Abstract: An air bag module (12) includes an inflator (18) that is actuatable to supply inflation fluid to inflate an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (16). A housing (14) directs the inflation fluid from the inflator (18) toward the inflatable device (16). At least one vent opening (40) is formed in the housing (14) for selectively venting inflation fluid from the housing. A door panel (70) is movable between a closed position blocking venting of inflation fluid from the housing (14) and an open position enabling venting of inflation fluid from the housing. The door panel (70), when in the closed position, is biased toward the open position. In one embodiment, the door panel (70) is resiliently deformable. In another embodiment, a spring (71a) is connected with a door (70a) and biases the door toward the open position.

Abstract: An air bag inflator (10) includes inflation fluid stored in a chamber (18). The inflator (10) includes a combustible sheet member (100) which comprises an oxidizable substrate, such as a polytetrafluoroethylene film, and a layer of a fuel material, such as magnesium, on the substrate. The combustible sheet member (100) is disposed in a perforated tube (90) in the chamber (18). The combustible sheet member (100), when ignited by an igniter (70), emits combustion products through openings (98) in the perforated tube (90) to warm and increase the pressure of the inflation fluid in the chamber (18). The inflation fluid includes 5% to 20% oxygen to support the combustion of the combustible sheet member (100).

Abstract: A radially self-expanding stent having multiple layers includes a medial region and proximal and distal cuffs having diameters greater than the medial region diameter when the stent is in the relaxed state. A silicone coating circumscribes at least the medial region of the stent. A deployment device for the stent includes an inner tube surrounded by the stent along with an outer tube that radially compresses the stent. A low durometer sleeve, fixed to the inner tube and in surface engagement with the compressed stent, tends to fix the axial position of the stent relative to the inner tube whenever the outer tube is moved axially relative to the inner tube. Consequently, precision in stent placement and the ability to recapture a partially deployed stent are enhanced.

Abstract: An air bag inflator (10) includes an ignitable gas generating material (50), an initiator (36) for igniting the gas generating material (50), and a tubular wall (100) defining a combustion chamber (54) containing the gas generating material (50). A plurality of gas flow openings (150) extend radially outward from the combustion chamber (54) through the tubular wall (100). A filter (102) extends circumferentially and axially over the tubular wall (100). The tubular wall (100) includes a structure (160) defining a space which provides plenum (170) extending radially outward from the gas flow openings (150) to the filter (102).

Abstract: An inflator for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint, such as an air bag, includes a container (18) having a stored mixture of gases including a primary gas for inflating the air bag and a combustible gas. An actuator assembly (20) opens the container (18) and ignites the combustible gas as it flows toward the vehicle occupant restraint. Igniting the combustible gas creates a combustion reaction external to the container (18) which heats the primary gas as it flows toward the air bag. A combustion arrestor (22) minimizes the propagation of the combustion reaction into the container (18).

Abstract: Apparatus and method for controlling an occupant restraint system in a vehicle (10) comprises storing in a ROM memory (220) a block of image data representative of a viewing field within the vehicle (10). The viewing field includes an unoccupied vehicle seat (18) located in the occupant compartment (12) of the vehicle. A new block of image data is obtained which is representative of the viewing field with an occupant (202) on the seat (18). This image data is obtained with an image sensor (200), such as a CCD sensor, mounted in the vehicle (10) for viewing the field. The new block of image data is compared with the stored block of image data by a controller (30) to obtain the occupant's size and/or position in the vehicle. The controller (30) provides a control signal having a value which is a function of the comparison. A restraint regulator (120), such as a vent valve, responds to the control signal for controlling the occupant restraint system.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint (12) comprises a grain (110) of ignitable gas generating material which, when ignited, generates gas for inflating the vehicle occupant restraint (12). The grain (110) of gas generating material has a surface portion defining a cavity (124) in the grain (110). The apparatus further includes a plug (160) of pyrotechnic material which is more readily ignitable than the gas generating material. The plug (160) of pyrotechnic material, when ignited, produces and emits combustion products which ignite the grain (110) of gas generating material. The plug (160) of pyrotechnic material is located in the cavity (124) in the grain (110) of gas generating material.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint (12) includes a cylindrical inflator (800) containing an ignitable gas generating material (816) which, when ignited, generates gas for inflating the restraint (12). The inflator (800) has a tubular part (802) with a longitudinal central axis (808) and axially opposite ends (856) and (858). The tubular part (802) defines a combustion chamber (812) containing the gas generating material (816), and includes a cylindrical filter (842) for filtering the gas radially outward of the combustion chamber (812). The inflator (800) is free of a tubular outer body wall. The inflator (800) further includes a pair of end caps (804, 806) extending across the ends (856, 858) of the tubular part (802).

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint (12) includes a collision sensor (52) and an inflator assembly (20). The collision sensor (52) provides a collision signal indicating the occurrence of a vehicle collision. The inflator assembly (20) includes a first source (22) of inflation fluid which, when actuated, provides a first volume of inflation fluid. The inflator assembly (20) further includes a second source (24) of inflation fluid which, when actuated, provides a second volume of inflation fluid which differs from the first volume. A position sensor (70) provides a position signal indicating a position of an occupant of the vehicle. A controller (50) actuates the first and second sources (22, 24) of inflation fluid in any one of a plurality of differing modes of operation in response to the collision signal and the position signal.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint apparatus (10) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint (12) and an inflator (14) for providing gas for inflating the restraint (12). The inflator (14) contains an ignitable gas generating material (70) which, when ignited, generates the gas. The inflator has a structure (72) which defines a combustion chamber (78) containing the gas generating material (70). The inflator (14) further has an axis (66), and directs the gas to flow from the combustion chamber (78) outward through the inflator (14) and outward from the inflator (14) in a direction transverse to the axis (66). The inflator (14) is free of a tubular body wall defining gas flow openings at a location outward of the structure (72) defining the combustion chamber (78).

Abstract: An inflatable vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a source of inflation fluid (20) and an air bag reaction canister (24) having a vent opening (16) through which inflation fluid from the source of inflation fluid (20) may be vented away from the air bag canister (24). An air bag (12) is located in the air bag reaction canister (24) and is inflatable by inflation fluid from the source of inflation fluid (20). A valve member (30) is located on the air bag reaction canister (24). The valve member (30) is movable relative to the vent opening (16) in response to ambient temperature variations in the vicinity of the source of inflation fluid (20) to control venting of inflation fluid from the source of inflation fluid (20) through the vent opening (16). Inflation of the air bag (12) is thereby controlled in response to ambient temperature variations in the vicinity of the source of inflation fluid (20).

Abstract: An apparatus for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint includes containing means for receiving gases to provide a combustible mixture of the gases. An igniter is activated to effect ignition of the mixture of gases in response to sudden vehicle deceleration. A directing means directs a flow of gas from the containing means into the inflatable occupant restraint. In the preferred embodiment the gases are an inert gas, a fuel gas, and an oxidizer gas. Also, a lean mixture of a fuel gas and oxidizer gas could be used. An improved igniter transmits energy through an imperforate portion of a wall of the containing means to ignite a charge in the containing means. The igniter may include an elongate core disposed in a frangible sheath which is shattered as the core is burned.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint such as an air bag (32) includes a container (30). The container (30) includes a liner (96) and a composite material (100) encasing the liner (96). A gas (94) is stored under pressure in the container (30) and, when released from the container, inflates the vehicle occupant restraint (32). The apparatus (10) includes opener means (180) for opening the container (30) by rupturing the composite material (100) and the liner (96) to release the gas (94) from the container (30). The liner, when ruptured, produces liner fragments (200). The composite material (100) inhibits separation of the liner fragments (200) from the container (30).

Abstract: An inflator assembly for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint includes a container defining a chamber with a rupturable wall. The chamber contains a first ignitable material and gas. The gas is directed from the container to the inflatable vehicle occupant restraint when the rupturable wall of the chamber is ruptured. The assembly further includes an initiator for rupturing the rupturable wall of the chamber and for igniting the first ignitable material inside the chamber. The initiator includes a second ignitable material. The second ignitable material produces a pressure wave and emits products of combustion when it is ignited by the initiator. The rupturable wall of the chamber is located in the path of the pressure wave and is ruptured by the pressure wave. The first ignitable material inside the chamber is located in the path of the products of combustion emitted by the second ignitable material and is ignited by the products of combustion.

Abstract: A safety apparatus includes an air bag 32 which is inflatable to an extended condition disposed between a hip 38 of a person 12 seated on a vehicle seat 14 and a door 16 of the vehicle. An inflator assembly 22 provides gas to inflate the air bag. The inflator assembly 22 and the air bag 32 are mounted on the vehicle seat 14 for movement with the vehicle seat relative to the body of the vehicle.

Abstract: A source of gas for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint comprises a container. Gas generating material in said container comprises an alkali metal azide and a metal oxidizer. When ignited, the gas generating material produces heated nitrogen gas. A supply of pressurized nitrogen gas is also in the container. Structure is provided for separating the supply of pressurized nitrogen gas from the gas generating material. The separating structure is releasable to enable the heated nitrogen gas and the stored nitrogen gas to commingle. The source of gas also includes structure for directing the stored nitrogen gas and the heated nitrogen gas through a tortuous path toward the vehicle occupant restraint so as to remove particulates from the gases.

Abstract: A lightweight composite launcher pod which includes a multiplicity of eloted launcher tubes that are accurately aligned in a composite material with the composite material having four outer sides with alignment surfaces on three of the sides and bearing and alignment surfaces on the other side, and the lightweight composite launcher pod being capable of serving as the shipping and storage container for rockets before launching of the rockets as well as for launching the rockets therefrom when mounted in a launcher structure.

Abstract: An explusion system in which an inner tank is nested within a second and er tank to provide a very compact and space saving arrangement for an expulsion system for a rocket with the first and inner tank as well as the second and outer tank being reinforced with composite material to provide a space saving and relatively light expulsion system for a rocket.

Abstract: A process for making lightweight composite launcher pods in which a multicity of launcher tubes are wound on a multiplicity of mandrels and mounted in end structures of a mold and assembled into a generally rectangular mold structure and applying syntactic foam about the tube and spacer structure within the mold and finally curing the structure within the mold to provide a unitary lightweight composite launcher pod.

Abstract: A method of making a rocket motor case with an integral nozzle in which the rocket motor has a large length to diameter ratio and is made by applying a linear wrap of fibers as a first layer on a mandrel and then by applying radial wraps over said linear wrap and also conforming the linear fibers to the shape of the nozzle after applying the linear fibers on said mandrel to provide a structure that has sufficient stiffness to accomplish the desired result of a large length to diameter rocket motor case.