An inflator 10 of the present invention contains: a housing 12, a cold gas
chamber 16 within the housing 12 for storage of a stored gas supply, a
pyrotechnic chamber 18 within the housing 12, a pyrotechnic charge 20
within the pyrotechnic chamber 18, a wall 22 adjoining the cold gas and
the pyrotechnic chambers 16, 18, a first orifice 24 defined in the wall
22 for passage of gas between the chambers, and a perforated flexible
member 28 contained within the cold gas chamber 16, wherein the flexible
member 28 is fixed about the orifice 24 for modulation or controlled
variation of gas flow through the orifice 24.