Gas generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10814828-B2
Application number	US-201716321950-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2017
Priority date	Aug 29, 2016
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

Provided is a gas generator including in a housing having a top plate, a bottom plate and a circumferential wall provided with a gas discharge port; a first combustion chamber arranged on the side of the top plate; a second combustion chamber arranged on the side of the bottom plate; a plenum chamber facing the gas discharge port and arranged between the first combustion chamber and the second combustion chamber; a first igniter for igniting and burning a first gas generating agent in the first combustion chamber; and a second igniter for igniting and burning a second gas generating agent in the second combustion chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gas generator, comprising:
a housing having a top plate, a bottom plate and a circumferential wall provided with a gas discharge port;
a first combustion chamber formed between a first annular retainer disposed in the housing and the top plate;
a second combustion chamber formed between a second annular retainer disposed in the housing and the bottom plate;
a plenum chamber disposed between the first combustion chamber and the second combustion chamber and communicating with the gas discharge port;
a first igniter fixed to the bottom plate to ignite and burn a first gas generating agent in the first combustion chamber, and a second igniter disposed facing the second combustion chamber to ignite and burn a second gas generating agent in the second combustion chamber;
an inner cylinder provided with a flame-transferring hole at a position facing the first combustion chamber and disposed in the housing such that a first end opening thereof surrounds the first igniter and a second end opening thereof is positioned on the side of the top plate;
the first annular retainer having a first annular bottom surface provided with a first communication hole, a first inner circumferential edge portion of the first annular bottom surface abutting against a circumferential wall of the inner cylinder, and the first communication hole allowing communication between the first combustion chamber and the plenum chamber; and
the second annular retainer having a second annular bottom surface provided with a second communication hole, a second inner circumferential edge portion of the second annular bottom surface abutting against the circumferential wall of the inner cylinder, and the second communication hole allowing communication between the second combustion chamber and the plenum chamber.

2. The gas generator according to claim 1 , wherein the second communication hole of the second annular retainer is closed by a closing member from the plenum chamber; and
the first communication hole of the first annular retainer and the second communication hole of the second annular retainer are arranged not to align with each other in an axial direction.

3. The gas generator according to claim 1 , wherein the second communication hole of the second annular retainer is closed by a closing member from the plenum chamber, and is disposed not to align with the second igniter in an axial direction.

4. The gas generator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an annular filter disposed in the plenum chamber, a first annular end surface of the annular filter abutting against a portion of the first annular bottom surface where the first communication hole is not present, and a second annular end surface abutting against a portion of the second annular bottom surface where the second communication hole is not present; and
at least a portion across which the first annular bottom surface and the second annular bottom surface directly oppose each other being formed.

5. The gas generator according to claim 4 , wherein the annular filter is disposed such that
the first annular end surface thereof on the side of the top plate has a first annular protrusion, and the second annular end surface thereof on the side of the bottom plate has a second annular protrusion; and
the first annular protrusion abuts against the portion of the first annular bottom surface of the first annular retainer where the first communication hole is not present, the second annular protrusion abuts against a portion of the second annular bottom surface of the second annular retainer where the second communication hole is not present, and part of an outer circumferential surface of the filter abuts against a second annular outer wall.

6. The gas generator according to claim 5 , wherein a distance between the first annular retainer and the second annular retainer in an axial direction is set such that a distance (w 1 ) of a portion closer to the circumferential wall of the housing is larger and a distance (w 2 ) of a portion closer to the inner cylinder is smaller (w 1 >w 2 ), the annular filter is disposed in the portion with the distance of w 1 , and the first communication hole and the second communication hole are formed in the portion with the distance of w 2 .

7. The gas generator according to claim 4 , wherein a distance between the first annular retainer and the second annular retainer in an axial direction is set such that a distance (w 1 ) of a portion closer to the circumferential wall of the housing is larger and a distance (w 2 ) of a portion closer to the inner cylinder is smaller (w 1 >w 2 ), the annular filter is disposed in the portion with the distance of w 1 , and the first communication hole and the second communication hole are formed in the portion with the distance of w 2 .

8. A gas generator, comprising:
a housing having a top plate, a bottom plate and a circumferential wall provided with a gas discharge port, a first combustion chamber disposed on the side of the top plate, a second combustion chamber disposed on the side of the bottom plate, and a plenum chamber facing the gas discharge port and disposed between the first combustion chamber and the second combustion chamber,
a first igniter for igniting and burning a first gas generating agent accommodated in the first combustion chamber, and a second igniter for igniting and burning a second gas generating agent accommodated in the second combustion chamber, the first igniter and the second igniter mounted to the bottom plate;
the first igniter disposed to communicate with the first combustion chamber via an inner cylinder with a flame-transferring hole formed at a position facing the first combustion chamber, the inner cylinder disposed such that a first end opening thereof surrounds the first igniter and a second end opening thereof is positioned on the side of the top plate;
the second igniter disposed to face the second combustion chamber;
a first annular retainer having a first annular bottom surface provided with a first communication hole and a first annular outer wall which extends from a first outer circumferential edge portion of the first annular bottom surface toward the top plate, the first annular retainer fitted onto the inner cylinder such that a first inner circumferential edge portion of the first annular bottom surface abuts against a circumferential wall of the inner cylinder, and an annular end surface in an axial direction of the first annular outer wall abuts against the top plate in a state that the first annular outer wall is spaced from the circumferential wall of the housing;
a second annular retainer having a second annular bottom surface provided with a second communication hole and a second annular outer wall which extends from a second outer circumferential edge portion of the second annular bottom surface toward the top plate, the second annular retainer fitted onto the inner cylinder such that a second inner circumferential edge portion of the second annular bottom surface abuts against the circumferential wall of the inner cylinder, and the second annular outer wall abuts against the circumferential wall of the housing;
the first combustion chamber being a space surrounded by the inner cylinder, the first annular retainer and the top plate;
the plenum chamber being a space surrounded by the inner cylinder, the first annular retainer, the circumferential wall of the housing provided with the gas discharge port and the second annular retainer; and
the second combustion chamber being a space surrounded by the inner cylinder, the second annular retainer, the circumferential wall of the housing and the bottom plate of the housing.

9. The gas generator accordin

Assignees

• Daicel Corp

Inventors

• Fukui Yuki
• Kobayashi Tomoharu

Classifications

• B01J7/00

  Apparatus for generating gases (production of inert gas mixtures B01J19/14; for generating specific gases, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. C01B, C10J {; in "air bags" on vehicles B60R21/26; for starter gas F02C7/26; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure F42B3/04}) · CPC title

• B60R21/263

  using a variable source, e.g. plural stage or controlled output (hybrid inflators B60R21/272) · CPC title

• B60R2021/2648

  comprising a plurality of combustion chambers or sub-chambers · CPC title

• B60R2021/26011

  using a filter through which the inflation gas passes · CPC title

• B60R21/2644 Primary

  using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder · CPC title