Air bag and method for making an air bag

• US 20050006882A1
• Filed: 07/10/2003
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Original Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Inventors: Wang, Yunzhang
• Granted Patent: US 7,025,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23184 Tubular air bags connected to the vehicle at their two extremities
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence

Abstract

An airbag formed to have a series of nodes therein, each node defined by pinching and jointing a portion of alternate opposing sides of a tubular structure so that each node lies generally in a plane at 90° (or near 90°) with respect to an adjacent node. The pinch points or joints are preferably short segments or small areas where the opposing sides are jointed by heat welding, sewing, ultrasonic welding, by adhesives, or by weaving.

Claims

1. An airbag, comprising:

a substantially closed tubular structure having plural nodes formed therein, each node of said plural nodes following an adjacent node and being formed by jointing together at least a portion of opposing sides of said tubular structure to form a joint, said adjacent node having an adjacent joint, said each joint being oriented at an angle with respect to said adjacent joint; and

a nozzle carried by said substantially tubular structure.

2. The airbag as recited in claim 1, wherein said opposing sides are diametrically opposing sides.

3. The airbag as recited in claim 1, wherein said angle is approximately 90°

.

4. The airbag as recited in claim 1, wherein said tubular structure has a diameter and wherein said portion is a segment not more than about 40% of said diameter in length.

5. The airbag as recited in claim 1, wherein said nodes are of substantially equal length.

6. The airbag as recited in claim 1, wherein said each joint is formed by welding said opposing sides.

7. The airbag as recited in claim 6, wherein said each joint is formed by heat welding.

8. The airbag as recited in claim 6, wherein said each joint is formed by ultrasonic welding.

9. The airbag as recited in claim 1, wherein said each joint is formed by adhering said opposing sides.

10. The airbag as recited in claim 1, wherein said each joint is formed by a method selected from the group consisting of weaving, sewing, welding, adhering and combinations thereof.

16. The airbag as recited in claim 1, wherein said each joint is formed by a method selected from the group consisting of weaving, welding, sewing, adhering and combinations thereof.

11. An airbag, comprising:

a side curtain having a bottom edge and passages formed therein;

a tubular structure carried by said bottom edge of said side curtain and having plural nodes formed therein, each node of said plural nodes following an adjacent node and being formed by jointing together a portion of opposing sides of said tubular structure to form a joint, said adjacent node having an adjacent joint, said each joint being oriented at an angle with respect to said adjacent joint; and

nozzle means for receiving gas in said passages of said side curtain and in said tubular structure.

12. The airbag as recited in claim 11, wherein said tubular structure and said side curtain are in fluid communication with each other.

13. The airbag as recited in claim 11, wherein said nozzle means further comprises a first nozzle carried by said side curtain and a second nozzle carried by said tubular structure.

14. The airbag as recited in claim 11, wherein said angle is approximately 90°

.

15. The airbag as recited in claim 11, wherein said tubular structure has a diameter and wherein said portion is a segment not more than about 40% of said diameter in length.

17. A method for making an airbag, said method comprising the steps of:

forming a tubular structure;

partially inflating said tubular structure;

jointing together a first portion of opposing sides of said tubular structure to form a first joint;

rotating said tubular structure by an angle;

jointing together a second portion of said opposing sides of said tubular structure to form a second joint;

incorporating a nozzle into said tubular structure; and

closing said tubular structure so that it can be inflated and deflated through said nozzle.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said angle is 90°

.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said first and second joints are formed by a method selected from the group consisting of weaving, sewing, welding, adhering and combinations thereof.

20. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of attaching said tubular structure to a side curtain.