Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid gas generator (1), used for motor vehicle safety to inflate an airbag, comprising a body (2) containing an ignition device (16) and a reservoir (3) connected to the body and containing a pressurized gas (31), together with initially closed-off discharge orifices (10). The body possesses a first pyrotechnic charge (14) capable of generating a quantity of gas which, coupled to the volume of gas (31) contained in the reservoir, allows the airbag to be inflated in a time period of less than 50 milliseconds, and a second pyrotechnic charge (13) capable of generating, after combustion of the first pyrotechnic charge, a quantity of gas sufficient to keep the airbag inflated for a time period of several seconds.

Abstract: An electropyrotechnic initiator comprising a pyrotechnic varnish in contact with a resistive heating element is prepared by preparing an aqueous adhesive composed of a dispersion of an explosive substance and of additives in an aqueous suspension based on a copolymer chosen from ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers and vinyl acetate/ethylene acetate/ethylene copolymers, depositing the aqueous adhesive on the resistive element, and drying the aqueous adhesive at a temperature of between 55° C. and 75° C., in order to remove the water contained in the adhesive and to obtain the varnish.

Abstract: A hybrid gas generator unit (1) may be used to inflate at least one side airbag. The hybrid gas generator contains a pyrotechnic gas generator (2) produced using a body (5), which contains an igniter (5) and which is provided with first and second ends (6, 7), and a flexible element (8), which contains a pyrotechnic charge (10) and which is attached to the second end of the body; and a pressurized gas (4) reservoir (3) attached to the pyrotechnic gas generator at the first end of the body. In the hybrid gas generator, the igniter is capable during operation of initiating the combustion of the pyrotechnic charge contained in the flexible element and of causing the pressurized gas contained in the reservoir to be released.

Abstract: A hybrid gas generator unit (1) used to inflate at least one side airbag, comprises a flexible element (9) containing a pyrotechnic charge (10) and possessing an upstream end (13) and a downstream end; a reservoir (18) of pressurized gas (19), the reservoir having an upstream end and a downstream end (30), and an electropyrotechnic igniter (3) housed in a body (2) near the upstream end (13) of the flexible element and the downstream end (30) of the reservoir. The igniter may be capable during operation of initiating the combustion of the pyrotechnic charge contained in the flexible element and of causing the pressurized gas contained in the reservoir to be released. The gas generator unit may be designed so that, after combustion of the pyrotechnic charge (10), the pressurized gas (19) escapes firstly from the reservoir (18) in order to pass through the body (2) and then sets off in the opposite direction to pass through the flexible element (9).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of an electropyrotechnic initiator (1) comprising a pyrotechnic varnish (6) initiated by a resistive heating element (11). The pyrotechnic varnish is obtained by deposition, on the resistive element, of an aqueous adhesive composed of a dispersion of an explosive substance and of additives in an aqueous suspension based on a copolymer and then by drying the said aqueous adhesive at a temperature of between 55° C. and 75° C. The copolymer is chosen from ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers and vinyl acetate/ethylene acetate/ethylene copolymers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid gas generator unit (1) used to inflate at least one side airbag, characterized in that is comprises:

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid gas generator unit (1) used to inflate at least one side airbag, characterized in that it comprises:

Abstract: A safety device housed in a motor vehicle and used in the field of automobile safety has an impervious inflatable metal bag fixed to a support, a pyrotechnic charge, and an ignition device intended to be connected to a source of electrical current. The bag includes a first metal sheet which has a central orifice, an intermediate fixing zone attached to the support and a peripheral fixing zone and a solid domed second metal sheet which has a peripheral fixing zone. The two metal sheets are fixed together at their peripheral fixing zones. The pyrotechnic charge is contained in the bag.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid gas generator (1), used for motor vehicle safety to inflate an airbag, comprising, on the one hand, a body (2) containing an ignition device (16) and, on the other hand, a reservoir (3) connected to the body and containing a pressurized gas (31), together with initially closed-off discharge orifices (10), characterized in that the body possesses:

Abstract: A safety device housed in a motor vehicle and used in the field of automobile safety has an impervious inflatable metal bag fixed to a support, a pyrotechnic charge, and an ignition device intended to be connected to a source of electrical current. The bag includes a first metal sheet which has a central orifice, an intermediate fixing zone attached to the support and a peripheral fixing zone and a solid domed second metal sheet which has a peripheral fixing zone. The two metal sheets are fixed together at their peripheral fixing zones. The pyrotechnic charge is contained in the bag.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a safety device (1) housed in a motor vehicle and used in the field of automobile safety.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a safety device (1) housed in a motor vehicle and used in the field of automobile safety.

Abstract: A safety device housed in a motor vehicle and used in the field of automobile safety has an impervious inflatable metal bag fixed to a support, a pyrotechnic charge, and an ignition device intended to be connected to a source of electrical current. The bag includes a first metal sheet which has a central orifice, an intermediate fixing zone attached to the support and a peripheral fixing zone and a solid domed second metal sheet which has a peripheral fixing zone. The two metal sheets are fixed together at their peripheral fixing zones. The pyrotechnic charge is contained in the bag.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of hybrid gas generators intended to inflate a protective airbag. The generator (1) consists of two metal tubes (50, 51) welded together, the upstream tube (50) being of one piece with an internal partition (26) that has a central orifice (27) closed by a diaphragm (28). The generator thus has a reservoir chamber (29) containing a pressurized gas and a combustion and mixing chamber (46) containing a pyrotechnic device (4) and a support piece (30) carrying a piston-pillar (31) the stroke of which is limited. The hot gases cannot enter the reservoir chamber (29) which may thus contain a greater amount of gas.

Abstract: The electropyrotechnic igniter (1) comprises a body divided into a downstream chamber and an upstream chamber by a discoid metal piece (8), the downstream chamber containing a resistive heating element (11), a pyrotechnic initiating composition (12) and a pyrotechnic ignition composition (7), and the upstream chamber containing a rectangular electronic card (17) extended by three external metal pins (29 to 31), on which electronic card conducting tracks are provided. Two metal connection pins (13, 14) pass through the discoid metal piece (8) and connect the said conducting tracks to the resistive heating element (11). A means of intercommunicating and of triggering a train of specific electric pulses as well as a means of storing electrical energy are connected to the conducting tracks. This igniter is more especially intended to be used in motor-vehicle safety, especially for constituting the device for igniting a gas generator associated with an airbag.

Abstract: The invention relates to a protective assembly used in the field of motor vehicle safety to protect an occupant of a motor vehicle in the event of a collision. The protective assembly comprises a module itself containing a gas generator, an external deflector and an air bag initially folded around the generator, characterized in that: i) the generator comprises a body of tubular overall shape which has a side wall bearing discharge orifices distributed around the circumference of the side wall, the latter having a circular cross section, the outside perimeter of which has a length L, ii) the external deflector can expand and is made using a metal strip which is 2L long, iii) the discharge orifices are initially covered by the expanding external deflector which closely surrounds the side wall.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of electropyrotechnic initiators comprising a thick-film multifoil circuit. The electrical circuit is photoetched on an insulating support (16). It consists of a resistive first foil having a central part (17) of constant width. This first foil is covered, except on the central part (17), by two conducting areas (28, 29) made of copper. The circuit (18) has an outline consisting of curved lines whose radius is greater than 7×10−4 m and whose shortest distance from the edge of the support (16) is at least 35×10−5 m. Such an initiator has an enhanced electrostatic discharge resistance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hybrid gas generator intended for motor vehicle safety. The generator (1) includes a container (2) containing a cold gas (10) under pressure and having an open end in which a compartment (2), which is located outside the container (2), is fixed. This compartment (3) is provided with gas discharge orifices (6) and has a front wall (8) in which there is an opening closed by a diaphragm (9) which makes it possible to separate the inside of the container (2) from the inside of the compartment (3), in a leaktight fashion. The latter contains an initiator (12) with shaped explosive charge and a pyrotechnic charge (13), the initiator (12) being capable of destroying the diaphragm (9) from a distance and of initiating the pyrotechnic charge (13). This generator (1) makes it possible to initiate deployment of the airbag using cold gas (10) as soon as it starts to operate.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of protecting the occupants of a motor vehicle by an inflatable airbag. The invention relates to a process consisting in inflating an airbag (1) by a pyrotechnic generator (2) containing a double-composition charge (9) formed around a main charge having a linear burning rate V1 and at least part of the ignition faces of which are covered with a skin of moderate pyrotechnic composition having a linear burning rate V2 satisfying the relationship: 0.05 V1≦V2≦0.5 V1. The invention thus makes it possible to inflate the airbag gradually during the first milliseconds of deployment of the latter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of pyrotechnic igniters, especially those intended for motor-vehicle safety. The igniters (1) according to the invention have a thin-film resistive bridge (19) connected via two thin metal areas (17 and 18) to two electrodes (9 and 10). An initiating lacquer (20) covers the resistive bridge (19) and a varistor attached to the said areas protects the igniter from electrostatic discharges. The resistive bridge (19) has a volume resistivity of between 0.5×106 and 2×106 &OHgr;.m and the initiating lacquer is made from a primary explosive. The igniters (1) have a no-fire current of greater than 500 mA and an all-fire current of less than 1200 mA.