Gas generating system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9051226-B2
Application number	US-201113304302-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 23, 2011
Priority date	Nov 24, 2010
Publication date	Jun 9, 2015
Grant date	Jun 9, 2015

Abstract

A gas generating system includes a housing, a quantity of gas generant material positioned within the housing, and a quantity of booster material positioned in the housing spaced apart from the gas generant. A movable first screen is positioned in the housing such that the booster material is on a first side of the screen and the gas generant material is on a second side of the screen opposite the first side of the screen. The screen is structured to enable fluid communication between the first and second sides of the screen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas generating system assembly comprising:
a housing;
a quantity of gas generant material positioned within the housing;
a quantity of booster material positioned in the housing spaced apart from the gas generant;
a movable first screen positioned in the housing such that the booster material is on a first side of the screen and the gas generant material is on a second side of the screen opposite the first side, the first screen being structured to enable fluid communication between the first and second sides of the screen, and
a movable second screen positioned to physically contact the quantity of booster material opposite the movable first screen.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein a portion of the housing defines a combustion chamber for the quantity of gas generant material, wherein the housing includes at least one gas exit opening structured to enable fluid communication between an interior of the housing and an exterior of the housing, and wherein the system further comprises a filter positioned along a flow path of generated gases from the combustion chamber to the gas exit openings.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a thermally-insulating sleeve positioned between the gas generant material and the housing so as to enclose the gas generant material within the sleeve.

4. The system of claim 2 further comprising a thermally-insulating sleeve positioned between the gas generant material and the housing so as to enclose the gas generant material within the sleeve.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a movable second screen positioned spaced apart from the first screen such that the booster material is positioned between the first and second screens, the second screen having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the screen being structured to enable fluid communication between the first and second sides of the screen.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the second screen has a body extending between the first and second sides of the screen, and wherein the screen has a porous structure providing a plurality of tortuous pathways extending through the body between the first and second sides of the screen.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the second screen is dimensioned so as to contact an inner surface of a wall of the housing, to aid in minimizing a flow of generated gases and combustion products around a periphery of the screen, between the screen and the wall inner surface.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the first screen has a body extending between the first and second sides of the screen, and wherein the screen has a porous structure providing a plurality of tortuous pathways extending through the body between the first and second sides of the screen.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the first screen is dimensioned so as to contact an inner surface of a wall of the housing, to aid in minimizing a flow of generated gases and combustion products around a periphery of the screen, between the screen and the wall inner surface.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a resilient member positioned within the housing and configured to bias the second screen against the booster material.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the resilient member comprises a coil spring.

12. The system of claim 10 further comprising an initiator secured in the housing so as to enable fluid communication with the resilient member, and wherein the resilient member is structured to enable fluid communication between the initiator and the second screen.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the booster material is an auto-igniting booster material.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the booster material is positioned within the housing so as to be in thermal communication with the housing.

15. An airbag system comprising a gas generating system in accordance with claim 1 .

16. A vehicle occupant protection system comprising a gas generating system in accordance with claim 1 .

17. A gas generating system assembly comprising:
a housing;
a quantity of gas generant material positioned within the housing;
a thermally-insulating sleeve enclosing the gas generant material therein;
a movable first screen biased against the gas generant material, the first screen being structured to enable fluid communication therethrough;
a quantity of booster material biased against the first screen opposite the gas generant material, and
a movable second screen biased against the booster material opposite the movable first screen.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein a portion of the housing defines a combustion chamber for the quantity of gas generant material, wherein the housing includes at least one gas exit opening structured to enable fluid communication between an interior of the housing and an exterior of the housing after activation of the gas generating system, and wherein the system further comprises a filter positioned along a flow path of generated gases from the combustion chamber to the gas exit openings.

19. An airbag system comprising a gas generating system in accordance with claim 17 .

20. A vehicle occupant protection system comprising a gas generating system in accordance with claim 17 .

Assignees

• Mayville Brian A
• Tauchen Dale E
• Vanhooser Joshua D
• Tk Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Mayville Brian A
• Tauchen Dale E
• Vanhooser Joshua D

Classifications

• C06C9/00

  Chemical contact igniters; Chemical lighters · CPC title

• B60R2021/2607

  characterised by heating or heat insulating means, e.g. for use under extreme temperatures · CPC title

• C06D5/00

  Generation of pressure gas, e.g. for blasting cartridges, starting cartridges, rockets (explosive compositions containing an oxidizer, fuels for rocket engines intended for reaction with an oxidant other than air C06B) · CPC title

• B60R2021/2642

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

• B60R21/26

  characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow {(arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10)} · CPC title