Inflator Assembly Low Flame Temperature Gas Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inflator assemblies for vehicle airbag systems face challenges in managing high gas temperatures, which can lead to thermal damage and inefficiencies, while also being heavy and costly to manufacture and assemble.
Innovation Solution
An inflator assembly using a gas generating solid with a flame temperature of no more than 1670 K, composed of organic fuels, transition metal salts, and transition metal nitrates, along with guanidine nitrite and basic metal nitrates, which reduces weight and volume by 20-40% compared to assemblies with higher flame temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high flame temperature gas generating materials are used, then gas generation efficiency is improved, but thermal damage and heat transfer sensitivity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter by using a gas generating solid with flame temperature of no more than 1670 K, which is lower than conventional materials. This parameter change reduces thermal damage and heat transfer sensitivity while maintaining adequate gas generation efficiency for airbag deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the previously harmful high temperature into a beneficial lower temperature operation. By using the lower flame temperature gas generating solid, the system achieves adequate gas generation without the harmful effects of excessive heat, such as thermal damage and rapid deflation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If heat sink mass is increased to mitigate high temperature effects, then thermal damage is reduced, but system weight and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for large heat sink mass by converting the harmful high temperature effect into a beneficial lower temperature operation. The gas generating solid with flame temperature of no more than 1670 K inherently produces less thermal damage, removing the requirement for excessive heat sink material and thereby reducing overall system weight.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the temperature parameter of the gas generation process to be lower (no more than 1670 K), the patent reduces the thermal management requirements. This parameter change eliminates the need for heavy heat sink structures, thereby reducing the inflator assembly weight while maintaining thermal safety.
3Device complexity
If gas treatment material is reduced for lower temperature gas, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but gas quality may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the previously harmful high temperature into a beneficial lower temperature operation (no more than 1670 K). This temperature reduction benefits gas quality by naturally reducing thermal damage and heat transfer sensitivity, which allows for reduced gas treatment material while maintaining or improving gas quality for reliable airbag deployment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves a high gas output at a lower flame temperature, reducing the need for extensive filtration and cooling, thereby improving efficiency, weight, and cost-effectiveness of the inflator system.
Implementation Method 1
a gas generating solid reacts to form gas. The gas generating solid has a flame temperature of no more than 1670 K and includes at least one of an organic fuel, a transition metal salt of an organic fuel and a transition metal nitrate complex of an organic fuel
Implementation Method 2
it is common to relegate a significant portion of the mass of an inflator assembly to at least in part to function or serve as a heat sink
Data Source
AI summary
An inflator assembly having an inflator body that forms a chamber wherein a quantity of a gas generating solid reacts to form gas. A quantity of gas treatment material is included to treat the formed gas to form a treated gas. At least one assembly exit opening permits the treated gas to exit the inflator assembly. The required gas generating solid has a flame temperature of no more than 1670 K with the inflator assembly having significant weight and volume reductions as compared to an otherwise identical performing inflator assembly that utilizes gas generating composition having higher flame temperatures.