초록 ▼

To achieve programmed inflation of an airbag in a vehicle occupant restraint apparatus, movement of a piston, that separates a combustion chamber from a liquid propellant reservoir, is utilized to vary the opening size of an injection port through which liquid propellant is regeneratively pumped fro

To achieve programmed inflation of an airbag in a vehicle occupant restraint apparatus, movement of a piston, that separates a combustion chamber from a liquid propellant reservoir, is utilized to vary the opening size of an injection port through which liquid propellant is regeneratively pumped from the reservoir into the combustion chamber for combustion, such that the rate at which the bag inflation gas is generated during an inflation period may be controlled.

대표청구항 ▼

An occupant restraint apparatus for installation in a vehicle, comprising: an inflatable airbag; a housing having a vent in fluid communication with the airbag; a cylinder provided in the housing; a piston slidably received in the cylinder to define, to a back side, a reservoir containing a liquid p

An occupant restraint apparatus for installation in a vehicle, comprising: an inflatable airbag; a housing having a vent in fluid communication with the airbag; a cylinder provided in the housing; a piston slidably received in the cylinder to define, to a back side, a reservoir containing a liquid propellant and, to a front side, a combustion chamber in fluid communication with the housing vent; a sensor; an inflation initiator operable, in response to a vehicle collision detected by the sensor, to generate fluid pressure in the combustion chamber that acts on the piston to generate an amplified fluid pressure in the reservoir; and a liquid propellant injection port provided between the reservoir and the combustion chamber, the injection port being closed while the piston is in a quiescent position and opening as the piston moves rearwardly to decrease reservoir volume, an opening area of the injection port varying as a function of piston travel in the rearward direction to achieve a variable flow rate of liquid propellant regeneratively pumped by the amplified reservoir fluid pressure through the injection port into the combustion chamber for ignition and sustained combustion to generate, by exothermic reaction, a gas flowing through the housing vent to produce inflation of the airbag.