Airbag having reinforced seams

• US 20020195808A1
• Filed: 06/06/2001
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Highland Industries, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Highland Industries, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chiou, Joseph J., Crouch, Earl T.
• Application Number:
  US09/875,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20020195808A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/743.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23514 coated fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23576 Sewing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23595 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/10 with styrene-butadiene copolymerisation products or other synthetic rubbers or elastomers except polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/128 with silicon polymers

Abstract

An airbag made of a flexible fabric having an airbag seam sewn by stitching. The fabric defines an airbag inside and an airbag outside and a seam area, where the airbag inside has applied on it in the seam area a sealant.

Claims

1. An airbag comprising a flexible fabric (a) having an airbag seam sewn by stitching and (b) defining an airbag inside and an airbag outside and a seam area, where the airbag inside has applied on it in the seam area a sealant, whereby the sewn seam is reinforced.

2. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the flexible fabric comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of nylon polymer and polyester polymer.

3. The airbag of claim 2, wherein the flexible fabric comprises nylon polymer.

4. The airbag of claim 3, wherein the nylon polymer is selected from the group consisting of nylon 6,6;

nylon 6,10;

nylon 6,12;

nylon 6;

nylon 11;

nylon 12;

nylon 666;

nylon 66612; and

combinations thereof.

5. The airbag of claim 2, wherein the flexible fabric comprises polyester polymer.

6. The airbag of claim 5, wherein the polyester polymer is selected from highly polymerized esters of (a) terephthalic acid and (b) glycols of the series HO(CH₂)_nOH, where n is an integer within the range of 2 to 10.

7. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the flexible fabric includes on the airbag inside a coating material.

8. The airbag of claim 7, wherein the coating material is selected from the group consisting of neoprene rubber and silicone rubber.

9. The airbag of claim 8, wherein the silicone rubber is silicone liquid elastomer.

10. The airbag of claim 7, wherein on the airbag inside, an application of a layer of sealant is on the coated side of the fabric in the seam area.

11. The airbag of claim 10, wherein the sealant layer comprises silicone sealant.

12. The airbag of claim 10, wherein the sealant layer has a thickness ranging from about 0.254 mm to about 1.27 mm.

13. The airbag of claim 10, wherein the sealant layer has a width ranging from about 1 mm to about 30 mm.

14. The airbag of claim 10, wherein the sealant layer provides to the seam area a peel strength of at least about 5 kgf/cm.

15. The airbag of claim 10, wherein the sealant layer has been cured for about 1 to about 60 minutes from about 100 to about 250°

C.

16. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the airbag is a side airbag.

17. The airbag of claim 16, wherein the side airbag is a curtain airbag.

19. The airbag of claim 16, wherein the airbag is a side airbag.

20. The airbag of claim 19, wherein the side airbag is a curtain airbag.

18. An airbag comprising a flexible fabric (a) having an airbag seam sewn by stitching and (b) defining an airbag inside and an airbag outside and a seam area, where the airbag inside has applied on it in the seam area a sealant, whereby the sewn seam is reinforced, wherein:

(i) the flexible fabric is nylon polymer that includes, on the airbag inside, a coating of silicone liquid elastomer; and

(ii) an application of a layer of silicone sealant is on the silicone liquid elastomer in the seam area, wherein the sealant layer has a thickness ranging from about 0.254 mm to about 1.27 mm and a width ranging from about 1 mm to about 30 mm, the sealant layer having been cured for about 1 to about 60 minutes from about 100 to about 250°

C. and providing to the seam area a peel strength of at least about 5 kgf/cm.

21. A method for reinforcing a sewn seam of an airbag, wherein the airbag comprises a flexible fabric (a) having an airbag seam sewn by stitching and (b) defining a seam area, a first side that is an airbag inside, and a second side that is an airbag outside, said method comprising:

(i) providing a flexible fabric;

(ii) applying a sealant on the first side in the seam area;

(iii) sewing the seam area by stitching a seam; and

(iv) achieving an airbag having a reinforced sewn seam.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the flexible fabric comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of nylon polymer and polyester polymer.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the flexible fabric comprises nylon polymer.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the nylon polymer is selected from the group consisting of nylon 6,6;

nylon 6,10;

nylon 6,12;

nylon 6;

nylon 11;

nylon 12;

nylon 666;

nylon 66612; and

combinations thereof.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the flexible fabric comprises polyester polymer.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the polyester polymer is selected from highly polymerized esters of (a) terephthalic acid and (b) glycols of the series HO(CH₂)_nOH, where n is an integer within the range of 2 to 10.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the flexible fabric includes on the airbag inside a coating material.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the coating material is selected from the group consisting of neoprene rubber and silicone rubber.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the silicone rubber is silicone liquid elastomer.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein on the airbag inside, an application of a layer of sealant is on the coated side of the fabric in the seam area.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the sealant layer comprises silicone sealant.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the sealant layer has a thickness ranging from about 0.254 mm to about 1.27 mm.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the sealant layer has a width ranging from about 1 mm to about 30 mm.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the sealant layer provides to the seam area a peel strength of at least about 5 kgf/cm.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the sealant layer has been cured for about 1 to about 60 minutes from about 100 to about 250°

C.

36. The method of claim 21, wherein the airbag is a side airbag.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the side airbag is a curtain airbag.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the airbag is a side airbag.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the side airbag is a curtain airbag.

38. A method for reinforcing a sewn seam of an airbag to prevent leaking of inflation gas when the airbag is inflated, wherein the airbag comprises a flexible fabric (a) having an airbag seam sewn by stitching and (b) defining a seam area, a first side that is an airbag inside, and a second side that is an airbag outside, said method comprising:

(i) providing a flexible fabric, wherein the flexible fabric is nylon polymer that includes, on the first side, a coating of silicone liquid elastomer;

(ii) applying a layer of silicone sealant on a portion of the first side in the seam area, wherein the sealant layer is on the silicone liquid elastomer coating in the seam area and wherein the sealant layer has a thickness ranging from about 0.254 mm to about 1.27 mm and a width ranging from about 1 mm to about 30 mm;

(iii) placing another portion of the first side in the seam area so that the silicone liquid elastomer coating of the other portion is in contact with the sealant layer;

(iv) curing the sealant layer for about 1 to about 60 minutes from about 100 to about 250°

C. whereby the sealant layer provides to the seam area a peel strength of at least about 5 kgf/cm;

(v) sewing the seam area by stitching a seam;

(vi) inflating the airbag with inflation gas; and

(vii) achieving an inflated airbag free of leaking of the inflation gas from the airbag inside via the seam area to the airbag outside for at least 6 seconds.