Abstract: A method of filling containers (50) with gases (12) provides each container, when filled, with a first predetermined amount of a first gas and a second predetermined amount of a second gas. The method comprises the step of forming a mixture comprising first and second amounts of the first and second gases, respectively. The first and second amounts are greater than and are in proportion to the first and second predetermined amounts, respectively. The method further comprises the steps of: determining a sum of the first and second predetermined amounts; and adding a third amount of the mixture to each of the containers. The third amount is equal to the sum of the first and second predetermined amounts.

Abstract: An inflator (14) for an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (12) has a housing (20). A propellant charge (240) in the housing (20) is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating the device (12). The housing (20) has an end wall (42) and a side wall (44). The side wall (44) has a fluid passage (55) for directing flow of inflation fluid to the device (12). A flow control member (16) extends over the end wall (42) and the side wall (44) and has a movable portion (300) at least partially blocking the fluid passage (55). The control member (16) has an outlet opening (288) located over the end wall (42). The movable portion (300) moves as the pressure of inflation fluid acting on it increases upon inflator actuation to control the pressure in the housing (20) and to direct inflation fluid toward the outlet opening (288).

Abstract: An inflator (14) for an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (12) has a housing (20). A propellant charge (240) in the housing (20) is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating the device (12). The housing (20) has an end wall (42) and a side wall (44). The side wall (44) has a fluid passage (55) for directing flow of inflation fluid to the device (12). A flow control member (16) extends over the end wall (42) and the side wall (44) and has a movable portion (300) at least partially blocking the fluid passage (55). The control member (16) has an outlet opening (288) located over the end wall (42). The movable portion (300) moves as the pressure of inflation fluid acting on it increases upon inflator actuation to control the pressure in the housing (20) and to direct inflation fluid toward the outlet opening (288).

Abstract: A vehicle occupant protection apparatus (10) comprises an inflatable device (12) and an inflator (14) having a housing (20). The inflator (14) is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable device (14). The housing (20) has a fluid flow area (52, 55) for directing flow of inflation fluid out of the housing to the inflatable device (12). The apparatus (10) also comprises a retainer (16) for retaining the protection device (12) in position relative to the housing (20). The retainer (16) has a portion (274, 282) at least partially blocking the fluid flow area (52, 55) when the inflator (14) is unactuated. The retainer portion (274, 282) moves due to the pressure of inflation fluid acting on the retainer portion (274, 282) upon actuation of the inflator (14) to increase the fluid flow area (52, 55).

Abstract: A vehicle occupant protection apparatus (10) comprises an inflatable device (12) and an inflator (14) having a housing (20). The inflator (14) is actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable device (14). The housing (20) has a fluid flow area (52, 55) for directing flow of inflation fluid out of the housing to the inflatable device (12). The apparatus (10) also comprises a retainer (16) for retaining the protection device (12) in position relative to the housing (20). The retainer (16) has a portion (274, 282) at least partially blocking the fluid flow area (52, 55) when the inflator (14) is unactuated. The retainer portion (274, 282) moves due to the pressure of inflation fluid acting on the retainer portion (274, 282) upon actuation of the inflator (14) to increase the fluid flow area (52, 55).

Abstract: An inflator (10) for inflating a vehicle occupant protection device (34) comprises a vessel (12) containing stored gas (54) and ignitable material (62). The vessel (12) has a portion (30) that provides a first opening for fluid to flow from the vessel when the pressure in the vessel reaches a predetermined pressure. The inflator (10) also comprises an igniter (72) for igniting the ignitable material (62) and increasing the pressure in the vessel (12). The inflator (10) also comprises a control part (40) upstream of the portion (30) for controlling fluid flow to the first opening. The control part (40) defines a second opening (46) that increases in size as the pressure in the vessel (12) increases.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for inflating an air bag includes a container (12) having a chamber (16) for holding a noble gas and an oxidizer gas under pressure. A body (20) of an ignitable material comprising a non-metallic nitrogen containing compound is disposed in the container (12). Upon ignition of the body (20) of ignitable material, combustion products, including heat, are generated. The combustion products then mix with, and heat, the noble gas and the oxidizer gas. The body (20) of ignitable material undergoes further combustion upon exposure to the oxidizer gas to yield an inflation fluid comprising the noble gas and any unreacted oxidizer gas. The inflation fluid flows from the container (12) through openings (28) in the end wall of the container (12) into a diffuser (36). The inflation fluid exits the diffuser (36) and inflates an air bag connected with the diffuser (36).

Abstract: An apparatus (22) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device includes a housing (40) and a wall (86) located in the housing. The wall (86) cooperates with the housing (40) to define a combustion chamber(102). The wall (86) has an opening (88) through which fluid flows from the combustion chamber (102) to inflate the protection device. An ignitable material (120) is located in the combustion chamber (102). The ignitable material (120), upon ignition, increases the pressure in the combustion chamber (102). A valve member (160) is movable between a first position blocking the flow of fluid from the combustion chamber (102) through the opening (88) in the wall (86) and a second position allowing the flow of fluid from the combustion chamber through the opening in the wall. A spring (200) biases the valve member (160) toward the first position.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint, such as an air bag (12), includes a collision sensor (24), an inflator (14), and first and second initiators (18,20). The collision sensor (24) senses the occurrence and the severity of a vehicle collision. The inflator (14) contains pressurized inflation fluid and ignitable material (60) heating the inflation fluid. The first initiator (18) initiates a flow of the pressurized inflation fluid from the inflator (14). The second initiator (20) ignites the ignitable material (60). A temperature sensor (26) senses the ambient temperature of the inflator (14). A controller (22) actuates the first initiator (18) at an initial time in response to the occurrence of the vehicle collision. The controller (22) actuates the second initiator (20) after the lapse of a delay time which is determined by the controller (22) with reference to the ambient temperature and the severity of the vehicle collision.

Abstract: An inflator (14) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint (12) includes a body (60) of ignitable gas generating material, an igniter (260) for igniting the body (60) of gas generating material, and a housing (50) having a tubular wall (52) surrounding the body (60) of gas generating material. The tubular wall (52) has a longitudinal central axis (40), a plurality of outlet openings (100) through which gas flows radially outward, and an open end portion (232) with the contour of a dome centered on the axis (40). The inflator (14) further includes a circular end cap (56) which is located coaxially within the tubular wall (52). The end cap (56) supports the igniter (260) on the axis (40), and has a peripheral surface portion (216) with the contour of a dome centered on the axis (40). The open end portion (232) of the tubular wall (52) closely overlies the peripheral surface portion (216) of the end cap (56).

Abstract: An inflator (14) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint (12) includes ignitable gas generating material, an igniter (260) for igniting the gas generating material, and a housing (50) having a tubular wall (52) surrounding the gas generating material. The housing (50) further has an end wall (54) defining a closed end of the housing (50). The housing (50) contains a tubular structure (62) including a cylindrical filter (70) for the gas. The tubular structure (62) extends coaxially within the tubular wall (52) and has an axially inner end portion (180) adjacent to the end wall (54). A sealing structure engages the tubular structure (62) to block gas from bypassing the filter (70) by flowing around the inner end portion (180) of the tubular structure (62). The sealing structure includes a pair of opposed sealing surfaces (94, 150) which extend circumferentially around the axis (40) and which face radially toward each other.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for use in inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint (12) includes a pressure vessel (14), an actuator assembly (16), and a diffuser (20). The pressure vessel (14) defines a closed storage chamber (18) containing inflation fluid. The actuator assembly (16) opens the storage chamber (18) to release the inflation fluid from the storage chamber (18), and includes a charge of pyrotechnic material (100). The diffuser (20) directs the inflation fluid from the pressure vessel (14) into the vehicle occupant restraint (12) to inflate the vehicle occupant restraint (12). The apparatus (10) further includes a body (160) of combustible material which emits combustion products into the inflation fluid to increase the volume of the inflation fluid at a location outside of the storage chamber (18) by heating the inflation fluid outside of the storage chamber (18).

Abstract: Graphite fibers (62) are mixed with other materials (22) to form gas generating material (10) for use in an air bag inflator. The graphite fibers are first chopped to a desired short length by forming a mixture of fluid and relatively long graphite fibers in a container (50) having therein a rotatable blade (58), and rotating the blade continuously for a period of time to chop the graphite fibers to a shorter and more uniform length. The viscosity of the mixture in the container is increased as the blade rotates in the container, preferably through evaporation or boiling which counteracts the viscosity decreasing effect of fiber shortening.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a gas generating material includes preparing a hot solution of a metal azide, preferably sodium azide, with metal oxide particles, preferably iron oxide particles, suspended in the solution. The metal azide is precipitated from the solution. The step of precipitating the metal azide from the solution includes cooling the hot solution to decrease the solubility of the metal azide in the solute. The metal azide precipitate and the iron oxide particles are then separated from the liquid.

Abstract: An apparatus for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint includes a container which stores gas. A body of pyrotechnic material is ignitable to supply combustion products to heat the gas in the container and to add generated gas to supplement the gas in the container. The combustion products from the ignitable body of pyrotechnic material are conducted along a helical path in the container chamber to separate certain materials from gaseous materials in the combustion products while heating the gas in the chamber with the combustion products. A flow of combustion products is directed along a first portion of the helical path toward a closed end of the container opposite to an outlet from the container. The flow of combustion products contacts the closed end of the container and is deflected back toward an outlet end of the container along a second portion of the helical path. The second portion of the helical path has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the first portion of the helical path.

Abstract: A process for making a body of gas generating material comprising the steps of preparing a slurry of the ingredients of said gas generating material; extruding said slurry into a plurality of extrudate; forming the extrudate into spherical granules; and pressing a plurality of granules to form a unitary body.

Abstract: A gas generating grain has a water-based particulate booster coating thereon. The coating comprises an alkali metal azide, a water-soluble inorganic oxidizer in approximately a stoichiometric ratio of oxidizer to azide, and a nucleating amount of a small particle size metal oxide. The inorganic oxidizer is potassium perchlorate. A preferred metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of iron oxide, nickel oxide and aluminum oxide. The coating is applied to the grain from a water slurry and dried.

Abstract: A gas generating grain has a water-based particulate booster coating thereon. The coating comprises an alkali metal azide, a water-soluble inorganic oxidizer in approximately a stoichiometric proportion of oxidizer to azide, and a nucleating amount of a small particle size metal oxide, preferably selected from the group consisting of iron oxide, nickel oxide and aluminum oxide. The coating is applied to said grain from a water slurry and dried, and when dried has an average particle size of less than about 50 microns.

Abstract: A wet mixture of a metal azide having a predetermined average particle size and a metal oxide is prepared. The wet mixture is ground to reduce at least the average particle size of the metal azide. Thereafter, the wet mixture is directed through a chamber containing grinding media. The grinding media is agitated as the mixture flows through the chamber to further reduce the average particle size of the metal azide to a desired particle size.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a gas generating material includes preparing a wet mixture of a metal azide and a metal oxide without prior mixing of the metal azide and metal oxide in dry form. The metal azide content of the gas generating material is controlled and the possibility of forming hazardous hydrazoic acid fumes is minimized by maintaining the temperature of the wet mixture of gas generating material between 20.degree. C. and 30.degree. C. The possibility of forming hydrazoic acid fumes is further reduced by maintaining the pH of the wet mixture of gas generating materials at or above 10.5. Excess liquid is removed from the wet mixture of gas generating materials so that the wet mixture has a moisture content of approximately 9%. The excess liquid from the wet mixture is recycled and used the formation of additional gas generating material.