A dual level inflator is provided for creating at least two different rates and levels of air bag inflation while optimizing cost effectiveness, size, safety and performance. The dual level inflator includes a unitized gas generator canister assembly including two canisters of gas generant material connected to a common base and positioned in a chamber formed in an inflator outer housing. The unitized assembly is easily transportable and mountable on the outer housing. Each canister of the unitized assembly includes apertures permitting direct communication between each canister cavity and the chamber of the outer housing. As a result, generant material positioned in each canister is directly exposed to the conditions in the outer housing chamber. The present assembly is advantageous in that it maximizes the internal volume available to the stored gas and, after the ignition of one canister and the inflation of the air bag, the remaining canister may be ignited without reinflating the air bag due to the previous depressurization of the chamber in combination with the selection of a generant material incapable of effectively burning in a low pressure environment, i.e. the directly connected chamber. The present dual inflator also includes seal means to prevent inadvertent ignition, and an arrangement by which the plurality of apertures formed in one canister are positioned relative to the apertures in the other canister to cause the gas flowing from one set of apertures to be sufficiently cooled by the inert gas in the chamber prior to reaching the apertures of the other canister thereby preventing inadvertent thermally induced ignition of the generant material in the remaining unfired canister.
An improved gear pump having members with different hardnesses includes a housing defining an internal bore with inlet and outlet passageways. A head member includes a wall between the inlet and outlet passageways and extends toward a toothed rotor. A toothed idler gear meshes with the rotor. The head member and idler gear are made of materials having a hardness greater than that of the rotor material. In one embodiment the idler gear is made of ceramic material whereas the head member and rotor are made of cast iron, with the head member treated to have a hardness greater than that of the rotor.
A machine for dispensing a plurality of ingredients includes stepped arrays of canisters providing a source of materials. The bottom ends of the canisters are generally coplanar, and are positioned immediately above a low profile drive train mounted on a tray. A drive train includes two spaced arrays of pumps with a motor providing a common drive for the pumps, mounted between the arrays. A valve tray is located above the canisters and includes a low profile dispense head, an array of tubing members arranged side-by-side in a common, generally horizontal plane, and an array of dispense valves attached at the back of the valve tray. The dispense valves are coupled to the pumps by pairs of fluid lines, so as to circulate materials between the pumps and dispense valves.
A golf practice device includes an elevated platform molded of plastic. The platform includes wooden load distributing members in depressed areas on either side of a central area for the ball. A ball lifting mechanism lifts a ball from a Y-pipe fed from a golf ball filled tube. A motor operates a cam which causes a tee holder to rise and fall within a grooved straight leg of the Y-pipe.
A contact lens washer having a plurality of disposable solution containers for sequential cleaning cycles using daily cleaning solution, enzymatic, solution, disinfecting solution and saline/neutralizing solution. The containers are inserted into the contact lens washer in an inverted condition. A plurality of liquid released solenoids cause the solution containers to inject liquid into a cleaning chamber having a pair of contact lenses to be cleaned. The contact lenses are encased in a lens-encasing member which is agitated to enhance the cleaning capabilities of the contact lens washer. A timing cycle module provides sequential fluid supply both to and from the cleaning chamber and controls agitation of the lens-encasing member.