Patent ID: 6966578

Claim:
A toroidal-shaped adaptive output inflator comprising: an outer housing; an inner housing connected to said outer housing and together defining an outer chamber and an inner chamber; a supply of gas-generating pyrotechnic material having a burn rate that is pressure dependent contained within said outer chamber and wherein at least a portion of said supply of gas-generating pyrotechnic material is reactable to produce a product gas; a primary initiator in discharge communication with said outer chamber, and in operational initiation communication with said supply of gas-generating pyrotechnic material; a first plurality of apertures and a second plurality of apertures each formed in said inner housing, and each providing independent fluidic communication between said outer chamber and said inner chamber; and an output control device movable between a first position allowing fluidic communication between said outer chamber and said inner chamber through both said first plurality of apertures and said second plurality of apertures to form a low rise rate performance arrangement, and a second position at least partially obstructing fluidic communication between said outer chamber and said inner chamber through at least one of said first plurality of apertures to form a high rise rate performance arrangement having a rise rate greater than a rise rate of the low rise rate performance arrangement.