US5616883A — Hybrid inflator and related propellants

Claim 1

Independent Claim 240 words

An inflator for an inflatable safety system, comprising: an inflator housing; a pressurized medium contained within at least said inflator housing, wherein said pressurized medium consists essentially of at least one inert gas and oxygen and wherein said pressurized medium is the only pressurized fluid contained within said inflator prior to any activation of said inflator; a gas generator interconnected with said inflator housing and comprising a gas generator housing and at least one gas generator outlet: a propellant contained within said gas generator housing comprising a secondary explosive and a binder system, wherein said propellant has a burn rate ranging from about 0.1 inches per second (0.25 cm/sec) to about 1 inch per second (5.0 cm/sec) at 4,000 psi (27.6 MPa), a combustion temperature ranging from about 2,000° K. to about 3,800° K., and has lone-term thermal stability, said secondary explosive being selected from the group consisting of RDX (hexahydrotrinitrotriazine), HMX (cyclotetramethylenetetra-nitramine) , PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate) , and TACN (triaminoguanidine nitrate), said binder system being selected from the group consisting of polymeric binders, plasticizers, stabilizers and combinations thereof, said binder system comprising at least one of an energetic glycidyl azide polymer, a nitrate ester plasticizer, a glycidyl azide plasticizer, nitroglycerin, and BDNPA/F (bis (2,2-dinitropropyl) acetal/formal); and an inflator activation assembly comprising an ignitable material other than said propellant, wherein said pressurized medium is released from said inflator housing and said propellant is ingnited upon initiating said inflator activation assembly.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 240 words

An inflator for an inflatable safety system, comprising: an inflator housing; a pressurized medium contained within at least said inflator housing, wherein said pressurized medium consists essentially of at least one inert gas and oxygen and wherein said pressurized medium is the only pressurized fluid contained within said inflator prior to any activation of said inflator; a gas generator interconnected with said inflator housing and comprising a gas generator housing and at least one gas generator outlet: a propellant contained within said gas generator housing comprising a secondary explosive and a binder system, wherein said propellant has a burn rate ranging from about 0.1 inches per second (0.25 cm/sec) to about 1 inch per second (5.0 cm/sec) at 4,000 psi (27.6 MPa), a combustion temperature ranging from about 2,000° K. to about 3,800° K., and has lone-term thermal stability, said secondary explosive being selected from the group consisting of RDX (hexahydrotrinitrotriazine), HMX (cyclotetramethylenetetra-nitramine) , PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate) , and TACN (triaminoguanidine nitrate), said binder system being selected from the group consisting of polymeric binders, plasticizers, stabilizers and combinations thereof, said binder system comprising at least one of an energetic glycidyl azide polymer, a nitrate ester plasticizer, a glycidyl azide plasticizer, nitroglycerin, and BDNPA/F (bis (2,2-dinitropropyl) acetal/formal); and an inflator activation assembly comprising an ignitable material other than said propellant, wherein said pressurized medium is released from said inflator housing and said propellant is ingnited upon initiating said inflator activation assembly.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 16 words

An inflator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said at least one inert gas is argon.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 38 words

An inflator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said pressurized medium, on a molar basis, is about 70% to about 90% of said at least one inert gas and from about 10% to about 30% of said oxygen.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 31 words

An inflator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said pressurized medium, on a molar basis, is about 85% of said at least one inert gas and about 15% of said oxygen.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 40 words

An inflator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: propellant gases from combustion of said propellant and said pressurized medium are mixed to define an output gas, said output gas containing, on a molar basis, no more than about 25% oxygen.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 43 words

An inflator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said secondary explosive comprises from about 50 wt % to about 90 wt % of said propellant and said binder system comprises from about 10 wt % to about 50 wt % of said propellant.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 43 words

An inflator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said secondary explosive comprises from about 60 wt % to about 80 wt % of said propellant and said binder system comprises from about 20 wt % to about 40 wt % of said propellant.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 43 words

An inflator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said secondary explosive comprises from about 70 wt % to about 80 wt % of said propellant and said binder system comprises from about 20 wt % to about 30 wt % of said propellant.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 28 words

An inflator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said secondary explosive comprises RDX (hexahydrotrinitrotriazine) and wherein said binder system comprises cellulose acetate, TMETN (trimethylolethane trinitrate) and ethyl centralite.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 59 words

An inflator, as claimed in claim 9, comprising: at least about 70 wt % of said RDX (hexahydrotrinitrotriazine), from about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of said cellulose acetate, from about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of said TMETN (trimethylolethane trinitrate), and no more than about 2 wt % of said ethyl centralite.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 26 words

An inflator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said secondary explosive comprises RDX (hexahydrotrinitrotriazine) and said binder system comprises GAP (glycidyl azide polymer) and a plasticizer.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 29 words

An inflator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said secondary explosive comprises RDX (hexahydrotrinitrotriazine) and said binder system comprises cellulose acetate and GAP (glycidyl azide polymer) and a plasticizer.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 76 words

An inflator, as claimed in claim 12, comprising: at least about 70 wt % of said RDX (hexahydrotrinitrotriazine), from about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of said cellulose acetate, and from about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of said GAP (glycidyl azide polymer), and from about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of a plasticizer selected from the group consisting of ATEC (acetyl triethyl citrate) and GAP plasticizer.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 106 words

An inflator for an automotive inflatable safety system, comprising: an inflator housing; a pressurized medium contained within said inflator housing; a gas generator interconnected with said inflator housing and comprising a gas generator housing and at least one gas generator outlet; a propellant contained within said gas generator housing, said propellant comprising a secondary explosive and a binder system, wherein said secondary explosive comprises RDX (hexahydrotrinitrotriazine) and wherein said binder system comprises cellulose acetate, TMETN (trimethylolethane trinitrate) and ethyl centralite; and an inflator activation assembly, wherein said pressurized medium is released from said inflator housing and said propellant is ignited upon initiating said inflator activation assembly.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 106 words

An inflator for an automotive inflatable safety system, comprising: an inflator housing; a pressurized medium contained within said inflator housing; a gas generator interconnected with said inflator housing and comprising a gas generator housing and at least one gas generator outlet; a propellant contained within said gas generator housing, said propellant comprising a secondary explosive and a binder system, wherein said secondary explosive comprises RDX (hexahydrotrinitrotriazine) and wherein said binder system comprises cellulose acetate, TMETN (trimethylolethane trinitrate) and ethyl centralite; and an inflator activation assembly, wherein said pressurized medium is released from said inflator housing and said propellant is ignited upon initiating said inflator activation assembly.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 59 words

An inflator, as claimed in claim 14, comprising: at least about 70 wt % of said RDX (hexahydrotrinitrotriazine), from about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of said cellulose acetate, from about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of said TMETN (trimethylolethane trinitrate), and no more than about 2 wt % of said ethyl centralite.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 104 words

An inflator for an automotive inflatable safety system, comprising: an inflator housing; a pressurized medium contained within said inflator housing; a gas generator interconnected with said inflator housing and comprising a gas generator housing and at least one gas generator outlet; a propellant contained within said gas generator housing, said propellant comprising a secondary explosive and a binder system, wherein said secondary explosive comprises RDX (hexahydrotrinitrotriazine) and said binder system comprises GAP (glycidyl azide polymer) and a plasticizer; and an inflator activation assembly, wherein said pressurized medium is released from said inflator housing and said propellant is ignited upon initiating said inflator activation assembly.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 104 words

An inflator for an automotive inflatable safety system, comprising: an inflator housing; a pressurized medium contained within said inflator housing; a gas generator interconnected with said inflator housing and comprising a gas generator housing and at least one gas generator outlet; a propellant contained within said gas generator housing, said propellant comprising a secondary explosive and a binder system, wherein said secondary explosive comprises RDX (hexahydrotrinitrotriazine) and said binder system comprises GAP (glycidyl azide polymer) and a plasticizer; and an inflator activation assembly, wherein said pressurized medium is released from said inflator housing and said propellant is ignited upon initiating said inflator activation assembly.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 107 words

An inflator for an automotive inflatable safety system, comprising: an inflator housing; a pressurized medium contained within said inflator housing; a gas generator interconnected with said inflator housing and comprising a gas generator housing and at least one gas generator outlet; a propellant contained within said gas generator housing, said propellant comprising a secondary explosive and a binder system, wherein said secondary explosive comprises RDX (hexahydrotrinitrotriazine) and said binder system comprises cellulose acetate and GAP (glycidyl azide polymer) and a plasticizer; and an inflator activation assembly, wherein said pressurized medium is released from said inflator housing and said propellant is ignited upon initiating said inflator activation assembly.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 107 words

An inflator for an automotive inflatable safety system, comprising: an inflator housing; a pressurized medium contained within said inflator housing; a gas generator interconnected with said inflator housing and comprising a gas generator housing and at least one gas generator outlet; a propellant contained within said gas generator housing, said propellant comprising a secondary explosive and a binder system, wherein said secondary explosive comprises RDX (hexahydrotrinitrotriazine) and said binder system comprises cellulose acetate and GAP (glycidyl azide polymer) and a plasticizer; and an inflator activation assembly, wherein said pressurized medium is released from said inflator housing and said propellant is ignited upon initiating said inflator activation assembly.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 76 words

An inflator, as claimed in claim 12, comprising: at least about 70 wt % of said RDX (hexahydrotrinitrotriazine), from about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of said cellulose acetate, and from about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of said GAP (glycidyl azide polymer), and from about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of a plasticizer selected from the group consisting of ATEC (acetyl triethyl citrate) and GAP plasticizer.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-03-31	2000-09-30	2001-04-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-03-31	2004-09-30	2005-04-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-03-31	2008-09-30	2009-04-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Hybrid inflator and related propellants

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