Nested Strainer Emission Treatment for Inflator Gas Filtration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current inflator systems in automotive airbag technology face challenges with reduced filtration effectiveness due to smaller sizes and higher temperatures, leading to increased particulate content and erosion of module cushion fabrics, which complicates system design and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A longitudinally shaped bottle-type inflator module with a gas treatment assembly featuring nested cup-shaped strainer elements with offset gas passage apertures, which slow down gas velocity and particulate impingement, reducing the aggressiveness of exit gases and eliminating the need for additional cushion design features like fabric doublers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If inflator size is reduced to meet weight and size requirements, then weight and size requirements are satisfied, but filtration effectiveness decreases leading to increased particulate content and higher temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs nested strainer elements where inner strainers are positioned within outer strainers, creating multiple filtration stages within a compact volume. This nesting arrangement maximizes filtration surface area while maintaining reduced inflator size, effectively capturing particulates and cooling gases without increasing overall dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The filtration system is divided into multiple segmented strainer elements with varying aperture sizes and configurations. Each strainer segment performs a specific filtration function, with inner strainers handling finer particulates and outer strainers managing coarser particles and gas flow distribution, achieving comprehensive filtration in a compact package.
2Length of moving object
If gas path length is shortened in reduced-size inflators, then size requirements are met, but cooling and filtering effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from linear gas path cooling to a multi-dimensional filtration approach by arranging strainer elements in nested concentric configurations. This creates radial and axial flow paths through multiple strainer surfaces, effectively increasing the cooling and filtering path length without extending the overall inflator length, thereby maintaining compact size while improving gas treatment effectiveness.
3Volume of moving object
If wire filter size is reduced in smaller inflators, then size requirements are satisfied, but cooling and filtering effectiveness becomes much less effective
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces single-stage wire filters with nested strainer elements where multiple filtration surfaces are arranged concentrically. This nesting provides progressively finer filtration stages while maintaining compact volume, with each strainer element contributing to cumulative particulate removal and gas cooling without increasing overall filter size.
Solution Approach 2:
The filtration function is segmented into multiple strainer elements with different aperture characteristics positioned at different locations in the gas flow path. This segmentation allows each element to optimize for specific particle sizes and flow conditions, achieving superior filtration effectiveness within reduced volume constraints compared to a single wire filter.
4Power
If higher particulate content and temperature exit gases are produced, then inflator performance is maintained, but module cushion fabric burn through and seam erosion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The nested strainer elements perform preliminary cooling and particulate removal actions on the hot inflation gases before they contact the module cushion fabric. By pre-treating the gases through multiple strainer stages, the system reduces both temperature and particulate content prior to cushion deployment, preventing fabric burn through and seam erosion while maintaining full inflation performance.
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 multi-strainer emission treatment effectively reduces particulate and heat transfer to the module cushion, minimizing fabric burn-through and erosion, while maintaining size and weight advantages, thus reducing costs and redesign complexities.
Implementation Method 1
a first strainer element nestled within a second strainer element, each having a side wall with a plurality of gas passage apertures... slow down gas velocity and particulate impingement
Data Source
AI summary
Inflator module assembly comprising: a module housing (12) having a plurality of gas discharge openings (36); an inflator (14) housed within said housing (12), said inflator (14), upon actuation, emitting gas from one lateral side or end thereof, and a gas treatment assembly (16) mounted within said housing (12) external the side or end of the inflator (14) from which gas is emitted, said gas treatment assembly (16) comprising a first strainer element (50) nestled within a second strainer element (60), the first and second strainer elements (50, 60) each having a side wall including a plurality of gas passage apertures (58, 68), with at least either 1) the gas passage apertures (58) of the first strainer element (50) offset relative to the gas passage apertures (68) of the second strainer element (60) and/or 2) the gas passage apertures (68) of the second strainer element (60) offset relative to the module housing (12) gas discharge openings (36).