Air bag laminates

• US 5,104,727 A
• Filed: 06/12/1990
• Issued: 04/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Inventors: Wnenchak, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, James J.
• Application Number:
  US07/537,184
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 428/251, 428/252, 428/267, 428/282, 428/284, 428/285, 428/287, 428/315.5, 428/315.9, 428/902, 428/903, 428/198, 428/421, 428/422
• US Class Current: 442/268
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/1692 Other shaped material, e.g. perforated or porous sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/32 at least two layers being foamed and next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/902 High modulus filament or fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/903 Microfiber, less than 100 micron diameter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24826 Spot bonds connect components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249978 Voids specified as micro
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24998 Composite has more than two layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3154 Of fluorinated addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31544 Addition polymer is perhalogenated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3707 Woven fabric including a nonwoven fabric layer other than paper

Abstract

A vehicle passenger safety device, a laminate for the air bag portion of the device which filters out combustion product particles such as sodium azide, sodium oxide, and sodium hydroxide from the inflating gas escaping into the vehicle, and a process for making the laminate.

Claims

1. A laminate comprising, in sequence

(a) a prefilter layer of heat-resistant material;

(b) a layer of porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene; and

(c) a protective layer of air permeable fabric having a minimum tensile strength of at least 7 kilometers per square cm;

said laminate having an air permeability of at least 2.12 liters per second at 227 grams water.

2. A laminate of claim 1 wherein the prefilter layer comprises a polyamide, aramid, polyimide, copolymide, polyphenylene sulfide or glass fabric.

3. A laminate of claim 1 wherein the protective layer comprises glass, aramid, polyimide, or polyphenylene sulfide fiber fabric.

10. An inflatable vehicle passenger safety restraint bag which contains the laminate material of claims 1, 4, or 7.

4. A laminate comprising, in sequence

(a) a protective layer of air permeable fabric having a minimum tensile strength of at least seven kilograms per square centimeter;

(b) a prefilter layer consisting essentially of a heat-resistant material; and

(c) a layer of porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene;

said laminate having an air permeability of least 2.12 liters per second at 227 grams water.

5. A laminate of claim 4 wherein the prefilter layer comprises a polyamide, aramid, polyimide, copolyimide, polyphenylene sulfide or glass fabric.

6. A laminate of claim 4 wherein the protective layer comprises glass, aramid, polyimide, or polyphenylene sulfide fabric.

7. A laminate comprising, in sequence

(a) a prefilter layer consisting essentially of a heat-resistant material;

(b) a protective layer of air permeable fabric having a minimum tensile strength of at least seven kilograms per square centimeter; and

(c) a layer of porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene;

said laminate having an air permeability of at least 2.12 liters per second at 227 grams water.

8. A laminate of claim 7 wherein the prefilter layer comprises a polyamide, aramid, polyimide, copolyimide, polyphenylene sulfide or glass fabric.

9. A laminate of claim 7 wherein the protective layer comprises glass, aramid, polyimide, or polyphenylene sulfide fiber fabric.