Device for the inflation of safety cushions in vehicles

Claim 2

Device for the inflation of safety cushions comprising an elongated pressure container filled with a highly compressed gas, a case disposed in one end of said container entirely enclosing an ignitable, pyrotechnical powder charge, and an axially displaceable element disposed between said case and the other end of said container, said other end of said container having a rupturable portion which will burst open when contacted by said axially displaceable element, wherein the surface portion of said case facing said other end of said container is formed as a rupturable member movable toward said other end of said container upon ignition of saiid powder charge, wherein said axially displaceable element is formed as an inner tube axially disposed within said container, wherein said inner tube has a substantially closed end positioned adjacent said other end of said container and between said rupturable member of said case and said rupturable portion of said container such that movement of said rupturable member against said closed end of said inner tube causes movement of said inner tube in a direction toward said rupturable portion of said container, wherein said inner tube has a projection extending from said closed end in facing relationship to said rupturable portion of said container Such that said projection forcibly contacts said rupturable portion to burst open said container upon a predetermined movement of said inner tube, and wherein said projection on said inner tube is spaced from said other end of said container by a coil spring disposed between said inner tube and said container.

Claim 3

Device for the inflation of safety cushions comprising an elongated pressure container filled with a highly compressed gas, a case disposed in one end of said container entirely enclosing an ignitable, pyrotechnical powder charge, and an axially displaceable element disposed between said case and the other end of said container, said other end of said container having a rupturable portion which will burst open when contacted by said axially displaceable element, wherein the surface portion of said case facing said other end of said container is formed as a rupturable member movable toward said other end of said container upon ignition of said powder charge, wherein said axially displaceable element is formed as an inner tube axially disposed within said container, wherein said inner tube has a substantially closed end positioned adjacent said other end of said container and between said rupturable member of said case and said rupturable portion of said container such that movement of said rupturable member against said closed end of said inner tube causes movement of said inner tube in a direction toward said rupturable portion of said container, wherein said inner tube has a projection extending from said closed end in facing relationship to said rupturable portion of said container such that said projection forcibly contacts said rupturable portion to burst open said container upon a predetermined movement of said inner tube, and wherein said case includes a cylindrical extension disposed inside of said inner tube and directed toward said other end of said container and provided with at least one aperture to equalize the pressure within said container.

Claim 4

Device for the inflation of safety cushions comprising an elongated pressure container filled with a highly compressed gas, a case disposed in one end of said container entirely enclosing an ignitable, pyrotechnical powder charge, and an axially displaceable element disposed between said case and the other end of said container, said other end of said container having a rupturable portion which will burst open when contacted by said axially displaceable element, wherein the surface portion of said case facing said other end of said container is formed as a rupturable member movable toward said other end of said container upon ignition of said powder charge, wherein said axially displaceable element is formed as an inner tube axially disposed within said container, wherein said inner tube has a substantially closed end positioned adjacent said other end of said container and between said rupturable member of said case and said rupturable portion of said container such that movement of said rupturable member against said closed end of said inner tube causes movement of said inner tube in a direction toward said rupturable portion of said container, wherein said inner tube has a projection extending from said closed end in facing relationship to said rupturable portion of said container such that said projection forcibly contacts said rupturable portion to burst open said container upon a predetermined movement of said inner tube, and wherein said case includes a cylindrical extension disposed inside of said inner tube and directed toward said other end of said container and provided with at least one aperture to equalize the pressure within said container.

Claim 5

Device for the inflation of safety cushions as defined in claim 2, wherein said cylindrical extension terminates at said other end of said container against said substantially closed end portion of said inner tube.

Claim 6

Device for the inflation of safety cushions comprising an elongated pressure container filled with a highly compressed gas, a case disposed in one end of said container entirely enclosing an ignitable pyrotechnical powder charge, said case having a rupturable member formed at a side of said case which faces the other end of said container, and an axially displaceable element disposed between said case and the other end of said container, said other end of said container having a rupturable portion which will burst open when contacted by said axially displaceable element, wherein said case includes a tubular extension which extends from said rupturable member of said case to said rupturable portion at the other end of said container where it is fixed to said container such that said extension forms a continuous tubular guide of substantially constant cross-section along the length thereof from said rupturable member to said rupturable portion for guiding movement of said axially displaceable member from said case to a position directly engaging said rupturable portion of said container, said tubular extension being surrounded by and spaced from inner walls of said container along the length of said tubular extension, said tubular extension including a plurality of continuously open holes for equalizing the pressure therein with that inside the remainder of the container, wherein a trap in the form of a cup-shaped member having a plurality of peripheral holes therein is disposed over the outer surface of said other end of said container, and wherein said container, said case, said tubular extension, and said trap are formed as an integral one-piece structure.

Claim 7

Device for the inflation of safety cushions comprising an elongated pressure container filled with a highly compressed gas, a case disposed in one end of said container entirely enclosing an ignitable pyrotechnical powder charge, said case having a rupturable member formed at a side of said case which faces the other end of said container, and an axially displaceable element disposed between said case and the other end of said container, said other end of said container having a rupturable portion which will burst open when contacted by said axially displaceable element, wherein said case includes a tubular extension which extends from said rupturable member of said case to said rupturable portion at the other end of said container where it is fixed to said container such that said extension forms a continuous tubular guide of substantially constant cross-section along the length thereof from said rupturable member to said rupturable portion for guiding movement of said axially displaceable member from said case to a position directly engaging said rupturable portion of said container, said tubular extension being surrounded by and spaced from inner walls of said container along the length of said tubular extension, said tubular extension including a plurality of continuously open holes for equalizing the pressure therein with that inside the remainder of the container, wherein a trap in the form of a cup-shaped member having a plurality of peripheral holes therein is disposed over the outer surface of said other end of said container, and wherein said container, said case, said tubular extension, and said trap are formed as an integral one-piece structure.

Claim 8

Device for the inflation of safety cushions as defined in claim 4 wherein said axially displaceable element is formed as one-pIece with said rupturable member.

Claim 9

Device according to claim 4, wherein the surface portion of said case facing said other end of said container is formed as said rupturable member which is movable toward said other end of said container upon ignition of said powder charge, and wherein said axially displaceable element is connected to and movable with said rupturable member.

Claim 10

Device according to claim 4, wherein said axially displaceable element is a projectile having a smaller cross-sectional dimension than the inner dimensions of said tubular extension and which penetrates through the rupturable portion of said container while tearing the same in a starshaped manner upon ignition of said powder charge.

Claim 11

Device according to claim 7, wherein all of the peripheral holes in said trap are located at the end nearest the rupturable portion, and wherein said trap is dimensioned such as to have sufficient room to accommodate said axially displaceable element in a position spaced in the direction of travel of said axially displaceable element outwardly of said peripheral holes in said trap.

Claim 12

Device according to claim 4, wherein said tubular extension is cylindrical in shape with the cylinder axis extending in a direction from said case toward said rupturable portion.

Claim 13

Device according to claim 4, wherein all of the peripheral holes in said trap are located at the end nearest the rupturable portion, and wherein said trap is dimensioned such as to have sufficient room to accommodate said axially displaceable element in a position spaced in the direction of travel of said axially displaceable element outwardly of said peripheral holes in said trap.

Claim 14

Device according to claim 4, wherein all of the peripheral holes in said trap are located at the end nearest the rupturable portion, and wherein said trap is dimensioned such as to have sufficient room to accommodate said axially displaceable element in a position spaced in the direction of travel of said axially displaceable element outwardly of said peripheral holes in said trap.

Claim 15

Device according to claim 4, wherein said tubular member and said container are formed as concentric cylinders.

Claim 16

Device for the inflation of safety cushions comprising an elongated pressure container filled with a highly compressed gas, a case disposed in one end of said container entirely enclosing an ignitable, pyrotechnical powder charge, and an axially displaceable element disposed between said case and the other end of said container, said other end of said container having a rupturable portion which will burst open when contacted by said axially displaceable element, wherein the surface portion of said case facing said other end of said container is formed as a rupturable member movable toward said other end of said container upon ignition of said powder charge, wherein said axially displaceable element is formed as an inner tube axially disposed within said container, wherein said inner tube has a substantially closed end positioned adjacent said other end of said container and between said rupturable member of said case and said rupturable portion of said container such that movement of said rupturable member against said closed end of said inner tube causes movement of said inner tube in a direction toward said rupturable portion of said container, wherein said inner tube has a projection extending from said closed end in facing relationship to said rupturable portion of said container such that said projection forcibly contacts said rupturable portion to burst open said container upon a predetermined movement of said inner tube, and wherein said inner tube is positioned concentrically within said container by a plurality of outwardly extending spacer members.

Claim 17

Device for the inflation of safety cushions comprising an elongated pressure container filled with a highly compressed gas, a case disposed in one end of said container entirely enclosing an ignitable, pyrotechnical powder charge, and an axially displaceable element disposed between said case and the other end of said container, said other end of said container having a rupturable portion which will burst open when contacted by said axially displaceable element, wherein the surface portion of said case facing said other end of said container is formed as a rupturable member movable toward said other end of said container upon ignition of said powder charge, wherein said axially displaceable element is formed as an inner tube axially disposed within said container, wherein said inner tube has a substantially closed end positioned adjacent said other end of said container and between said rupturable member of said case and said rupturable portion of said container such that movement of said rupturable member against said closed end of said inner tube causes movement of said inner tube in a direction toward said rupturable portion of said container, wherein said inner tube has a projection extending from said closed end in facing relationship to said rupturable portion of said container such that said projection forcibly contacts said rupturable portion to burst open said container upon a predetermined movement of said inner tube, and wherein said inner tube is positioned concentrically within said container by a plurality of outwardly extending spacer members.

Claim 18

Device for the inflation of safety cushions as defined in claim 13, wherein said inner tube has a plurality of apertures therein to equalize the pressure in said container.

Claim 19

Device for the inflation of safety cushions comprising an elongated pressure container filled with a highly compressed gas, a case disposed in one end of said container entirely enclosing an ignitable, pyrotechnical powder charge, and an axially displaceable element disposed between said case and the other end of said container, said other end of said container having a rupturable portion which will burst open when contacted by said axially displaceable element, wherein the surface portion of said case facing said other end of said container is formed as a rupturable member movable toward said other end of said container upon ignition of said powder charge, wherein said axially displaceable element is formed as an inner tube axially disposed within said container in surrounding spaced reelationship with respect to said rupturable member, wherein said inner tube has a substantially closed end positioned adjacent said other end of said container and between said rupturable member of said case and said rupturable portion of said container such that movement of said rupturable member against said closed end of said inner tube causes movement of said inner tube in a direction toward said rupturable portion of said container, and wherein said inner tube has a projection extending from said closed end in facing relationship to said returnable portion of said container such that said projection forcibly contacts said rupturable portion to burst open said container upon a predetermined movement of said inner tube.

Claim 20

Device for the inflation of safety cushions comprising an elongated pressure container filled with a highly compressed gas, a case disposed in one end of said container entirely enclosing an ignitable, pyrotechnical powder charge, and an axially displaceable element disposed between said case and the other end of said container, said other end of said container having a rupturable portion which will burst open when contacted by said axially displaceable element, wherein the surface portion of said case facing said other end of said container is formed as a rupturable member movable toward said other end of said container upon ignition of said powder charge, wherein said axially displaceable element is formed as an inner tube axially disposed within said container in surrounding spaced reelationship with respect to said rupturable member, wherein said inner tube has a substantially closed end positioned adjacent said other end of said container and between said rupturable member of said case and said rupturable portion of said container such that movement of said rupturable member against said closed end of said inner tube causes movement of said inner tube in a direction toward said rupturable portion of said container, and wherein said inner tube has a projection extending from said closed end in facing relationship to said returnable portion of said container such that said projection forcibly contacts said rupturable portion to burst open said container upon a predetermined movement of said inner tube.

Claim 21

Device for the inflation of safety cushions as defined in claim 15, wherein a supporting ring is formed on the inner surface of said other end of said container to serve as a stop member for said inner tube.

Claim 22

Device for the inflation of safety cushions as defined in claim 16, wherein said ring is provided with appertures to reduce the resistance to gas flow thereby.

Claim 23

Device for the inflation of safety cushions as defined in claim 17, wherein said projection on said inner tube is spaced from said other end of said container by a coil spring disposed between said inner tube and said container.

Claim 24

Device as defined in claim 15, wherein said rupturable member is bounded by a predetermined rupturing line formed in said surface portion of said case.

Claim 25

Device as defined in claim 19, wherein said case includes a cylindrical extension disposed inside of said inner tube and directed toward said other end of said container and provided with at least one aperture to equalize the pressure within said container.

Claim 26

Device as defined in claim 20, wherein said device includes means accommodating its use in vehicles, particularly automotive vehicles and such that inflation of the safety cushions is in response to a signal generated upon detection of a predetermined deceleration of the vehicle.

Claim 27

Device as defined in claim 20, wherein said powder charge is explosive free.

Claim 28

Device as defined in claim 15, wherein said device includes means accommodating its use in vehicles, particularly automotive vehicles and such that inflation of the safety cushions is in response to a signal generated upon detection of a predetermined deceleration of the vehicle.

Claim 29

Device as defined in claim 15, wherein said powder charge is explosive free.