摘要 |
<p>An improved hybrid airbag inflator comprises a container (11) for storing a compressed gas (12) having a rupturable wall (54) defining an exit opening. A pyrotechnic gas generator (30) has an output (36) directed into the container for adding heat and mass flow to the compressed gas in the container. The pyrotechnic generator may also have a second output (68) directed into a manifold (50) leading from the container to the airbag (80), the second output enters the manifold downstream from the inlet nozzles (55) that restrict the flow of compressed gas into the manifold. Adding the second output directly to the manifold increases the energy content of the gas filling the airbag without physically changing the size of the inlet nozzles, thereby allowing a readily controllable staged flow of gases into the airbag. A single initiator (21) ruptures the rupturable wall and initiates the gas generator, either directly or via a pyrotechnic delay train which initiates combustion of the gas generator after a predetermined delay. The initiator may be a detonator that directly impinges the rupturable wall or may be a conventional sliding piston.</p> |