Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Patent
1997-01-07
1998-09-15
English, Peter C.
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
102531, B60R 2126
Patent
active
058068872
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a gas generator for an air bag and also to a method of fabricating the gas generator. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of fabricating a hermetic container for receiving gas generant accommodated in a combustion chamber located inside a gas generator for an air bag.
More particularly, the invention relates to a gas generator for an air bag, a method of fabricating the same and a method of fabricating a hermetic container for receiving a gas generant, which prevent pelletized gas generant from being powdered due to vibration.
2. Description of the Related Art:
It is known in the art of a gas generator for inflating an air bag in order to protect passengers in a vehicle that gas generant is sealed in a hermetic container so as to prevent the gas generant from a deteriorating with a lapse of time due to absorbing moisture.
When the gas generant is shaped into pellets, the pelletized gas generants collide with each other or with the hermetic container due to vibration during the vehicle moving, so that the gas generant becomes powder. When the gas generant is powdered by the vibration or for other causes, the whole surface of the gas generant increases in area and a combustion speed of the gas generant becomes rapid. Accordingly, the pressure inside of the gas generator increases. A housing of the gas generator may be destroyed in the worst case. Accordingly, it is necessary to prevent the pelletized gas generant from becoming powder due to the vibration for the purpose of preventing the gas generant from deteriorating as time lapses.
There is a method for preventing the pelletized gas generant from becoming powder, where a cushion member having elasticity is inserted into the hermetic container and vibration of the gas generant is suppressed by the elastic force. Whereby, the pelletized gas generant is prevented from becoming powder. Foamed silicone material and ceramic fiber are known as the above-described cushion member.
However, when the foamed silicone material is utilized, carbon and hydrogen contained in it act with each other during the gas generant burning. The carbon is oxidized by the action and then carbon monoxide is produced. The carbon monoxide is possible to contaminate a gas generated by burning gas generant. The hydrogen is oxidized by the action and then H.sub.2 O is produced. The H.sub.2 O is possible to have dissolvable ingredient of the combustion residues flow out. The contamination of the generated gas and flowing out the dissolvable ingredient of combustion residues are not suitable for the air bag. Hence, use of this material is inappropriate.
On the other hand, the ceramic fibers do not have such faults. However, these ceramic fibers constitute unwoven fabric, and each diameter of the unwoven fabric is small. Therefore, these ceramic fibers tend to be defaced due to friction between the gas generant and the ceramic fibers caused by vibration. Further, these ceramic fibers tend to break and be powdered due to collision with the gas generant. Consequently, sufficient cushioning property can not be expected. For this reason, the deterioration of the gas generant cannot be effectively prevented as time lapses.
Furthermore, it is necessary to place the cushioning member at one side in the container so that the gas generant may be pressed against the opposite side in the container. Accordingly, it is necessary to cover the gas generant at this one side in the container. Therefore, the amount of the cushioning member cannot be substantially reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing problems, the present invention has been made. It is an object of the present invention to provide a gas generator wherein an amount of gas generant loaded in the gas generator can be increased, and wherein a property of preventing the pelletized gas generant from powdering due to vibration is kept, and wherein generated gas is not contaminated. It is another object of the present invention t
REFERENCES:
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patent: 4590041 (1986-05-01), Hill
patent: 4943086 (1990-07-01), Cunningham
patent: 5189255 (1993-02-01), Fukabori et al.
patent: 5253895 (1993-10-01), Bretfeld et al.
patent: 5273722 (1993-12-01), Hogenauer et al.
Kobayashi Hisafumi
Nishida Kenjiro
Ochi Hiroyuki
Tanaka Koji
English Peter C.
Nippon Kayaku Kabushiki-Kaisha
Sensor Technology Co. Ltd.
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