Patent ID: 8827308

Claim:
An inflator for an airbag assembly for protecting a vehicle occupant from injury, the inflator comprising: an exterior wall comprising an aperture; a first gas source contained within a first chamber defined within the exterior wall, wherein, in response to receipt by the inflator of a first activation signal, the first gas source provides a gas that defines a first gas flow pathway that moves through the inflator and exits the inflator via the aperture; and a filter module positioned in the first gas flow pathway, the filter module comprising: a filter medium having plurality of holes sized such that, as the gas flows through the filter medium, particulate matter entrained in the gas is trapped in the filter medium; and a baffle secured to the filter medium, the baffle comprising an impingement surface positioned such that the gas impinges against the impingement surface in a manner that causes redirection of the first gas flow pathway; wherein the baffle is positioned such that the baffle is in contact with no component of the inflator outside the filter module.