Bradley Walter Smith
Engineers in Ogden, UT

5779268, Jul 14, 1998

Jun 6, 1995

8/468225

Bradley W. Smith - Ogden UT
Kirk H. Rasmussen - West Point UT
Brian T. Snyder - Hooper UT

Morton International, Inc. - Chicago IL

B60R 2128

280741

A driver side inflator housing for a vehicle safety system which includes a base which is stamped from a thin sheet of aluminum The base includes a central axis, a plurality of stamped concentric rings extending upwardly from a bottom of the base and spaced from the central axis. An interface attachment flange is provided for mounting the inflator, and a squib pocket extending about the central axis of the base is capable of holding the squib of the gas generating inflator. The concentric rings, attachment flange and squib pocket are all formed during the stamping of the base; thus excessive machining is not required. Only minor machining is necessary to complete the base. The base of the present invention is designed to reduce the overall inflator cost, while maintaining the processing capability and quality of current bases.

5470102, Nov 28, 1995

Oct 13, 1994

8/322818

Bradley W. Smith - South Ogden UT
Kirk Rasmussen - West Point UT
John E. Allard - North Ogden UT

Morton International, Inc. - Chicago IL

B60R 2116

2807282

An air bag module uses a tubular inflator that is mounted off center in the module with the diffuser lying in the plane of the bottom of the module housing. The housing and inflator retaining bracket combine to make a pocket which changes the direction of some of the gas produced by the inflator and allows all of the gas to flow up into the inflatable cushion. A different housing, retaining ring, cushion and inflator retaining bracket are used in the assemblage of the module than are employed in air bag modules of current production. The appearance and function of the module, however, is not changed to a purchaser of the automotive vehicle in which the module is installed, only the internal components of the module are changed.

2005002, Feb 3, 2005

Jul 31, 2003

10/631140

Mark Enders - Pleasant View UT, US
Alan Larsen - Layton UT, US
Bradley Smith - Ogden UT, US

B60R021/22

280728200, 280730100

An adapter unit for a rigid knee airbag is provided. The adapter unit enables a rigid knee airbag to be in communication with an inflator having a diffuser portion for disseminating inflation fluid into the airbag. The rigid knee airbag includes a front panel and a back panel. The adapter unit may include an impression formed in the back panel. The inflator may include a male fastener attached to the diffuser portion of the inflator. The inflator may be inserted into a large orifice in a first substantially planar end portion of the impression such that the male fastener extends through a small orifice in a second substantially planar end portion of the impression. A female fastener may then be used to attach the inflator to the second substantially planar end portion. Alternatively, the adapter unit may include a housing that is similar to the impression formed in the back panel described above. Alternatively still, the adapter unit may include a raised portion formed in the back panel, the raised portion including an orifice having a diameter that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the diffuser portion of a disk inflator.

5109772, May 5, 1992

Jan 22, 1991

7/643626

Donald J. Cunningham - North Ogden UT
Bradley W. Smith - Ogden UT

Morton International, Inc. - Chicago IL

B60R 2128, C06C 506, F42B 310

10227511

Because of the length of the airbag gas generator that is used on the passenger side of an automotive vehicle, it has been extremely difficult and expensive to provide an ignition system that would ignite solid gas generant pellets and wafers uniformly throughout the entire length thereof. In order to effect ignition of all pellets throughout the length of the gas generator combustion chamber substantially simultaneously, there is positioned in concentric relation therein an elongated BKNO. sub. 3 dipped igniter tube having similarly dipped disks positioned thereon in spaced relation, transversely thereof, BKNO. sub. 3 powder initiated by a squib directs fire down the igniter tube to produce a rapid flash of fire that ignites the BKNO. sub. 3 dipped igniter tube and disks and surrounding gas generant pellets. The hot gas from the gas generant pellets is cooled and filtered by a screen pack assembly prior to exiting through holes in the cylindrical wall of the gas generator and directed to an airbag for inflation.

5423570, Jun 13, 1995

May 9, 1994

8/239692

Leland B. Kort - Lakewood CO
Randall J. Clark - Pleasant View UT
Bradley W. Smith - Ogden UT

Morton International, Inc. - Chicago IL

B60R 2126

280736

A hybrid inflator for a vehicle passenger restraint system comprises a center tie having upper and lower ends, and a curved, continuous vessel wall secured to the upper and lower ends of and surrounding the center tie to define a pressure chamber storing inert compressed gas. The center tie defines a combustion chamber extending from the lower end thereof, the combustion chamber receiving pyrotechnic gaseous heat source material and a squib for igniting it. The center tie further defines a directional inlet port extending from the combustion chamber into the pressure chamber and a rupturable diaphragm seals the inlet port until ignition of the pyrotechnic generant. The center tie also defines a directional outlet vent extending from the pressure chamber adjacent the upper end of the center tie, the directional outlet vent being oriented substantially opposed the inlet port. The outlet vent is part of an outlet passage from the pressure chamber through the upper end of the center tie, including an orifice cavity and outlet orifice, oriented to provide further turns in the gas flow path. A rupturable diaphragm seals the outlet passage until ignition of the gas generant.

2011022, Sep 15, 2011

Jan 21, 2011

13/011615

Matthew A. COX - Centerville UT, US
Bradley W. Smith - Plain City UT, US
Robert D. Taylor - Hyrum UT, US
Gary K. Lund - Malad City ID, US
Michael P. Jordan - South Weber UT, US
Ivan V. Mendenhall - Providence UT, US

Autoliv ASP, Inc. - Ogden UT

B60R 21/264, F28D 15/00

280741, 16510419

An inflator that includes a quantity of gas generant housed within a chamber. A liquid including at least one of a fuel soluble in the liquid or an oxidizer soluble in the liquid and a piston are housed within another chamber of the inflator. This chamber is sealed. Upon actuation, movement of the piston hydraulically expels the liquid through an opening in the piston such that the liquid contacts the gas formed by combustion of the gas generant and cools the same. The fuel and/or oxidizer in the liquid can react to form additional gas.

5582428, Dec 10, 1996

May 20, 1996

8/651010

Eric S. Buchanan - North Ogden UT
Bradley W. Smith - Ogden UT
Mark B. Woodbury - North Salt Lake UT

Morton International, Inc. - Chicago IL

B60R 2126

280741

A hybrid adaptive airbag inflator. The inflator includes two separate chambers, each containing a quantity of stored inert gas. Each chamber additionally includes a heating device to heat the stored gas. To provide adaptive performance, one, or the other, or both of the heating devices may be fired, depending upon the severity of the collision. The heated stored gas increases in pressure and breaks free of the chamber to inflate the cushion. The two chambers are preferably provided with restricted gas communication, to equalize pressure between the chambers over time. This restricted communication maintains the chambers essentially separate over the short time periods associated with inflation. Over time, however, the communication will permit any unfired chamber to depressurize, providing increased safety.

5332256, Jul 26, 1994

Feb 24, 1992

7/840238

Donald R. Lauritzen - Hyrum UT
Bradley W. Smith - Ogden UT

Morton International, Inc. - Chicago IL

B60R 2120

280728A

Featured for use in the reaction canister of an inflatable restraint system is a continuous circumference diffuser tube. The diffuser tube may be a one-piece, two-piece or clamshell type all of which functionally are the same although the clamshell type is more versatile. The diffuser tube provides for the attachment of brackets for installation of the reaction canister in the instrument panel of a vehicle, provides a secure reliable attachment for the inflatable bag or protective cushion, and a secure installation of the inflator. The diffuser tube completely encloses the inflator and allows a last operation of assembly thereof.

7396040, Jul 8, 2008

Mar 22, 2005

11/087017

Mark L. Enders - Pleasant View UT, US
Bradley W. Smith - Ogden UT, US
Michael P. Jordan - South Weber UT, US
Earl H. Nelson - Hooper UT, US
Guy R. Letendre - Ogden UT, US
Blake L. Cheal - Perry UT, US

Autoliv ASP, Inc. - Ogden UT

B60R 21/16

2807301

An airbag module has a rigid cushion with an integrated inflator. The cushion has a rear cushion panel and the inflator may have a front inflator plate attached to the rear cushion panel. A rear inflator plate is optionally provided and may be positioned within the cushion or outside the cushion. A pyrotechnic may be disposed within the space between the front inflator plate and the rear cushion panel and/or the rear inflator plate. An initiator may be seated in the rear inflator plate and/or the rear cushion panel to initiate combustion of the pyrotechnic. Instead of the front inflator plate, the inflator may have an expanse of tape that secures the pyrotechnic and/or the initiator to the interior of the cushion. The pyrotechnic may be sealed by the tape or by a foil pouch. The initiator may be secured by the tape or by a rear inflator plate.

5884938, Mar 23, 1999

Sep 22, 1997

8/935016

Karl K. Rink - Liberty UT
David J. Green - Brigham City UT
Bradley W. Smith - Ogden UT
Marcus T. Clark - Kaysville UT

Autoliv ASP Inc. - Ogden UT

B60R 2128

280741

Apparatuses for inflating inflatable devices and associated methods of leak detection relying on the inclusion of a radioactive isotope leak trace material.