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US4013010A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Gas generator with expandable cartridge

Assignee: ATK Launch Systems LLC
•
Filing: 1974-11-04
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Granted: 1977-03-22
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Expires: 1994-11-04
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Abstract

Abstract The invention, which is especially useful for inflating safety cushions for automotive vehicles, is essentially an orificed housing and an expendable cartridge therein. The cartridge has a hermetically sealed can containing a layer of gas generant material in one end contiguous with a tubular-shaped igniter including an electric squib and pyrotechnic material to be ignited thereby. A layer of filter screens is included between the ignition device and a perforated partition. The remainder of the can is filled with an annulus formed by annular wrappings of wire screen and a central bag of pH neutralizing material. The perforations in the partition are centered over the neutralizing material so that the slightly alkaline gases from the burning gas generant and ignition device must pass through the pH neutralizing material before passing through the annular wrappings of screen and rupturing the wall of the can to inflate a safety cushion. This disposable cartridge is closely supported on all sides by the housing, except at the orifices thereof, so that rupturing of the can may occur only at the orifices when the gas generator is fired.

Inventors

  • 👤 Fred E. Schneiter
  • 👤 Philip R. Dykstra
  • 👤 Carver G. Kennedy

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 10:48
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/02; B60R21/16; B60R21/26; B60R21/264; B60R21/2644; F; F42; F42B; F42B3/00; F42B3/04; B60R2021/26058

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 167 words
A gas generator comprising: a housing comprising two half shells forming a box-like structure with orifices therein, and a plurality of orificed, hollow cylinders inside said structure, the ends of the cylinders being closed by the half shells; an expendable cartridge in each of the cylinders comprising an easily-rupturable, hermetically-sealed container; a perforated partition dividing the container into first and second chambers; gas generant material in the first chamber; an ignition means contiguous with the gas generant material; gas cooling means adjacent the inner wall of the second chamber of the container; and pH neutralizing material between the cooling means and the perforations of the partition, so that gases from the burning gas generant material passing through the perforations in the partition must pass through the pH neutralizing material--the housing closely supporting the container on all sides except for the orifice sites in the surrounding cylinder, which are adjacent the cooling means, whereby gases passing through the cooling means may rupture the container only at the orifices.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 167 words
A gas generator comprising: a housing comprising two half shells forming a box-like structure with orifices therein, and a plurality of orificed, hollow cylinders inside said structure, the ends of the cylinders being closed by the half shells; an expendable cartridge in each of the cylinders comprising an easily-rupturable, hermetically-sealed container; a perforated partition dividing the container into first and second chambers; gas generant material in the first chamber; an ignition means contiguous with the gas generant material; gas cooling means adjacent the inner wall of the second chamber of the container; and pH neutralizing material between the cooling means and the perforations of the partition, so that gases from the burning gas generant material passing through the perforations in the partition must pass through the pH neutralizing material--the housing closely supporting the container on all sides except for the orifice sites in the surrounding cylinder, which are adjacent the cooling means, whereby gases passing through the cooling means may rupture the container only at the orifices.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 21 words
The gas generator of claim 1 wherein the ignition means comprises an electric squib and pyrotechnic material in the presence thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 32 words
The gas generator of claim 1 wherein the cooling means comprises annular wrappings of wire screen inside the wall of the container, and the pH neutralizing material is enclosed and surrounded thereby.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 53 words
The gas generator of claim 3 wherein the wrappings of wire screen comprising the cooling means are approximately 30 to 60 mesh and are surrounded by a plurality of layers of relatively coarse wire screen of approximately 8 to 16 mesh to promote a free-flow of gases through the orifices of the housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 50 words
The gas generator of claim 1 further including a layer of filter screens adjacent the partition in the first chamber, whereby any solid particles in gases produced by the gas generant and ignition means may be removed before they enter the pH neutralizing material through the perforations in the partition.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 19 words
The gas generator of claim 1 wherein the housing is elongated in form and contains a plurality of cartridges.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3515518A Cited
US3674284A Cited
US3733180A Cited
US3715131A Cited
US3797854A Cited
US3773352A Cited
US3877882A Cited
US3865660A Cited
US3880447A Cited
US3891233A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1980-03-21 1980-09-20 1981-03-22 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1984-03-21 1984-09-20 1985-03-22 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1988-03-21 1988-09-20 1989-03-22 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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