Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5588676?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2014-12-27 16:20:27
Document Index: 181538534

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 26', 'art 24', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 126', 'art 124', 'art 126', 'art 126', 'art 126']

Patent US5588676 - Stamped metal toroidal hybrid gas generator - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA hybrid inflator comprises a housing formed of welded-together metal stampings defining a toroidal gas chamber surrounding a center tie and storing pressurized gas therein. The center tie has a generally cylindrical sidewall and an outlet wall at an upper end thereof defines a rupturably sealed outlet...http://www.google.com/patents/US5588676?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5588676 - Stamped metal toroidal hybrid gas generatorAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS5588676 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 08/615,898Publication dateDec 31, 1996Filing dateMar 14, 1996Priority dateOct 12, 1994Fee statusLapsedAlso published asCA2158905A1, CN2354817Y, DE69508177D1, DE69508177T2, EP0706917A1, EP0706917B1, US5516147Publication number08615898, 615898, US 5588676 A, US 5588676A, US-A-5588676, US5588676 A, US5588676AInventorsRandall J. Clark, Bradley W. Smith, Kirk H. Rasmussen, Leland B. KortOriginal AssigneeMorton International, Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (15), Referenced by (33), Classifications (8), Legal Events (7) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetStamped metal toroidal hybrid gas generatorUS 5588676 AAbstract A hybrid inflator comprises a housing formed of welded-together metal stampings defining a toroidal gas chamber surrounding a center tie and storing pressurized gas therein. The center tie has a generally cylindrical sidewall and an outlet wall at an upper end thereof defines a rupturably sealed outlet orifice. An inverted stamped metal cup is matingly received in the center tie. The lip of the cup is welded to the lower end of the center tie, and the cup sidewall is circumferentially grooved for separating a sliding piston portion under pressure. A squib support wall and squib closes the lower end of the center tie and inverted cup to define a combustion chamber containing a pyrotechnic gas generant which, upon ignition, causes the inverted cup to separate at the groove and drive the sliding piston upwardly to an open position uncovering inlet openings from the combustion chamber to the gas storage chamber. Hot gasses from the combustion chamber flow into the gas storage chamber and the outlet orifice rupturably opens permitting stored gas and combustion products to exit the inflator. The sliding piston and center tie are tapered to control movement of the piston by friction and deformation, together with lanced limit stop tabs. The cup has a convex bottom, deformation portions and may carry a lance to open the orifice. A baffle provides a surface on which incomplete products of combustion are collected and captures debris. A deformable outlet diffuser provides compact packaging.
We claim: 1. A hybrid inflator comprising a housing having:A) an upper stamped metal housing part including a top wall and a cylindrical sidewall depending therefrom; B) a lower stamped metal housing part including a bottom wall, a cylindrical sidewall extending upwardly therefrom and engaged with the cylindrical sidewall of the upper housing part and welded thereto, and a generally cylindrical center tie integrally formed in one piece with the bottom wall and extending from the bottom wall to the top wall and welded to the top wall; C) an upper wall integrally formed in one piece with one of the upper or lower housing parts and extending across the upper end of the center tie; D) the housing defining a gas storage chamber surrounding the center tie and the center tie defining at least one inlet opening to the gas storage chamber and the housing further defining a rupturably sealed outlet orifice from the gas storage chamber; and E) an igniter assembly mounted in the center tie and including a pyrotechnic gas generant material for producing and delivering hot gasses to the gas storage chamber through the inlet opening thereto. 2. A hybrid inflator as defined in claim 1 wherein the upper wall defines the rupturably sealed exit orifice from the housing, and the upper wall, center tie and igniter assembly defines an outlet cavity adjacent the exit orifice,the outlet cavity communicating with the stored gas chamber through at least one outlet opening defined by the center tie.
3. A hybrid inflator as defined in claim 2 wherein the igniter assembly further comprises a stamped metal squib holder secured across the lower end of the center tie and a squib mounted therein, the igniter assembly including the squib holder and squib defining a combustion chamber for the pyrotechnic gas generant material.
4. A hybrid inflator as defined in claim 3 and further comprising a bottom plate secured to the bottom wall of the housing and extending acros the lower end of the center tie, the bottom plate defining an opening for ebracing and supporting a plug connter for providing an initiator signal to the squib.
5. A hybrid inflator as defined in claim 1 wherein the housing further comprises a mounting flange integral with one of the upper or lower stamped metal housing parts.
6. A hybrid inflator as defined in claim 1 and further comprising a stamped metal deformable diffuser including a top panel and a cylindrical diffuser sidewall, the cylindrical diffuser sidewall secured to the cylindrical sidewall of the upper housing part with the top panel lying closely adjacent the top wall and outlet orifice of the housing, and the top panel being deformable away from the top wall of the housing by inflation gasses from the exit orifice, the diffuser sidewall defining outlet openings for delivering the inflation gas to an airbag.
7. A hybrid inflator as defined in claim 1 wherein the igniter assembly further comprises a stamped metal squib holder secured across the open end of the center tie, and a squib mounted therein, the igniter assembly including the squib holder and together defining a combustion chamber for the pyrotechnic gas generant material.
8. A hybrid inflator as defined in claim 1 and further comprising a baffle secured to the housing within the gas storage chamber and positioned to receive incomplete combustion products and debris delivered to the gas storage chamber through the at least one inlet opening from the igniter assembly, said baffle angled to deflect debris away from the outlet orifice and the path of gas flow leading to the outlet orifice.
9. A hybrid inflator as defined in claim 8 wherein the center tie defines a plurality of inlet openings thereabout and the baffle is positioned surrounding the center tie.
10. A hybrid inflator as defined in claim 9 wherein the baffle is a stamped metal part welded to the lower housing part.
This application is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 08/321,786 filed on Oct. 12, 1994, now Pat. No. 5,516,147.
FIELD OF INVENTION The invention herein relates to a compact hybrid inflator for vehicle occupant restraint systems, in which the inflator housing is made of stamped metal parts including a breakaway sliding piston.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Hybrid inflators for vehicle occupant restraint systems utilize a combination of stored inert gas and the products of combustion of pyrotechnic material to deploy an airbag. The inert gas is stored in a chamber at a relatively high pressure on the order of 2,000 to 4,000 pounds per square inch. The pressure chamber is adjacent to a combustion chamber that contains an initiator and a pyrotechnic material for producing hot combustion gasses which are delivered to the stored inert gas. The mixture of the hot combustion gasses and stored inert gasses are delivered through an outlet to inflate the airbag of the occupant restraint system.
The housings of hybrid inflators are generally fabricated of machined and/or forged metal parts and numerous configurations are provided in the art for delivering the hot combustion gasses of the pyrotechnic material to the gas storage chamber, and for opening an outlet passage of the housing for inflating the airbag. Examples of such structures are shown in Vancil U.S. Pat. No. 3,788,667, Grosch et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,853, Grosch et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,170, Merrell U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,180, Merrell U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,181, Johnson U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,124, Merrell U.S. Pat. No. 3,869,143, Zeigler U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,273, Smith et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,249, Meacham U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,540, Goetz U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,390, Marlow U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,225, Roth U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,226, Hay U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,980, Woods et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,607 and Frantom U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,740.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention herein to provide a hybrid inflator for vehicle occupant restraint systems which is efficient and reliable in operation.
DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hybrid inflator according to the invention herein;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the hybrid inflator of FIG. 1 shown operationally delivering inflation gas;
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A hybrid inflator 10 according to the invention herein is shown in perspective view in FIG. 1 and in cross-sectional views in its assembled and operating conditions in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively. The hybrid inflator 10 comprises a housing 12 formed of welded-together, stamped metal parts and including a mounting flange 14. A deformable diffuser 6 secured to the upper portion of the housing 12. The term "upper" as used herein refers to the diffuser side of the hybrid inflator and to the inflator as shown in the drawings, although the hybrid inflator may be mounted in a vehicle in a different orientation. When installed in a vehicle, an airbag (not shown in the drawings) is fitted over the diffuser and inflation gasses from diffuser exit openings 18 inflate the airbag.
The lower housing part 26 includes a bottom wall 32 which curves to join a cylindrical sidewall 34, the upper portion of which fits inside the cylindrical sidewall 30 of the upper housing part 24. These parts are welded together, as indicated at 36. The generally cylindrical center tie 22 is integral with the lower housing part 26, and extends upwardly from the bottom wall 32 to be received in the opening defined in the upper wall 28, where the center tie 22 and upper wall 28 are welded together as indicated at 37. The housing 12 further includes an outlet wall 38 extending across the top of center tie 22 and the opening in the upper wall 28, and defining an outlet orifice 40. Thus, the housing 12 is fabricated of only two stamped metal parts. A metal diaphragm 41 rupturably seals the outlet orifice
The inverted cup has a lip 50 adjacent its open end, and the lip 50 is welded to the lower housing part 26 at the transition between the bottom wall and center tie 22, the weld being shown at 52. The lip 50 is separated from the sidewall 44 of the cup by a circumferential groove 54 which weakens the cup and predisposes its separation during operation of the inflator, as more fully discussed below. The center tie defines a plurality of inlet openings. 55 to the stored gas chamber, the inlet openings being positioned adjacent and just above the groove 54.
The hot burning gasses enter the gas storage chamber 20 through the inlet openings 55, and heat the stored gas therein. This results in a pressure rise in the storage chamber 20 and when the rupture strength of the diaphragm 41 is exceeded, the diaphragm ruptures and allows the heated gas to vent through the outlet orifice 40. The momentum and pressure of the escaping gas deforms the diffuser, lifting the top panel 80 away from the outlet orifice 40, and creates a path for the gas to be delivered through the diffuser openings 18. The screen 86 prevents debris from the inflator, including portions of the ruptured diaphragm 41, from being carried into an airbag attached to the inflator. The orifice 40 throttles the flow of gas from the storage chamber and provides the proper fill rate into the airbag. The deforming of the diffuser 16 slows down the pressure onset to the airbag by absorbing some of the energy of the escaping gas, and "softens" the initial inflation of the airbag. Fitting the diffuser in close proximity to the housing also improves the packaging requirements in using the inflator for a driver's side airbag system.
Another hybrid inflator 100 according to the invention herein is shown in its assembled condition in FIG. 4 and its operative condition in FIG. 5. The hybrid inflator 100 is similar to the hybrid inflator 10 above, having a housing formed of stamped metal parts and defining a toroidal gas storage chamber 120 surrounding a generally cylindrical center tie 122 The housing 112 is fabricated of an upper housing part including a mounting flange 114, and a lower housing part 126. One distinction between the hybrid inflator 100 and the hybrid inflator 10 described above is that the upper housing part 124 includes the top wall 138 of the outlet cavity 156 and defines the outlet orifice 140 therefrom, and the lower housing part 126 includes the tapered sidewall of the center tie 122 which is welded at its upper end to the upper housing 124, the weld being indicated at 137. This demonstrates the flexibility in design available in providing an inflator of stamped metal parts.
The hybrid inflator 100 is further equipped with an internal baffle 190 extending upwardly from the bottom wall of the lower housing part 126, generally surrounding the inlet openings 155 from the combustion chamber and in the path of the exiting products of combustion. When the pyrotechnic gas generant material is ignited and the sliding piston portion 145 of cup 144 separates from its lip 150 and moves upwardly to expose inlet openings 155, some particulates and incomplete products of combustion exit he openings and impinge on the baffle 190. Some of those particles and incomplete products of combustion plate onto the baffle, and others are deflected downwardly by the baffle, away from the gas flow to the outlet openings 158 leading to the outlet cavity 156. The baffle includes a base portion 191 which conforms to and is used to mount the baffle within the lower housing part 126. This may be accomplished by spot welds, in that no sealing function is required.
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