Patent ID: 7243946
Filing Date: 2007-07-17
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. An inflator comprising: a housing having an interior and a plurality of orifices formed therealong to enable fluid communication between the interior of the housing and an exterior of the housing; an amount of a gas source material positioned in the interior of the housing, the gas source material being formulated to undergo decomposition to form decomposition products including at least one gaseous decomposition product comprising an inflation gas; an amount of a reactant material positioned in the interior of the housing in fluid isolation from the gas source material, the reactant material being selected to react with the gas source material to produce decomposition of the gas source material including the at least one gaseous decomposition product, one of the gas source material and the reactant material being contained in a substantially rupturable container; and a mechanism for producing rupture of the container to enable fluid communication between the gas source material and the reactant material; and an enclosure positioned within the housing to form a cavity between an outer wall of the housing and the enclosure, the enclosure having an interior and a plurality of orifices formed therealong to enable fluid communication between the interior of the enclosure and the interior of the housing, and wherein the container is positioned in the interior of the enclosure; wherein the mechanism for producing rupture of the container forces a portion of the container into at least one orifice of the plurality of enclosure orifices, thereby stressing and rupturing the portion of the container in the at least one orifice and releasing contents of the container to flow through the orifice into the cavity.