Abstract: A propulsion device including a fuel chamber and barrel constructed with off-the-shelf parts for propelling biodegradable objects. The fuel chamber includes a fuel nozzle actuator for receiving fuel from a pressurized gaseous container. The fuel chamber also includes an ignitor for igniting the fuel in the fuel chamber. The barrel may be interchanged with one including noise reducing holes.

Abstract: An improved structure of a smoke generator including a housing and a pump accommodated in the housing. The pump pumps a chemical solution in a container via a solution duct to a heating vaporization device. The heating vaporization device includes two opposed disposed heat insulation rings, a heating tube, and a power source. The heat insulation rings are metal rings of good electrical conductivity and have a periphery provided with a plurality of ring holes. A plurality of metal conductive wires each have two ends respectively connected to the opposedly arranged ring holes, with a coil formed in a center of each heat insulation ring. The heating tube is a metal tube of a high resistance coefficient and is mounted intermediate of the heat insulation rings. A solution inlet and a smoke ejecting end at both ends of the heating tube pass through and are secured in the coils on the same side.

Abstract: An airbag inflator which can supply airbag inflation gas in an adaptive output is provided. The subject inflator includes two discrete and isolated chambers of gas generant materials. At least one of the chambers includes a lid closure adapted to open to place the combustion products formed within the associated chamber in fluid communication with the contents of the other chamber. The subject inflator permits several distinct inflation performance scenarios while desirably employing a single set of inflation gas treatment components, such as filters, for the treatment of products of both chambers.

Abstract: The invention refers to a gas generator for a safety device in motor vehicles, comprising a housing, a cover closing the housing, a propellant container arranged in the housing, and a filling body arranged between the propellant container and the cover or the housing, wherein the filling body is formed of an elastic material and adheres to the propellant container and the cover or the housing, thereby connecting the propellant container and the cover or the housing.

Abstract: A processing procedure for incorporating bismuth compounds into isocyanate cured hydroxy terminated binder propellants has been discovered. When added to the propellant formulation in ballistic modifier amounts (≧0.25%), bismuth salicylate and bismuth &bgr;-resorcylate significantly reduce the potlife to less than 1-hour. It was discovered that to maximize propellant potlife the temperature of the mixture at the time of the addition is critically important. The potlife of propellants containing bismuth compounds can be increased to greater than 15 hours at 70° F., when the temperature of the mixture at the addition step for bismuth, is lowered from the normal addition temperature of 150° F., to 60° F. Depending on the formulation and solids loading, the viscosity of the propellant at 60° F. is not greatly affected.

Abstract: A family of water-based gas-generating liquid compositions is described. A composition of the present invention includes: hydrogen peroxide; ammonium nitrate; and water. Compositions of the present invention may be mixed with fuels to make monopropellants or used in bipropellant or hybrid systems. Alternative uses of the present invention include breathable gas generation.

Abstract: Gas generative compositions especially useful in inflators for protective passive restraint devices (e.g., motor vehicle air bags, escape slide chutes, lift rafts, and the like) include a nitrogen-containing fuel and an oxidizer selected from copper (II) oxide (CuO), cupric nitrate, basic copper nitrate (Cu(NO.sub.3).sub.2.3Cu(OH.sub.2), strontium nitrate (Sr(NO.sub.3).sub.2) and mixtures thereof. Most preferably the nitrogen-containing fuel is azodicarbonamidine dinitrate (AZODN) and/or 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20). The compositions of the present invention provide high burning rates with acceptable burning rate pressure exponents which allow their operation at lower pressures, thereby resulting in the use of less costly, lower weight, and lower strength materials for design and manufacture of the inflator pressure vessel.

Abstract: This invention relates to a multi-stage gas bag inflator, operable initially, when activated, to cause the gas bag to deploy slowly and then, after a delay, to deploy rapidly, includes a housing having at least first and second chambers of preferably different size, separated by a bulkhead. One chamber is preferably smaller since it can be used to produce a smaller amount of gas to cause the initial slow deployment of the gas bag. A gas generant charge is ignited in the first chamber, and after some delay, a gas generant charge in the second chamber is ignited. The multi-stage inflator according to this invention can be used to provide the varying inflation rates needed to adjust the inflation of air bags to accommodate the severity of the collision and the position of the occupants. The inventive inflator is small in size and economical to produce.

Abstract: A gas generating composition, when ignited, produces gas to inflate an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The gas generating composition comprises ammonium nitrate phase stabilized with a moisture indicating material. The moisture indicating material exhibits a color that changes with change in the concentration of moisture within the ammonium nitrate.

Abstract: A body of gas generating material for a vehicle occupant protection device comprises about 40 to about 85 weight percent ammonium nitrate. The body of gas generating material also comprises an amount of a glycidyl azide polymer (GAP). The GAP is cured with a polyfunctional acrylate. The acrylate cured GAP can be used as a binder in the gas generating composition or as an energetic coating on tablets prepared from the composition. The acrylate cured GAP can also function as the sole fuel component in the gas generating composition, the composition being essentially free of an added fuel component. The acrylate cured GAP improves the burn and/or ignition rates of the ammonium nitrate based gas generating composition.

Abstract: Chlorate-free autoignition compositions are disclosed, and may be embodied in compositions comprised of (i) an azodiformamidine dinitrate (ADFD), a self-deflagrating, low ignition temperature fuel, (ii) an oxidizer (e.g., a perchlorate, nitrate or mixture thereof) and (iii) an ignition accelerator/augmentor (e.g., a metal or metal oxide powder). One especially preferred solid AIP composition in accordance with the present invention includes ADFD, a mixture of ammonium perchlorate and sodium nitrate, an iron oxide powder and a binder, such as a poly(alkylene carbonate).

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (20) and a gas generating composition (16). The gas generating composition (16), when ignited, produces gas to inflate the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (20). The gas generating composition comprises an oxidizer and an energetic binder system. The energetic binder system comprises at least 90% by weight of a thermoplastic elastomer and from 0 to about 10% of a component selected from the group consisting of a plasticizer, a burn rate modifier, a processing aid and combinations thereof. The thermoplastic elastomer is a copolymer of bis-3,3-nitratomethyl-oxtane (BNMO) and nitratomethy-methyl-oxetane (NMMO).

Abstract: A pyrotechnic fuel material for a booster in a pyrotechnic system having an adjacent igniter. In one embodiment, a powdered BaAl.sub.4 compound is used as the booster pyrotechnic fuel. In another embodiment, a powdered zirconium/nickel alloy is used as the booster pyrotechnic fuel. Both the powdered BaAl.sub.4 compound and the powdered zirconium/nickel alloy exhibit ignition sensitivity thresholds on the order of millijoules, thereby allowing for increased safety in manufacturing and handling over elemental powdered metal pyrotechnic fuels normally used for the entire pyrotechnic system.

Abstract: This invention relates to liquid propellant compositions containing an enetic material of organic nitrate esters. The organic nitrate esters of the present invention are complexed with a nitrate ester plasticizer, bismuth subsalicylate, and stabilizer to form liquid compositions with an appropriate energy, stability, and sensitivity that is useful as a propellant.

Abstract: Thermally stable gas generant compositions incorporate a combination of one or more primary nonazide high-nitrogen fuels selected from a group including tetrazoles, bitetrazoles, and triazoles, and salts thereof; and one or more secondary nonazide high nitrogen fuels selected from azodicarbonamide and hydrazodicarbonamide. The primary and secondary fuels are combined with phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate that when combusted, results in a greater yield of gaseous products per mass unit of gas generant, a reduced yield of solid combustion products, lower combustion temperatures, and acceptable burn rates, thermal stability, and ballistic properties. These compositions are especially suitable for inflating air bags in passenger-restraint devices.

Abstract: A new filtration system for gas generators, especially side impact airbag inflators for use in automobiles, has a sheet of expanded metal formed into a tube, cylinder or other geometric form and a bed of expanded metal chips. The interior of the geometric form is filled with chips of expanded metal and this configuration has been found extremely effective in cooling and filtering the gases produced during the combustion of a gas generant. The filtration system disposed between the gas generant bed and the gas exit apertures of the inflator housing. The weight of the filtration system should be at least four times the weight of the gas generant placed in the inflator housing.

Abstract: A high-activity hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst comprising an impregnated and calcined substrate with a catalyst mixture. The catalyst mixture comprises a hydrogen peroxide catalytically active compound containing a transition metal cation mixed with an alkaline promoter. A process for forming a high-activity hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst and a product of high-activity hydrogen peroxide decomposition are disclosed.

Abstract: Oxadiazines of formula I, wherein R1 is F, Cl or fluoroalkoxy and R2 is alkyl, are prepared by reacting hydrazine derivatives of formula II with a dialkoxymethane in the presence of a protic acid catalyst in an inert solvent under conditions which allow for the prompt removal of the alcohol by-product by distillation. The reaction can be combined with the preparation of the hydrazines derivatives II from the corresponding ketones and hydrazines NH2-NHR3 in the presence of the same protic acid catalyst and an inert solvent. Oxadiazines I are useful as intermediates in the preparation of arthropodicidal agents.