Method of folding an air bag
First Claim
1. A method of folding an air bag for a vehicle supplemental restraint system comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing an air bag in a substantially flattened position, said air bag having a front edge and a rear edge at longitudinally spaced ends thereof;
(b) folding said air bag along lines extending between said front and rear edges to form a point adjacent to said rear edge; and
(c) forming said air bag into a roll, starting at said point and rolling said air bag toward said front edge.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of folding an air bag for a supplemental inflatable restraint system in a vehicle in which the air bag is folded along diverging diagonal lines to form a pointed tail at a location distal from a front edge of the air bag. The air bag is then folded along substantially parallel lateral fold lines to produce a final desired width for the folded air bag. Subsequently, the air bag is formed into a roll starting from the pointed tail and rolling toward the front edge. The rolled air bag is then packed within a module attached adjacent to the front edge of the air bag. During deployment of the air bag, the rolled tail portion of the air bag is initially trapped within the module such that the pressure initially builds within the forward portion of the air bag with improved control over the forces exerted by the air bag.
29 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of folding an air bag for a vehicle supplemental restraint system comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an air bag in a substantially flattened position, said air bag having a front edge and a rear edge at longitudinally spaced ends thereof; (b) folding said air bag along lines extending between said front and rear edges to form a point adjacent to said rear edge; and (c) forming said air bag into a roll, starting at said point and rolling said air bag toward said front edge. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of folding an air bag for a vehicle supplemental restraint system comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an air bag in a substantially flattened position, said air bag including longitudinally spaced front and rear edges and first and second lateral edges connecting said front and rear edges, and an inflation passage adjacent to said front edge for directing an inflating fluid into said air bag; (b) folding a first rear corner across a central longitudinal axis of said air bag toward said second lateral edge and folding a second rear corner across said longitudinal axis toward said first lateral edge to form said air bag into a substantially triangular shape having a narrow point at the intersection of said central longitudinal axis with said rear edge; (c) folding opposing front corners toward each other across said central longitudinal axis to form substantially parallel edges extending from said front edge toward said rear edge with a pointed tail portion defined adjacent to said rear edge; and (d) rolling said air bag from said tail portion toward said front edge to form a rolled air bag. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. An air bag for a vehicle supplemental restraint system, said air bag comprising:
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a front edge, a rear edge, and first and second lateral edges connecting said front and rear edges; first and second diagonal fold lines extending in diverging relationship to each other from said rear edge toward said front edge to define a point adjacent to said rear edge; substantially parallel lateral fold lines extending from said front edge toward said rear edge;
. andwherein said air bag is formed in a roll with said point located at the center of said roll. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification