Fluid fueled inflator with flow reversal

Claim 1

An apparatus for inflating an inflatable device, said apparatus comprising: a housing containing at least one fuel in the form of a fluid and at least one oxidant, said housing including a first chamber wherein the at least one fuel and the at least one oxidant are burned to produce combustion products including hot combustion gas, said first chamber adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said first chamber is realized, whereby at least a portion of the hot combustion gas is expelled from said first chamber in a first direction, initiator means for initiating the burning of the at least one fuel and at least one oxidant in said first chamber, said housing also including a second chamber containing a supply of pressurized stored gas, said second chamber having at least one outlet opening with sealing means normally closing said at least one outlet opening and being in fluid communication with said first chamber upon the opening of said first chamber with the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber mixing with the pressurized stored gas to produce inflation gas free of solid particulate material, said sealing means normally closing said at least one outlet opening adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said second chamber is realized after the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber mixes with the pressurized stored gas to produce the inflation gas, whereby at least a portion of the inflation gas is expelled from said second chamber in a second direction, and wherein the inflation gas is expelled from said second chamber in a counterflow manner in relation to the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber.

Claim 2

An apparatus for inflating an inflatable device, said apparatus comprising: a housing containing at least one fuel in the form of a fluid and at least one oxidant, said housing including a first chamber wherein the at least one fuel and the at least one oxidant are burned to produce combustion products including hot combustion gas, said first chamber adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said first chamber is realized, whereby at least a portion of the hot combustion gas is expelled from said first chamber in a first direction, initiator means for initiating the burning of the at least one fuel and at least one oxidant in said first chamber, said housing also including a second chamber containing a supply of pressurized stored gas, said second chamber having at least one outlet opening with sealing means normally closing said at least one outlet opening and being in fluid communication with said first chamber upon the opening of said first chamber with the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber mixing with the pressurized stored gas to produce inflation gas free of solid particulate material, said sealing means normally closing said at least one outlet opening adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said second chamber is realized after the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber mixes with the pressurized stored gas to produce the inflation gas, whereby at least a portion of the inflation gas is expelled from said second chamber in a second direction, and wherein the inflation gas is expelled from said second chamber in a counterflow manner in relation to the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber.

Claim 20

An apparatus for inflating an inflatable device, said apparatus comprising: an elongated tubular housing containing at least one fuel in the form of a fluid and at least one oxidant, said housing having first and second end portions, the first end portion closed by means of a first end closure and the second end portion closed by means of a second end closure, said housing including a first chamber along at least a first section of the second end closure and formed at least in part by a wall, wherein the at least one fuel and the at least one oxidant are burned to produce combustion products including hot combustion gas, the combustion of the fuel in the form of a fluid and the oxidant increasing the temperature and pressure within said first chamber with said first chamber adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said first chamber is realized, whereby at least a portion of the hot combustion gas is expelled from said first chamber in a direction opposite the first section of the second end closure, initiator means for initiating the burning of the at least one fuel and at least one oxidant in said first chamber, said housing also including a second chamber along at least a second section of the second end closure, said second chamber including at least one outlet opening at the second section of the second end closure and sealing means normally closing said at least one outlet opening, said second chamber containing a supply of pressurized stored gas and being in fluid communication with said first chamber upon the opening of said first chamber, the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber mixing with the pressurized stored gas to produce inflation gas free of solid particulate material, the mixing of the hot combustion gas with the pressurized stored gas increasing the temperature and pressure within said second chamber with said second chamber sealing means adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said second chamber is realized after the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber mixes with the pressurized stored gas to produce the inflation gas, whereby at least a portion of the inflation gas is expelled from said second chamber through said at least one outlet opening, and directing means for directing the expelled second chamber contents to the inflatable device.

Claim 21

An apparatus for inflating an inflatable device, said apparatus comprising: an elongated tubular housing containing at least one fuel in the form of a fluid and at least one oxidant, said housing having first and second end portions, the first end portion closed by means of a first end closure and the second end portion closed by means of a second end closure, said housing including a first chamber along at least a first section of the second end closure and formed at least in part by a wall, wherein the at least one fuel and the at least one oxidant are burned to produce combustion products including hot combustion gas, the combustion of the fuel in the form of a fluid and the oxidant increasing the temperature and pressure within said first chamber with said first chamber adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said first chamber is realized, whereby at least a portion of the hot combustion gas is expelled from said first chamber in a direction opposite the first section of the second end closure, initiator means for initiating the burning of the at least one fuel and at least one oxidant in said first chamber, said housing also including a second chamber along at least a second section of the second end closure, said second chamber including at least one outlet opening at the second section of the second end closure and sealing means normally closing said at least one outlet opening, said second chamber containing a supply of pressurized stored gas and being in fluid communication with said first chamber upon the opening of said first chamber, the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber mixing with the pressurized stored gas to produce inflation gas free of solid particulate material, the mixing of the hot combustion gas with the pressurized stored gas increasing the temperature and pressure within said second chamber with said second chamber sealing means adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said second chamber is realized after the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber mixes with the pressurized stored gas to produce the inflation gas, whereby at least a portion of the inflation gas is expelled from said second chamber through said at least one outlet opening, and directing means for directing the expelled second chamber contents to the inflatable device.

Claim 26

A method for inflating an inflatable safety device in a vehicle, said method utilizing an apparatus having a first sealed chamber wherein a fuel is burned and a second chamber containing a supply of pressurized stored gas, the second chamber having at lest one outlet opening and sealing means normally closing the at least one outlet opening, said method comprising the steps of: burning at least one fuel in the form of a fluid with at least one oxidant in the first sealed chamber to produce combustion products including hot combustion gas and thereby increasing the temperature and pressure within the first chamber; opening the first chamber when a predetermined increase in the pressure within the first chamber is realized to expel at least a portion of the hot combustion gas from the first chamber into the second chamber containing the supply of pressurized stored gas; mixing the expelled hot combustion gas with the pressurized stored gas in the second chamber to produce inflation gas free of solid particulate material, said mixing increasing the temperature and pressure within the second chamber, and opening the sealing means normally closing the at least one outlet opening of the second chamber when a predetermined increase in the pressure within the second chamber is realized to expel the inflation gas from the second chamber to inflate the inflatable safety device; wherein the hot combustion gas expelled from the first chamber and mixing with the pressurized stored gas to produce the inflation gas in the second chamber undergoes a reversal of direction between exiting the first chamber and exiting the second chamber.

Claim 27

A method for inflating an inflatable safety device in a vehicle, said method utilizing an apparatus having a first sealed chamber wherein a fuel is burned and a second chamber containing a supply of pressurized stored gas, the second chamber having at lest one outlet opening and sealing means normally closing the at least one outlet opening, said method comprising the steps of: burning at least one fuel in the form of a fluid with at least one oxidant in the first sealed chamber to produce combustion products including hot combustion gas and thereby increasing the temperature and pressure within the first chamber; opening the first chamber when a predetermined increase in the pressure within the first chamber is realized to expel at least a portion of the hot combustion gas from the first chamber into the second chamber containing the supply of pressurized stored gas; mixing the expelled hot combustion gas with the pressurized stored gas in the second chamber to produce inflation gas free of solid particulate material, said mixing increasing the temperature and pressure within the second chamber, and opening the sealing means normally closing the at least one outlet opening of the second chamber when a predetermined increase in the pressure within the second chamber is realized to expel the inflation gas from the second chamber to inflate the inflatable safety device; wherein the hot combustion gas expelled from the first chamber and mixing with the pressurized stored gas to produce the inflation gas in the second chamber undergoes a reversal of direction between exiting the first chamber and exiting the second chamber.

Claim 31

An apparatus for inflating an inflatable device, said apparatus comprising: a housing including a first chamber wherein at least one fuel in the form of a fluid and at least one oxidant are burned to produce combustion products including hot combustion gas, said first chamber adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said first chamber is realized, whereby at least a portion of the hot combustion gas is expelled from said first chamber in a first direction, initiator means for initiating the burning of the at least one fuel and at least one oxidant in said first chamber, said housing also including a second chamber containing a supply of pressurized stored gas, said second chamber having at least two gas outlet openings and gas outlet sealing means comprising a separate rupture disc for each of said at least two gas outlet openings normally closing each of said at least two gas outlet openings, said second chamber in fluid communication with said first chamber upon the opening of said first chamber with the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber mixing with the pressurized stored gas to produce inflation gas, said second chamber adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said second chamber is realized after the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber mixes with the pressurized stored gas to produce the inflation gas, whereby at least a portion of the inflation gas is expelled from said second chamber in a second direction, and wherein the inflation gas is expelled from said second chamber in a counterflow manner in relation to the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber.

Claim 32

An apparatus for inflating an inflatable device, said apparatus comprising: a housing including a first chamber wherein at least one fuel in the form of a fluid and at least one oxidant are burned to produce combustion products including hot combustion gas, said first chamber adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said first chamber is realized, whereby at least a portion of the hot combustion gas is expelled from said first chamber in a first direction, initiator means for initiating the burning of the at least one fuel and at least one oxidant in said first chamber, said housing also including a second chamber containing a supply of pressurized stored gas, said second chamber having at least two gas outlet openings and gas outlet sealing means comprising a separate rupture disc for each of said at least two gas outlet openings normally closing each of said at least two gas outlet openings, said second chamber in fluid communication with said first chamber upon the opening of said first chamber with the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber mixing with the pressurized stored gas to produce inflation gas, said second chamber adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said second chamber is realized after the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber mixes with the pressurized stored gas to produce the inflation gas, whereby at least a portion of the inflation gas is expelled from said second chamber in a second direction, and wherein the inflation gas is expelled from said second chamber in a counterflow manner in relation to the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber.

Claim 33

An apparatus for inflating an inflatable device, said apparatus comprising: a housing including a first chamber wherein at least one fuel in the form of a fluid and at least one oxidant are burned to produce combustion products including hot combustion gas, said first chamber adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said first chamber is realized, whereby at least a portion of the hot combustion gas is expelled from said first chamber in a first direction, initiator means for initiating the burning of the at least one fuel and at least one oxidant in said first chamber, said housing also including a second chamber containing a supply of pressurized stored gas, said second chamber having at least two gas outlet openings and pressure sensitive gas outlet sealing means normally closing said at least two gas, outlet openings, said second chamber in fluid communication with said first chamber upon the opening of said first chamber with the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber mixing with the pressurized stored gas to produce inflation gas, said second chamber adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said second chamber is realized after the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber mixes with the pressurized stored gas to produce the inflation gas, whereby at least a portion of the inflation gas is expelled from said second chamber in a second direction, wherein the inflation gas is expelled from said second chamber in a counterflow manner in relation to the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber, and wherein a first of said at least two outlet openings is selectively opened at a lesser pressure than a second of said at least two outlet openings.

Claim 34

An apparatus for inflating an inflatable device, said apparatus comprising: a housing including a first chamber wherein at least one fuel in the form of a fluid and at least one oxidant are burned to produce combustion products including hot combustion gas, said first chamber adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said first chamber is realized, whereby at least a portion of the hot combustion gas is expelled from said first chamber in a first direction, initiator means for initiating the burning of the at least one fuel and at least one oxidant in said first chamber, said housing also including a second chamber containing a supply of pressurized stored gas, said second chamber having at least two gas outlet openings and pressure sensitive gas outlet sealing means normally closing said at least two gas, outlet openings, said second chamber in fluid communication with said first chamber upon the opening of said first chamber with the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber mixing with the pressurized stored gas to produce inflation gas, said second chamber adapted to open when a predetermined increase in pressure within said second chamber is realized after the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber mixes with the pressurized stored gas to produce the inflation gas, whereby at least a portion of the inflation gas is expelled from said second chamber in a second direction, wherein the inflation gas is expelled from said second chamber in a counterflow manner in relation to the hot combustion gas expelled from said first chamber, and wherein a first of said at least two outlet openings is selectively opened at a lesser pressure than a second of said at least two outlet openings.