wherein said pyrotechnic gas generator is as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 or claims 11 to 18.