Thermoplastic Coated, Heat-Sealed Airbag

• US 20090167007A1
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Highland Industries, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Highland Industries, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sescourka, Edward, Schindzielorz, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,408,595 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/743.100
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 1/00 Layered products having a non-planar shape
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/40 Symmetrical or sandwich layers, e.g. ABA, ABCBA, ABCCBA
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/31 Heat sealable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/72 Density
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7242 Non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2439/46 Bags
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/003 Interior finishings
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/40 comprising polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/024 Woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23514 coated fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3854 Woven fabric with a preformed polymeric film or sheet

Abstract

An airbag comprises a pair of fabric layers and a thermoplastic covering on the fabric layers applied by extruding the covering onto a surface of each of the fabric layers. The covering is configured to seal the airbag when heated such that no stitched seam is used to seal the airbag. A primer may be applied between a fabric layer surface and covering to aid in adhesion of the covering to the fabric layer. The airbag can also include internal seams formed by the heat sealed, thermoplastic covering composition.

Claims

1. An airbag comprising:

a pair of woven fabric panels, a surface of each fabric panel is covered by an extruded thermoplastic material,

wherein the two thermoplastic surfaces are thermobonded together to form an inflatable chamber.

2. The airbag of claim 1, wherein each fabric panel has a density of yarns less than about 37×

37.

3. The airbag of claim 2, wherein the density of the yarns is less than about 18×

18.

4. The airbag of claim 3, wherein the density of the yarns is less than about 4×

4.

5. The airbag of claim 1, further comprising an adhesion promoter applied to a surface of each of the fabric panels to thereby encourage adhesion of the thermoplastic material to the surface.

6. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the yarns have a denier between 390 and 450.

7. An airbag fabric comprising:

a first layer of woven nylon yarns having a density of less than about 37×

37; and

a second layer including extruded thermoplastic overlying the first layer.

8. The airbag fabric of claim 7, wherein the density of the yarns is less than about 18×

18.

9. The airbag fabric of claim 8, wherein the density of the yarns is less than about 4×

4.

10. The airbag fabric of claim 7, further comprising an adhesion promoter applied to a surface of the first layer to thereby encourage adhesion of the thermoplastic to the first layer.

11. The airbag fabric of claim 7, wherein the yarns have a denier between 390 and 450.

12. A method of making an airbag comprising:

providing a first layer of woven fabric comprising nylon yarns having a yarn density less than about 37×

37;

extruding a second layer of thermoplastic material onto the first layer; and

thermobonding the second layer with another thermoplastic surface to thereby form an inflatable chamber.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the thermoplastic surface overlies a second fabric layer having a yarn density less than about 37×

37.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the thermobonding step comprises placing a heated die on the first layer.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of extruding includes co-extruding an adhesion promoter with the thermoplastic surface.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein first layer of woven fabric comprises yarns with a denier between 390 and 450.