An apparatus (10) for helping to protect a vehicle occupant includes an actuatable vehicle occupant protection device ( 12), and a microelectromechanical (MEMS) device (20) energizable to cause actuation of the protection device. In one embodiment, the MEMS device (20) is an energizable fluid source
An apparatus (10) for helping to protect a vehicle occupant includes an actuatable vehicle occupant protection device ( 12), and a microelectromechanical (MEMS) device (20) energizable to cause actuation of the protection device. In one embodiment, the MEMS device (20) is an energizable fluid source for emitting a primary fluid for actuating an inflatable protection device (12). The apparatus (10) may comprise a plurality of MEMS devices (20) individually actuatable to control inflation of the protection device.
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Having described the invention, we claim: 1. An apparatus comprising: an actuatable vehicle occupant protection device; at least one multi-layered device including: an outer layer having a plurality of individually rupturable segments; a middle layer having a plurality of individual chambers ass
Having described the invention, we claim: 1. An apparatus comprising: an actuatable vehicle occupant protection device; at least one multi-layered device including: an outer layer having a plurality of individually rupturable segments; a middle layer having a plurality of individual chambers associated in a one-to-one relationship with said rupturable segments of said outer layer and being closed by said rupturable segments, each one of said chambers having contents heatable to increase the pressure in said chamber; and a base layer having a plurality of individually energizable electric heating elements associated in a one-to-one relationship with said chambers for, when energized, heating the contents of said chambers; each one of said rupturable segments being rupturable due to an increase in pressure in its associated chamber to enable flow of fluid out of said chamber; and means for selectively energizing said individually energizable electric heating elements. 2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heatable contents comprises a pyrotechnic material which is ignitable to produce fluid under pressure. 3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heatable contents comprises a fluid under pressure which is heatable to increase its pressure. 4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said electric heating elements are micro-resistors. 5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said protection device is an air bag. 6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said multi-layered device is an initiator for a fluid-generating apparatus. 7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said multi-layered device is energizable to generate a primary fluid for actuating said protection device. 8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said electric heating elements are reactive bridges. 9. An apparatus comprising: an actuatable vehicle occupant protection device; an array of individually energizable devices for producing one of inflation fluid and combustion products for actuating said protection device; and means for energizing selected ones of said array of individually energizable devices, said means for energizing comprising a base that extends across said array and that includes a plurality of electric heating elements associated one with each of said energizable devices, said means for energizing further comprising control means for directing electric current into selected ones of said plurality of electric heating elements to energize said selected ones of said energizable devices. 10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said heating elements are micro-resistors. 11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said individually energizable devices are pyrotechnic devices ignitable to produce inflation fluid under pressure. 12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said individually energizable devices are fluid devices energizable to produce inflation fluid under pressure. 13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said electric heating elements are reactive bridges. 14. An apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant, comprising: an actuatable vehicle occupant protection device; and a microelectromechanical system device (MEMS device) energizable to cause actuation of said protection device, wherein said MEMS device includes a substrate on which is formed a plurality of electric heating elements, the electric heating elements being energizable to cause actuation of said protection device. 15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein each of said plurality of electric heating elements has an associated pyrotechnic charge, said plurality of electric heating elements being selectively energizable, energizing of an electric heating element igniting said associated pyrotechnic charge. 16. An apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant, said apparatus comprising: an actuatable vehicle occupant protection device; and a microelectromechanical system device (HEMS device) energizable to cause actuation of said protection device, said MEMS device being a multi-layered structure having abutting first and second layers, said first layer housing a plurality of energizable fluid sources and said second layer having electric circuitry for actuating said plurality of energizable fluid sources, each one of said plurality of energizable fluid sources being in contact with said electric circuitry of said second layer. 17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said first layer includes a block of material in which a plurality of plenums are located, each energizable fluid source of said plurality of energizable fluid sources having an associated plenum of said plurality of plenums and being housed in said associated plenum. 18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 16 further including remotely located vehicle electric circuitry that is operatively connected to said electric circuitry of said second layer controlling actuation of said plurality of energizable fluid sources. 19. An apparatus as set forth in claim 16 further including a third layer that abuts the first layer on a side opposite the second layer and that covers said plurality of energizable fluid sources, portions of said third layer being rupturable upon actuation of said plurality of energizable fluid sources. 20. An apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein the first, second, and third layers of the multi-layered structure are bonded together using an adhesive. 21. An apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant, said apparatus comprising: an actuatable vehicle occupant protection device; and a microelectromechanical system device (MEMS device) energizable to cause actuation of said protection device, said MEMS device being a multi-layered structure including a first layer having a plurality of fluid sources and a second layer having means for actuating said plurality of fluid sources, said first and second layers being bonded together. 22. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said first and second layers are bonded together using an adhesive. 23. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said first layer includes a first surface and said second layer includes a second surface, said first and second surfaces being bonded together, said first and second surfaces having outer dimensions that are approximately equal in size. 24. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21 further including a third layer for covering said plurality of fluid sources, said third layer being bonded to said first layer on a side opposite said second layer. 25. An apparatus as set forth in claim 24 wherein said first and third layers are bonded together using an adhesive. 26. An apparatus as set forth in claim 24 wherein said first layer includes a first surface and said second layer includes a second surface, said first and second surfaces being bonded together, said first and second surfaces having outer dimensions that are approximately equal in size. 27. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said means for actuating said plurality of fluid sources of said second layer includes an electric circuit that is operatively coupled to remotely located vehicle electric circuitry which controls actuation of said plurality of fluid sources. 28. An apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant, said apparatus comprising: an actuatable vehicle occupant protection device; and a microelectromechanical system device (MEMS device) energizable to cause actuation of said protection device, said MEMS device including a base portion, an electric circuit formed on a first surface of said base portion and terminal pins extending from said electric circuit and outwardly of a second surface of said base portion, said second surface of said base portion being opposite said first surface. 29. An apparatus as set forth in claim 28 further including an inflator housing into which said terminal pins are received for operatively coupling said electric circuit of said base portion of said MEMS device to remotely located vehicle electric circuitry, lead wires operatively connecting said vehicle electric circuitry to said terminal pins when said terminal pins are received in said inflator housing. 30. An apparatus as set forth in claim 29 wherein said MEMS device further includes a plurality of actuatable fluid sources, said vehicle electric circuitry controlling energization of said electric circuitry of said base portion of said MEMS device for actuating said plurality of actuatable fluid sources. 31. An apparatus as set forth in claim 30 wherein each of said plurality of actuatable fluid sources is individually actuatable, said vehicle electric circuitry being adapted to control which ones of said plurality of actuatable fluid sources are actuated by said electric circuit of said base portion of said MENS device. 32. An apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant, the apparatus comprising: an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; an inflator that includes a plurality of microelectromechanical system devices (MEMS devices), each MENS device including an array of selectively actuatable inflation fluid sources, each of the actuatable inflation fluid sources being actuatable for providing inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device; and vehicle electric circuitry operatively connected to the plurality of MEMS devices and configured for actuating the individual actuatable inflation fluid sources, the vehicle electric circuitry being responsive to received sensory inputs for selectively actuating the actuatable inflation fluid sources of the plurality of MEMS devices. 33. An apparatus as set forth in claim 32 wherein each actuatable inflation fluid source of the array of actuatable inflation fluid sources for each MEMS device is individually actuatable, the vehicle electric circuitry operable for selectively actuating one or more of the individually actuatable inflation fluid sources. 34. An apparatus as set forth in claim 32 wherein the inflator further includes a housing, the plurality of MEMS devices including terminal pins for mounting to the housing, the vehicle electric circuitry being operatively connected to the plurality of MEMS devices through the terminal pins. 35. An apparatus as set forth in claim 34 wherein lead wires extend between the housing and the vehicle electric circuitry for operatively connecting the plurality off MEMS devices to the vehicle electric circuitry. 36. An apparatus as set forth in claim 32 wherein each MEMS device of the plurality of MEMS devices includes a base having electric circuitry that is operatively connected to the vehicle electric circuitry, the electric circuitry of the base including means for actuating the actuatable inflation fluid sources. 37. An apparatus as set forth in claim 36 wherein the means for actuating the actuatable inflation fluid sources includes a plurality of individually energizable electric heating elements, each one of the actuatable inflation fluid sources having an associated one of the plurality of individually energizable electric heating elements. 38. An apparatus as set forth in claim 32 wherein each of the MEMS devices has a length of approximately one half of an inch and a width of approximately one half of an inch. 39. An apparatus as set forth in claim 32 wherein each of the MEMS devices includes a plurality of plenums, each one of the plurality of plenums storing an associated one of the actuatable inflation fluid sources, each one of the plurality of plenums having a depth of up to ten millimeters. 40. An apparatus as set forth in claim 39 wherein each of the plurality of plenums is cylindrical and has a diameter of up to 1.4 millimeters.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (12)
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