Airbag inflator with consumable igniter tube
US5845933A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 24, 1996 |
| Grant date | Dec 8, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 24, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60R2021/26041
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A consumable igniter tube for a solid fuel passenger side airbag inflator is provided. The igniter tube is composed of a thin metallic material, such as aluminum foil, that has it walls being at least partially, and preferably essentially fully devoured, almost instantaneously upon ignition of the primary igniter charge that is initially confined within the tube. The entire combustion products produced from the burning igniter charge, including hot gases as well as hot burning particulates, are thereby released through the openings created in the consumed igniter tube walls and vented into the adjacent combustion chamber that contains the solid fuel gas generant. All of the burning igniter products are thus used to ignite the solid fuel gas generant, which, upon ignition, generates inflation gases that eventually exit the inflator into a folded airbag in order to inflate and deploy the airbag into the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The igniter tube advantageously does not act as a heat sink to reduce heat transfer between the burning igniter charge and gas generant, since the walls of the igniter are consumed and vanish almost instantaneously upon ignition of the igniter cha…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.