An airbag assembly may include an airbag and an inflator that provides inflation gas to inflate the airbag. A filter module may be positioned such that inflation gas exiting the inflator must first pass through the filter module. The filter module may be formed of a sheet of metal that is wrapped in
An airbag assembly may include an airbag and an inflator that provides inflation gas to inflate the airbag. A filter module may be positioned such that inflation gas exiting the inflator must first pass through the filter module. The filter module may be formed of a sheet of metal that is wrapped into a generally spiraling tubular shape. The filter module may have an inner layer, an intermediate layer, and an outer layer. The intermediate layer generally encircles the inner layer, and the outer layer generally encircles the inner layer and the intermediate layer in a spiraling fashion. The inner layer, the intermediate layer, and the outer layer each may have a pattern of holes and dimples that are separate from and/or displaced from each other. The dimples may protrude toward an adjacent layer to maintain spacing to enable relatively unrestricted gas flow from the holes of the inner layer through unaligned holes of the intermediate layer and the outer layer. The resulting tortuous gas flow path may help to slow, cool, and/or purify the gas before it exits the inflator.
대표청구항▼
1. An inflator for an airbag assembly for protecting a vehicle occupant from injury, the inflator comprising: a housing having a central longitudinal axis and comprising at least one diffuser hole;a gas source contained within a chamber defined within the housing, wherein, in response to receipt by
1. An inflator for an airbag assembly for protecting a vehicle occupant from injury, the inflator comprising: a housing having a central longitudinal axis and comprising at least one diffuser hole;a gas source contained within a chamber defined within the housing, wherein, in response to receipt by the inflator of a first activation signal, the gas source provides a gas; anda filter module comprising a unitary body rolled into a spiral of a generally tubular shape around the central longitudinal axis and disposed within the housing to define an inner layer, an intermediate layer, and an outer layer, wherein: the inner layer comprises a first array of holes, wherein the inner layer is positioned such that the gas passes through the first array of holes to reach the intermediate layer;the intermediate layer comprises a second array of holes, each hole of the second array of holes is not aligned with the hole of the first array of holes nearest such hole of the second array of holes, wherein the intermediate layer is positioned such that the gas passes through the second array of holes to reach the outer layer;the outer layer comprises a third array of holes, each hole of the third array of holes is not aligned with the hole of the second array of holes nearest such hole of the third array of holes, wherein the outer layer is positioned such that the gas passes through the third array of holes to reach the at least one diffuser hole of the exterior wall; anda plurality of protrusions, at least one protrusion of the plurality of protrusions being disposed adjacent at least one of the holes of the first array of holes of the inner layer, at least one protrusion of the plurality of protrusions being disposed adjacent at least one of the holes of the second array of holes of the intermediate layer, at least one protrusion of the plurality of protrusions being disposed adjacent at least one of the holes of the third array of holes of the outer layer, each protrusion of the inner layer protrudes toward the intermediate layer, each protrusion of the intermediate layer protrudes toward the outer layer, each protrusion of the outer layer protrudes toward the exterior wall, such protrusions maintain a gap between the inner layer and the intermediate layer, between the intermediate layer and the outer layer, and between the outer layer and the exterior wall to define a spiraling plenum through which the gas passes on a tortuous path from the gas source through the filter module to exit the inflator through the at least one diffuser hole; andwherein the unitary body of the filter module is wider at the outer layer than at the inner layer and intermediate layer, and the inflator has a frangible burst disk between the gas source and the filter module thereby enabling the burst disk to open over the full diameter of the outer layer. 2. The inflator of claim 1, wherein the protrusions are dimples. 3. The inflator of claim 2, wherein each dimple is laterally elongate. 4. The inflator of claim 1, wherein the holes of the first array of holes, the holes of the second array of holes, and the holes of the third array of holes are formed by piercing the unitary body such that each hole forms an inclined flap that serves as one of the plurality of protrusions. 5. The inflator of claim 1, wherein the holes of the first array of holes are each larger than the holes of the second array of holes. 6. The inflator of claim 1, wherein an optimal amount of flow restriction in the flow of gas through the inflator to achieve at least one of a predetermined amount of gas cooling and a predetermined amount of impurities captured is determined by adjusting the number of holes in the first array of holes, the second array of holes, and the third array of holes, and the number of diffuser holes. 7. The inflator of claim 1, wherein an optimal amount of flow restriction in the flow of gas through the inflator to achieve at least one of a predetermined amount of gas cooling and a predetermined amount of impurities captured is determined by adjusting the size of holes in the first array of holes, the second array of holes, and the third array of holes, and the size of the at least one diffuser hole. 8. The inflator of claim 1, wherein the unitary body has a length and a width and wherein: the first array of holes is arranged in a first grid such that each hole in the first array of holes aligns longitudinally with at least one other of the holes of the first array of holes and also aligns laterally with at least one differing hole of the first array of holes;the second array of holes is arranged in a second grid such that each hole in the second array of holes aligns longitudinally with at least one other of the holes of the second array of holes and also aligns laterally with at least one differing hole of the second array of holes, the holes aligned longitudinally in the first array of holes do not align longitudinally with the holes aligned longitudinally in the second array of holes; andthe third array of holes arranged in a third grid such that each hole in the third array of holes aligns longitudinally with at least one other of the holes of the third array of holes and also aligns laterally with at least one differing hole of the third array of holes, the holes aligned longitudinally in the third array of holes do not align longitudinally with the holes aligned longitudinally in the second array of holes;wherein when the filter module is disposed within the housing: the first array of holes of the inner layer surround the central longitudinal axis such that the longitudinally aligned holes of the first array of holes define a first set of planes each substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis and the laterally aligned holes of the first array of holes define a first set of axes substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis;the second array of holes of the intermediate layer surround inner layer and the central longitudinal axis such that the longitudinally aligned holes of the second array of holes define a second set of planes each substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis and each offset from the first set of planes, and the laterally aligned holes of the second array of holes define a second set of axes substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis; andthe third array of holes of the outer layer surround inner layer, the intermediate layer, and the central longitudinal axis such that the longitudinally aligned holes of the third array of holes define a third set of planes each substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis and each offset from the second set of planes, and the laterally aligned holes of the third array of holes define a third set of axes substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis. 9. The inflator of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first array of holes, the second array of holes, and the third array of holes has a staggered array pattern wherein the staggered array pattern comprises multiple lines of longitudinally aligned holes and each hole of any of the multiple lines of longitudinally aligned holes aligns laterally with at least one hole of another of the multiple lines of longitudinally aligned holes but does not align laterally with any of the holes of at least one other of the multiple lines of longitudinally aligned holes. 10. A unitary filter module for insertion into an inflator for an airbag assembly, the inflator having a housing with a central longitudinal axis, at least one diffuser hole, and a gas source contained within a chamber defined within the housing, wherein, in response to receipt by the inflator of a first activation signal, the gas source provides a gas, the unitary filter module having a flat mode and an inserted spiral rolled mode and comprising: a unitary body having a length, a width, an inner layer portion, an intermediate layer portion, and an outer layer portion, in the flat mode: the inner layer portion comprises a first array of holes arranged in a first grid such that each hole in the first array of holes aligns longitudinally with at least one other of the holes of the first array of holes and also aligns laterally with at least one differing hole of the first array of holes;the intermediate layer portion comprises a second array of holes arranged in a second grid such that each hole in the second array of holes aligns longitudinally with at least one other of the holes of the second array of holes and also aligns laterally with at least one differing hole of the second array of holes, the holes aligned longitudinally in the first array of holes do not align longitudinally with the holes aligned longitudinally in the second array of holes; andthe outer layer portion comprises a third array of holes arranged in a third grid such that each hole in the third array of holes aligns longitudinally with at least one other of the holes of the third array of holes and also aligns laterally with at least one differing hole of the third array of holes, the holes aligned longitudinally in the third array of holes do not align longitudinally with the holes aligned longitudinally in the second array of holes;the unitary body in the inserted spiral rolled mode is rolled around the central longitudinal axis into a spiral and disposed within the housing such that the inner layer portion defines an inner layer, the intermediate layer portion defines an intermediate layer, and the outer layer portion defines an outer layer, wherein: the first array of holes of the inner layer surround the central longitudinal axis such that the longitudinally aligned holes of the first array of holes define a first set of planes each substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis and the laterally aligned holes of the first array of holes define a first set of axes substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis, and wherein the inner layer is positioned such that the gas passes through the first array of holes to reach the intermediate layer;the second array of holes of the intermediate layer surround inner layer and the central longitudinal axis such that the longitudinally aligned holes of the second array of holes define a second set of planes each substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis and each offset from the first set of planes, and the laterally aligned holes of the second array of holes define a second set of axes substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis, and wherein the intermediate layer is positioned such that the gas passes through the second array of holes to reach the outer layer; andthe third array of holes of the outer layer surround inner layer, the intermediate layer, and the central longitudinal axis such that the longitudinally aligned holes of the third array of holes define a third set of planes each substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis and each offset from the second set of planes, and the laterally aligned holes of the third array of holes define a third set of axes substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis, and wherein the outer layer is positioned such that the gas passes through the third array of holes to reach the and at least one diffuser hole;the intermediate layer comprises a second array of holes, each hole of the second array of holes is not aligned with the hole of the first array of holes nearest such hole of the second array of holes, wherein the intermediate layer is positioned such that the gas passes through the second array of holes to reach the outer layer;the outer layer comprises a third array of holes, each hole of the third array of holes is not aligned with the hole of the second array of holes nearest such hole of the third array of holes, wherein the outer layer is positioned such that the gas passes through the third array of holes to reach the at least one diffuser hole of the housing; anda plurality of protrusions disposed such that at least one protrusion is disposed on the inner layer portion, at least one protrusion is disposed on the intermediate layer portion, and at least one protrusion is disposed on the outer layer portion, each protrusion disposed on the inner layer portion is adjacent at least one of the holes of the first array of holes of the inner layer, each protrusion disposed on the intermediate layer portion is adjacent at least one of the holes of the second array of holes of the intermediate layer, each protrusion disposed on the outer layer portion is adjacent at least one of the holes of the third array of holes of the outer layer, such protrusions maintain a gap between the inner layer and the intermediate layer, between the intermediate layer and the outer layer, and between the outer layer and the exterior wall to define a spiraling plenum through which the gas passes on a tortuous path from the gas source through the filter module to exit the inflator through the at least one diffuser hole; andwherein the unitary body of the filter module is wider at the outer layer portion than at the inner layer portion and intermediate layer portion, and the inflator has a frangible burst disk between the gas source and the filter module thereby enabling the burst disk to open over the full diameter of the outer layer. 11. The filter module of claim 10, wherein the protrusions are dimples. 12. The filter module of claim 11, wherein each dimple is laterally elongate. 13. The filter module of claim 10, wherein the holes of the first array of holes, the holes of the second array of holes, and the holes of the second array of holes are formed by piercing the unitary body such that each hole forms an inclined flap that serves as one of the plurality of protrusions. 14. The filter module of claim 10, wherein the holes of the first array of holes are each larger than the holes of the second array of holes. 15. The filter module of claim 10, wherein an optimal amount of flow restriction in the flow of gas through the inflator to achieve at least one of a predetermined amount of gas cooling and a predetermined amount of impurities captured is determined by adjusting the number of holes in the first array of holes, the second array of holes, and the third array of holes, and the number of diffuser holes. 16. The filter module of claim 10, wherein an optimal amount of flow restriction in the flow of gas through the inflator to achieve at least one of a predetermined amount of gas cooling and a predetermined amount of impurities captured is determined by adjusting the size of holes in the first array of holes, the second array of holes, and the third array of holes, and the size of the at least one diffuser hole. 17. A unitary filter module for insertion into an inflator for an airbag assembly, the inflator having a housing with a central longitudinal axis, at least one diffuser hole, and a gas source contained within a chamber defined within the housing, wherein, in response to receipt by the inflator of a first activation signal, the gas source provides a gas, the unitary filter module having a flat mode and an inserted spiral rolled mode and comprising: a unitary body having a length, a width, an inner layer portion, an intermediate layer portion, and an outer layer portion, in the flat mode: the inner layer portion comprises a first array of holes;the intermediate layer portion comprises a second array of holes;the outer layer portion comprises a third array of holes;a plurality of protrusions, at least one protrusion of the plurality of protrusions being disposed adjacent at least one of the holes of the first array of holes of the inner layer portion, at least one protrusion of the plurality of protrusions being disposed adjacent at least one of the holes of the second array of holes of the intermediate layer portion, at least one protrusion of the plurality of protrusions being disposed adjacent at least one of the holes of the third array of holes of the outer layer portion; andwherein at least one of the first array of holes, the second array of holes, and the third array of holes has a staggered array pattern wherein the staggered array pattern comprises multiple lines of longitudinally aligned holes and each hole of any of the multiple lines of longitudinally aligned holes aligns laterally with at least one hole of another of the multiple lines of longitudinally aligned holes but does not align laterally with any of the holes of at least one other of the multiple lines of longitudinally aligned holes;the unitary body in the inserted spiral rolled mode is rolled around the central longitudinal axis into a spiral and disposed within the housing such that the inner layer portion defines an inner layer, the intermediate layer portion defines an intermediate layer, and the outer layer portion defines an outer layer, wherein: the inner layer is positioned such that the gas passes through the first array of holes to reach the intermediate layer;the intermediate layer is positioned such that the gas passes through the second array of holes to reach the outer layer;the outer layer is positioned such that the gas passes through the third array of holes to reach the and at least one diffuser hole; andeach protrusion of the inner layer protrudes toward the intermediate layer, each protrusion of the intermediate layer protrudes toward the outer layer, each protrusion of the outer layer protrudes toward the exterior wall, such protrusions maintain a gap between the inner layer and the intermediate layer, between the intermediate layer and the outer layer, and between the outer layer and the exterior wall to define a spiraling plenum through which the gas passes on a tortuous path from the gas source through the filter module to exit the inflator through the at least one diffuser hole; andwherein the unitary body of the filter module is wider at the outer layer portion than at the inner layer portion and intermediate layer portion, and the inflator has a frangible burst disk between the gas source and the filter module thereby enabling the burst disk to open over the full diameter of the outer layer. 18. The filter module of claim 17, wherein the protrusions are dimples.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (7)
Gest William E. (Troy MI), Air bag inflator having a corrugated filter wall.
Stark Kris R. (Noblesville IN) Lewman Michael C. (Muncie IN) Hardin Stephen L. (Anderson IN) Chafin William J. (Alexandria IN), Filter for installation in an annular groove.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.