AIRBAG CUSHION FOLDING METHODS

• US 20090108574A1
• Filed: 01/06/2009
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Williams, JD, Russell, Marc, Tree, Ralph, Benny, Jesse, Lachat, Michael, Libby, Anna, Lusk, Howard, Rose, Larry, Bator, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,845,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/743.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

Methods are provided for folding an airbag cushion into a housing. In one implementation of the inventive method, an airbag cushion defined by an upper panel and a lower panel is provided. A first portion of the airbag cushion is tucked into a second portion of the airbag cushion such that the upper and lower panels of the first portion are positioned in between the upper and lower panels of the second portion. The tucked portion is folded in towards the housing. First and second halves of the tucked airbag cushion are folded in towards the housing. Finally, the folded first and second halves of the airbag cushion are folded into the housing.

Claims

1. A method for folding an airbag cushion into a housing, comprising:

obtaining an airbag cushion defined by an upper panel and a lower panel, wherein the airbag cushion is attached to a housing;

tucking a first portion of the airbag cushion into a second portion of the airbag cushion such that the upper and lower panels of the first portion are positioned in between the upper and lower panels of the second portion;

directly joining at least two adjacent layers of the tucked portion of the airbag cushion together, wherein the step of directly joining at least two adjacent layers is performed after the step of tucking a first portion of the airbag cushion into a second portion of the airbag cushion;

folding the tucked portion one time in the direction of the housing;

directly joining at least two adjacent layers of the tucked and folded portion of the airbag cushion together, wherein the step of directly joining at least two adjacent layers is performed after the step of folding the tucked portion one time in the direction of the housing;

continuing to fold the tucked portion until one side of the folded tucked portion is at least approximately even with a first side of the housing;

folding a first half of the airbag cushion until a first side of the folded first half of the airbag cushion is at least approximately even with a second side of the housing, wherein the first half of the airbag cushion includes approximately half of the tucked portion, and wherein the step of folding a first half of the airbag cushion is performed after the steps of tucking a first portion of the airbag cushion and folding the tucked portion;

folding a second half of the airbag cushion until a first side of the folded second half of the airbag cushion is at least approximately even with a third side of the housing, wherein the second half of the airbag cushion includes approximately half of the tucked portion, and wherein the step of folding a second half of the airbag cushion is performed after the steps of tucking a first portion of the airbag cushion and folding the tucked portion; and

folding the folded first and second halves of the airbag cushion into the housing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of joining at least two layers of the tucked and folded portion of the airbag cushion together comprises stitching at least two layers of the tucked portion of the airbag cushion together.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a stitch placed in the tucked and folded portion extends through each of the layers of the tucked portion.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein a stitch placed in the tucked and folded portion is a light stitch so as to allow the stitch to break away upon inflation of the airbag cushion without damaging the airbag cushion.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein a stitch placed in the tucked and folded portion extends across no more than about half of the total width of the airbag cushion.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the stitch placed in the tucked and folded portion is positioned in a center portion of the cushion such that, upon inflation, the unstitched sides of the airbag cushion inflate first, thereby causing the stitch to fail from the sides towards the center.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of folding the tucked portion one time in the direction of the housing comprises reverse folding the tucked portion.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of folding the tucked portion one time in the direction of the housing comprises forward folding the tucked portion.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of continuing to fold the tucked portion comprises reverse rolling the tucked portion until the tucked portion is at least approximately even with a first side of the housing.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of continuing to fold the tucked portion comprises forward rolling the tucked portion until the tucked portion is at least approximately even with a first side of the housing.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of folding a first and second half of the airbag cushion comprises reverse rolling the first and second halves.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of folding the folded first and second halves of the airbag cushion into the housing comprises accordion-folding the folded first and second halves of the airbag cushion.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein, following the step of folding a first half of the airbag cushion, a second side of the folded first half of the airbag cushion opposite from the first side is approximately aligned with the center of the housing.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein, following the step of folding a second half of the airbag cushion, a second side of the folded second half of the airbag cushion opposite from the first side is approximately aligned with the center of the housing.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the airbag cushion is tucked into the second portion of the airbag cushion to a distance of at least about twenty percent of the length of the airbag cushion prior to the tucking step.

16. An airbag cushion assembly, comprising an airbag cushion folded into a housing in accordance with the method of claim 1.

17. A method for folding an airbag cushion into a housing, comprising:

obtaining an airbag cushion defined by an upper panel and a lower panel, wherein the airbag cushion is attached to a housing;

tucking a first portion of the airbag cushion into a second portion of the airbag cushion such that the upper and lower panels of the first portion are positioned in between the upper and lower panels of the second portion, wherein the tuck forms an upper tucked portion and a lower tucked portion, and wherein the upper and lower tucked portions do not comprise equal lengths as measured from a first side of the housing;

directly joining at least two adjacent layers of the tucked portion of the airbag cushion together, wherein the step of directly joining at least two adjacent layers is performed after the step of tucking a first portion of the airbag cushion into a second portion of the airbag cushion;

folding the tucked portion until one side of the folded tucked portion is at least approximately even with the first side of the housing;

folding a first half of the airbag cushion until a first side of the folded first half of the airbag cushion is at least approximately even with a second side of the housing, wherein the first half of the airbag cushion includes approximately half of the tucked portion, and wherein the step of folding a first half of the airbag cushion is performed after the steps of tucking a first portion of the airbag cushion and folding the tucked portion;

folding a second half of the airbag cushion until a first side of the folded second half of the airbag cushion is at least approximately even with a third side of the housing, wherein the second half of the airbag cushion includes approximately half of the tucked portion, and wherein the step of folding a second half of the airbag cushion is performed after the steps of tucking a first portion of the airbag cushion and folding the tucked portion; and

folding the folded first and second halves of the airbag cushion into the housing.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the lower tucked portion extends further away from the airbag housing than the upper tucked portion.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the upper tucked portion extends further away from the airbag housing than the lower tucked portion.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of joining at least two layers of the tucked portion of the airbag cushion together comprises stitching at least two layers of the tucked portion of the airbag cushion together.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein a stitch placed in the tucked portion extends through each of the layers of the tucked portion.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein a stitch placed in the tucked portion is a light stitch so as to allow the stitch to break away upon inflation of the airbag cushion without damaging the airbag cushion.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein a stitch placed in the tucked portion extends across no more than about half of the total width of the airbag cushion.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the stitch placed in the tucked portion is positioned in a center portion of the cushion such that, upon inflation, the unstitched sides of the airbag cushion inflate first, thereby causing the stitch to fail from the sides towards the center.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the steps of folding a first and second half of the airbag cushion comprises reverse rolling the first and second halves.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of folding the folded first and second halves of the airbag cushion into the housing comprises accordion-folding the folded first and second halves of the airbag cushion.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein, following the step of folding a first half of the airbag cushion, a second side of the folded first half of the airbag cushion opposite from the first side is approximately aligned with the center of the housing.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein, following the step of folding a second half of the airbag cushion, a second side of the folded second half of the airbag cushion opposite from the first side is approximately aligned with the center of the housing.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein the first portion of the airbag cushion is tucked into the second portion of the airbag cushion to a distance of at least about twenty percent of the length of the airbag cushion prior to the tucking step.

30. An airbag cushion assembly, comprising an airbag cushion folded into a housing in accordance with the method of claim 17.