Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-16
2001-06-12
Swann, J. J. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S741000, C137S068130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244622
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as an air bag. In particular, the present invention relates to an air bag inflator having a burst disk which is opened by an initiator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,381 describes an inflator for inflating an air bag. The inflator includes a squib having an outer body portion enclosing a pyrotechnic material. A projectile in the form of a cylindrical metal sleeve, closed at one end, is snapped onto the outer body portion of the squib. Upon actuation of the squib, the outer end portion of the squib ruptures. The projectile is propelled from the squib into engagement with a burst disk to rupture the burst disk.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, comprising an inflator structure defining a chamber for containing a quantity of inflation fluid under pressure. The inflator structure has a rupturable wall portion blocking fluid flow out of the chamber. The apparatus includes an actuatable initiator connected with the inflator structure for when actuated generating combustion products. The initiator has a central axis. A spherical projectile is supported adjacent to the initiator and is movable away from the initiator under the force of the combustion products of the initiator into engagement with the wall portion to rupture the wall portion. The apparatus includes a focusing sleeve for constraining the spherical projectile to move in a predetermined direction from the initiator to the wall portion. The focusing sleeve has an axis located on the axis of the initiator.
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Al-Amin Ahmad K.
Cuevas Jess A.
Shirk Bryan W.
Swann Timothy A.
Van Wynsberghe Roy D.
Dunn David R.
Swann J. J.
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell Tummino & Szabo L.L.P.
TRW Inc.
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