U.S. patent number RE30,327 [Application Number 05/808,489] was granted by the patent office on 1980-07-08 for inflator seal.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Allied Chemical Corporation. Invention is credited to William H. Damon.
United States Patent |
RE30,327 |
Damon |
July 8, 1980 |
Inflator seal
Abstract
Gas supply device employing a seal means which on activation of
the device serves as a diffuser through which the gas passes from
the source to the point of use.
Inventors: |
Damon; William H. (Huntsville,
AL) |
Assignee: |
Allied Chemical Corporation
(Morris Township, Morris County, NJ)
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Family
ID: |
27046910 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/808,489 |
Filed: |
June 21, 1977 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
481293 |
Jun 20, 1974 |
03891233 |
Jun 24, 1975 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
280/740; 102/531;
137/516.17; 137/854; 222/3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R
21/26 (20130101); B60R 21/261 (20130101); F42B
3/04 (20130101); B60R 21/2644 (20130101); Y10T
137/7862 (20150401); Y10T 137/789 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
B60R
21/26 (20060101); F42B 3/00 (20060101); F42B
3/04 (20060101); B60R 021/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;280/728-742
;137/516.17,854 ;102/39 ;23/281 ;222/3,396 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Silverstrim; John P.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Criss; Roger H. Henry; Patrick
L.
Claims
I claim:
1. A source of gas including a chamber from which inflating gas is
developed, exit ports at one side of said chamber, a seal means
overlying said exit ports, said seal means including a seal disc
and adhesive, said seal disc containing at least one convolution,
said seal disc attached to said source by said adhesive binding the
outer extent of said seal disc to said source, said adhesive
rupturing at a pressure lower than the pressure of the inflating
gas exiting from said source, said gas directed by said seal disc
on exiting from said exit ports to pass through said adhesive on
rupture thereof, and said seal disc further attached to said source
at a location separate from the area of adhesion to said
source.
2. A gas source as claimed in claim 1, said second point of
attachment of said seal disc to said source being substantially in
the center of said seal disc.
3. A gas source as claimed in claim 2, further including gas
generation powder contained within said chamber and means for
igniting said powder in said chamber responsive to external signal
for ignition.
4. A gas source as claimed in claim 3, said seal disc containing a
plurality of convolutions.
5. A gas source as claimed in claim 4, further including an
inflatable and manifold means connecting said restraint to said gas
source to supply gas passing through said ruptured adhesive to said
inflatable restraint. .Iadd. 6. An inflator for inflating an
expandable confinement for restraining a vehicle occupant in
response to a collision signal, said inflator comprising:
a. a source of inflating fluid;
b. means operable upon receipt of said collision signal to actuate
said fluid source and cause inflating fluid to flow therefrom;
c. means for directing said fluid flow to said confinement, said
fluid directing means including means defining discharge port means
for flow of inflating fluid therefrom; and
d. diffuser means disposed over said discharge port means, said
diffuser means including a thin, rigid member having an initial
position sealing said discharge port means, said member having
portions thereof deformably movable upon actuation of said fluid
source to a position permitting and diffusing fluid flow from said
discharge port means, wherein said movable portions of said rigid
member are resiliently deformed by pressurized fluid flow to a
position in which said movable portions of said member direct said
fluid flow radially away from the inflator. .Iaddend..Iadd. 7. The
inflator defined in claim 6, wherein:
a. said source of inflating fluid includes a combustible mixture;
and
b. said means to actuate said fluid source includes
electro-explosive means operable to ignite said combustible
mixture. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 8. The inflator defined in claim 6,
wherein:
a. said port means includes means defining a plurality of apertures
discharging flow in spaced generally parallel flow paths; and
b. said deformable member is disposed so as to diffuse said fluid
flow at generally right angles to said parallel flow.
.Iaddend..Iadd. 9. The inflator defined in claim 6 wherein said
deformable member has the central portion thereof secured to said
housing. .Iaddend..Iadd. 10. An inflator for use with a vehicle
occupant restraint system, comprising:
a. a housing defining a central axis;
b. a propellant stored within said housing;
c. means for igniting said propellant to yield a pressurized
inflation gas in response to a collision signal;
d. said housing having portions thereof defining passage means for
said inflation gas; and
e. a deformable metal diffuser having a first position in sealing
engagement with the outer surface of said housing to seal said
passage means, and a second position, subsequent to the ignition of
said propellant, in which a portion of said diffuser is resiliently
deformed out of sealing engagement with said housing to permit said
inflation gas to pass through said passage means, said diffuser
directing said gas radially away from said housing to inflate the
confinement. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 11. The inflator of claim 10 wherein
said pressurized inflation gas consists essentially of reaction
products from the ignition of said propellant. .Iaddend..Iadd. 12.
The inflator of claim 10 wherein said deformable diffuser is a
relatively thin, normally flat member having an inner portion
fixedly attached to said housing and an outer portion freely
deformable away from said housing to expose said passage means.
.Iaddend..Iadd. 13. The inflator of claim 12 wherein said
deformable diffuser is a generally washer-shaped member.
.Iaddend..Iadd. 14. The inflator of claim 10 wherein said housing
is generally cylindrical, the axis of rotation of the cylinder
being substantially coincidental with said central axis.
.Iaddend..Iadd. 15. The inflator of claim 10 including a layer of
filter material positioned intermediate said propellant and said
passage means. .Iaddend..Iadd. 16. The inflator of claim 10 wherein
said housing further comprises a cover member defining said passage
means, and a base member oppositely disposed from said cover
member, and adapted to be threadably connected. .Iaddend..Iadd. 17.
The inflator of claim 10 wherein said deformable diffuser is
disposed, in its deformed condition, to permit an approximately
uniform flow of said inflation gas in all directions, to minimize
the gas reaction force on said inflator. .Iaddend..Iadd. 18. The
inflator of claim 17 wherein said passage means comprises a
plurality of apertures generally uniformly spaced apart to provide
circumferentially uniform fluid flow from said inflator. .Iaddend.
.Iadd. 19. The inflator of claim 10 wherein said deformable
diffuser is a relatively thin member having an inner portion
fixedly attached to said housing and an outer portion freely
deformable away from said housing to expose said passage means.
.Iaddend..Iadd. 20. The inflator of claim 19 wherein said
deformable diffuser is a generally washer-shaped member. .Iaddend.
.Iadd. 21. A source of gas including a chamber from which inflating
gas is developed, exit ports on one side of said chamber, seal
means overlying said exit ports, said seal means including a seal
disc attached to said source, said seal disc acting as a seal for
the gas source and as a deflector for directing the gas produced,
said seal disc being attached to said source by an adhesive binding
the outer extent of the seal disc to said source, said adhesive
rupturing at a pressure lower than the pressure of the inflating as
exiting from said source. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 22. The device of claim
21 wherein the seal means is arranged such that it deflects the gas
in a direction perpendicular to the direction of its flow through
the exit ports. .Iaddend..Iadd. 23. The device of claim 21 wherein
the seal disc contains at least one convolution. .Iaddend.
Description
This invention relates to a gas supply device employing a seal
means which on activation of the device serves as a diffuser
through which the gas passes from the source to the point of use.
More specifically, this invention relates to a gas supply device
for use with inflatable structure to which the gas supply device
supplies inflating gas, the device employing seal means including
an adhesive in combination with a seal disc.
Generally, the invention is related to a gas supply device, which
in one embodiment is a chamber filled with a gas producing
propellant. The exit ports of that chamber are normally closed from
the outside environment by the application of seal means thereover.
When the propellant is activated so as to produce gas, the gas
passes through the ports and, on the lifting of the seal disc and
resulting rupturing of the adhesive employed with the seal disc,
passes through the failed adhesive as directed by the seal disc to
the inflatable device, such as an air bag for restraining an
occupant of a motor vehicle.
According to applicant's invention, the seal disc is attached to
cover the exit ports from the gas source by an adhesive. The seal
disc and the adhesive comprise the seal means. When pressure
generated by the gas, from the reacting propellant, for example, is
raised past a certain prescribed level, the seal disc is raised
from the gas source device in its positioning of overlying the
discharge ports against the adhesive forces of the adhesive and the
gas is directed to and passes through the adhesive to the point of
use. The seal disc is designed in such a way as to aid in its
lifting by the gas in its movement away from the discharge ports,
as will be described in detail hereinafter. Preferably, the seal
disc is attached to the gas source device by other fastening means,
such as a rivet, so that the seal disc may move to a second point
of attachment (to break the adhesive) without becoming disengaged
from the gas source device.
Further details of the invention will be understood with relation
to the following more detailed description and the following
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows the gas source device of the preferred embodiment;
FIG. 2 shows the gas source device of FIG. 1 and a schematic
showing of its connection to an inflatable device;
FIG. 3 shows the seal disc of the device of FIG. 1 with an enlarged
indication of the adhesion of the seal disc to the gas source;
FIG. 4 shows the seal disc moved so that rupture has occurred in
the adhesive.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The gas source device 1 of the preferred embodiment is made up of
an outer encasing shell 2 and enclosing end piece 3, for example,
made of chrome-moly steel. The end piece 3 may in one embodiment be
threaded into the outer encasing shell 2. The chamber formed by the
pieces 2 and 3, in one embodiment, is filled with a pyrotechnic
powder, such as black powder 4, for example, which when it burns
produces an inflating gas. Alternatively, a stored gas may be
included within the chamber formed by structure 2 and 3, or a
combination of stored gas and pyrotechnic powder may be employed,
as is well known in the art, see for example, U.S. Pat. application
Ser. No. 304,291 filed Nov. 6, 1972, now Pat. No. 3,837,671 and
U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 376,866, filed July 5, 1973,
respectively. A squib or burning device 5 extends into the chamber
through an opening in the encasement 2. The squib is connected as
by electrical connection 6 to a sensor 7 which commands igniting of
squib 5, causing burning of the powder 4, on certain predetermined
conditions, such as sudden deceleration of a vehicle, in which the
gas source is employed, as is well known in the art. The gas source
may be mounted to vehicle structure, such as the steering wheel
hub, by mounting brackets 8.
The cover 3 has gas discharge ports 9 through which gas evolved
from the powder 4, in the preferred embodiment, is discharged from
the gas source 1. Seal means including a seal disc 10 overlies the
gas discharge ports 9 and is preferably attached to the end piece 3
by a rivet 11. Screens 12 mounted internally of the chamber to the
cover 3 on mounting brackets 13 keeps the powder, in the preferred
embodiment, in its unburned state within the gas source and
contributes to the maintaining of the unburned powder within the
gas source. The powder 4 may be either granular or may be formed as
a ring or other pressed structure.
The seal disc 10, which may be formed of stainless steel or other
metal structure, for example, is bonded by adhesive 100 (FIG. 3) at
its ends 14 to the outside surface 15 of the end piece cover ocver
3. The adhesive 100 used may be a hot melt glue, such as an epoxy
glue, or other adhesive, which when it hardens bonds the seal disc
10 to the cover 3 as shown in FIG. 3.
The seal disc 10 preferably has at least one convolution 16, and
preferably a plurality of convolutions 16 and 17, so as to give it
strength, control deflection, and so as to provide area within the
space between the seal disc and the cover 3 for the gas generated
and exiting through ports 9 to collect and lift the outer portions
of the seal disc against the adhesive force. The movement of the
seal disc against the adhesive force will cause the adhesive to
separate (see FIG. 4) and will allow the gas to pass there through
(see channel 101 as illustrative) to the inflatable device. The
attachment of the seal disc to the gas source 1, as by the rivet at
its center, in the preferred embodiment, holds the seal disc to the
gas source while the end sections 14 thereof are separated from the
gas source to create the passage 101 as shown in FIG. 4 through
which the gas passes through the adhesive to the inflatable
device.
As shown in FIG. 2, the gas passing through the adhesive then
passes, in one embodiment, to an air bag 19 for protection of an
occupant of a motor vehicle (not shown).
The seal means thus provides the dual function of acting as a seal
for the gas source and as a deflector for directing the gas
produced in a direction perpendicular to the direction of its flow
through the gas ports, as it passes through the adhesive.
As discussed, the convolutions in the seal disc provide the medium
for lifting the seal at its end from the gas source device to
spread the adhesive and provide the passageways therethrough. In
one embodiment, the adhesive will hold the seal disc to the end
piece up to pressures of 1000 psi, so that the adhesive won't
separate (or rupture) until the gas force through the exit ports is
up above the pressure. The use of the adhesive thus does not
interfere with operation of the gas source since the gas exiting
from the ports, in one embodiment, is exiting through the ports at
a pressure of above 2000 psi.
Having described the invention in detail, it is applicant's
intention that the scope of the invention be limited by the
following claims.
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