초록 ▼

An airbag assembly may include an airbag and an inflator in fluid communication with the airbag. The inflator may have a gas source chamber containing a gas source and a centrifugal flow chamber into which the gas flows from the gas source chamber through a centrifugal flow barrier. As the gas moves

An airbag assembly may include an airbag and an inflator in fluid communication with the airbag. The inflator may have a gas source chamber containing a gas source and a centrifugal flow chamber into which the gas flows from the gas source chamber through a centrifugal flow barrier. As the gas moves through the centrifugal flow barrier, it may be urged to move along a pathway that encircles at least a part of a longitudinal axis of the inflator. The gas may then move toward the longitudinal axis to flow through an orifice of an inward flow barrier. this inward flow may occur at a velocity that is generally too large for entrained particulates. Thus, such particulates may remain in the centrifugal flow chamber. The gas may flow from the orifice into a plenum chamber that releases the gas to the airbag via a plurality of apertures.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An inflator for an airbag system for protecting a vehicle occupant from injury through use of an airbag, the inflator comprising: an exterior wall housing a gas source chamber and a centrifugal flow chamber, the exterior wall having a longitudinal axis and a generally tubular shape that defines a

1. An inflator for an airbag system for protecting a vehicle occupant from injury through use of an airbag, the inflator comprising: an exterior wall housing a gas source chamber and a centrifugal flow chamber, the exterior wall having a longitudinal axis and a generally tubular shape that defines a circumferential boundary of the centrifugal flow chamber;a gas source contained within the gas source chamber, wherein, in response to receipt by the inflator of an activation signal, the gas source provides a gas;a centrifugal flow barrier disposed between the gas source chamber and the centrifugal flow chamber, the centrifugal flow barrier comprises a centrifugal flow feature that urges the gas passing through the centrifugal flow barrier to move in an arc centered on the longitudinal axis;an inward flow barrier comprising an orifice generally perpendicular to and proximate the longitudinal axis, the inward flow barrier permits the gas to flow inward to release from the centrifugal flow chamber; andan inward flow region that spans a width of the centrifugal flow chamber adjacent to the inward flow barrier, the inward flow region is substantially free of any structure that would block inward flow of the gas toward the longitudinal axis to release through the orifice. 2. The inflator of claim 1, wherein the centrifugal flow feature urges the gas to move at a velocity that induces particulate matter entrained in the gas to impinge against the exterior wall. 3. The inflator of claim 1, further comprising a plenum chamber housed within the exterior wall, the inward flow barrier is positioned between the centrifugal flow chamber and the plenum chamber, a portion of the exterior wall comprises an egress barrier having a plurality of apertures distributed about the egress barrier spaced radially from the longitudinal axis, the plurality of apertures release the gas from the plenum chamber generally radially. 4. The inflator of claim 3, wherein the gas flows generally parallel to the longitudinal axis to enter the plenum chamber through the orifice. 5. The inflator of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the centrifugal flow barrier comprises a generally tubular shape defining a circumferential boundary of the gas source chamber, the centrifugal flow feature receives gas flowing generally radially outward from the gas source. 6. The inflator of claim 1, wherein the centrifugal flow barrier comprises a generally planar shape defining an end wall of the gas source chamber, wherein the centrifugal flow feature receives gas flowing generally axially from the gas source. 7. The inflator of claim 1, wherein the centrifugal flow barrier comprises a first opening through which the gas flows to pass through the centrifugal flow barrier, wherein the centrifugal flow feature comprises a first deflector extending from a main body of the centrifugal flow barrier proximate the first opening such that the gas impinges against the first deflector and, in response to such impingement, the first deflector redirects the gas to flow in the arc centered on the longitudinal axis. 8. The inflator of claim 7, wherein the centrifugal flow barrier further comprises a plurality of additional openings and a plurality of additional deflectors, each of which is proximate one of the plurality of additional openings, wherein the first deflector and the additional deflectors are distributed to relatively evenly distribute gas flow through the centrifugal flow barrier about the longitudinal axis. 9. The inflator of claim 1, wherein the exterior wall comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the longitudinal axis extends from the first end to the second end, wherein the gas source is positioned proximate the first end and the orifice is positioned proximate the second end, wherein, in response to passage of the gas through the centrifugal flow barrier, the centrifugal flow feature urges the gas to move toward the second end. 10. A method for filtering gas produced by an inflator for an airbag system, the method comprising: initiating provision of a gas by a gas source contained within a gas source chamber of the inflator;releasing the gas from the gas source chamber and into a centrifugal flow chamber through a centrifugal flow barrier;in response to flow of the gas through the centrifugal flow chamber, urging the gas to move in an arc centered on a longitudinal axis of the inflator;urging the gas to flow inward toward the longitudinal axis within an inward flow region that spans a width of the centrifugal flow chamber, the inward flow region is substantially free of any structure that would block flow of the gas toward the longitudinal axis; andreleasing the gas from the centrifugal flow chamber through an orifice in an inward flow barrier adjacent to the inward flow region, wherein the orifice is generally perpendicular to and proximate the longitudinal axis. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the inflator comprises an exterior wall having a generally tubular shape defining a circumferential boundary of the centrifugal flow chamber, the method further comprising: inducing particulate matter entrained in the gas to impinge against the exterior wall. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein releasing the gas from the centrifugal flow chamber through the orifice comprises releasing the gas into a plenum chamber, the method further comprising: releasing the gas from the plenum chamber through a plurality of apertures in the exterior wall generally radially. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein releasing the gas into the plenum chamber through the orifice comprises urging the gas to flow generally parallel to the axis. 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the centrifugal flow barrier comprises a generally tubular shape defining a circumferential boundary of the gas source chamber, wherein releasing the gas from the gas source comprises releasing the gas through an opening in the centrifugal flow barrier, the method further comprising: urging the gas to flow generally radially outward from the gas source to the opening of the centrifugal flow barrier. 15. The method of claim 10, wherein the centrifugal flow barrier comprises a generally planar shape defining an end wall of the gas source chamber, wherein releasing the gas from the gas source comprises releasing the gas through an opening in the centrifugal flow barrier, the method further comprising: urging the gas to flow generally axially from the gas source to the opening of the centrifugal flow barrier. 16. The method of claim 10, wherein the centrifugal flow barrier comprises a plurality of openings and a plurality of deflectors extending from a main body of the centrifugal flow barrier and distributed about the longitudinal axis, wherein each deflector of the deflectors is positioned proximate an opening of the plurality of openings such that the gas impinges against the deflector and, in response to such impingement, redirecting the gas to flow into the arc centered on the longitudinal axis. 17. The method of claim 10, wherein the inflator comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the longitudinal axis extends from the first end to the second end, wherein the gas source is positioned proximate the first end and the orifice is positioned proximate the second end, wherein urging the gas to move comprises urging the gas to move toward the second end. 18. An inflator for an airbag system for protecting a vehicle occupant from injury through use of an airbag, the inflator comprising: an exterior wall housing a gas source chamber and a centrifugal flow chamber, the exterior wall having a first end wall, a second end wall, and a longitudinal axis extending through the first end wall and the second end wall;a gas source contained within the gas source chamber proximate the first end wall, wherein, in response to receipt by the inflator of an activation signal, the gas source provides a gas;a centrifugal flow barrier between the gas source chamber and the centrifugal flow chamber, wherein, in response to passage of the gas through the centrifugal flow barrier, the gas is urged to move toward the second end wall and in an arc centered on the longitudinal axis; andan inward flow barrier urges the flow of gas inward and comprises an orifice generally perpendicular to and proximate the longitudinal axis, the orifice to release gas from the centrifugal flow chamber. 19. The inflator of claim 18, further comprising: a plenum chamber housed within the exterior wall, the inward flow barrier being disposed between the centrifugal flow chamber and the plenum chamber, wherein the gas flows generally parallel to the longitudinal axis to enter the plenum chamber through the orifice; andan egress barrier having a plurality of apertures distributed about the egress barrier spaced radially from the longitudinal axis, the plurality of apertures release the gas from the plenum chamber generally radially. 20. The inflator of claim 18, wherein the centrifugal flow barrier comprises a plurality of openings in and a plurality of deflectors extending from the centrifugal flow barrier, wherein each deflector of the plurality of deflectors is positioned proximate an opening of the plurality of openings such that the gas impinges against each deflector, each deflector redirects the gas to flow into the arc centered on the longitudinal axis.