FILM AIRBAGS

• US 20110042929A1
• Filed: 10/26/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: JOHNSON, WENDELL C., BREED, DAVID S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,822,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/743.1
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/00 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/06 as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/045; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/046; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/12; next to a metal layer B32B15/08; next to a glass layer B32B17/10; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/045; next to a wood layer B32B21/08; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/08; next to a natural or synthetic rubber layer B32B25/08
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/34 comprising polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/024 Woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23514 coated fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23542 Weaving
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23561 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23595 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/02 Inflatable articles
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/46 Flat yarns, e.g. tapes or films
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3033 Including a strip or ribbon

Abstract

Inflatable airbag for a vehicle which is deployed in the event of an accident involving the vehicle to provide protection for an occupant of the vehicle includes a plurality of ribbons coupled together to define an enclosed, fluid-retaining space and a layer of film laminated on at least one of an outer side of the woven ribbons and an inner side of the ribbons. The ribbons each have a width of less than about 3 mm and preferably about 0.5 to about 1 mm. The ribbons may be made from polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester or polyamide and the layers of film may be made from polyethylene, polyurethane, polyester or polyamide. The ribbons and layers of film may be made of the same or different materials.

Claims

1. An inflatable airbag for a vehicle which is deployed in the event of an accident involving the vehicle to provide protection for an occupant of the vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of ribbons coupled together to define an enclosed, fluid-retaining space, each of said ribbons having a width of less than about 3 mm; and

at least one layer of film, each of said at least one layer of film being laminated on a respective one of an outer side of said ribbons and an inner side of said ribbons.

2. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the ribbons are made from NYLON®

, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester or ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.

3. The airbag of claim 1, wherein said plurality of ribbons comprises a first set of ribbons oriented in a first direction and a second set of ribbons oriented in a second direction different than the first direction, said first and second sets of ribbons being woven together.

4. The airbag of claim 1, wherein said at least one layer of film comprises two layers of film, a first one of said layers of film being laminated on said outer side of said ribbons and a second one of said layers of film being laminated on said inner side of said ribbons.

5. The airbag of claim 1, wherein said first and second sets of ribbons are woven together, said at least one layer of film comprising two layers of film, a first one of said layers of film being laminated on said outer side of said ribbons and a second one of said layers of film being laminated on said inner side of said ribbons.

6. The airbag of claim 1, wherein said ribbons are pre-stretched to orient polymer molecules of said ribbons in a ribbon length direction prior to coupling of said ribbons together.

7. The airbag of claim 1, wherein said ribbons are formed in separate pieces, further comprising an elastomer arranged at seams at which said pieces are coupled together to form the space.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the elastomer is polyurethane.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the elastomer is part of the pieces of airbag material.

10. The airbag of claim 1, wherein said ribbons are coupled together to define a side curtain airbag.

11. The airbag of claim 1, wherein each of said ribbons has a width of about 0.5 to about 1 mm.

12. A method for forming an inflatable airbag for a vehicle which is deployed in the event of an accident involving the vehicle to provide protection for an occupant of the vehicle, comprising:

coupling a plurality of ribbons together to define an enclosed, fluid-retaining space, each of the ribbons having a width of less than about 3 mm; and

laminating a layer of film on at least one of an outer side of the ribbons and an inner side of the ribbons.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of ribbons comprises a first set of ribbons oriented in a first direction and a second set of ribbons oriented in a second direction different than the first direction, the step of coupling the ribbons together comprising weaving the first and second sets of ribbons together.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the ribbons are formed in separate pieces, further comprising arranging an elastomer at seams at which the pieces are coupled together to form the space.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein a layer of film is laminated on both the outer side and the inner side of the woven ribbons.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising pre-stretching the ribbons to orient polymer molecules of the ribbons in a ribbon length direction prior to coupling the ribbons together.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the ribbon have a breaking force, the step of pre-stretching the ribbons comprising stretching the ribbons to within about 20% of the breaking force.

18. A method for forming an inflatable film airbag for a vehicle which is deployed in the event of an accident involving the vehicle to provide protection for an occupant of the vehicle, comprising:

providing at least two uniaxially oriented films, each of the films being stretched in a single direction to provide the uniaxial orientation and each of the films having a different orientation direction such that the films are at a non-parallel angle to one another, each of the films comprising ribbons having a width of less than about 3 mm; and

laminating the films together,

the airbag being made only from film.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein two films are provided and the orientation direction of the films is perpendicular to one another.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising coating both sides of the laminated film.