IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
UP-0930250
(2007-10-31)
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등록번호 |
US-7740273
(2010-07-12)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
- Automotive Technologies International, Inc.
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
9 인용 특허 :
52 |
초록
▼
Airbag inflator system includes an inflatable airbag, a housing and a gas generating system arranged in the housing for generating gas. The gas generating system provides variable amounts of gas to the airbag as a function of temperature. A nozzle may be arranged between the gas generating system an
Airbag inflator system includes an inflatable airbag, a housing and a gas generating system arranged in the housing for generating gas. The gas generating system provides variable amounts of gas to the airbag as a function of temperature. A nozzle may be arranged between the gas generating system and an interior of the airbag, the nozzle being varied as a function of temperature. The housing may be movably arranged relative to a fixed base and mounted to vary its relation to the base. To this end, elastic or temperature-deformable supports may be used to support the housing on the base. When the housing defines a chamber containing generated gas, the properties of a conduit between the chamber and the interior of the airbag can be varied as function of the pressure in the chamber.
대표청구항
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The invention claimed is: 1. A temperature or pressure compensated airbag inflator system, comprising: an inflatable airbag; a housing; and a gas generating system arranged in said housing for generating gas, said gas generating system comprising a combustion chamber and an arrangement for controll
The invention claimed is: 1. A temperature or pressure compensated airbag inflator system, comprising: an inflatable airbag; a housing; and a gas generating system arranged in said housing for generating gas, said gas generating system comprising a combustion chamber and an arrangement for controlling the flow of gas out of said combustion chamber as a function of at least one of the temperature and pressure of the gas within said combustion chamber, said arrangement comprising; a first wall at least partially defining said combustion chamber, said first wall having an opening through which gas flows from said combustion chamber to inflate said airbag; and a base forming a second wall exterior of said combustion chamber and attached thereto, said first wall being spaced apart from said second wall to define a conduit therebetween, said conduit having an exit opening defined between said spaced apart first and second walls prior to generation of gas by said gas generating system, the gas once generated by said gas generating system passing through said conduit and out of said exit opening, said first wall being displaceable relative to said second wall to thereby vary at least one dimension of said conduit or said exit opening of said conduit after and as a result of generation of gas by said gas generating system and control flow of gas out of said combustion chamber. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of said conduit is varied as a function of the at least one of the temperature and pressure of the gas within said combustion chamber such that the at least one dimension of said conduit is its cross-sectional area, further comprising a supporting system that supports said second wall at a distance from said first wall to thereby provide said conduit with a minimum clearance at a narrowest location between said first and second walls. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein said first wall of said combustion chamber is elastically attached to said second wall and displaceable thereto based on the pressure prevailing in said combustion chamber. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein said first wall of said combustion chamber is attached to said second wall by temperature-deformable supports and displaceable thereto based on temperature, said supports being arranged to provide said first wall with a minimum distance apart from said second wall to enable formation of said conduit prior to generation of gas by said gas generating system. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein said combustion chamber contains generated gas and the flow resistance properties of said conduit between said first and second walls of said combustion chamber and the interior of said airbag are varied as function of the pressure in said combustion chamber. 6. The system of claim 1, said first wall of said combustion chamber is elastically attached to said second wall and displaceable thereto based on the pressure prevailing in said combustion chamber to thereby cause a variation in a cross-sectional area of said conduit as a function of the at least one of the temperature and pressure of the gas passing through said conduit, wherein the at least one dimension of said conduit is its cross-sectional area. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein said first wall of said combustion chamber is attached to said second wall by temperature-deformable supports and displaceable thereto based on temperature, said supports being arranged to provide said first wall with a minimum distance apart from said second wall to enable formation of said conduit prior to generation of gas by said gas generating system. 8. A method for inflating an airbag, comprising: generating gas within a combustion chamber, the combustion chamber being defined by at least two structurally attached walls; forming a variable resistance conduit between at least two structurally attached walls that are spaced apart from one another prior to and after gas is generated within the combustion chamber the walls being spaced apart from one another to define an exit opening of the conduit therebetween prior to the generation of gas within the combustion chamber; directing the gas through the conduit leading from the combustion chamber and out of the exit opening into the airbag; and varying the conduit flow resistance properties or a dimension of the exit opening as a function of at least one of temperature and pressure to thereby provide control of the amounts of gas flowing into the airbag as a function of the at least one of temperature and pressure of the gas within the combustion chamber. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the varying of the conduit flow resistance properties is automatic and based on the at least one of the temperature and pressure of the gas being directed through the conduit. 10. The method of claim 8, further comprising: arranging the walls at least partly behind a fixed mounting surface that faces a passenger compartment of a vehicle; predicting or detecting that a crash involving the vehicle is about to occur or has occurred via an anticipatory crash sensor system or impact-based crash sensor system; and inflating the airbag into the passenger compartment when a crash is predicted or detected by the anticipatory crash sensor system or impact-based crash sensor system. 11. In a vehicle having a passenger compartment with locations suitable for mounting of an airbag module, an airbag module adapted for mounting in the passenger compartment to protect an occupant in the event of a crash of the vehicle, comprising: at least one airbag; an inflator for producing pressurized gas to inflate said at least one airbag, said inflator comprising: a housing; a gas generator arranged within said housing and having a combustion chamber; a variable exit opening formed by at least two structurally attached walls leading from said combustion chamber in said housing through which gas from said combustion chamber flows to inflate said at least one airbag, one of said at least two walls partially defining said combustion chamber, said variable exit opening having a plurality of different sizes such that the size of said variable exit opening is controlled by the pressure and/or the temperature of the gas within said combustion chamber; and an initiation device that initiates production of the pressurized gas in response to a crash of the vehicle, said walls being spaced apart from one another to define said variable exit opening therebetween prior to production of pressurized gas. 12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein said inflator further comprises: a cover that covers said at least one airbag prior to the production of the pressurized gas said cover being removable to permit the deployment of said at least one airbag. 13. The vehicle of claim 11, further comprising: a crash sensor system that predicts or detects a crash involving the vehicle; and a fixed mounting surface that faces said passenger compartment, said housing being arranged at least partly behind said mounting surface, said airbag being arranged to inflate into said passenger compartment when a crash is predicted or detected by said crash sensor system. 14. An airbag system comprising: an airbag system controller for generating airbag deployment signals upon determination of a crash involving a vehicle; an inflatable airbag; and a controllable airbag inflator system coupled to said airbag system controller and for inflating said airbag with gas, comprising: a housing; and a gas generating system arranged in said housing for generating gas, said gas generating system comprising a combustion chamber in which the gas is generated, a conduit interposed between said combustion chamber and said airbag and through which gas flows from said combustion chamber to said airbag, and an arrangement for controlling the flow of gas out of said combustion chamber in response to signals from said airbag system controller such that the gas flow out of said combustion chamber is based on the crash involving the vehicle, said conduit having an open state prior to generation of gas in said combustion chamber, said conduit being defined by first and second walls spaced apart from one another to define an exit opening therebetween prior to generation of gas by said gas generating system, said first wall being displaceable relative to said second wall to thereby vary at least one dimension of said conduit or said exit opening of said conduit after and as a result of generation of gas by said gas generating system and control flow of gas out of said combustion chamber to said airbag. 15. The airbag system of claim 14, wherein said airbag system controller controls the flow of gas out of said combustion chamber as a function of the temperature as measured in said airbag inflator system or the vehicle passenger compartment. 16. The airbag system of claim 14, wherein said airbag system controller controls the flow of gas out of said combustion chamber as a function of the position of the occupant to be protected by said airbag. 17. The airbag system of claim 14, wherein said airbag system controller controls the flow of gas out of said combustion chamber as a function of the severity of the crash. 18. The airbag system of claim 14, wherein said airbag system controller controls the flow of gas out of said combustion chamber as a function of pressure in the airbag. 19. A temperature or pressure-compensated airbag inflator system, comprising: an inflatable airbag; a housing; and a gas generating system arranged in said housing for generating gas, said gas generating system comprising a combustion chamber having an ignitable material and an arrangement for controlling flow of gas out of said combustion chamber as a function of at least one of temperature and pressure of the gas within said combustion chamber, said arrangement comprising: a first wall at least partially defining said combustion chamber, said first wall having an opening through which gas flows from said combustion chamber to inflate said airbag; a filter arranged in said combustion chamber between said ignitable material and said opening in said first wall; and a base forming a second wall exterior of said combustion chamber, said first wall being spaced apart from said second wall to define a conduit therebetween, said conduit having an exit opening defined between said spaced apart first and second walls prior to generation of gas by said gas generating system, the gas once generated by said gas generating system passing through said conduit and out of said exit opening, said first wall being displaceable relative to said second wall to thereby vary at least one dimension of said conduit or said exit opening of said conduit after and as a result of generation of gas by said gas generating system and control a size of said conduit and therefore flow of gas out of said combustion chamber. 20. A motor vehicle, comprising: the system of claim 1; a crash sensor system that predicts or detects a crash involving the vehicle; and a fixed mounting surface that faces a passenger compartment, said housing being arranged at least partly behind said mounting surface, said airbag being arranged to inflate into said passenger compartment when a crash is predicted or detected by said crash sensor system.
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