Christopher Hock
Engineers in Ogden, UT

6394491, May 28, 2002

Jan 26, 2001

09/770920

Quin Soderquist - South Weber UT
Michael P. Jordan - South Weber UT
Christopher Hock - Uintah UT

Autoliv ASP, Inc. - Ogden UT

B60R 2126

280736, 280740, 280741, 280742

An air bag device that includes an air bag cushion, a diffuser canister, and a gas generation inflator. The diffuser canister is attached to the air bag cushion and has walls configured to define an interior space therein. The walls of the diffuser canister have an interior surface, an exterior surface, and a wall thickness t. At least one of the walls has an aperture formed therethrough in communication with the interior of the air bag cushion. The gas generation inflator is configured to rapidly create a gas that exits the diffuser canister through the aperture so as to fill the air bag cushion. The aperture is defined by an edge extending between the interior and said exterior surfaces of the wall that is configured to diffuse the gas exiting the diffuser canister through the aperture. The edge of the aperture is configured such that the cross-sectional area of the aperture that is proximate to the exterior surface of the wall is larger than the cross-sectional area of the aperture proximate to the interior surface of wall. The edge includes an angled portion configured such that opposing sides of the aperture have an angle therebetween in the range of about 20 degrees to about 145 degrees.

5458371, Oct 17, 1995

Oct 27, 1994

8/330344

Brian H. Fulmer - Farr West UT
Todd S. Parker - Centerville UT
Bradley W. Smith - Ogden UT
Christopher Hock - Uintah UT

Morton International, Inc. - Chicago IL

B60R 2126

280741

An air bag inflator for generating gas to rapidly inflate an air bag includes a housing having spaced-apart opposite end walls with aligned outer peripheral edges, an outer side wall extending between the end walls around the peripheral edges defining an outer chamber for containing gas-generating material and a filter element. The housing also includes an inner side wall extending between the end walls in concentric, centered relation for containing an ignition squib and ignition-enhancing material and provided with ignition ports in communication with the other combustion chamber. The outer side wall is provided with a plurality of ports directing hot products of combustion outwardly to inflate an associated air bag. At least one pair of concentric crimp-formed joints are provided to interconnect the side walls and at least one of the end walls, top or bottom.

5556439, Sep 17, 1996

Apr 7, 1995

8/418910

Linda M. Rink - Liberty UT
Christopher Hock - Uintah UT

Morton International, Inc. - Chicago IL

B01D 4600

55487

A unitary rigid filter for use in a high temperature, high pressure application in a pyrotechnic airbag inflator includes a matrix structure formed of porous carbonaceous foam material coated with silicon material and having a high thermal conductivity coefficient for absorbing heat from the gases generated on ignition of a pyrotechnic material. The porous, carbonaceous foam has a porosity or permeability of approximately 40 ppi to 80 ppi and a thin, sheet-like liner of porous, ceramic paper is mounted on the body of the foam matrix structure for improving operational characteristics.

5829785, Nov 3, 1998

Mar 26, 1996

8/620664

Michael P. Jordan - South Weber UT
Christopher Hock - Uintah UT
Matthew A. Cox - Bountiful UT
Alan J. Ward - North Ogden UT

Morton International, Inc. - Chicago IL

B60R 2126

280741

A gas generating inflator assembly for a vehicle safety restraint system including an inflator housing having two walls, an inner wall and an outer wall. The inner and outer walls form a combustion chamber therebetween. A filter pack is disposed within the combustion chamber along an inner diameter of the outer wall. Gas generant is also disposed within the combustion chamber. An internal structure is disposed within the combustion chamber for diffusing the ignitor blast and retaining slag produced by the ignited gas generant. The internal structure is spaced from the filter pack and the inner wall such that a portion of the gas generant is located between the internal structure and the inner wall and another portion of the gas generant is located between the internal structure and the filtration pack. The internal structure can be a ring of solid material, an expanded metal material or screen, a star-shaped configuration having a plurality of portions contacting an inner diameter of the filter pack, or a solid metal structure which may include an internal porous structure screen of wire mesh or expanded metal attached thereto.

5876062, Mar 2, 1999

Jul 29, 1997

8/903040

Christopher Hock - Uintah UT

Autoliv ASP, Inc. - Ogden UT

B60R 2126

280736

A two-walled, dual chamber, inflator for inflation of an automotive airbag in the event of a collision is provided. The inflator includes a simplified housing with two internal chambers, including a central chamber and a coaxial outer chamber. The central chamber houses both the solid fuel gas generant bodies and a electrical igniter having a reliable single-stage ignition train in direct contact with the generant bed. The single-stage igniter includes a resistance wire submersed in the generant bed along a convoluted path. Multiple points of direct contact are established between the igniter wire and gas generant over a substantial portion of the generant bed, which leads to more uniform and efficient ignition of the gas generant. To get sufficient surface area for the generant to contact the igniter wire, the gas generant bodies are formed in relatively small sizes of about 0. 05 inch or less, which, in turn, limits the selection of gas generant materials to those having low burn rates of about 0.

5665131, Sep 9, 1997

Feb 6, 1996

8/597332

Christopher Hock - Uintah UT
Linda M. Rink - Liberty UT
Kurt E. Kottke - Bountiful UT
Paul Philpot - Layton UT

Morton International, Inc. - Chicago IL

B01D 3910, B60R 2128

55487

An improved method for fabricating a filter for use in automotive air bag inflators which comprises forming a hollow cylindrical inner core or combustion screen of filter material and outer filter layers wound outward from the surface of the core so as to be maintained in cylindrical relation thereabout. This invention is specifically directed to an improved filter which does not include a perforated support tube and relies on only the interior combustion screen for support in the final wrapping of the remaining filter structure.

5458366, Oct 17, 1995

Jun 1, 1994

8/252443

Christopher Hock - Uintah UT
Gregory J. Lang - Ogden UT

Morton International, Inc. - Chicago IL

B60R 21045, B60R 2122, B60R 2124

280729

A compartmentalized airbag knee bolster device is mounted to the instrument panel of a vehicle for restraining forward movement of the knees of the front seat occupants. The device contains a plenum chamber attached to an inflator for pressurizing the plenum chamber. A plurality of airbag compartments are in communication with the plenum chamber by a plurality of one way valves. A knee bolster panel is positioned in front of the plenum chamber with the compartments of the airbag situated therebetween. On inflation of the compartmentalized airbag, the knee bolster panel contacts the front of the knees of a vehicle occupant to restrain forward knee movement. The pressure in the compartments behind the area of the knee bolster panel engaged by the occupant's knees increases in the contacted compartments, and accordingly the rigidity of the airbag in the proximate area of contact with the knees.

5673483, Oct 7, 1997

Jun 6, 1995

8/466549

Christopher Hock - Uintah UT
Linda M. Rink - Liberty UT
Kurt E. Kottke - Bountiful UT
Paul Philpot - Layton UT

Morton International, Inc. - Chicago IL

B23P 1100

2989662

An improved method for fabricating a filter for use in automotive air bag inflators which comprises forming a hollow cylindrical inner core or combustion screen of filter material and outer filter layers wound outward from the surface of the core so as to be maintained in cylindrical relation thereabout. This invention is specifically directed to an improved filter which does not include a perforated support tube and relies on only the interior combustion screen for support in the final wrapping of the remaining filter structure.

5431103, Jul 11, 1995

Sep 21, 1994

8/310019

Christopher Hock - Uintah UT
Michael P. Jordan - Bountiful UT
Virginia E. Chandler - Ogden UT
Robert D. Taylor - Hyrum UT
Thomas M. Deppert - Brigham City UT
Michael W. Barnes - Brigham City UT

Morton International, Inc. - Chicago IL

C06B 4500

102287

A gas generant composition contains as a fuel a mixture of a major portion of a triazole or tetrazole and a minor portion of a water soluble fuel; and an oxidizer component, at least 20 wt % of said oxidizer component being a transition metal oxide, such as CuO. Generant compositions in accordance with the invention autoignite in a range around 170. degree. C. , providing autoignition of the generant without the need for separate autoignition devices. Also, the generant compositions are useful as autoignition pyrotechnic in autoignition devices.

6213501, Apr 10, 2001

Mar 19, 1998

9/044450

Christopher Hock - Uintah UT

Autoliv ASP, Inc. - Ogden UT

B60R 2126

280736

An improved ignition system for vehicle airbags is described. This invention includes a novel means for venting igniter material gases in such a manner as to more evenly distribute the flow in a more disperse manner, thereby permitting the gas generant to burn more uniformly throughout the generant bed. This invention by venting igniter gases more efficiently produces improved airbag ballistics, namely lowered average airbag deployment delay and increased consistency of operation.