US5204068A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Filter
Assignee: Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp
•
Filing: 1991-05-01
•
Granted: 1993-04-20
•
Expires: 2011-05-01
Abstract
Abstract A filter filters the gas generated by an air bag inflator. The gas comprises an alkali metal oxide. The inflator comprises a non-woven metal fibrous mat and small particles of a silicon compound, reactive with the alkali metal oxide, adhered to strands of the mat.
Inventors
- 👤 John P. O'Loughlin
- 👤 Eldron L. Boehmer
- 👤 Timothy A. Swann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 07:13
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/02; B60R21/16; B60R21/26; B60R21/264; B60R21/2644; B01; B01D; B01D39/00; B01D39/14; B01D39/20; B01D39/2027; B01D39/2041; B01D39/2068; B01D39/2082; B01D46/00; B01D46/0039; B01D46/0047; B01D46/0049; B01D46/24; B01D46/56; B01D46/62; B01D46/64; B01D2239/00; B01D2239/04; B01D2239/0471; B01D2239/0492; B01D2239/06; B01D2239/0604; B01D2239/064; B01D2239/065; B01D2239/12; B01D2239/1258; B01D2275/00; B01D2275/10; B01D2279/00; B01D2279/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A filter for filtering the exhaust gas of an air bag inflator, in which said exhaust gas comprises an alkali metal oxide, comprising: a fibrous mat comprising a plurality of strands defining a plurality of tortuous passageways for the flow of an exhaust gas comprising an alkali metal oxide; and a coating on said strands; said coating comprising particles of a silicon compound adhered to the strands of said mat, said silicon compound being reactive with an alkali metal oxide to form particles of an alkali metal silicate; said coating being present in an effective amount to constrict said passageways to small enough diameters to entrap said particles of alkali metal silicate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
112 words
A filter for filtering the exhaust gas of an air bag inflator, in which said exhaust gas comprises an alkali metal oxide, comprising: a fibrous mat comprising a plurality of strands defining a plurality of tortuous passageways for the flow of an exhaust gas comprising an alkali metal oxide; and a coating on said strands; said coating comprising particles of a silicon compound adhered to the strands of said mat, said silicon compound being reactive with an alkali metal oxide to form particles of an alkali metal silicate; said coating being present in an effective amount to constrict said passageways to small enough diameters to entrap said particles of alkali metal silicate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The filter of claim 1 wherein said mat is a non-woven metal felt.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The filter of claim 2 wherein said non-woven metal felt is a nickel felt.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The filter of claim 3 wherein said silicon compound is silicon dioxide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
104 words
A filter for filtering the exhaust gas of an air bag inflator, in which said exhaust gas comprises an alkali metal oxide, comprising: a fibrous mat comprising a plurality of strands defining passageways for the flow of said exhaust gas; and a coating on said strands; said coating comprising particles of a silicon compound, reactive with an alkali metal oxide, adhered to the strands of said mat, and particles of metal sintered to the strands of the mat and to each other, said particles of silicon compound being interspersed with the particles of metal and adhered to the mat by said particles of metal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
104 words
A filter for filtering the exhaust gas of an air bag inflator, in which said exhaust gas comprises an alkali metal oxide, comprising: a fibrous mat comprising a plurality of strands defining passageways for the flow of said exhaust gas; and a coating on said strands; said coating comprising particles of a silicon compound, reactive with an alkali metal oxide, adhered to the strands of said mat, and particles of metal sintered to the strands of the mat and to each other, said particles of silicon compound being interspersed with the particles of metal and adhered to the mat by said particles of metal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The filter of claim 5 wherein said metal particles are particles of nickel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The filter of claim 5 wherein said mat is a non-woven metal felt.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The filter of claim 7 wherein said non-woven metal felt is a nickel felt.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The filter of claim 8 wherein said silicon compound is silicon dioxide.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The filter of claim 7 wherein said metal felt is coated with particles of silicon dioxide and nickel, said felt having a gas permeability in the range of about 6-18 liters/min/cm 2 .
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The filter of claim 7 wherein said non-woven metal felt is a reticulate metal substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
101 words
The filter of claim 5 wherein said mat is a first non-woven metal fibrous mat, said filter further comprising a second non-woven metal fibrous mat spaced from said first non-woven metal fibrous mat, said second non-woven metal fibrous mat comprising particles of metal sintered to the strands of the mat and to each other and particles of silicon dioxide interspersed with the particles of metal and adhered to the strands by said particles of metal, said filter further comprising an intermediate mat of SiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 ceramic fibers between said first and second non-woven metal fibrous mats.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
60 words
The filter of claim 12 in the shape of a ring, wherein one of said non-woven metal fibrous mats has a weight ratio of mat to silicon dioxide and metal particles combined of about 80:20, and the other of said non-woven metal fibrous mats has a weight ratio of mat to silicon dioxide and metal particles combined of about 60:40.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
91 words
A filter for filtering the exhaust gas of an air bag inflator, in which said exhaust gas comprises an alkali metal oxide, comprising: a fibrous metal mat comprising a plurality of strands; particles of a silicon compound, reactive with an alkali metal oxide, adhered to the strands of said mat; and particles of a metal sintered to the strands of the mat and to each other, said particles of a silicon compound being interspersed with the particles of a metal and adhered to the strands by said particles of a metal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
91 words
A filter for filtering the exhaust gas of an air bag inflator, in which said exhaust gas comprises an alkali metal oxide, comprising: a fibrous metal mat comprising a plurality of strands; particles of a silicon compound, reactive with an alkali metal oxide, adhered to the strands of said mat; and particles of a metal sintered to the strands of the mat and to each other, said particles of a silicon compound being interspersed with the particles of a metal and adhered to the strands by said particles of a metal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The filter of claim 14 wherein said mat is a non-woven metal felt and said metal particles are sintered to the strands of said metal felt.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The filter of claim 15 wherein said metal felt is a nickel felt and said metal particles are particles of nickel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
141 words
A filter for filtering the exhaust gas of an air bag inflator, in which said exhaust gas comprises an alkali metal oxide, comprising: a fibrous metal mat comprising a plurality of strands defining passageways for the flow of an exhaust gas; particles of a silicon compound, reactive with an alkali metal oxide, in said mat in an effective amount to react with an alkali metal oxide in said exhaust gas to form an alkali metal silicate; particles of a metal sintered to the strands of the mat and to each other, said particles of a silicon compound being interspersed with the particles of a metal, the amount of particles of a metal being an effective amount to adhere the particles of a silicon compound to said strands; both said effective amounts being effective to constrict the passageways of said fibrous mat.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
141 words
A filter for filtering the exhaust gas of an air bag inflator, in which said exhaust gas comprises an alkali metal oxide, comprising: a fibrous metal mat comprising a plurality of strands defining passageways for the flow of an exhaust gas; particles of a silicon compound, reactive with an alkali metal oxide, in said mat in an effective amount to react with an alkali metal oxide in said exhaust gas to form an alkali metal silicate; particles of a metal sintered to the strands of the mat and to each other, said particles of a silicon compound being interspersed with the particles of a metal, the amount of particles of a metal being an effective amount to adhere the particles of a silicon compound to said strands; both said effective amounts being effective to constrict the passageways of said fibrous mat.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3797854A
Cited
US4017100A
Cited
US4322385A
Cited
US4360957A
Cited
US4680040A
Cited
US4902036A
Cited
US4878690A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-04-19 | 1996-10-19 | 1997-04-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-04-19 | 2000-10-19 | 2001-04-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-04-19 | 2004-10-19 | 2005-04-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |