| 摘要 |
<p>A dual-stage gas bag inflator (10), operable initially, when activated, to cause the gas bag to deploy slowly and then, after a delay, to deploy rapidly, includes a housing (12) having first and second compartments (32,34) of different size separated by a bulkhead (42,58). The first compartment (32) is the smaller since it is to produce a smaller amount of gas to cause the initial slow deployment of the gas bag. A gas generant charge (96) is ignited in the first compartment, and after some delay, a gas generant charge (120) in the second compartment (34) is ignited. The delay is produced by an initiator including a squib (70), igniter material (44,98) in each of the first and second compartments, and a fuse cord (46) which is ignited by the squib. The fuse cord passes through the bulkhead and ignites all igniter materials in both inflator compartments simultaneously. The igniter material (98) in the second compartment (34) is so characterized that it burns more slowly than the igniter material (44) in the first compartment (32). When ignited, the igniter material in the first compartment burns outwardly rapidly while that in the second compartment burns outwardly relatively more slowly. As a result, the gas generant in the first compartment (32) is ignited before the gas generant in the second compartment (34). <IMAGE></p> |
