Patents Assigned to TRW Airbag Systems GmbH
  • Patent number: 11940255
    Abstract: The invention relates to an igniting unit (10), especially for an inflator, comprising an electric igniter (11) including a first inner cap (12) which forms a space (14) for being filled with a booster propellant charge with a second outer cap (13). In accordance with the invention, the second cap (13) is an electrically non-conductive insulating cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Stefan Heigl, Johann Hinkofer, Christoph Knollhuber, Christoph Mocker, Andreas Seidel
  • Patent number: 11766988
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hybrid gas generator (10) which comprises a compressed gas chamber (20) and an igniting unit (30), wherein the compressed gas chamber (20) is closed by a first igniter-side bursting membrane (21) and a second bursting membrane (22). According to the invention, a first, rapidly burning-off pyrotechnic agent (51) and a second pyrotechnic agent (52) burning off slowly in comparison to the first pyrotechnic agent (51) are located in the hybrid gas generator (10), wherein the second bursting membrane (22) is openable by positive pressure which can be generated in the compressed gas chamber (20) and the first pyrotechnic agent (51) is separated from the second pyrotechnic agent (52) in such a manner that the positive pressure in the compressed gas chamber (20) for opening the second bursting membrane (22) can be generated by the first pyrotechnic agent (51).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Christian Jung, Sebastian Bierwirth, Johannes Ebner, Hans-Peter Neumayer, Martin Oberstarr, Daniel Hillmann, Uta Isenmann, Detlef Last
  • Patent number: 11498514
    Abstract: The invention relates to an overigniting protection device (40) for a multi-stage gas generator (10), comprising a combustion chamber limiting element (34) for limiting a combustion chamber (30) of a second ignition stage (14) of the gas generator (10) as well as an overigniting protection element (38) which is arranged on a side of the combustion chamber limiting element (34) remote from the combustion chamber (30), wherein the overigniting protection element (38) covers the side of the combustion chamber limiting element (34) remote from the combustion chamber (30), wherein the overigniting protection element (38) is tightly connected to the combustion chamber limiting element (34) via a mounting portion (42) and wherein the overigniting protection element (38) is substantially plate-shaped or completely covers the side of the combustion chamber limiting element (34) remote from the combustion chamber (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Johannes Ebner, Hans-Peter Neumayer
  • Patent number: 11433850
    Abstract: A gas generator for use for a safety device in vehicles comprises a pyrotechnical propelling charge, wherein the propelling charge is formed from a first and at least a second master batch which are in a mixed state in a filling. Each master batch has a plurality of molded propellant bodies having defined geometry and having a relative quickness. The relative quickness RQ2 of the second master batch is less than the relative quickness RQ1 of the first master batch, wherein RQ2=RQ1·fq and fq?0.9. The invention further relates to a method for producing the propelling charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Friedrich Jörg, Siegfried Jahnel
  • Patent number: 11273788
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas generator (10), particularly a pyrotechnical tube gas generator, with an axial longitudinal direction (L), comprising an ignition unit (20), a combustion chamber (30) axially mounted downstream from the ignition unit (20) and comprising a combustion chamber bottom (35) forming a combustion chamber outlet (36), and a filter chamber (70) that is axially mounted downstream of the combustion chamber (30). According to the invention, at least one guiding sleeve (50) and a front-side baffle plate (80) are formed in the filter chamber, a first end (51) of the guiding sleeve (50), on the side of the combustion chamber, being axially mounted downstream from the combustion chamber bottom (35), and a second end (53) of the guiding sleeve (50) being associated with the baffle plate (80), a first deflection section being formed on the baffle plate (80) and the guiding sleeve (50) which allows a gas flow to an outer side of the guiding sleeve (50) into an annular first discharge chamber (75).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Elmar Bendel, Anja Esau, Detlef Last, Christian Jung, Ning Wei
  • Patent number: 11247634
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hybrid inflator especially for a vehicle safety system, comprising an igniter (10), a combustion chamber (16) including a propellant charge (18) which is separated from the igniter (10) by a first bursting element (14) held by a bursting element holder (13), and comprising a compressed gas tank (20) filled with compressed gas and having at feast one discharge opening, the discharge opening being closed by a second bursting element (24) and the compressed gas tank (20) being fluid-communicated with the combustion chamber (16) so that the compressed gas surrounds the propellant charge (18). The invention excels by the fact that the bursting element holder (13) at least in portions delimits an ignition chamber (30) containing a booster charge (15), wherein a shock wave (SW) for opening the second bursting element (24) can be formed only when both the igniter (10) and the booster charge (15) have been ignited and, respectively, activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventor: Sebastian Bierwirth
  • Patent number: 11155234
    Abstract: The invention relates to an inflator (10) comprising an ignition unit (30) having an igniter (31), a chamber (20) arranged axially downstream of the ignition unit (30) and a diffuser chamber (40) arranged axially downstream of the chamber (20) which is comprised by a diffuser (42), wherein a combustion chamber screen (50) having an igniter-side end (51) and a diffuser-side end (52) is disposed in the chamber (20), the combustion chamber screen (50) being tapered, especially conically, in the longitudinal direction (L) of the inflator (10) from the igniter (31) toward the diffuser (42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Sebastian Bierwirth, Johannes Ebner, Martin Oberstarr
  • Patent number: 11084454
    Abstract: The invention describes an igniter support (22) for an igniter unit (20) of a gas generator (10), comprising a first holder element (30) made from a first material and a second holder element (32) made from a second material different from the first material. Both holder elements (30, 32) can be positively coupled to each other. Further, a subassembly (16), a gas generator (10) and a method for manufacturing a gas generator (10) are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Christian Knollhuber, Anja Esau, Koller Desiree
  • Patent number: 11084453
    Abstract: The invention describes an igniter support (22) for an igniter unit (20) of a gas generator (10), comprising a first holder element (30) made from a first material and a second holder element (32) made from a second material different from the first material. The two holder elements (30, 32) can be positively coupled to each other, especially can be at least partially positively nested. Further, a subassembly (16), a gas generator (10) as well as a method for manufacturing a gas generator (10) are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventor: Bernd Weber
  • Patent number: 11077820
    Abstract: The invention relates to a propellant cage (10) for an inflator, especially for a tubular inflator of an airbag module, comprising a substantially tubular base (11) which forms, on the one hand, a gas inlet opening (12a) and, on the other hand, a gas outlet opening (12b) along its longitudinal axis (L), wherein at least one lateral gas flow opening (13) is configured in a circumferential wall (12) of the base (11), wherein the base (11) includes a radially outwardly extending collar (11c) having at least one frontal gas flow opening (14) in the area of the gas flow opening (12c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Daniel Hillmann, Christian Jung, Lorenz Seidl, Georg Tautschnig, Wolfgang Tengler
  • Patent number: 11046283
    Abstract: A propellant cage (10) for a tubular inflator (100), especially for a tubular inflator (100) of an airbag module, for forming a propellant chamber (14) and a flow passage (15) of the tubular inflator (100). The propellant cage (10) is in the form of a propellant cage spiral spring (11) having a gas inlet-side end (12) and a gas outlet-side end (13), the gas inlet-side end (12) having a smaller cross-section than the gas outlet-side end (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Manfred Ramp, Georg Tautschnig
  • Patent number: 10793099
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas generator (10), in particular for a vehicle occupant protection system, comprising at least an igniter (15) and a combustion chamber (17) containing a pyrotechnic solid fuel bed (18), wherein a spring (30) is arranged in the combustion chamber (17), which spring can be elongated in the direction of an end (22) of the combustion chamber (17) remote from the igniter (16) by a gas flow produced when the gas generator (10) is activated. According to the invention, the spring (30) has a plurality of spring segments (31, 32, 33) having outside diameters (Q1, Q2, Q3) of different size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Anja Esau, Anton Greissl
  • Patent number: 10604105
    Abstract: An inflator (30) comprises at least one combustion chamber (34), filled with a plurality of solid propellant pellets (10), each of the solid propellant pellets (10) including a surface having a breaking point (19) which is delimited at least by two converging surfaces (28) produced by pressing. A method of manufacturing solid propellant pellets (10), includes the steps of providing a solid propellant (12), pressing the solid propellant (12) into a pellet blank (16), the pellet blank (16) having at least one predetermined breaking point (18) which divides the pellet blank (16) into at least two subareas (20), and breaking the pellet blank (16) along the at least one predetermined breaking point (18), wherein each of the at least two subareas (20) forms a solid propellant pellet (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Klaus Bernau, Christian Bichlmaier, Sebastian Reichgruber
  • Patent number: 10589709
    Abstract: An inflator as well as a method of manufacturing an inflator, a module including an inflator and an airbag module. In an inflator, especially for a protective device in a vehicle, comprising plural components a sealant is applied in the area of abutting components, especially a sealant which adheres to both abutting components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Sebastian Bierwirth, Achim Hofmann, Hans-Peter Neumayer, Dieter Spitzenberger, Franz Fuerstenberger, Hannes Nuiding, Dieter Leier, Georg Schoenhuber, Joerg Friedrich
  • Patent number: 10501386
    Abstract: A solid propellant compact (10) in the form of a compact made of a powdered and/or granulated solid propellant, especially for inflators and/or actuators of a vehicle occupant restraint system, includes at least one recess on at least one of its sides. Solid propellant compacts (10) of this type are provided in an inflator (14) comprising at least one combustion chamber. A module includes such inflator (14) with an airbag inflatable by the inflator (14). A pyrotechnical drive unit (30) comprising a housing (32), a piston (34) movable in the housing (32) includes solid propellant compacts (10) of this type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Niehaus, Bernd Lorbeer, Torsten Berg
  • Patent number: 10358108
    Abstract: An adaptive deployable restraint element (10) for a vehicle safety system comprising at least two leg elements (11, 12) at least in portions arranged in V-shape relative to each other between which at least one cross brace (13, 14, 15) connecting the leg elements (11, 12) is arranged, wherein the leg elements and/or the cross brace (13, 14, 15) are/is inflatable. The invention further relates to an airbag module and an occupant safety system comprising such restraint element as well as to the use of the fin ray effect in an adaptive restraint element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Christian Jung, Thomas Kapfelsperger
  • Patent number: 10343954
    Abstract: The invention relates to gas generating compositions for use in safety devices for vehicles. In particular, the invention relates to said compositions based on guanidine nitrate used in pedestrian protection devices. The composition substantially comprises 75 to 98% by weight of guanidine nitrate as fuel and 2 to 25% by weight of a burn accelerator selected from the group of the transition metal compounds, the metal nitrates, metal chlorates, metal perchlorates, ammonium perchlorate and mixtures thereof, wherein the transition metal compounds are selected from the compounds of the transition metals Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Zr and Mo and wherein the gas generating composition exhibits a burn rate of from 3 to 17 mm/s at 20 MPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Jorg Friedrich, Achim Hofmann, Karl-Heinz Rodig, Siegfried Zeuner
  • Patent number: 10336289
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hybrid inflator (10) comprising a combustion chamber (20) and a pressure gas tank (30), wherein in the idle state of the hybrid inflator (10) an outlet opening (31) of the pressure gas tank (30) is closed by a bursting element (32) which in the case of function of the hybrid inflator (10) can be destroyed by means of a penetration element (40), wherein a mixing chamber (70) is formed between the pressure gas tank (30) and the combustion chamber (20). In accordance with the invention, between the combustion chamber (20) and the mixing chamber (70) at least in portions a partition wall (80) having a combustion chamber side (81) and a mixing chamber side (82) is formed, wherein the partition wall (80) includes at least one combustion chamber opening (85) which in the idle state of the hybrid inflator (10) is closed by a cover (88) formed on the mixing chamber side (82) of the partition wall (80).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Johannes Ebner, Sebastian Bierwirth, Martin Oberstarr, Detlef Last
  • Patent number: 10259415
    Abstract: The invention relates to a subassembly (10) of a vehicle safety system comprising a tubular casing (20) and comprising a fastening element (30) that includes at least one fastening hole (13) and a peripheral portion (31) curved at least in portions, wherein the peripheral portion (31) is connected at least at one connecting point (11) to the tubular casing (20). In accordance with the invention, the peripheral portion (31) includes at least one breakthrough (40) and a coating passage (17) is formed at least in portions between the peripheral portion (31) and the casing (20), wherein the tubular casing (20) includes at least in portions, especially on its entire exposed surface (21), an anti-corrosion layer and/or the fastening element (30) includes at least in portions, especially on its entire exposed surface (32), an anti-corrosion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GmbH
    Inventors: Karl Englbrecht, Vadim Kolbin, Michael Gabler, Georg Tautschnig
  • Patent number: 10207671
    Abstract: An inflator (10) is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The inflator (10) includes a volume of stored gas and a propellant (52) that is ignitable to undergo a reaction that produces reaction products. The reaction products include heat and gas that mix with the stored gas to produce a mixture of inflation fluid. The inflator (10) is configured to discharge the inflation fluid to inflate the protection device. The propellant (52) comprises an open cell foam fuel propellant (140). The reaction includes a combustion reaction in which the foam fuel propellant (140) reacts with a gas oxidizer comprising oxygen to produce heat and gas reaction products that mix with the stored gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GmbH
    Inventors: Detlef Last, Ruckdeschel Rolf