Patent ID: 7883111

Claim:
A gas generator for generating an inflation gas for an inflatable cushion in a vehicle, comprising: an outer pressure stage comprising an outer pressure housing defining an outer combustion chamber and an outer outflow opening, an outer propellant charge disposed within the outer combustion chamber and an outer charge igniter effective to ignite said outer propellant charge; an inner pressure stage comprising an inner pressure housing disposed within the outer pressure housing and defining an inner combustion chamber and an inner outflow opening communicating said inner combustion chamber to the outer combustion chamber, an inner propellant charge disposed within the inner combustion chamber and an inner charge igniter effective to ignite said inner propellant charge; a filter housing disposed about the outer pressure housing and having a filter outflow opening; and a filter disposed between the outer pressure housing and the filter housing for filtering gas flowing from the outer outflow opening to the filter outflow opening, wherein the gas generator further comprises an outer chamber compensation piece and an inner chamber compensation piece, said outer chamber compensation piece being disposed within the outer combustion chamber opposite the outer charge igniter, and the inner chamber compensation piece being disposed within the inner combustion chamber opposite the inner charge igniter.