Patent ID: 6086094
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
An apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, said apparatus comprising:an inflator structure defining a primary chamber, a secondary chamber, a primary outlet for enabling fluid flow from said primary chamber to said secondary chamber, and a secondary outlet for directing fluid flow from said secondary chamber to the inflatable device;a primary burst disk extending across said primary outlet and being rupturable in response to a pressure differential across said primary burst disk exceeding a first predetermined pressure differential;a secondary burst disk extending across said secondary outlet and being rupturable in response to a pressure differential across said secondary burst disk exceeding a second predetermined pressure differential;inflation fluid at a first pressure in said primary chamber;inflation fluid in said secondary chamber at a second pressure less than said first pressure so that said pressure differential across said primary burst disk is less than said first predetermined pressure differential; andactuatable means for rupturing said secondary burst disk to initiate flow of inflation fluid out of said secondary chamber into the inflatable device;the flow of fluid from said secondary chamber decreasing said second pressure in said secondary chamber sufficiently to raise said pressure differential across said primary burst disk to a level exceeding said first predetermined pressure differential.