Passenger automotive restraint generator

Claim 2

A gas generator (10) comprising: a single impact extruded perforated elongated housing (12) having a first end (32) and a second end (34), an end cap base (42) enclosing said first end of said housing, an end cap (40) enclosing said second end of said housing, a perforated bulkhead (18) positioned at an intermediate location within said housing, said bulkhead forming first and second elongated chambers (14, 16) within said housing and having formed therein a ball valve including a ball valve chamber (22) and first and second passageways (26, 28) connecting said ball valve chamber to said first and second elongated chambers, respectively, said ball valve chamber having a ball (24) therein that is movable into operative relation with respect to said first and second passageways for controlling any flow of gas through said bulkhead tending to result from a difference in gas pressures within said first and second elongated chambers, first and second elongated gas generating charges (56, 82) of solid pyrotechnic material contained in said first and second elongated chambers (14, 16), respectively, first and second elongated perforated igniter tubes (52, 80) provided in operative relation with said first and second elongated gas generating charges (56, 82), respectively, each of said perforated igniter tubes having a first end and a second end, and an initiator (94) provided in operative relation with one only of said perforated igniter tubes (52, 80).

Claim 3

A gas generator according to claim 1 wherein said ball (24) of said ball valve, when moved into operative relation with said second passageway (28), is operative to restrict the flow of gas through said bulkhead (18), and when moved into operative relation with said first passageway (26) is operative to stop the flow of gas through said bulkhead, and wherein said initiator (94) is provided in operative relation with said first gas generating charge (56).

Claim 4

A gas generator according to claim 2, wherein said perforated elongated housing (12) has a cylindrical wall (32) with a plurality of outlet holes (38) formed therein along the length thereof in at least two rows on each of the opposite sides of said housing, and further including first and second elongated perforated combustion chamber tubes (46, 76) each of which has a first end and a second end and an inner wall, first and second elongated filter screens (50, 78), first and second elongated rupturable foil barriers (48, 72), first and second elongated cooling and filter screens (44, 74) each of which has a first end and a second end, wherein said first and second elongated gas generating charges (56, 82) are contained within said first and second combustion chamber tubes (46, 76), respectively, wherein said first and second filter screens (50, 78) are provided in surrounding relation to said first and second gas generating charges, respectively, within the respectively associated perforated combustion chamber tube, wherein said first foil barrier (48) is provided in surrounding relation to said filter screen (50) and gas generating charge (56) in said first perforated combustion chamber tube (46), wherein said first and second elongated cooling and filter screens (44, 74) are provided in surrounding relation to said first and second combustion chamber tubes (46, 76), respectively, and wherein said second foil barrier (72) is provided in surrounding relation to said second cooling and filter screens (74).

Claim 5

A gas generator according to claim 3 wherein the thickness of said first foil barrier (48) is approximately 0.006 inches (0.015 centimetres) and the thickness of said second foil barrier (72) is approximately 0.004 inches (0.010 centimeters).

Claim 6

A gas generator according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein said elongated housing is made of aluminum and each of said first and second perforated tubes is made of steel.

Claim 7

A gas generator according to any one of claims 3 to 5 further including an end cap and tube holder (62) positioned at the first end (32) of said elongated housing, an end cap and tube locator (86) positioned at the second end (34) of said elongated housing, and a rupturable elongated third foil barrier (70), said end cap and tube holder having a projecting portion (64) that extends into said first end of said first perforated combustion chamber tube (46), said bulkhead (18) having a first portion (66) thereon that extends in snug relation into said second end of said first perforated combustion chamber tube, said third foil barrier (70) being positioned in operative relation with said first portion (66) of said bulkhead to normally preclude the flow of gas through said first passageway (26), said end cap and tube holder (62) having a receptacle (68) thereon that receives and locates the first end of said first perforated igniter tube (52), said second end of said first perforated igniter tube being positioned in abutting relation with said first portion of said bulkhead with said third foil barrier interposed therebetween, said end cap and tube locator (86) having a projecting portion (90) that extends in snug relation into said second end of said second perforated combustion chamber tube (76), said bulkhead having a second portion (88) thereon that extends in snug relation into said first end of said second perforated combustion chamber tube (76), and said end cap and tube locator (86) having a receptacle (92) on said projecting portion (90) thereof for receiving and locating said second end of said second perforated igniter tube (80).

Claim 8

A gas generator according to claim 6 wherein said end cap and tube holder (62) includes another portion that retains the first end of said first cooling and filter screens (44) with the second end of said first cooling and filter screens positioned in abutting relation with said bulkhead (18), and wherein said end cap and tube locator (86) includes another portion that retains the second end of said second cooling and filter screens (74) with the first end of said of said second cooling and filter screens positioned in abutting relation with said bulkhead (18).

Claim 9

A gas generator according to claim 7 further including an end cap base (42) provided in sealing relation at the first end (32) of said housing (12), said end cap base containing said initiator (94) therein in sealed relation therewith.

Claim 10

A gas generator according to claim 8 wherein said initiator (94) includes an electric squib having electrical connections leading externally of said end cap base (42) and of said housing (12).

Claim 11

A gas generator according to claim 9 wherein said end cap base (42) is inertia welded to said first end (32) of said housing (12).

Claim 12

A gas generator according to any one of claims 3 to 9 wherein the perforations in each of said first and second combustion chamber tubes (46, 76) comprise a plurality of holes (96, 98) formed along the length thereof in at least two rows on each of the opposite sides thereof with such rows of holes being positioned at approximately a right angle with respect to the rows of outlet holes formed in said housing (12).