Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-04
2001-07-10
Swann, J. J. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S741000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257617
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as an air bag, is deployed upon the occurrence of a vehicle crash. The air bag is part of a vehicle occupant protection apparatus which further includes a crash sensor and an inflator. The inflator includes a housing and an inflation fluid source, such as a solid propellant, in the housing. When the crash sensor senses a crash-indicating condition of at least a predetermined threshold level, the inflator is actuated and produces inflation fluid under pressure in the inflator housing. The pressurized inflation fluid is directed out of the inflator housing and inflates the air bag into the vehicle occupant compartment. When the air bag is deployed in this manner, it helps to protect an occupant of the vehicle from a forceful impact with parts of the vehicle as a result of the crash.
When the inflator is actuated at an elevated ambient temperature, the pressure of the inflation fluid in the inflator housing increases. An inflator must be strong enough structurally to contain these elevated pressures. If the pressure in the inflator housing is thus increased, the mass flow rate of the inflation fluid flowing into the air bag can increase above the desired flow rate. Also, the possibility of such increased pressures may make it unfeasible to use a solid propellant which has a high burn rate exponent, that is, a high sensitivity to pressure variation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The apparatus comprises a housing defining a generally ring-shaped propellant chamber extending around an axis of the inflator. The housing has a fluid outlet for directing flow of inflation fluid out of the housing to the inflatable device. The propellant chamber has first and second axially spaced portions. A quantity of ignitable propellant is located in the first portion of the propellant chamber for, when ignited, producing inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable device. A heat sink is located in the second portion of the propellant chamber for cooling inflation fluid flowing from the propellant chamber. The heat sink has a generally conical configuration and acts between the propellant and the housing to limit movement of the propellant in the housing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5468017 (1995-11-01), Kirsch et al.
patent: 5564741 (1996-10-01), Ward et al.
patent: 5624133 (1997-04-01), Wong
patent: 5624134 (1997-04-01), Iwai et al.
patent: 5625164 (1997-04-01), McFarland et al.
patent: 5713595 (1998-02-01), Mooney et al.
patent: 5727813 (1998-03-01), Stratton et al.
patent: 5808232 (1998-09-01), Siddiqui
patent: 5851028 (1998-12-01), Thibodeau
patent: 5984352 (1999-11-01), Green, Jr. et al.
patent: 6019389 (2000-02-01), Burgi et al.
patent: 6032979 (2000-03-01), Mossi et al.
patent: 9425315 (1994-11-01), None
TRW Presentation to General Motors.
TRW Presentation to Chrysler.
Co-pending U.S. Patent Appln. Serial No. 08/820,925, filed Mar. 19, 1997 entitled “Air Bag Inflator with Pressure Regulation”.
Green, Jr. Lloyd G.
McFarland Eric R.
Lum L.
Swann J. J.
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell Tummino & Szabo L.L.P.
TRW Inc.
LandOfFree
Air bag inflator with pressure regulation does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Air bag inflator with pressure regulation, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Air bag inflator with pressure regulation will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2524782