EP0543026A1 - Gas generating agent - Google Patents

Gas generating agent Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0543026A1
EP0543026A1 EP92917388A EP92917388A EP0543026A1 EP 0543026 A1 EP0543026 A1 EP 0543026A1 EP 92917388 A EP92917388 A EP 92917388A EP 92917388 A EP92917388 A EP 92917388A EP 0543026 A1 EP0543026 A1 EP 0543026A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
oxygen
air bag
gas
gas generant
carbon
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP92917388A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0543026A4 (en
Inventor
Kazuo 44-23 Higashinagaya 3-Chome Kishi
Jun 1-16A-408 Meguro 1-Chome Kato
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Daicel Corp
Original Assignee
Daicel Chemical Industries Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Daicel Chemical Industries Ltd filed Critical Daicel Chemical Industries Ltd
Publication of EP0543026A1 publication Critical patent/EP0543026A1/en
Publication of EP0543026A4 publication Critical patent/EP0543026A4/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C06—EXPLOSIVES; MATCHES
    • C06B—EXPLOSIVES OR THERMIC COMPOSITIONS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS EXPLOSIVES
    • C06B29/00—Compositions containing an inorganic oxygen-halogen salt, e.g. chlorate, perchlorate
    • C06B29/02—Compositions containing an inorganic oxygen-halogen salt, e.g. chlorate, perchlorate of an alkali metal
    • C06B29/08—Compositions containing an inorganic oxygen-halogen salt, e.g. chlorate, perchlorate of an alkali metal with an organic non-explosive or an organic non-thermic component
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C06—EXPLOSIVES; MATCHES
    • C06D—MEANS FOR GENERATING SMOKE OR MIST; GAS-ATTACK COMPOSITIONS; GENERATION OF GAS FOR BLASTING OR PROPULSION (CHEMICAL PART)
    • C06D5/00—Generation of pressure gas, e.g. for blasting cartridges, starting cartridges, rockets
    • C06D5/06—Generation of pressure gas, e.g. for blasting cartridges, starting cartridges, rockets by reaction of two or more solids

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a gas generant which is used in an air bag apparatus for securing the safety of an occupant(s) against the shock caused by a car crash and which is harmless to human bodies.
  • the gas generant used in such an air bag apparatus is mainly constituted of a mixture of an alkali metal azide and an alkaline earth metal azide with a metallic oxide, a chlorate, sulfur, a metallic sulfide or the like, and the gas generated therefrom is nitrogen. Further, sodium azide is now widely used as the alkali metal azide.
  • gas generant as described above comprising sodium azide as a main raw material and are mounted on a steering wheel to protect a driver.
  • the gas generant generates pure nitrogen gas, which inflates the air bag to thereby secure the safety of the driver.
  • the pure nitrogen gas is speedly discharged from the air bag to the inside of the car through a vent hole provided in the air bag. In this case, it does not occur a problem with regard to occurance of any physiological injuries due to the oxygen deficiency in the car, because the volume of the air bag is about 60 l or less.
  • Sodium azide is easily decomposed in the atmosphere to generate hydrazoic acid which is volatile and explosive.
  • the hydrazoic acid is easily reacted with a metal such as copper, lead and the like present around to form an extremely unstable substance which ignites or explodes by friction or a crash.
  • the sodium azide is placed in a hermetically sealed state so as to be out of contact with the atmosphere.
  • the air bag apparatus is constituted so as not to form the unstable substance described above when it is set in a car.
  • the gas generant comprising sodium azide must be handled with care in an explosion proof facility in the preparation, storage and disposal of the gas generant itself and in the preparation or disposal of the air bag apparatus using the gas generant.
  • such an air bag apparatus uses, for example, copper oxide, sulfur or the like as an oxidizing agent for combusting the sodium azide, so that a mist of sodium oxide or sodium sulfide is formed and discharged during the combustion.
  • the mist can be sufficiently removed by the use of a filter, by which the problem such as occurance of any physiological injuries does not occur.
  • the air bag apparatus has another problem that the weight and volume of the gas generator must be increased in order to enhance the performances of the filter.
  • Japanese Patent Publication-B No. 7873/1966 Japanese Patent Publication-B No. 7873/1966
  • Japanese Patent Publication-B Nos. 6156/1989 and 6157/1989 one which comprises a bitetrazole compound as a main component
  • Japanese Patent Publication-A No. 184590/1990 Japanese Patent Publication-A No. 184590/1990
  • gas generants are in danger of generating a gas containing, as by-products, a cyanide compound, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, etc., which are causative of a problem such as the physiological injuries due to the by-products when many air bag apparatuses are set in the car.
  • the principal ingredients of the above gas generants are more expensive than sodium azide and do not satisfy all of the requirements as a gas generant.
  • gases which is generated from the gas generants comprising a nitrogen-containing compound as a principal ingredient are pure nitrogen, so that there is the possibility that a problem such as the occurrence of physiological injuries due to the oxygen deficiency in the car becomes clear when a large amount of the gas generant is used, which is same as the case where the gas generant comprising sodium azide as the principal ingredient is employed.
  • compositions comprising a nitrate or a perchlorate as an oxidizing agent and an organic polymer consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen (U.S. Patent No. 3837942) and a composition comprising such an oxidizing agent and a metallic salt of an organic acid consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen (U.S. Patent No. 4214438).
  • These compositions contain the oxidizing agent in an amount exceeding the stoichiometrically necessary one in order to prevent the generation of carbon monoxide, so that the gaseous component generated therefrom is composed only of water vapor and carbon dioxide.
  • the present invention aims at providing an inexpensive and harmless gas generant which can be easily handled in the preparation, storage and disposal thereof and in the preparation or disposal of the air bag apparatus without the necessity for any special handling manner unlike alkali metal azides and which is used for inflating an air bag with a gas which does not cause the physiological injuries due to oxygen deficiency or by-products even when many air bag apparatuses are set in the car.
  • the present inventors have extensively studied on the influence of carbon dioxide on a human body and have found that the gas generated from the gas generant of the present invention can maintain an oxygen partial pressure in carbon dioxide like in the air, so that it can be used for inflating an air bag in safety without causing any trouble due to oxygen deficiency.
  • the present invention has been accomplished on the basis of this finding.
  • the present invention relates to a gas generant for an air bag apparatus comprising (A) one of alkali metal salts of chloric or perchloric acid or a mixture of two or more of them and (B) an organic compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and/or a metallic salt of an organic acid consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, characterizd in that the value which is related to the molar fractions of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the gas generated and which is calculated by the following formula (I): lies within a range of 0.01 to 0.5, and to a gas generant which may further contain 1 to 6% of a combustion modifier to be able to control the time taken for inflating an air bag within a suitable range.
  • the value calculated by the formula: is less than 0.01, it is unfavorable because there are the possibilities that a problem such as the occurrence of physiological injuries due to the oxygen deficiency in the car becomes clear and that a problem such as the physiological injuries to a human body due to the carbon dioxide occurs when many air bag apparatuses are set in the car.
  • this value exceeds 0.5, the combustion temperature will be so high that there is the possibility of burning the air bag, unfavorably. It is still preferable that the value be from 0.1 to 0.3.
  • a low-temperature gas which does not form any nitrogen oxide harmful to a human body is generated by using a composition
  • a composition comprising (A) an oxidizing agent comprising sodium or potassium salt of chloric or perchloric acid, (B) a fuel component of an organic compound free from any nitrogen atom in its molecule and consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and/or a fuel component of a metallic salt of an organic acid consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and, if necessary, a combustion modifier component, even when the composition contains an excess of the oxidizing agent, that is, the composition generate a gas containing oxygen.
  • the use of a perchlorate is advantageous from the standpoint of lowering the temperature of the gas generated, because the perchlorate generates less heat in its thermal decomposition and gives oxygen at a higher ratio.
  • the fuel component is preferably an organic compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and generating a low heat of combustion, such as oxalic acid, cellulose acetate and the like.
  • the combustion modifier is used for the purpose of controlling the reaction rate and completing the reaction in the combustion reaction of the gas generant and is preferably carbon and an oxide of iron, nickel, etc., a ferrocene compound or a metallic salt of a nonnitrogenous organic acid such as formic acid, oxalic acid and the like.
  • the present invention relates to a gas generant for inflating an air bag, which is prepared by preparing a mixture comprising a nitrogen-free chlorate, a nitrogen-free fuel component consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and, if necessary, a combustion modifier and processing the mixture.
  • the gas generant composition of the present invention can be prepared by pulverizing each of the oxidizing agent, the fuel component and, if necessary, the combustion modifier and mixing the obtained powders with each other by the dry or wet process.
  • the powder mixture thus prepared is placed under the circumstances of suffering vibration for a long time, it is separated owing to the specific gravity difference among the powders to bring about a variation in the combustion properties. Therefore, the powder mixture may be granulated or may be compressed into a tablet or pellet by a conventional process.
  • the particle size of the gas generant composition is not particularly limited, it is preferred in the case of requiring rapid combustion that the particle size be 10 ⁇ m or below.
  • the gas generant composition of the present invention can be used in a state packed in a common gas generator according to the prior art, which is constituted of a reaction chamber which is used for packing gas generant pellets and an ignition charge, and a filtration chamber fitted with a metal screen, glass cloth or ceramic paper, etc., for separating and collecting the mist contained in the gas generated.
  • the gas generant of the present invention is harmless to human bodies. Further, the gas generant is safe because the combustion product therefrom is composed of a gaseous component consisting of oxygen, carbon dioxide and water and a mist of an alkali metal chloride and a metallic oxide, such as iron oxide and the like, resulting from the combustion modifier to cause neither physiological injuries due to oxygen deficiency nor those due to the by-products such as nitrogen compounds and does not contain any harmful mist such as sodium oxide or sodium sulfide, etc. Therefore, the air bag apparatus using the gas generant of the present invention does not need to enhance the performance of the filter unlike the commercially available air bag apparatus of the prior art as described above. Thus, the gas generant of the present invention contributes to the reduction of the weight and volume of the gas generator.
  • the fuel component according to the present invention is non-explosive and therefore need not be handled in a special manner unlike alkali metal azides in the preparation, storage and disposal of the gas generant.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Air Bags (AREA)

Abstract

A gas generating agent comprising: (A) at least one alkali metal salt of chloric or perchloric acid, and (B) an organic compound composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and/or a metal salt of an organic acid composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, and characterized in that the molar fraction of oxygen and that of carbon dioxide contained in the formed gas meet a relation represented by the following equation (I): (mol. fraction of oxygen)/(mol. fraction of oxygen)+(mol. fraction of carbon dioxide)]=0.01-0.5.

Description

    Background of the Invention Field of the Invention
  • The present invention relates to a gas generant which is used in an air bag apparatus for securing the safety of an occupant(s) against the shock caused by a car crash and which is harmless to human bodies.
    • Description of the Related Art
  • The gas generant used in such an air bag apparatus according to the prior art is mainly constituted of a mixture of an alkali metal azide and an alkaline earth metal azide with a metallic oxide, a chlorate, sulfur, a metallic sulfide or the like, and the gas generated therefrom is nitrogen. Further, sodium azide is now widely used as the alkali metal azide.
  • Most of the air bag apparatuses now set in cars use a gas generant as described above comprising sodium azide as a main raw material and are mounted on a steering wheel to protect a driver. At the instant of a car crash, the gas generant generates pure nitrogen gas, which inflates the air bag to thereby secure the safety of the driver. Thereafter, the pure nitrogen gas is speedly discharged from the air bag to the inside of the car through a vent hole provided in the air bag. In this case, it does not occur a problem with regard to occurance of any physiological injuries due to the oxygen deficiency in the car, because the volume of the air bag is about 60 ℓ or less. However, it seemed that air bag apparatuses for an passenger's seat and rear seats may be set in addition to one for a driver's seat, and that air bag apparatuses for absorbing the shock caused by a side crash may also be set in the near future. An attempt to cope with this situation solely by means of an air bag using pure nitrogen gas alone necessitates a large amount of pure nitrogen gas, and there is the possibility that a problem such as the occurrence of physiological injuries due to the oxygen deficiency in the car becomes clear.
  • Sodium azide is easily decomposed in the atmosphere to generate hydrazoic acid which is volatile and explosive. The hydrazoic acid is easily reacted with a metal such as copper, lead and the like present around to form an extremely unstable substance which ignites or explodes by friction or a crash. In the air bag apparatus using sodium azide, of course, the sodium azide is placed in a hermetically sealed state so as to be out of contact with the atmosphere. Thus, the air bag apparatus is constituted so as not to form the unstable substance described above when it is set in a car. Nevertheless, there is still disadvantage that the gas generant comprising sodium azide must be handled with care in an explosion proof facility in the preparation, storage and disposal of the gas generant itself and in the preparation or disposal of the air bag apparatus using the gas generant.
  • Further, such an air bag apparatus uses, for example, copper oxide, sulfur or the like as an oxidizing agent for combusting the sodium azide, so that a mist of sodium oxide or sodium sulfide is formed and discharged during the combustion. In the air bag apparatus which is currently used, the mist can be sufficiently removed by the use of a filter, by which the problem such as occurance of any physiological injuries does not occur. However, the air bag apparatus has another problem that the weight and volume of the gas generator must be increased in order to enhance the performances of the filter.
  • In order to avoid the above-described problem that sodium azide forms an unstable substance, there have been disclosed a gas generant which comprises an oxahydroxamic acid and poly(vinyl lower alkyl ether) (Japanese Patent Publication-B No. 7873/1966); one which comprises a bitetrazole compound as a main component (Japanese Patent Publication-B Nos. 6156/1989 and 6157/1989); and one which comprises nitroorotic acid as a main component (Japanese Patent Publication-A No. 184590/1990). However, these gas generants are in danger of generating a gas containing, as by-products, a cyanide compound, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, etc., which are causative of a problem such as the physiological injuries due to the by-products when many air bag apparatuses are set in the car. Further, the principal ingredients of the above gas generants are more expensive than sodium azide and do not satisfy all of the requirements as a gas generant. Most of the gases which is generated from the gas generants comprising a nitrogen-containing compound as a principal ingredient are pure nitrogen, so that there is the possibility that a problem such as the occurrence of physiological injuries due to the oxygen deficiency in the car becomes clear when a large amount of the gas generant is used, which is same as the case where the gas generant comprising sodium azide as the principal ingredient is employed.
  • Up to this time, there have been disclosed a composition comprising a nitrate or a perchlorate as an oxidizing agent and an organic polymer consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen (U.S. Patent No. 3837942) and a composition comprising such an oxidizing agent and a metallic salt of an organic acid consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen (U.S. Patent No. 4214438). These compositions contain the oxidizing agent in an amount exceeding the stoichiometrically necessary one in order to prevent the generation of carbon monoxide, so that the gaseous component generated therefrom is composed only of water vapor and carbon dioxide. However, the prime object of these U.S. patents is to prevent the generation of carbon monoxide, so that the amount of the oxidizing agent used is nearly equivalent to the stoichiometrically necessary one. Accordingly, there is the possibility that a problem such as the occurrence of physiological injuries due to the oxygen deficiency in the car becomes clear when many air bag apparatuses are set in the car, which is same as the case where the sodium azide is employed.
  • The present invention aims at providing an inexpensive and harmless gas generant which can be easily handled in the preparation, storage and disposal thereof and in the preparation or disposal of the air bag apparatus without the necessity for any special handling manner unlike alkali metal azides and which is used for inflating an air bag with a gas which does not cause the physiological injuries due to oxygen deficiency or by-products even when many air bag apparatuses are set in the car.
    • Description of the Invention Summary of the Invention
  • The present inventors have extensively studied on the influence of carbon dioxide on a human body and have found that the gas generated from the gas generant of the present invention can maintain an oxygen partial pressure in carbon dioxide like in the air, so that it can be used for inflating an air bag in safety without causing any trouble due to oxygen deficiency. The present invention has been accomplished on the basis of this finding.
  • Namely, the present invention relates to a gas generant for an air bag apparatus comprising (A) one of alkali metal salts of chloric or perchloric acid or a mixture of two or more of them and (B) an organic compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and/or a metallic salt of an organic acid consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, characterizd in that the value which is related to the molar fractions of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the gas generated and which is calculated by the following formula (I):
    Figure imgb0001
    lies within a range of 0.01 to 0.5, and to a gas generant which may further contain 1 to 6% of a combustion modifier to be able to control the time taken for inflating an air bag within a suitable range.
  • When the value calculated by the formula:
    Figure imgb0002
    is less than 0.01, it is unfavorable because there are the possibilities that a problem such as the occurrence of physiological injuries due to the oxygen deficiency in the car becomes clear and that a problem such as the physiological injuries to a human body due to the carbon dioxide occurs when many air bag apparatuses are set in the car. On the contrary, when this value exceeds 0.5, the combustion temperature will be so high that there is the possibility of burning the air bag, unfavorably. It is still preferable that the value be from 0.1 to 0.3.
  • According to the present invention, it is possible that a low-temperature gas which does not form any nitrogen oxide harmful to a human body is generated by using a composition comprising (A) an oxidizing agent comprising sodium or potassium salt of chloric or perchloric acid, (B) a fuel component of an organic compound free from any nitrogen atom in its molecule and consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and/or a fuel component of a metallic salt of an organic acid consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and, if necessary, a combustion modifier component, even when the composition contains an excess of the oxidizing agent, that is, the composition generate a gas containing oxygen.
  • Regarding the oxidizing agent, the use of a perchlorate is advantageous from the standpoint of lowering the temperature of the gas generated, because the perchlorate generates less heat in its thermal decomposition and gives oxygen at a higher ratio.
  • The fuel component is preferably an organic compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and generating a low heat of combustion, such as oxalic acid, cellulose acetate and the like. The combustion modifier is used for the purpose of controlling the reaction rate and completing the reaction in the combustion reaction of the gas generant and is preferably carbon and an oxide of iron, nickel, etc., a ferrocene compound or a metallic salt of a nonnitrogenous organic acid such as formic acid, oxalic acid and the like.
  • The present invention relates to a gas generant for inflating an air bag, which is prepared by preparing a mixture comprising a nitrogen-free chlorate, a nitrogen-free fuel component consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and, if necessary, a combustion modifier and processing the mixture.
  • The gas generant composition of the present invention can be prepared by pulverizing each of the oxidizing agent, the fuel component and, if necessary, the combustion modifier and mixing the obtained powders with each other by the dry or wet process. When the powder mixture thus prepared is placed under the circumstances of suffering vibration for a long time, it is separated owing to the specific gravity difference among the powders to bring about a variation in the combustion properties. Therefore, the powder mixture may be granulated or may be compressed into a tablet or pellet by a conventional process. Although the particle size of the gas generant composition is not particularly limited, it is preferred in the case of requiring rapid combustion that the particle size be 10 µm or below.
  • The gas generant composition of the present invention can be used in a state packed in a common gas generator according to the prior art, which is constituted of a reaction chamber which is used for packing gas generant pellets and an ignition charge, and a filtration chamber fitted with a metal screen, glass cloth or ceramic paper, etc., for separating and collecting the mist contained in the gas generated.
    • Effect of the Invention
  • The gas generant of the present invention is harmless to human bodies. Further, the gas generant is safe because the combustion product therefrom is composed of a gaseous component consisting of oxygen, carbon dioxide and water and a mist of an alkali metal chloride and a metallic oxide, such as iron oxide and the like, resulting from the combustion modifier to cause neither physiological injuries due to oxygen deficiency nor those due to the by-products such as nitrogen compounds and does not contain any harmful mist such as sodium oxide or sodium sulfide, etc. Therefore, the air bag apparatus using the gas generant of the present invention does not need to enhance the performance of the filter unlike the commercially available air bag apparatus of the prior art as described above. Thus, the gas generant of the present invention contributes to the reduction of the weight and volume of the gas generator.
  • The fuel component according to the present invention is non-explosive and therefore need not be handled in a special manner unlike alkali metal azides in the preparation, storage and disposal of the gas generant.
    • Example
  • The present invention will now be described more specifically by referring to the following Examples, though the present invention is not limited by them.
    • Example 1
  • 73 parts by weight of a dry powder of sodium perchlorate and 27 parts by weight of a dry powder of glucose were sufficiently mixed with each other and press-molded into cylindrical pellets having an outer diameter of 7 mm and a thickness of 4 mm. 50 g of the pellets were packed into a gas generator for a driver's seat and the gas generator was actuated in a 60-ℓ pressure tank to determine the relationship between the pressure and time. The results are as follows:
       0.6 atm after 30 msec, and
       0.8 atm after 50 msec.
  • Further, the gas generated was analyzed for composition. The results are as follows:
    oxygen 14% by volume
    carbon dioxide 42% by volume
    water 43% by volume
    nitrogen oxide not detected
    nitrogen not detected
    carbon monoxide not detected
  • With respect to the above gas composition,
    Figure imgb0003
    • Example 2
  • 73 parts by weight of a dry powder of sodium perchlorate, 27 parts by weight of a dry powder of glucose and 2 parts by weight of a dry powder of iron oxide were sufficiently mixed with each other and press-molded into cylindrical pellets having an outer diameter of 7 mm and a thickness of 4 mm. 50 g of the pellets were packed into a gas generator for a driver's seat and the gas generator was actuated in a 60-ℓ pressure tank to determine the relationship between the pressure and time. The results are as follows:
       0.9 atm after 30 msec, and
       1.1 atm after 50 msec.
  • Further, the gas generated was analyzed for composition. The results are as follows:
    oxygen 14% by volume
    carbon dioxide 42% by volume
    water 43% by volume
    nitrogen oxide not detected
    nitrogen not detected
    carbon monoxide not detected
  • With respect to the above gas composition,
    Figure imgb0004
    • Example 3
  • 75 parts by weight of a dry powder of sodium perchlorate and 25 parts by weight of a dry powder of cellulose triacetate were sufficiently mixed with each other and press-molded into cylindrical pellets having an outer diameter of 7 mm and a thickness of 4 mm. 50 g of the pellets were packed into a gas generator for a driver's seat and the gas generator was actuated in a 60-ℓ pressure tank to determine the relationship between the pressure and time. The results are as follows:
       0.8 atm after 30 msec, and
       1.0 atm after 50 msec.
  • Further, the gas generated was analyzed for composition. The results are as follows:
    oxygen 12% by volume
    carbon dioxide 43% by volume
    water 44% by volume
    nitrogen oxide not detected
    nitrogen not detected
    carbon monoxide not detected
  • With respect to the above gas composition,
    Figure imgb0005
    • Example 4
  • 75 parts by weight of a dry powder of sodium perchlorate, 25 parts by weight of a dry powder of cellulose triacetate and 2 parts by weight of a dry powder of iron oxide were sufficiently mixed with each other and press-molded into cylindrical pellets having an outer diamter of 7 mm and a thickness of 4 mm. 50 g of the pellets were packed into a gas generator for a drive's seat and the gas generator was actuated in a 60-ℓ pressure tank to determine the relationship between the pressure and time. The results are as follows:
       0.9 atm after 30 msec, and
       1.1 atm after 50 msec.
  • Further, the gas generated was analyzed for composition. The results are as follows:
    oxygen 12% by volume
    carbon dioxide 43% by volume
    water 44% by volume
    nitrogen oxide not detected
    nitrogen not detected
    carbon monoxide not detected
  • With respect to the above gas composition,
    Figure imgb0006

Claims (4)

  1. A gas generant for an air bag apparatus comprising (A) one of alkali metal salts of chloric or perchloric acid or a mixture of two or more of them and (B) an organic compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and/or a metallic salt of an organic acid consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, characterizd in that the value which is related to the molar fractions of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the gas generated and which is calculated by the following formula (I):
    Figure imgb0007
     lies within a range of 0.01 to 0.5.
  2. The gas generant for an air bag apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the value calculated by the formula
    Figure imgb0008
     lies within a range of 0.1 to 0.3.
  3. The gas generant for an air bag apparatus as set forth in claims 1 or 2, characterized in that further contains (C) a combustion modifier.
  4. The gas generant for an air bag apparatus as set forth in claim 3, characterized in that 1 to 6 % of the combustion modifier is added.
EP92917388A 1991-05-28 1992-05-28 Gas generating agent Withdrawn EP0543026A4 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP123662/91 1991-05-28
JP12366291 1991-05-28

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0543026A1 true EP0543026A1 (en) 1993-05-26
EP0543026A4 EP0543026A4 (en) 1995-03-29

Family

ID=14866183

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP92917388A Withdrawn EP0543026A4 (en) 1991-05-28 1992-05-28 Gas generating agent

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0543026A4 (en)
WO (1) WO1992021636A1 (en)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4423088A1 (en) * 1994-07-01 1996-01-04 Temic Bayern Chem Airbag Gmbh Gas-generating, acid-free mixture of substances
EP0706505A1 (en) * 1994-04-04 1996-04-17 Automotive Systems Laboratory Inc. Gas generator autoignition with a chlorate composition
EP0938422A1 (en) * 1996-10-30 1999-09-01 Atlantic Research Corporation Autoignition propellant containing superfine iron oxide and method of lowering the autoignition temperature of an igniter
WO2000064840A1 (en) * 1999-04-27 2000-11-02 Dynamit Nobel Gmbh Explosivstoff- Und Systemtechnik Granulated gas charges
EP1069096A1 (en) * 1999-07-12 2001-01-17 TRW Airbag Systems GmbH & Co. KG Non-azide gas generating composition
EP1604963A2 (en) * 2004-06-10 2005-12-14 Giat Industries Pyrotechnic composition with improved mechanical strength
WO2011135262A1 (en) * 2010-04-29 2011-11-03 Sme Gas-generating pyrotechnic compound and production process

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2175963A1 (en) * 1972-03-13 1973-10-26 Specialty Prod Dev Corp
FR2190776A1 (en) * 1972-07-05 1974-02-01 Poudres & Explosifs Ste Nale
US3862866A (en) * 1971-08-02 1975-01-28 Specialty Products Dev Corp Gas generator composition and method
FR2243167A1 (en) * 1973-09-10 1975-04-04 Allied Chem
US4152891A (en) * 1977-10-11 1979-05-08 Allied Chemical Corporation Pyrotechnic composition and method of inflating an inflatable automobile safety restraint
US4214438A (en) * 1978-02-03 1980-07-29 Allied Chemical Corporation Pyrotechnic composition and method of inflating an inflatable device

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2213254B1 (en) * 1972-10-17 1977-08-05 Poudres & Explosifs Ste Nale

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3862866A (en) * 1971-08-02 1975-01-28 Specialty Products Dev Corp Gas generator composition and method
FR2175963A1 (en) * 1972-03-13 1973-10-26 Specialty Prod Dev Corp
FR2190776A1 (en) * 1972-07-05 1974-02-01 Poudres & Explosifs Ste Nale
FR2243167A1 (en) * 1973-09-10 1975-04-04 Allied Chem
US4152891A (en) * 1977-10-11 1979-05-08 Allied Chemical Corporation Pyrotechnic composition and method of inflating an inflatable automobile safety restraint
US4214438A (en) * 1978-02-03 1980-07-29 Allied Chemical Corporation Pyrotechnic composition and method of inflating an inflatable device

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See also references of WO9221636A1 *

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0706505A1 (en) * 1994-04-04 1996-04-17 Automotive Systems Laboratory Inc. Gas generator autoignition with a chlorate composition
EP0706505A4 (en) * 1994-04-04 1997-05-28 Automotive Systems Lab Gas generator autoignition with a chlorate composition
DE4423088A1 (en) * 1994-07-01 1996-01-04 Temic Bayern Chem Airbag Gmbh Gas-generating, acid-free mixture of substances
US5525170A (en) * 1994-07-01 1996-06-11 Temic Bayern-Chemie Airbag Gmbh Fumaric acid-based gas generating compositions for airbags
EP0691317A3 (en) * 1994-07-01 1997-03-05 Temic Bayern Chem Airbag Gmbh Non-azide gas generant formulations
EP0938422A4 (en) * 1996-10-30 1999-10-13
EP0938422A1 (en) * 1996-10-30 1999-09-01 Atlantic Research Corporation Autoignition propellant containing superfine iron oxide and method of lowering the autoignition temperature of an igniter
WO2000064840A1 (en) * 1999-04-27 2000-11-02 Dynamit Nobel Gmbh Explosivstoff- Und Systemtechnik Granulated gas charges
US6969433B1 (en) 1999-04-27 2005-11-29 Delphi Technologies, Inc. Granulated gas charges
EP1069096A1 (en) * 1999-07-12 2001-01-17 TRW Airbag Systems GmbH & Co. KG Non-azide gas generating composition
EP1604963A2 (en) * 2004-06-10 2005-12-14 Giat Industries Pyrotechnic composition with improved mechanical strength
FR2871457A1 (en) * 2004-06-10 2005-12-16 Giat Ind Sa PYROTECHNIC COMPOSITION HAVING IMPROVED MECHANICAL STRENGTH
EP1604963A3 (en) * 2004-06-10 2012-11-21 NEXTER Munitions Pyrotechnic composition with improved mechanical strength
WO2011135262A1 (en) * 2010-04-29 2011-11-03 Sme Gas-generating pyrotechnic compound and production process
FR2959508A1 (en) * 2010-04-29 2011-11-04 Snpe Materiaux Energetiques PYROTECHNIC COMPOUND GAS GENERATOR; PROCESS FOR OBTAINING

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0543026A4 (en) 1995-03-29
WO1992021636A1 (en) 1992-12-10

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US4370181A (en) Pyrotechnic non-azide gas generants based on a non-hydrogen containing tetrazole compound
EP0055547B1 (en) Solid compositions for generating nitrogen, the generation of nitrogen therefrom and inflation of gas bags therewith
US4909549A (en) Composition and process for inflating a safety crash bag
US3895098A (en) Method and composition for generating nitrogen gas
EP0438851B2 (en) Composition and process for inflating a safety crash bag
EP0428242B1 (en) Azide gas generating composition for inflatable devices
US4203787A (en) Pelletizable, rapid and cool burning solid nitrogen gas generant
US5514230A (en) Nonazide gas generating compositions with a built-in catalyst
EP0659715A2 (en) Gas generant compositions
US3936330A (en) Composition and method for inflation of passive restraint systems
US5989367A (en) Particle-free, gas-producing mixture
US5160386A (en) Gas generant formulations containing poly(nitrito) metal complexes as oxidants and method
EP0329293B1 (en) Azide gas generant formulations
US20040108031A1 (en) Gas generator fuel composition
EP0543026A1 (en) Gas generating agent
USRE32584E (en) Method and composition for generating nitrogen gas
WO1998008782A1 (en) Gas generating compositions
US6513834B1 (en) Monopropellant smokeless gas generant materials
US20040231768A1 (en) Composite gas-generating material for gas-actuated car safety devices
US6468370B1 (en) Gas generating composition for vehicle occupant protection apparatus
JPH05170587A (en) Gas generating agent
JPH08165186A (en) Gas-generating agent for air bag
MXPA96006306A (en) Non-azide gas generating compositions with an interconstru catalyst

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): DE FR GB

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19930608

A4 Supplementary search report drawn up and despatched

Effective date: 19950209

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A4

Designated state(s): DE FR GB

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19950524

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 19960829