Patent EP0609981A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0609981A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Inflator assembly
Assignee: Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp
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Filing: 1994-01-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-01-10
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus (10) for use in inflating an air bag (12) includes an ignitable body (110) of gas generating material and an igniter (206). The body (110) of gas generating material, when ignited, generates gas for inflating the air bag (12). The body (110) of gas generating material has an outer surface area (132). The igniter (206) contains a first output charge (230) and a second output charge (232). When the first and second output charges (230) and (232) are ignited sequentially, the body (110) of gas generating material is ignited at a first ignitable surface area including the outer surface area (132). When the first and second output charges (230 and 232) are ignited simultaneously, the body (110) of gas generating material is ignited at a second ignitable surface area in addition to the first ignitable surface area.
Inventors
- 👤 Dean M. Esterberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:12
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/02; B60R21/16; B60R21/26; B60R21/264; B60R21/2644; B60R2021/26029; B60R21/263; B60R2021/2633
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
137 words
An apparatus for use in inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint, said apparatus comprising: gas generating means for generating gas to inflate the inflatable vehicle occupant restraint, said gas generating means including an ignitable body of gas generating material which, when ignited, generates combustion products including said gas; and igniting means for igniting said body of gas generating material, said igniting means being actuatable in a first stage and in a second stage; said igniting means, when actuated in said first stage, igniting said body of gas generating material at a first surface area of said body of gas generating material; said igniting means, when actuated in said second stage, igniting said body of gas generating material at a second surface area of said body of gas generating material which is greater than said first surface area.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said body of gas generating material has an outer surface area, said igniting means producing a first pressure wave when actuated in said first stage and directing said first pressure wave to move against said outer surface area of said body of gas generating material, said igniting means producing a second pressure wave when actuated in said second stage and directing said second pressure wave to move against said outer surface area of said body of gas generating material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said second pressure wave is more forceful than said first pressure wave, said second pressure wave increasing the total surface area of said body of gas generating material by breaking said body of gas generating material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
85 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said body of gas generating material comprises a plurality of separate elements of gas generating material, each of said elements of gas generating material defining a portion of said outer surface area of said body of gas generating material, said igniting means igniting each of said elements of gas generating material simultaneously when actuated in said first stage, said igniting means igniting each of said elements of gas generating material simultaneously when actuated in said second stage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said outer surface area of said body of gas generating material comprises a cylindrical surface area extending circumferentially around said igniting means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said igniting means is actuatable in said first stage in response to a first actuating signal, said igniting means being actuatable in said second stage in response to a second actuating signal different from said first actuating signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
67 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 6 further comprising sensing means for generating said second actuating signal upon the occurrence of a predetermined amount of vehicle deceleration when a vehicle occupant is in a predetermined position in the vehicle, said sensing means generating said first actuating signal upon the occurrence of a predetermined amount of vehicle deceleration when the vehicle occupant is not in said predetermined position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 6 further comprising sensing means for generating said first actuating signal in response to a first amount of vehicle deceleration, said sensing means generating said second actuating signal in response to a second amount of vehicle deceleration greater than said first amount of vehicle deceleration.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
273 words
An apparatus for use in inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint, said apparatus comprising: gas generating means for generating gas to inflate the inflatable vehicle occupant restraint, said gas generating means including an ignitable body of gas generating material which, when ignited, generates combustion products including said gas, said body of gas generating material having a first outer surface area; and igniting means for igniting said body of gas generating material, said igniting means including a first stage igniting means and a second stage igniting means; said igniting means producing first stage combustion products when said first stage igniting means is actuated, said first stage combustion products including a first pressure wave which moves against said first outer surface area of said body of gas generating material, said first stage combustion products further including heat which ignites said body of gas generating material at said first outer surface area; said igniting means producing second stage combustion products when said second stage igniting means is simultaneously actuated with said first stage igniting means, said second stage combustion products including a second pressure wave which moves against said first outer surface area of said body of gas generating material, said second pressure wave being more forceful than said first pressure wave and forming a second outer surface area of said body of gas generating material in addition to said first outer surface area, said second stage combustion said body of gas generating material in addition to said first outer surface area, said second stage combustion products further including heat which ignites said body of gas generating material at said first and second outer surface areas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
97 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said body of gas generating material comprises a plurality of separate elements of gas generating material, each of said elements of gas generating material defining a portion of said first outer surface area of said body of gas generating material, said igniting means igniting each of said elements of gas generating material simultaneously when said first stage igniting means is actuated, said igniting means igniting each of said elements of gas generating material simultaneously when said second stage igniting means is actuated simultaneously with said first stage igniting means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said igniting means includes a housing with a portion containing an ignitable output charge material, said first outer surface area of said body of gas generating material comprising a cylindrical surface area of said body which extends circumferentially around said portion of said housing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
88 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said cylindrical surface area of said body of gas generating material has an axis, said ignitable output charge material in said housing including a first output charge and a second output charge, said first and second output charges producing said first combustion products when ignited sequentially, said first and second output charges producing said second combustion products when ignited simultaneously, said first and second output charges being supported in said housing in positions overlapping each other relative to said axis.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said first stage igniting means is actuatable in response to a first actuating signal, said second stage igniting means being simultaneously actuatable with said first stage igniting means in response to a second actuating signal different from said first actuating signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
67 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 13 further comprising sensing means for generating said second actuating signal upon the occurrence of a predetermined amount of vehicle deceleration when a vehicle occupant is in a predetermined position in the vehicle, said sensing means generating said first actuating signal upon the occurrence of a predetermined amount of vehicle deceleration when the vehicle occupant is not in said predetermined position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 13 further comprising sensing means for generating said first actuating signal in response to a first amount of vehicle deceleration, said sensing means generating said second actuating signal in response to a second amount of vehicle deceleration greater than said first amount of vehicle deceleration.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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