Airbag structure

• US 20050200108A1
• Filed: 03/09/2004
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Original Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Inventors: Keshavaraj, Ramesh
• Granted Patent: US 7,354,063 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/743.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23533 characterised by the manufacturing process
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

An airbag construction for a vehicle is described. The construction utilizes non-circular polygon shaped panels, which provide greater nesting efficiency than previously achieved by comparable airbags using round panels. In addition, the construction enables the airbag to take full advantage of the strength of the yarns forming the fabric, and the energy absorption of the fabric construction, enabling the use of lower tenacity yarns and/or materials at comparable levels of performance.

Claims

1. An airbag cushion comprising a front panel and a rear panel, wherein each of said front and rear panels has a non-circular configuration, wherein each of said panels comprises generally perpendicularly arranged sets of yarns, and wherein the yarns in the front panel are at a bias to the yarns in the rear panel.

2. An airbag cushion according to claim 1, wherein said front and rear panels comprise a fabric selected from the group consisting of woven fabrics, weft inserted fabrics, weft inserted warp knit fabrics, warp or weft laid fabrics, needlepunched fabrics, and combinations thereof.

3. An airbag cushion according to claim 1, wherein said non-circular configuration comprises a polygonal configuration with a maximum of four sides.

4. An airbag cushion according to claim 1, further comprising a peripheral side panel extending between the front panel and rear panel.

5. An airbag cushion according to claim 1, wherein said front and rear panels have rounded corners.

6. An airbag cushion according to claim 1, wherein said front and rear panels have concave sides.

7. An airbag cushion comprising a front panel and a rear panel, wherein each of said panels has a polygonal configuration with a maximum of four sides, wherein each of said panels is formed of at least two generally perpendicularly arranged sets of yarns, and wherein the yarns in the front panel are at a bias to the yarns in the rear panel.

8. An airbag cushion according to claim 7, wherein said front and rear panels comprise a fabric selected from the group consisting of woven fabrics, weft inserted fabrics, weft inserted warp knit fabrics, warp or weft laid fabrics, needlepunched fabrics, and combinations thereof.

9. An airbag cushion according to claim 7, further comprising a peripheral side panel extending between the front panel and rear panel.

10. An airbag cushion according to claim 7, wherein said front and rear panels have rounded corners.

11. An airbag cushion according to claim 7, wherein said front and rear panels have concave sides.

12. An airbag cushion comprising a front panel and a rear panel, wherein each of said front and rear panels has a geometrical configuration approximating a square, a rectangle, or a triangle, wherein said panels comprise generally perpendicularly intersecting warp and filling yarns, and wherein the yarns in the front panel are at a bias to the yarns in the rear panel.

13. An airbag according to claim 12, wherein said front and rear panels have a geometrical configuration approximating a triangle.

14. An airbag according to claim 12, wherein said front and rear panels have a geometrical configuration approximating a square.

15. An airbag according to claim 12, wherein said front and rear panels have a geometrical configuration approximating a rectangle.

16. An airbag according to claim 12, wherein said front and rear panels define rounded corners and generally concave sides.

17. An airbag according to claim 12, further comprising a peripheral side panel connected to and extending between the peripheries of the front and rear panels.

18. An airbag nesting arrangement having a nesting efficiency of about 95% or greater.

19. A method of making an airbag comprising the steps of:

providing first and second fabric panels having a non-circular geometrical configuration,

orienting the panels such that at least one yarn in one of the panels is at a bias to at least one yarn in the other panel, and

securing the panels to form an airbag.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said step of securing the panels to form an airbag comprises securing the peripheries of the first and second woven fabric panels directly to each other.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein said step of securing the panels to form an airbag comprises securing the peripheries of the first and second woven fabric panels to an intermediate side band forming panel.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein said panels comprise generally perpendicularly intersecting lengthwise and crosswise extending yarns.

23. An airbag cushion comprising a front panel and a rear panel, wherein each of said front and rear panels has a non-circular configuration, wherein said front and rear panels are secured such that at least one yarn in said front panel is at a bias to at least one yarn in said rear panel.