초록 ▼

An inflatable restraint system includes an airbag which is expanded by an inflator assembly to restrain movement of an occupant of a vehicle in the event of a collision. The inflator assembly includes a plurality of grains or bodies of gas generating material which are disposed in a longitudinally e

An inflatable restraint system includes an airbag which is expanded by an inflator assembly to restrain movement of an occupant of a vehicle in the event of a collision. The inflator assembly includes a plurality of grains or bodies of gas generating material which are disposed in a longitudinally extending array and are enclosed by a filter assembly and a housing. To promote a rapid and uniform combustion of the grains to quickly generate a large volume of gas, passages extend through the grains between spaces at opposite ends of the grains. Uniform combustion of the grains is promoted by having the passages located on concentric circles with the longitudinal axes of the passages spaced apart by equal distances along the circles. The axes of the passages on one concentric circle are circumferentially spaced from the axes of the passages on another concentric circle. The grains positioned with the passages in axial alignment and are cushioned by resilient retainer tubes which engage the outside of the grains. When the airbag has become inflated, a pressure control valve system is opened to exhaust excess gas generated by the combustion of the grains.

대표청구항 ▼

Apparatus for generating gas, said apparatus comprising: a cylindrically shaped grain having a central longitudinal axis and opposite, radially extending end faces spaced apart along the longitudinal axis; said grain being made of a material which generates gas upon combustion; said grain having a p

Apparatus for generating gas, said apparatus comprising: a cylindrically shaped grain having a central longitudinal axis and opposite, radially extending end faces spaced apart along the longitudinal axis; said grain being made of a material which generates gas upon combustion; said grain having a plurality of parallel passages extending therethrough and intersecting said opposite end faces; said passages having central longitudinal axes located on concentric circles which have their centers on the longitudinal axis of said grain; the axes of the passages on a first one of said concentric circles being circumferentially spaced around said grain from the axes of the passages on a second one of said concentric circles; and said passages having axes located on adjacent concentric circles forming a plurality of rectangular arrays of openings in said end faces, one of the end faces of said grain including a plurality of projections, each of said projections being disposed in the center of a rectangular array of openings and having end surface means spaced axially from the one end face for engaging an adjacent surface to provide space for gas to flow across the one end face of said grain during combustion of said grain.