Air Bag: Description and Operation

INFLATOR MODULES

The inflator modules consist of a housing, an inflatable air bag, the initiator, a canister of gas generating materials, and in some cases, stored compressed gas. The initiator is part of the inflator module deployment loop. When the vehicle is involved in a collision of sufficient force, the SDM causes current to flow through the deployment loops to the initiator. Current passing through the initiator ignites the material in the canister producing a rapid generation of gas and the release of compressed gas, if present. The gas produced from this reaction rapidly inflates the inflator module. Once the inflator module is inflated, it quickly deflates through the vent holes and/or the fabric. Each inflator module is equipped with a shorting bar that is located in the connector of the inflator module. The shorting bar shorts the inflator modules circuitry to prevent unwanted deployment of the inflator module when the connector is disconnected.