Wrapping sheet

• US 20090058048A1
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ando, Takeshi, Ishida, Ryotaro, Nonoyama, Yoshinori, Ito, Michiyasu
• Granted Patent: US 7,837,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/20 Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/201 Packaging straps or envelopes for inflatable members
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

A wrapping sheet is to be torn by the inflation of an air bag. Since attachment shafts, used to hold the folded air bag in position, are projected from the air bag, an engagement portion of the wrapping sheet is fitted on the attachment shafts, and the shape of a folding completed body of the air bag is maintained. The wrapping sheet includes not only the engagement portion, but also a coupled portion to be connected to the air bag, and a folding form control portion, which has an auxiliary engagement portion to be fitted on the attachment shafts. When the auxiliary engagement portion is fitted on the attachment shafts, the shape of the air bag that is being folded is adjusted.

Claims

1. A wrapping sheet to maintain a shape of a folded air bag and tearable when subjected to pressure at inflation of the air bag,

wherein an engagement piece is fitted on attachment shafts, projecting from the air bag, for attachment to a storage portion for storing the folded air bag, so that when the engagement piece has been fitted on the attachment shafts, the shape of the folded air bag is maintained;

wherein a coupling portion is arranged for coupling with part of the air bag, and the engagement piece is located at a portion extending from the coupled portion; and

wherein a folding form control portion includes an auxiliary engagement portion to be fitted either to the attachment shafts or to a jig in a vicinity of the folded air bag, and engages the auxiliary engagement portion with the attachment shafts, or the jig, in order to adjust the shape of the air bag while being folded.

2. A wrapping sheet according to claim 1,

wherein the air bag in the flat state is folded through a plurality of folding steps;

wherein, when, at the next to last step, the coupled portion is positioned on the outer face of a folded portion of the air bag, the auxiliary engagement portion of the folding form control portion is employed as an auxiliary, attachment shaft engagement portion, which is to engage the attachment shaft when the coupled portion is positioned to the outer wall of the folded portion of the air bag; and

wherein, when the auxiliary, attachment shaft engagement portion is fitted to the attachment shafts, a section from the coupled portion to the auxiliary, attachment shaft engagement portion is employed as an auxiliary wrapping section that wraps the folded portion, so that the disarrangement of the folded portion.

3. A wrapping sheet according to claim 2,

wherein the coupled portion is located along an end edge of the folded portion when the auxiliary, attachment shaft engagement portion is fitted on the attachment shafts;

and

wherein the engagement piece is fitted on the attachment shafts, so that the coupled portion is exposed at an end edge of a body of the air bag in the folding completed shape.

4. A wrapping sheet according to claim 1,

wherein the coupled portion is located at a portion of the air bag that becomes a convex fold;

wherein the auxiliary engagement portion of the folding form control portion is employed as an auxiliary, attachment shaft engagement portion that is to engage the attachment shafts during the process for folding the air bag;

wherein, when a portion of the air bag is extracted to form a convex fold during the folding process, the auxiliary, attachment shaft engagement portion engages the attachment shafts; and

wherein, when the auxiliary, attachment shaft engagement portion is fitted on the attachment shafts, the section from the coupled portion to the auxiliary, attachment shaft engagement portion is provided as a fold forming portion that extracts a portion of the air bag and forms a convex fold.

5. A wrapping sheet according to claim 1,

wherein, when a plurality of folding steps are to be performed on a work table used for folding an air bag, beginning with a flat state and by reversing the sides, the auxiliary engagement portion of the folding form control portion is employed as an auxiliary, jig engagement portion that engages, during a folding process, a jig that is located on the work table;

wherein, when the auxiliary, jig engagement portion engages the jig, a folded portion near the coupled portion is securely fixed; and

wherein, when the air bag has been folded, the auxiliary, jig engagement portion is also employed as an engagement piece that engages the attachment shafts to maintain the air bag in shape when the folding process has been completed.