Inflatable confinement for vehicle occupant restraint system and method of making same
First Claim
1. In combination an inflatable confinement for a vehicle occupant restraint system and port means for communicating inflating fluid thereto, whereina. said inflatable confinement is formed of a single layer of material with the margins thereof joined in fluid pressure sealing arrangement and with portions thereof disposed to form an inner fluid chamber and an outer fluid chamber with an aperture formed in the wall of each of said chambers with said port means received therethrough, andb. said port means has a longitudinal portion thereof communicating only with said inner chamber and a portion thereof communicating only with said outer chamber for permitting introduction of inflating fluid simultaneously thereto.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inflatable vehicle occupant restraint confinement having separate inner and outer inflatable chambers formed from a single sheet of material. Fluid port means communicating with both the inner and outer chambers is provided in the form of a cylindrical diffuser. The method of making the confinement includes folding a flat pattern of a single layer of material about its midline and seaming the margins except for a portion adapted for receiving the port means. The folded wall of the confinement thus formed is then folded inwardly to form a pocket and define new folded margins of the pocket which are then seamed together to form the pocket into an inner chamber and an outer chamber formed by the remainder of the material surrounding the inner chamber.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. In combination an inflatable confinement for a vehicle occupant restraint system and port means for communicating inflating fluid thereto, wherein
a. said inflatable confinement is formed of a single layer of material with the margins thereof joined in fluid pressure sealing arrangement and with portions thereof disposed to form an inner fluid chamber and an outer fluid chamber with an aperture formed in the wall of each of said chambers with said port means received therethrough, and b. said port means has a longitudinal portion thereof communicating only with said inner chamber and a portion thereof communicating only with said outer chamber for permitting introduction of inflating fluid simultaneously thereto.
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7. The method of making an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint comprising the steps of:
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a. providing a flat pattern of material suitable for forming into an inflatable confinement; b. folding said pattern onto itself to a double layer of said material; c. seaming said folded material along the margins thereof to form a confinement leaving unseamed a predetermined portion of the margins thereof; d. inverting said confinement through the opening formed by said unseamed portion of the margin such that the seamed portions of said material are within the confinement; e. folding inwardly a portion of said confinement wall material such that a pocket is formed in said confinement and new folded margins are defined at the opening of said pocket; f. seaming said new margins such that said pocket forms an inner chamber and said confinement wall forms an outer chamber surrounding said inner chamber; g. forming an aperture of predetermined size in the wall of said confinement at a location adjacent said unseamed portion of said margin; and
,h. inserting fluid port means through said unseamed portion and said aperture and sealing at least the former about said port means in fluid pressure retaining relationship. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. The method of making an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint comprising the steps of:
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a. providing a flat pattern of material suitable for forming into an inflatable confinement; b. folding said pattern onto itself to a double layer of said material; c. seaming said folded material along the margins thereof to form a confinement leaving unseamed a predetermined portion of the said margins; d. forming an aperture of predetermined size in the wall of said confinement at a location adjacent said unseamed portion of said margin; e. inverting said confinement through the opening formed by said unseamed portion of the margin such that the seams of said material are disposed within the confinement; f. folding inwardly a portion of said confinement wall material such that a pocket is formed in said confinement and new folded margins are defined at the opening of said pocket; g. seaming said new margins such that said pocket forms an inner chamber and said confinement wall forms an outer chamber surrounding said inner chamber; and
,h. inserting fluid port means through said unseamed portion and said aperture and sealing at least said unseamed margins about said port means in fluid pressure retaining relationship. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification