COVER FOR INFLATABLE OBJECT
First Claim
1. A cover for an inflatable object having a volume and a top and bottom face, comprisinga cover made of heat shrinkable material wherein the cover encapsulates the volume of the object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention discloses a cover material for an inflatable object such as an air bag. Generally, the cover surrounds the entire inflatable object. The cover has a valve to allow for vacuum compression of the inflatable object. In one embodiment the cover material is constructed out of heat shrinkable material so that the construction may be both compressed and shrunk to allow for the inflatable object to occupy less area. The present invention also discloses a method of constructing an encapsulated inflatable object utilizing the cover presently disclosed.
16 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A cover for an inflatable object having a volume and a top and bottom face, comprising
a cover made of heat shrinkable material wherein the cover encapsulates the volume of the object.
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17. A cover for an inflatable object, comprising:
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a cover made of a heat shrinkable material having a first and second section; the first section having an opening; the second section having a plurality of openings; and a valve that overlies the opening in the first section of the cover. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of making a package for an inflatable object comprising the steps of:
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providing an inflatable object with a perimeter and having a top and bottom face; providing a sheet of material having a first and second section, the first section with a perimeter larger than the perimeter of the inflatable object and a top and bottom face and the second section with a perimeter larger than the perimeter of the inflatable object and a top and bottom face wherein the first section has an opening, and a valve placed on the top face of the first section over the opening; separating the first and second section of material to form a top and bottom section; placing the inflatable object in between the top and bottom section of the cover material so that the top face of the inflatable object is in contact with the bottom face of the first section of the cover and the bottom face of the inflatable object is in contact with the top face of the second section of the material; aligning the perimeter of the first section of the cover and the second section of the cover; and sealing the perimeters of the first section of the cover to the second section of the material. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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27. A method of making a package for an air bag comprising the steps of:
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providing an air bag with a perimeter and having a top and bottom face wherein the bottom face has a plurality of bolts; providing a first and second section of material, the first section with a perimeter larger than the perimeter of the air bag and a top and bottom face and the second section with a perimeter larger than the perimeter of the air bag and a top and bottom face wherein the first section has an opening and the second section has a plurality of openings, and a valve placed on the top face of the first section over the opening; aligning the perimeter of the first section with the perimeter of the second section; sealing a majority of the perimeter of the perimeter of the first section to the perimeter of the second section while leaving an unsealed portion of the perimeter of the first section and an unsealed portion of the perimeter of the second section forming an opening between the first section and the second section; inserting the air bag module in between the opening formed by the unsealed portion of the first section and the unsealed portion of the second section of material so that the top face of the air bag is in contact with the bottom face of the first section of material and the bottom face of the air bag is in contact with the top face of the second section of material; aligning the bolts on the bottom face of the air bag with the plurality of openings in the second section and inserting the bolts through the openings in the second section; sealing the unsealed portion of the first section and the unsealed portion of the second section together; compressing the package; and shrinking the package.
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Specification