Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-28
2002-11-26
Dickson, Paul N. (Department: 3616)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S742000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06485051
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to something to inflate and expand an airbag of an automobile and, more particularly, to a gas generator capable of controlling an extensive form of the airbag.
BACKGROUND ART
In order to protect riders in an automobile from collision, the gas generator to immediately expand and inflate the airbag is built in an airbag module fitted in a steering wheel and an instrument panel. The gas generator is operated under control of collision detection signals from a collision sensor detecting a collision, to produce a large amount of high temperature gas instantaneously.
One typical example of the gas generator to inflate and expand the airbag is shown in FIG.
16
. As illustrated, the gas generator has a housing
100
having an annular. enclosed space formed by the double cylinder structure of inner and outer cylinders of upper and lower lidded containers
101
,
102
which are put in abutment with and frictional press-contact with each other. In the enclosed space of the housing
100
, gas generating agents
103
and a cylindrical filtering member
104
are contained in order from the inner cylinder toward the radial outside. Arranged in the inner cylinder are an igniter
105
that is ignited under control of collision detection signals from the collision sensor and an inflammation agent
106
that is ignited by ignition of the igniter
105
.
In this gas generator, the inflammation agent
106
is ignited by ignition of the igniter
105
under control of the collision detection signals from the collision sensor and, further, flame of the inflammation agent
106
is spurted into the enclosed space through a flame guidable aperture
107
of the inner cylinder, whereby the gas generating agents
103
are ignited and burnt to thereby produce a large amount of high temperature gas instantaneously. The large amount of temperature gas enters the filtering member
104
for slag collection and cooling of the gas thereat and thereafter is discharged from a number of gas discharging holes
101
a
of the upper container
101
into the airbag, so as to inflate and expand the airbag rapidly.
With the conventional gas generator, regardless of the patterns of automobile collision (low-speed collision, high-speed collision, etc.) and seating position of a rider (a normal seat position, an abnormal seat position, such as a stoop-shouldered position, etc.), the igniter is ignited under control of the collision detection signals from the collision sensor to thereby produce a large amount of gas instantaneously to inflate and expand the airbag rapidly. This sometimes provides the disadvantage that when the rider takes a seat position immediately behind the steering wheel or the instrument panel or when the automobile collides at low speed, the rapidly inflating airbag gives a shock to the rider (punching phenomenon), rather than fulfills its intended function to protect the rider.
It is object of the present invention to provide a gas generator that can controllably allow the airbag to inflate and expand slowly at an initial stage of the inflation and thereafter inflate and expand rapidly so that the intended function of the airbag.can be fulfilled.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In the first invention, an enclosed space of a housing is partitioned into a plurality of combustion chambers, and gas generating agents, a filtering member and an igniter are arranged in the combustion chambers, respectively.
This enables the gas discharged into the airbag to be controlled by operating the igniters with time difference, and as such can achieve a multistage control of expansion of the airbag.
In addition, in the first invention, the combustion chambers are communicated to each other. This can allow the combustion of the gas generating agents in the combustion chambers to be effected with a total volume of the housing (enclosed space). Thus, when the igniters are operated with time difference, the airbag can be inflated and expanded moderately by a small amount of gas that is generated in the single combustion chamber and is suppressed in pressure rise characteristic in the initial stage of expansion and thereafter can be inflated and expanded rapidly by the addition of the gas generated in the respective combustion chambers and controlled to a specified gas pressure. characteristic and maximum pressure.
As a result of this, the rider is prevented from being given the shock by the airbag inflated and expanded rapidly in the initial expansion stage (punching phenomenon) and thus the air can fulfill its intended function to protect the rider.
In the second invention, an enclosed space of a housing is partitioned into two combustion chambers by a partition member, and gas generating agents, a filtering member and an igniter are arranged in the combustion chambers, respectively.
This enables the gas discharged into the airbag to be controlled by operating the two igniters with time difference, and as such can achieve a two-stage control of expansion of the airbag.
In addition, in the second invention, the combustion chambers are communicated to each other. This can allow the amount of gas and pressure rise characteristic of the expansion of the airbag to be controlled, to inflate and expand the airbag, as is the case with the first invention.
In the third invention, a housing is formed into a short, cylindrical shape; an enclosed space in the housing is partitioned into two combustion chambers by a partition member; and gas generating agents and a filtering member are arranged in the combustion chambers, respectively. Also, a long, cylindrical, inner casing and a short, cylindrical, inner casing are extended into the combustion chambers, respectively, and igniters are arranged in the inner casings, respectively.
This enables the gas discharged into the airbag to be controlled by operating the two igniters with time difference, and as such can achieve a two-stage control of expansion of the airbag. Besides, the gas generating agents in the combustion chambers can be burnt with a simple structure that the igniters are arranged in their respective inner casings. In addition, since the housing is formed into a short, cylindrical shape, the gas generator is optimum to inflate and expand the airbag for driver seat.
In addition, in the third invention, the combustion chambers are communicated to each other. This can allow the amount of gas and pressure rise characteristic of the expansion of the airbag to be controlled, to inflate and expand the airbag, as is the case with the first invention.
In the fourth invention, the housing is formed into a short, cylindrical shape; the enclosed space in the housing is partitioned into two combustion chambers by the partition member; and the gas generating agents and the filtering member are arranged in the combustion chambers, respectively. Also, the long, cylindrical, inner casing and the short, cylindrical, inner casing are extended into the combustion chambers, respectively; upper and lower lids of the housing are joined via the long, cylindrical, inner casing; and the igniters are arranged in the inner casings, respectively.
This enables the gas discharged into the airbag to be controlled by operating the two igniters with time difference, and as such can achieve a two-stage control of expansion of the airbag. Besides, the gas generating agents in the combustion chambers can be burnt with a simple structure that the igniters are arranged in their respective inner casings. Since the structure of the lids of the housing being joined via the long, cylindrical casing enables structural strength of the housing to increase, it can suitably be used for a large-sized gas generator to produce a large amount of gases and for non-azide-base generating agents to generate high pressure gas. In addition, since the housing is formed into the short, cylindrical shape, the gas generator is optimum to inflate and expand the airbag for driver seat.
In addition, in the fourth invention, the combustion chambers are communicated to each other. This can allow the amo
Kishino Yoshiyuki
Ochi Hiroyuki
Sako Kenji
Taguchi Seigo
Dickson Paul N.
Draper Deanna L.
Nippon Kayaku Kabushiki-Kaisha
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