Bag folding system
First Claim
1. A method of automatically folding an air bag having top and bottom sections, said folding achieving a folded-bag profile suitable for vehicular installation along with an effective bag deployment upon a crash of said vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
- clamping said top and bottom sections together proximate a second portion of said bag to substantially restrict separation of said top and bottom sections at said second portion, said clamping step leaving a first portion of said bag unclamped;
pulling said top section at said first portion of said bag from said bottom section at said first portion of said bag; and
inserting said second portion of said bag into said first portion between said top and bottom sections.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automated system is disclosed for folding vehicle air bags so that a small folded-bag profile and a desirable bag deployment pattern results. A machine having numerous moveable arms is controlled by a controller. An edge folding assembly (EFA) of the machine has five arms, including a center arm, two outer blades, and two outwardly facing U-channel forks, which reside between respective outer blades and the center arm. The EFA moves forward so that all of its five arms engage an unfolded air bag. The forks then raise upward to a level at which the outer blades are aligned with a gap between tines in the forks. The outer blades mesh with this gap causing two pleats to be formed in the edge of the bag. Pleat clamps then move inwardly sideways to engage the two pleats and form a third pleat. Then, the EFA is removed from the bag. The pleat clamps may clamp top and bottom sections of the bag together while tightly gripping the pleats. The bag is then inflated or otherwise pulled apart, except that the pleat clamps can prevent separation of the pleated section. Next, the pleat clamps move closer together to poke the pleats into the center of the separated bag. The bag is then collapsed or deflated, and the pleat clamps are withdrawn from the bag.
44 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of automatically folding an air bag having top and bottom sections, said folding achieving a folded-bag profile suitable for vehicular installation along with an effective bag deployment upon a crash of said vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
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clamping said top and bottom sections together proximate a second portion of said bag to substantially restrict separation of said top and bottom sections at said second portion, said clamping step leaving a first portion of said bag unclamped; pulling said top section at said first portion of said bag from said bottom section at said first portion of said bag; and inserting said second portion of said bag into said first portion between said top and bottom sections. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for automatically folding an air bag having top and bottom sections throughout first and second portions of said bag, said folding achieving a folded-bag profile suitable for vehicular installation along with an effective bag deployment upon a crash of said vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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a controller for coordinating folding operations; pleat clamp, coupled to said controller, for clamping said top and bottom sections of said bag together proximate said second portion of said bag; means, coupled to said controller, for pulling said top section at said first portion of said bag from said bottom section at said first portion of said bag; and means, coupled to said controller, for inserting said second portion of said bag into said first portion of said bag between said top and bottom sections. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of automatically folding an air bag having top and bottom sections, said folding achieving a folded-bag profile suitable for vehicular installation along with an effective bag deployment upon a crash of said vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
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spacing a fork having first and second tines, each having entrance edges, apart by a first gap from a blade having a leading edge, said spacing positioning said blade leading edge apart from said first and second tine entrance edges by a second gap; extending a first section of an edge portion of said bag through said second gap; juxtaposing a second section of said edge portion of said bag with said first tine of said fork; and moving said blade into said first gap to tuck said first section of said bag into said first gap and form a first pleat at said leading edge of said blade and a second pleat at said entrance edge of said first tine; clamping said top and bottom sections of said bag together proximate said edge portion of said bag to substantially restrict separation of said top and bottom sections at said edge portion, said clamping step leaving a central portion of said bag unclamped; pulling said top section at said central portion of said bag from said bottom section at said central portion of said bag; and inserting said clamped edge portion into said central portion between said top and bottom sections; and collapsing said bag. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification