Patents by Inventor Roberta A. Armstrong

Roberta A. Armstrong has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Multi-stage inflator with sympathetic ignition enhancement device
    Patent number: 7204512
    Abstract: An airbag inflator (10, 110, 210) is provided which includes a first chamber (20, 120, 220) containing a quantity of a first gas generant composition (16, 116), a second chamber (30, 130, 230) containing a quantity of a second gas generant composition (17, 117), and a sympathetic ignition enhancement apparatus (40, 140, 240) for sympathetically igniting the second gas generant composition (17, 117) in response to combustion of the first gas generant composition (16, 116). The ignition apparatus (40, 140, 240) is in thermal communication with both the first gas generant composition (16, 116) and the second gas generant composition (17, 117). Heat from combustion of the first gas generant composition (16, 116) is communicated through conduction along the ignition apparatus (40, 140, 240) to produce sympathetic ignition of the second gas generant composition (17, 117).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald B. Patterson, Roberta A. Armstrong
  • Multi-stage inflator with sympathetic ignition enhancement device
    Publication number: 20050161926
    Abstract: An airbag inflator (10,110, 210) is provided which includes a first chamber (20,120, 220) containing a quantity of a first gas generant composition (16, 116), a second chamber (30,130,230) containing a quantity of a second gas generant composition (17, 117), and a sympathetic ignition enhancement apparatus (40,140, 240) for sympathetically igniting the second gas generant composition (17, 117) in response to combustion of the first gas generant composition (16, 116). The ignition apparatus (40, 140, 240) may be mounted along a wall (14, 114, 214) separating the chambers, and the apparatus is in thermal communication with both the first gas generant composition (16, 116) and the second gas generant composition (17, 117). Heat from combustion of the first gas generant composition (16, 116) is communicated along the ignition apparatus (40, 140, 240) to produce sympathetic ignition of the second gas generant composition (17, 117).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Inventors: Donald Patterson, Roberta Armstrong