Airbag Cushion for Driver and Folding Method Thereof

• US 20100090446A1
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Choi, Hyeong Ho
• Granted Patent: US 7,988,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2035 using modules containing inflator, bag and cover attachable to the steering wheel as a complete sub-unit steering wheel covers with tear lines B60R21/21656; assembling of modules B60R21/217
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2342 Tear seams
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

An airbag cushion for a driver and a folding method thereof. The method of folding an airbag cushion installed inside a cover bracket of a steering wheel includes folding a rear end portion of the airbag cushion at least once towards a bottom surface; folding a front end portion of the airbag cushion at least once towards an upper surface; inserting the folded rear and front portions of the airbag cushion into a space between the upper surface and the bottom surface of the airbag cushion; and folding at least a longitudinal end of the folded airbag cushion at least once. When the airbag cushion deploys, the rear portion of the airbag cushion unfolds towards the inside of the rim portion of the steering wheel and the front portion of the airbag cushion unfolds towards the outside of the rim portion.

Claims

1. A method of folding an airbag cushion installed inside a cover bracket of a steering wheel, comprising:

folding a rear end portion of the airbag cushion at least once towards a bottom surface;

folding a front end portion of the airbag cushion at least once towards an upper surface;

inserting the folded rear and front portions of the airbag cushion into a space between the upper surface and the bottom surface of the airbag cushion; and

folding at least a longitudinal end of the folded airbag cushion at least once.

2. The folding method of an airbag cushion in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rear end portion of the airbag cushion is configured to deploy downwards a rim portion of the steering wheel when the airbag cushion is inflated, and the front end portion of the airbag cushion is configured to deploy upwards the rim portion of the steering wheel.

3. The folding method of an airbag cushion in accordance with claim 2, wherein the folding of the rear end portion of the airbag cushion at least once towards the bottom surface continuously folds the rear end portion of the airbag cushion twice towards the bottom surface so as to cover an upper end of the airbag cushion, and

wherein the folding of the front end portion of the airbag cushion at least once towards the upper surface continuously folds the front end portion of the airbag cushion twice towards the upper surface so as to cover a lower end of the airbag cushion.

4. The folding method of an airbag cushion in accordance with claim 2, wherein in the folding step where the longitudinal end of the airbag cushion is folded at least once, the longitudinal end of the airbag cushion is folded in a forward direction and the folded longitudinal end of the airbag cushion in a forward direction is folded in a rearward direction.

5. The folding method of an airbag cushion in accordance with claim 2, wherein a horizontal stitch line for restraining upwards deployment of the airbag cushion extends in a lateral direction of the airbag cushion on an rear portion of the airbag cushion.

6. The folding method of an airbag cushion in accordance with claim 2, wherein a vertical stitch line for promoting upward deployment of the airbag cushion extends in a vertical direction of the airbag cushion on a front portion of the airbag cushion.

7. An airbag cushion for a driver installed inside a cover bracket of a steering wheel, comprising:

an upper surface and a lower surfaces integrally formed with the upper surface; and

direction-biasing member configured to change a movement direction of the airbag cushion to be offset from an upward movement direction while the airbag cushion is deployed.

8. The airbag cushion for a driver in accordance with claim 7, wherein the direction-biasing member includes:

a first folded portion formed by the upper and lower surfaces at least once folded in one direction; and

a second folded portion formed by the upper and lower surfaces at least once folded in the opposite direction of the first folded portion

9. The airbag cushion for a driver in accordance with claim 8, wherein the first folded portion is disposed in the rim portion of the steering wheel and near to a rear portion of the rim portion.

10. The airbag cushion for a driver in accordance with claim 8, wherein the second folded portion is disposed in the rim portion of the steering wheel and near to a front portion of the rim portion.

11. The airbag cushion for a driver in accordance with claim 8, wherein the first folded portion is configured to be folded in a deployment direction of the airbag so that when the airbag is unfolded the first folded portion is rotated in the opposite direction of the deployment direction of the airbag, and the second folded portion is configured to be folded in the opposite direction of the deployment direction of the airbag so that when the airbag is unfolded the second folded portion is rotated in the direction of the deployment direction of the airbag.

12. The airbag cushion for a driver in accordance with claim 11, wherein, when the airbag cushion is inflated, the first folded portion of the airbag cushion is configured to be deployed downwards a rim portion of the steering wheel and the second folded portion of the airbag cushion is configured to be deployed upwards the rim portion of the steering wheel.

13. The airbag cushion for a driver in accordance with claim 8, further comprising a deployment delay member configured to delay a deployment of the first folded portion of the airbag cushion for a predetermined time period.

14. The airbag cushion for a driver in accordance with claim 13, wherein the deployment delay member includes a horizontal stitch line connecting the upper and bottom surfaces and extending in a lateral direction for restraining upwards deployment of the airbag cushion.

15. The airbag cushion for a driver in accordance with claim 8, further comprising a vertical stitch line extending in a vertical direction for promoting upward deployment of the airbag cushion.

16. An airbag cushion for a driver installed inside a cover bracket of a steering wheel, comprising:

a first rear folded line on which a rear end portion of the airbag cushion is folded towards a bottom surface of the airbag cushion;

a second rear folded line on which the rear end portion of the airbag cushion already folded towards the bottom surface is inserted into a space between the upper surface and the bottom surface of the airbag cushion in order to cover a rear end of the airbag cushion;

a first front folded line on which a front end portion of the airbag cushion is folded towards the upper surface of the airbag cushion;

a second front folded line where the front end portion of the airbag cushion already folded towards the upper surface is inserted into the space between the upper surface and the bottom surface of the airbag cushion in order to cover a front end of the airbag cushion; and

a vertical folded portion on which a longitudinal end of the airbag cushion is folded.

17. The airbag cushion for a driver in accordance with claim 16, wherein, when the airbag cushion is inflated, the rear end portion of the airbag cushion deploys towards the bottom surface of the rim portion with unfolding of the first rear folded line and the second rear folded line, and the front end portion of the airbag cushion deploys in an upward direction of the rim portion with unfolding of the first front folded line and the second front folded line.

18. The airbag cushion for a driver in accordance with claim 16, wherein the vertical folded portion includes a first vertical folded portion on which the longitudinal end of the airbag cushion is folded towards the bottom surface of the airbag cushion and a second vertical folded portion on which the first vertical folded portion is folded towards the upper surface of the airbag cushion.

19. The airbag cushion for a driver in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:

a horizontal stitch line extending in a lateral direction for restraining upwards deployment of the airbag cushion; and

a vertical stitch line extending in a vertical direction for promoting forward deployment of the airbag cushion.