Patent ID: 7293798

Claim:
An inflator for use in an inflatable vehicle occupant protection system, the inflator comprising: a longitudinal inflator housing including a perforated section to enable fluid communication between an interior of the housing and an exterior of the housing; an enclosure extending along at least a portion of the housing interior, the enclosure having a substantially uniform cross-sectional area along at least a portion of the enclosure, the enclosure including at least first and second perforated sections to enable fluid communication between the enclosure and an exterior of the enclosure, the first perforated section having a first total gas exit aperture area and the second perforated section having a second total gas exit aperture area, the second total gas exit aperture area being greater than the first total gas exit aperture area; a first gas generant composition positioned within the at least a portion of the enclosure to extend along a first length, the first gas generant composition being distributed substantially uniformly along the at least a portion of the enclosure so as to provide a quantity of first gas generant composition having a first mass of gas generant per unit length of the first length; and a second gas generant composition positioned within a cavity so as to enable combustion of the second gas generant composition in response to combustion of the first gas generant composition, the second gas generant composition extending along a second length so as to provide a quantity of second gas generant composition having a second mass of gas generant per unit length of the second length, the second mass of gas generant per unit length being greater than the first mass of gas generant per unit length.