Airbag module with external venting

1. An airbag module assembly comprising:

a module housing, the module housing having an opening;

an airbag located inside the module housing;

a tubular airbag inflator located inside the module housing, the tubular airbag inflator having a longitudinal central portion positioned between a first exhaust port end and a second end, the first exhaust port end extending through the opening and outside the module housing, a primary gas vent port that is located in a depression or reduced diameter portion of the tubular inflator housing and is spaced apart from both ends of the tubular inflator housing for venting gas from the tubular inflator housing into the airbag;

a gas flow manifold encircling the depression or reduced diameter portion of the tubular inflator housing, the manifold having a plurality of radially oriented openings for directing gas into the airbag;

a heater assembly containing a gas generant located and attached at the second end of the tubular inflator housing; inert gas being contained in the tubular inflator housing;

a sealing means for preventing gas flow from inside the airbag inflator through the exhaust port end; and

a means for opening the sealing means to exhaust inflation gas from the exhaust port end of the airbag inflator external of the module housing.

2. The airbag module assembly of claim 1 further comprising a module cover, the module cover being connected to the module housing enclosing the airbag and airbag inflator.

3. The airbag module assembly of claim 1 further comprising a first igniter for activating the heater assembly and wherein the means for opening the sealing means is a second igniter for unsealing the exhaust port end.

4. The airbag module assembly of claim 1 wherein the means for sealing the exhaust port end is a rupturable member.

5. The airbag module assembly of claim 1 wherein the exhaust port end has one or more exhaust port vent openings located external of the module housing.

6. The airbag module assembly of claim 5 wherein the exhaust port end has a plurality of exhaust port vent openings radially extending and located external of the module housing.

7. An airbag module assembly comprising:

a module housing, the module housing having an opening;

an airbag;

a tubular airbag inflator located inside the module housing for inflating the airbag, the airbag inflator having a longitudinal central portion positioned between a first exhaust port end and a second end, the first exhaust port end extending through the opening and external of the module housing for venting inflation gasses directly from the inflator externally of the module housing, and a primary gas vent port that is located in a depression or reduced diameter portion of the tubular inflator housing and is spaced apart from both ends of the tubular inflator housing for venting gas from the tubular inflator housing into the airbag; a gas flow manifold encircling the depression or reduced diameter portion of the tubular inflator housing, the manifold having a plurality of radially oriented openings for directing gas into the airbag; and a heater assembly containing a gas generant located and attached at the second end of the tubular inflator housing; inert gas being contained in the tubular inflator housing, the heater assembly comprising an outer shell formed by a generant tube having a plurality of holes therethrough and a gas generant combustion chamber in which a gas generant is stored, the gas generant combustion chamber and the tubular inflator housing being in communication with each other through the plurality of holes in the generant tube.

8. The airbag module assembly of claim 7 further comprising a sealing means for preventing gas flow from inside the airbag inflator through the exhaust port end; and a means for opening the sealing means to exhaust inflation gas from the exhaust port end of the airbag inflator external of the module housing.

9. The airbag module assembly of claim 7 further comprising a module cover, the module cover being connected to the module housing enclosing the airbag and airbag inflator.

10. The airbag module assembly of claim 8 further comprising a first igniter for activating the heater assembly and wherein the means for opening the sealing means is a second igniter for unsealing the exhaust port end.

11. The airbag module assembly of claim 8 wherein the means for sealing the exhaust port end is a rupturable member.

12. The airbag module assembly of claim 7 wherein the exhaust port end has one or more vent openings extending external of the module housing.

13. The airbag module assembly of claim 7 wherein the exhaust port end has a plurality of vent openings radially extending and external of the module housing.

14. An airbag module assembly comprising:

a module housing, the module housing having an opening;

an airbag located inside the module housing; and

an airbag inflator located inside the module housing, the airbag inflator comprising a tubular inflator housing having a longitudinal central portion positioned between a first exhaust port end and a second end; a primary gas vent port located in a depression or reduced diameter portion of the tubular inflator housing and is that is spaced apart from both ends of the tubular inflator housing for venting gas from the tubular inflator housing into the airbag; and a gas release mechanism having an exhaust port at the first exhaust port end of the tubular inflator housing, the first exhaust port end of the tubular inflator housing extending through the opening and outside the module housing such that the exhaust port is outside of the module housing for releasing gas directly from the tubular inflator housing to ambient air, thus bypassing the airbag; a gas flow manifold encircling the depression or reduced diameter portion of the tubular inflator housing, the manifold having a plurality of radially oriented openings for directing gas into the airbag; and a heater assembly containing a gas generant located and attached at the second end of the tubular inflator housing; inert gas being contained in the tubular inflator housing, the heater assembly comprising an outer shell formed by a generant tube having a plurality of holes therethrough and a gas generant combustion chamber in which a gas generant is stored, the gas generant combustion chamber and the tubular inflator housing being in communication with each other through the plurality of holes in the generant tube; an ignition means connected to the heater assembly and located at the second end of the inflator housing; an enhancer combustion chamber in which an ignition enhancer composition is stored, the enhancer combustion chamber being located between the gas generant combustion chamber and the ignition means.

15. An airbag module assembly comprising:

a module housing;

an airbag located inside the module housing; and

an airbag inflator located inside the module housing, the airbag inflator comprising a tubular inflator housing having a longitudinal central portion positioned between a first exhaust port end and a second end; a primary gas vent port located in a depression or reduced diameter portion of the tubular inflator housing and is that is spaced apart from both ends of the tubular inflator housing for venting gas from the tubular inflator housing into the airbag, the primary gas port being sealed by a rupturable member that will rupture or burst when subjected to a predetermined pressure provided by gas inside the tubular inflator housing; a gas flow manifold encircling the depression or reduced diameter portion of the tubular inflator housing, the manifold having a plurality of radially oriented openings for directing gas into the airbag; and a gas release mechanism having a passageway or opening at the first exhaust port end of the tubular inflator housing, the passageway or opening being sealed by a rupturable member that will rupture or burst when subjected to a predetermined pressure that is greater than the predetermined pressure at which the rupturable member of the primary gas vent port sealing means will rupture, the first exhaust port end of the tubular inflator housing extending through the opening and outside the module housing such that an exhaust port is outside of the module housing, the rupturable member of the gas release mechanism being rupturable by a pyrotechnic device for releasing gas directly from the tubular inflator housing to ambient air thus bypassing the airbag; and a heater assembly containing a gas generant located and attached at the second end of the tubular inflator housing; inert gas being contained in the tubular inflator housing, the heater assembly comprising an outer shell formed by a generant tube having a plurality of holes therethrough and a gas generant combustion chamber in which a gas generant is stored, the gas generant combustion chamber and the tubular inflator housing being in communication with each other through the plurality of holes in the generant tube; an ignition means connected to the heater assembly and located at the second end of the inflator housing; an enhancer combustion chamber in which an ignition enhancer composition is stored, the enhancer combustion chamber being located between the gas generant combustion chamber and the ignition means.

16. An airbag module assembly comprising:

a module housing;

an airbag located inside the module housing; and

a hybrid airbag inflator located inside the module housing, the hybrid airbag inflator comprising a tubular inflator housing having a longitudinal central portion positioned between a first exhaust port end and a second end; a heater assembly containing a gas generant located and attached at the second end of the tubular inflator housing; inert gas being contained in the tubular inflator housing; a primary gas vent port that is spaced apart from both ends of the tubular inflator housing for venting gas from the tubular inflator housing into the airbag, the primary gas port being sealed by a rupturable member that will rupture or burst when subjected to a predetermined pressure provided by gas inside the tubular inflator housing; and a gas release mechanism having a passageway or opening at the first exhaust port end of the tubular inflator housing, the first exhaust port end of the tubular inflator housing extending through the opening outside the module housing such that an exhaust port is outside of the module housing, the passageway or opening being sealed by a rupturable member that will rupture or burst when subjected to a predetermined pressure that is greater than the predetermined pressure at which the rupturable member of the primary gas vent port sealing means will rupture, the rupturable member of the gas release mechanism being rupturable by a pyrotechnic device for releasing gas directly from the tubular inflator housing to ambient air thus bypassing the airbag; wherein the heater assembly comprises an outer shell formed by a generant tube having a plurality of holes therethrough; a gas generant combustion chamber in which the gas generant is stored, the gas generant combustion chamber and the tubular inflator housing being in communication with each other through the plurality of holes in the generant tube; an ignition means connected to the heater assembly and located at the second end of the inflator housing; an enhancer combustion chamber in which an ignition enhancer composition is stored, the enhancer combustion chamber being located between the gas generant combustion chamber and the ignition means, and separated from the gas generant combustion chamber by a bulkhead, the bulkhead having one or more first openings therethrough; and wherein the ignition enhancer composition when ignited by the ignition means produces products of combustion that will both ignite the gas generant in the gas generant combustion chamber and heat the inert gas stored in the tubular inflator housing to achieve the predetermined pressure required to rupture the rupturable member sealing the primary gas vent port.