Patent ID: 7823918

Claim:
An inflator for inflating an inflatable cushion of an airbag module, the inflator comprising: an outer housing; a divider plate secured within the outer housing to define a first chamber and a second chamber of the outer housing, the divider plate having an orifice disposed therein, the orifice providing fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber, the divider plate being joined to the outer housing by a deformation resistance weld, the deformation resistance weld being formed by contacting the outer housing with a first electrode at an exterior portion of the outer housing proximate to the divider plate, contacting the divider plate with a second electrode disposed within the outer housing, and applying a voltage through the first and second electrodes to adhere a portion of the outer housing to a portion of the divider plate; and a closure assembly configured to seal the first chamber at a first end of the outer housing, the closure assembly having a closure housing and an outlet plate disposed within the closure housing, the outlet plate having an outlet opening configured to receive a burst disk, the outlet plate being joined to the closure housing by contacting the outlet plate with a third electrode disposed about the outlet plate, contacting an exterior portion of the closure housing with a fourth electrode, and forming a deformation resistance weld between the closure housing and the outlet plate, wherein the outer housing is joined to the outlet plate remote from the closure housing at the first end of the outer housing, and wherein the first chamber has a first volume of compressed inflation gas and the second chamber has a second volume of compressed inflation gas, the second volume being smaller than the first volume, the second chamber being configured to route compressed inflation gas therein to the first chamber through the orifice of the divider plate.