Patent ID: 8371611

Claim:
A rupture feature for releasing pressurized gas from an inflator for a vehicle passenger safety airbag, the rupture feature discharging the pressurized gas into a diffuser through an egress opening having predetermined dimensions in a wall of the inflator responsive to a predetermined pressure impulse arising in the inflator, the rupture feature comprising: (a) a sturdy rupture fragment of reliably stable configuration having an inner surface positioned opposite the egress opening in an orientation to be impacted by the predetermined pressure impulse through the egress opening; and (b) a relatively thin rupture membrane having a length extending away from the inner surface transverse to and continuously circumscribing the rupture fragment and the egress opening, the rupture membrane being integrally formed with the wall of the inflator and the rupture fragment and sealingly interconnecting the rupture fragment to the wall of the inflator about the egress opening such that a gas flow orifice created upon rupture of the rupture membrane a long a transverse fracture line has substantially the same dimensions as the egress opening.