Chlorine-containing gas generant compositions including a copper-containing chlorine scavenger

Abstract

A chlorine-containing gas generant composition and a related method for generating an inflation gas for use in an inflatable restraint system are provided. The chlorine-containing gas generant composition includes a nitrogen-containing fuel such as guanidine nitrate, ammonium perchlorate oxidizer, and a chlorine scavenger present in an amount effective to result in a gaseous effluent that is substantially free of hydrogen chloride when the gas generant is combusted, wherein at least about 98 weight percent of the chlorine scavenger is a copper-containing compound such as a copper nitrate complex, basic copper nitrate, cupric oxide or a combination thereof.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to gas generant compositions having improved effluent and, more particularly, to chlorine-containing gas generant compositions including a copper-containing chlorine scavenger compound. It is well known to protect a vehicle occupant using a cushion or bag, e.g., an “airbag cushion” that is inflated or expanded with a gas when a vehicle experiences a sudden deceleration, such as in the event of a collision. Such airbag restraint systems normally include: one or more airbag cushions, housed in an uninflated and folded condition to minimize space requirements; one or more crash sensors mounted on or to the frame or body of the vehicle to detect sudden deceleration of the vehicle; an activation system electronically triggered by the crash sensors; and an inflator device that produces or supplies a gas to inflate the airbag cushion. In the event of a sudden deceleration of the vehicle, the crash sensors trigger the activation...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention provides a chlorine-containing gas generant composition that produces an improved gaseous effluent or inflation gas when combusted. The composition includes a nitrogen-containing fuel, ammonium perchlorate oxidizer, and a chlorine scavenger containing at least about 98% copper-containing compound. The composition does not contain any more than about 1% copper-free chlorine scavenger. The invention also includes a method for inflating an airbag cushion of a motor vehicle using the gas generant composition. The gas generant composition takes advantage of the increased heat and oxygen provided by ammonium perchlorate as an oxidizer without increasing undesirable gaseous and particulate combustion byproducts in the inflation gas stream. The invention also provides a chlorine-containing gas generant composition that includes an equivalence ratio greater than 1.0, indicating that the gas generant composition is over-oxidized, or a ratio less than 1.0, indicating that the gas generant composition is under-oxidized.

Problems solved by technology

The prior art generally fails to provide a chlorine-containing gas generant composition that takes advantage of the increased heat and oxygen provided by utilizing ammonium perchlorate as an oxidizer without increasing undesirable gaseous and particulate combustion byproducts in the inflation gas stream.

Particularly, the prior art fails to provide a chlorine-containing gas generant that utilizes ammonium perchlorate and a copper-containing compound that produces a filterable metal chloride to remove hydrogen chloride from a gaseous effluent resulting in an improved inflation gas.