Airbag inflator with adaptive valve

1. An airbag inflator comprising:

a pressure vessel having a control orifice through which inflation gas may flow when it reaches a predetermined pressure within said pressure vessel;

a manifold connected to said pressure vessel in fluid communication with said control orifice, said manifold comprising an exhaust opening through which inflation gas from said pressure vessel may pass for inflation of an airbag; and

an adaptive valve connected to said manifold, said adaptive valve being in fluid communication with said manifold and comprising an exhaust orifice for diverting inflation gas to an area outside of an airbag in communication with said manifold exhaust opening to lower the inflation rate thereof, and a valve member movably mounted in said adaptive valve for selective movement between a first position wherein it closes said exhaust orifice and a second position wherein it opens said exhaust orifice, wherein said adaptive valve further comprises an initiator that can be actuated to generate sufficient gas pressure to move said valve member to said first or second position, and said valve member is normally in said second position, and said initiator can be actuated to move said valve member to said first position.

2. The airbag inflator of claim 1 wherein a rupture disk is positioned over said control orifice and is rupturable to open said control orifice when the inflation gas in said pressure vessel reaches said predetermined pressure.

3. The airbag inflator of claim 1 wherein said adaptive valve further comprises an initiator that can be actuated to generate sufficient gas pressure to move said valve member to said first or second position.

4. The airbag inflator of claim 1 wherein said manifold comprises a plurality of radial exhaust openings, and said adaptive valve comprises a plurality of radial exhaust orifices.

5. The airbag inflator of claim 1 wherein said adaptive valve comprises a generally cylindrical valve body, and said valve member is of generally cylindrical cup-shaped configuration and is slidably mounted in said valve body, said valve member having a weakened central portion that is supported in said second position by a plug that is positioned in a support tube that surrounds an inner portion of said initiator so that said plug is in fluid communication with said initiator, said valve member having a radial opening that is in alignment with said exhaust orifice when in said second position, whereby upon actuation of said initiator the pressurized gas generated thereby moves said plug through the weakened central portion of said valve member to enable it to be moved by inflation gas under pressure from said manifold to said first position by slidable movement along said valve body and said support tube.

6. The airbag inflator of claim 5 wherein said valve body has an air vent disposed between said initiator and said valve member when in said second position to allow air to be displaced from said valve body as said valve member is moved to said first position to facilitate the movement thereof.

7. The air bag inflator of claim 1 wherein said manifold has an inner end connected to said pressure vessel, said manifold has an outer end, and said adaptive valve is connected to the outer end of said manifold.

8. An adaptive valve for an airbag inflator having a manifold with an exhaust opening for fluid communication with an airbag, said adaptive valve being constructed for connection to a manifold so that it is in fluid communication therewith, said adaptive valve having an exhaust orifice and being constructed to selectively open said exhaust orifice to divert inflation gas away from an inflator manifold when it is connected thereto to lower the rate of inflation of an airbag in fluid communication with the exhaust opening of the manifold, further comprising a valve member movably mounted therein for movement between a first position wherein it closes said exhaust orifice and a second position wherein it opens said exhaust orifice, further comprising an initiator that can be actuated to generate sufficient gas pressure to move said valve member to said first or second position, wherein said valve member is normally in said second position, and said initiator can be actuated to move said valve member to said first position.

9. The adaptive valve of claim 8 wherein said adaptive valve has a valve body with said exhaust orifice therein, said valve body having an open inner end for connection to an inflator manifold, a rupture disk closing said open end of said valve body, and an initiator disposed within said valve body and being operable to generate sufficient gas pressure in said valve body to rupture and open said rupture disk so that inflation gas from an inflator manifold can flow through the open inner end of said valve body to said exhaust orifice.

10. The adaptive valve of claim 9 wherein a support tube is disposed within said valve body and has an inner end in engagement with said rupture disk to support said disk, said support tube having an outer end in fluid communication with said initiator.

11. An airbag inflator comprising:

a pressure vessel having a control orifice through which inflation gas may flow when it reaches a predetermined pressure within said pressure vessel;

a manifold connected to said pressure vessel in fluid communication with said control orifice, said manifold comprising an exhaust opening through which inflation gas from said pressure vessel may pass for inflation of an airbag; and

an adaptive valve connected to said manifold, said adaptive valve being in fluid communication with said manifold and comprising an exhaust orifice for diverting inflation gas to an area outside of an airbag in communication with said manifold exhaust opening to lower the inflation rate thereof, and a valve member movably mounted in said adaptive valve for selective movement between a first position wherein it closes said exhaust orifice and a second position wherein it opens said exhaust orifice;

wherein said adaptive valve further comprises an initiator that can be actuated to generate sufficient gas pressure to move said valve member to said first or second position;

wherein said valve member is normally in said first position, and said initiator can be actuated to move said valve member to said second position;

wherein said adaptive valve comprises a generally cylindrical valve body, and said valve member is of generally cylindrical cup-shaped configuration and is slidably mounted in said valve body, said valve member having a weakened central portion that is supported in said first position by a plug that is positioned in a support tube that surrounds an inner portion of said initiator so that said plug is in fluid communication with said initiator, whereby upon actuation of said initiator the pressurized gas generated thereby moves said plug through the weakened central portion of said valve member to enable it to be moved by inflation gas under pressure from said manifold to said second position by slidable movement along said valve body and said support tube.

12. The airbag inflator of claim 11 wherein said valve body has an air vent disposed between said initiator and said valve member when in said first position to allow air to be displaced from said valve body as said valve member is moved to said second position to facilitate the movement thereof.

13. An airbag inflator comprising:

a pressure vessel having a control orifice through which inflation gas may flow when it reaches a predetermined pressure within said pressure vessel;

a manifold connected to said pressure vessel in fluid communication with said control orifice, said manifold comprising an exhaust opening through which inflation gas from said pressure vessel may pass for inflation of an airbag; and

an adaptive valve connected to said manifold, said adaptive valve being in fluid communication with said manifold and comprising an exhaust orifice for diverting inflation gas to an area outside of an airbag in communication with said manifold exhaust opening to lower the inflation rate thereof, and a valve member movably mounted in said adaptive valve for selective movement between a first position wherein it closes said exhaust orifice and a second position wherein it opens said exhaust orifice;

wherein said adaptive valve further comprises an initiator that can be actuated to generate sufficient gas pressure to move said valve member to said first or second position;

wherein said valve member is normally in said first position, and said initiator can be actuated to move said valve member to said second position;

wherein said adaptive valve comprises a generally cylindrical valve body, and said valve member is of generally cylindrical cup-shaped configuration and is slidably mounted in said valve body, said valve member having a weakened central portion that is supported in said first position by a support tube that surrounds an inner portion of said initiator and is in fluid communication therewith, whereby upon actuation of said initiator the pressurized gas generated thereby causes said central weakened portion to open to enable said valve member to be moved by inflation gas under pressure from said manifold to said second position by slidable movement along said valve body and said support tube.

14. The airbag inflator of claim 13 wherein said valve body has an air vent disposed between said initiator and said valve member when in said first position to allow air to be displaced from said valve body as said valve member is moved to said second position to facilitate the movement thereof.