Abstract: An inflator is provided that can reduce the occurrence of virtual and masked leaks in inflator testing. The inflator may have an outer wall surrounding a main internal compartment containing compressed inflation gases. Additionally, the inflator may have a pyrotechnic assembly containing a generant, or pyrotechnic material, and an initiator configured to ignite the pyrotechnic material upon receipt of an electric signal from a vehicle's electrical system. The initiator may be separated from the pyrotechnic material, and from the compressed gases, by a pressure dome that effectively creates a cavity around the initiator. The initiator may be accessible to outside contact through an opening in the outer wall. An insert may be positioned around the initiator to control flows of gas leaving the cavity through the opening.

Abstract: An inflator is provided that can reduce the occurrence of virtual and masked leaks in inflator testing. The inflator may have an outer wall surrounding a main internal compartment containing compressed inflation gases. Additionally, the inflator may have a pyrotechnic assembly containing a generant, or pyrotechnic material, and an initiator configured to ignite the pyrotechnic material upon receipt of an electric signal from a vehicle's electrical system. The initiator may be separated from the pyrotechnic material, and from the compressed gases, by a pressure dome that effectively creates a cavity around the initiator. The initiator may be accessible to outside contact through an opening in the outer wall. An insert may be positioned around the initiator to control flows of gas leaving the cavity through the opening.

Abstract: A consumable igniter tube for a solid fuel passenger side airbag inflator is provided. The igniter tube is composed of a thin metallic material, such as aluminum foil, that has it walls being at least partially, and preferably essentially fully devoured, almost instantaneously upon ignition of the primary igniter charge that is initially confined within the tube. The entire combustion products produced from the burning igniter charge, including hot gases as well as hot burning particulates, are thereby released through the openings created in the consumed igniter tube walls and vented into the adjacent combustion chamber that contains the solid fuel gas generant. All of the burning igniter products are thus used to ignite the solid fuel gas generant, which, upon ignition, generates inflation gases that eventually exit the inflator into a folded airbag in order to inflate and deploy the airbag into the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Abstract: A passenger air bag inflator using pressurized inert gas upon initial deployment to provide cool gas to the folded air bag. After the bag has started to unfold, the remaining gas is provided by pyrotechnic gas generant. Pyrotechnic gas expands against a piston. The piston compresses the inert gas and forces it to exhaust from the inflator. Upon expulsion of the inert gas, the piston then becomes a filter for the pyrotechnic. The system provides a reduction in air bag stresses from fast hot gas deployments.

Abstract: An airbag inflator including a stack of gas generant wafers, each having a central core opening and the stack contained in an elongated housing having an initiator at one end. The initiator is aligned with an elongated passage formed by aligned core openings of the stack of gas generant wafers contained in the housing. A thin disk extends across the elongated passage dividing the passage into smaller separate core chambers. A charge of granular pyrotechnic ignition material is contained in one of the core chambers formed between the disk and the initiator. Activation of the initiator causes ignition of the pyrotechnic material in the adjacent core chamber which in turn ignites the adjacent gas generant wafers. Ignition of the pyrotechnic ignition material and the gas generant wafers causes the thin disk to be consumed or rupture so that the gas generant wafers forming the other chamber are also ignited.