Charles C Woods

US Patent:

7461860, Dec 9, 2008

Filed:

May 21, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/851390

Inventors:

Shawn G. Ryan - Dayton OH, US
Bryan T. Waid - Kettering OH, US
Charles M. Woods - West Manchester OH, US

Assignee:

Delphi Technologies, Inc. - Troy MI

International Classification:

B60R 21/26
B65B 31/00

US Classification:

280741, 280737, 53403, 53404

Abstract:

A combustible gas inflator and a method for filling and sealing the inflator are provided. The inflator includes an enclosure configured to receive and store the combustible gas under pressure. The enclosure has an outer wall comprising an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a fill aperture extending therethrough. The fill aperture has a first aperture portion and a second aperture portion. The first aperture portion is proximate the exterior surface and the second aperture portion is proximate the interior surface, wherein the first aperture portion is larger than the second aperture portion. The inflator further includes a sealing member configured to seal the fill aperture. The sealing member has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is configured to sealingly engage a portion of the second aperture portion and the second portion is configured to sealingly engage a portion of the first aperture portion. The first portion seals the combustible gas within the enclosure and the second portion is configured to be welded to the enclosure by a welding process that would ignite the combustible gas if the combustible gas were exposed to the welding process.

US Patent:

7959185, Jun 14, 2011

Filed:

Oct 1, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/286618

Inventors:

John Paul Sparkman - Dayton OH, US
Charles M. Woods - West Manchester OH, US
William H. Phipps - St Paris OH, US

Assignee:

Autoliv Development AB - Vararda

International Classification:

B60R 21/26

US Classification:

280741

Abstract:

An inflator bottle adapted for controlled release of product gas to deploy an inflatable cushion and a method thereof is provided. The inflator bottle comprises a compartment filled with a combustible gas mixture having a partition that divides the compartment into a first region and a second region. Upon a crash event, an igniter on the inflator bottle ignites initiating combustion in the first region. Combustion propagates in the first region toward a nozzle building pressure in the first region sufficient to rupture a burst disk over the passage of the nozzle releasing product gas through the nozzle. The release of product gas through the nozzle draws combustible gas mixture from the second region flowing through the gas portal on the partition into the first region for combustion. The area of the gas portal between the regions is sized in relation to the size of the minimum area of the passage of the nozzle to supply the combustible gas mixture to the first region at a rate that maintains the flame front while preventing it from propagating out into the second region or out the nozzle until the remaining combustible gas mixture in the compartment is consumed.

US Patent:

20090295133, Dec 3, 2009

Filed:

Jun 2, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/131547

Inventors:

John P. Sparkman - Dayton OH, US
Charles M. Woods - W. Manchester OH, US
William H. Phipps - St. Paris OH, US

International Classification:

B60R 21/268

US Classification:

280741

Abstract:

A method is provided for filling an enclosure with an ignitable mixture of gases. The enclosure has an outer wall comprising an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a fill aperture extending therethrough. The method comprises delivering a predetermined amount of pressurized combustible gas into the enclosure through the fill aperture, delivering a first predetermined amount of pressurized inert gas into the enclosure through the fill aperture at a first pressurization rate, delivering a second predetermined amount of pressurized inert gas into the enclosure through the fill aperture at a second pressurization rate, welding a sealing member to the outer wall of the enclosure by a welding process to form a weld operable to seal the fill aperture and to permit the enclosure to store pressurized gas therein. The first pressurization rate allows the first predetermined amount of pressurized inert gas to mix with the predetermined amount of pressurized combustible gas to form an ignitable mixture. The second pressurization rate is lower than the first pressurization rate. The second pressurization rate allows stratification to form within the enclosure between a layer of the ignitable mixture and a layer of the second predetermined amount of pressurized inert gas. The layer of the second predetermined amount of pressurized inert gas is disposed between the layer of the ignitable mixture and the fill aperture.