Claims
- 1. A gas generator for a vehicle occupant protection system comprising:
an inflator housing comprising a first end and a second end, said housing further comprising an initiator assembly and a propellant bed ignitable by said initiator assembly; and a filter body in fluid communication with said inflator housing, the filter body fixed to said inflator housing and coaxially aligned therewith, the filter body comprising a first filter and a second filter in coaxial and linear relation to said first filter, wherein the interstitial volume of said first filter is either equal to, greater than, or less than the interstitial volume of said second filter, and, gas produced from combustion of said propellant axially flows from the inflator housing through the filter body, and then exits the filter body once passed through said second filter.
- 2. The gas generator of claim 1 wherein said filter body further comprises one or more of the following components:
at least one perforated disc, at least one spacer member, and at least one additional filter member, said components arranged in linear and coaxial relation with said first and second filters.
- 3. A gas inflator for a vehicle occupant protection system comprising:
an inflator housing comprising an igniter and a propellant bed ignitable by said igniter; and a filter body in fluid communication with said inflator housing, the filter body fixed to said inflator housing and coaxially aligned therewith, the filter -body comprising a first gas filter and a second gas filter in coaxial and linear relation to said first gas filter, wherein the interstitial volume of said first filter is either equal to, greater than, or less than the interstitial volume of said second filter, and, gas produced from combustion of said propellant axially flows from said inflator housing through said filter body and then exits the filter body once passed through the second filter.
- 4. The gas inflator of claim 3 wherein said filter body further comprises one or more of the following components:
at least one perforated disc, at least one spacer member, and at least one additional filter member, said components arranged in linear and coaxial relation with said first and second filters for modification of gas flow upon inflator operation.
- 5. A gas inflator for a vehicle occupant protection system comprising:
an inflator housing comprising an igniter and a propellant bed ignitable by said igniter; a filter body in fluid communication with said inflator housing and downstream thereof relative to gas flow upon combustion of said propellant bed, the filter body fixed to said inflator housing and coaxially aligned therewith; a first filter radially constrained within said filter body for filtration of gases produced upon combustion of said propellant bed; and a second filter radially constrained within said filter body and downstream of said first filter, for filtration, cooling, and/or modification of gas flow produced upon combustion of said propellant bed, said first filter and said second filter in coaxial and linear relation, wherein the interstitial volume of said first filter is either equal to, greater than, or less than the interstitial volume of said second filter, and, gas produced from combustion of said propellant axially flows from said inflator housing through said filter body and then exits the filter body once passed through the second filter.
- 6. The gas inflator of claim 5 wherein said filter body further comprises one or more of the following components:
at least one perforated disc, at least one spacer member, and at least one additional filter member, said components arranged in linear and coaxial relation with said first and second filters for modification of gas flow upon inflator operation, wherein said components are coaxially aligned with said first and second filters and radially constrained within said filter body, and said components are arranged and linearly ordered through the filter body to optimize the gas flow produced upon combustion of said propellant.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/359,686 filed on Feb. 26, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60359686 |
Feb 2002 |
US |