Inflatable restraint cushion

• US 5,520,414 A
• Filed: 11/23/1994
• Issued: 05/28/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Milliken Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Milliken Research Corporation
• Inventors: Bishop, Lisa P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US08/344,102
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743.1, 280/728.1, 280/732, 383/3
• US Class Current: 280/743.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration

Abstract

An inflatable cushion formed from a polygonal material blank including a central body panel and two foldable side panel structures disposed laterally of the central body panel at one end thereof. The material blank may be folded in loop fashion such that the central body panel edges mate with the edges of the side panel structures thereby permitting the formation of a poly sectional cushion including a mouth or other entrance for introduction of an inflating medium and a body portion for holding the inflating medium.

Claims

1. In an inflatable restraint cushion formed from a blank of material for use in conjunction with an inflation device for the protection of a vehicle occupant in the event of a collision, the blank of material comprising:

an elongated central body portion having a first body panel section and a second body panel section, the first body panel section and the second body panel section being in proximal relation to one another along an intersecting fold line, the first body panel section being shorter than the second body panel section, said first and second body panel sections being free of any mouth opening for the introduction of inflation gases into said restraint cushion; and

two side panel structures joined to opposite lateral sides of the elongated central body portion such that the two side panel structures are disposed in opposing relation to one another along the first body panel section of the central body portion offset from the center of the central body portion, such that the blank of material may be folded in loop fashion about the intersecting fold line between the first and second body panel sections with the boundary edges of the second body panel section being adjoined to the boundary edges of adjacent side panel structures so as to form a structure having an open mouth formed between terminal ends of the elongated central body portion through which an inflation medium may be introduced.

2. The invention as in claim 1, wherein the two side panel structures are polygonal having a base and a plurality of substantially straight boundary edges.

3. The invention as in claim 2, wherein the two side panel structures have generally trapezoidal configurations.

4. The invention as in claim 3, wherein the bases of the two side panel structures are substantially congruent with the lateral boundaries of the first body panel section of the central body portion.

5. The invention as in claim 4, wherein the two side panel structures have a base and three substantially straight boundary edges.

6. The invention as in claim 3, wherein the second body panel section has a generally tapered configuration, the boundary edge of the second body panel section including edge portions which are matable in overlying relation with the boundary edges of adjacent side panel structures.

7. The invention as in claim 6, wherein the two side panel structures have a base and three substantially straight boundary edges.

8. The invention as in claim 3, wherein the two side panel structures have a base and three substantially straight boundary edges.

9. The invention as in claim 1, wherein the two side panel structures have a substantially rounded profile and a linear base.

10. In an inflatable restraint cushion formed from a blank of material for use in conjunction with an inflation device for the protection of a vehicle occupant in the event of a collision, the blank of material comprising:

an elongated central body portion having a first body panel section and a second body panel section, the first body panel section and the second body panel section being in proximal relation to one another along an intersecting fold line, the first body panel section being shorter than the second body panel section, said first and second body panel sections being free of any mouth openings for the introduction of inflation gases into said restraint cushion; and

two side panel structures joined laterally to opposite sides of the elongated central body portion such that the two side panel structures are disposed in opposing relation to one another along the first body panel section offset from the center of the central body portion, the two side panel structures having a generally trapezoidal configuration wherein the bases of the side panel structures are substantially congruent with and extend along the lateral boundaries of the first body panel section of the central body portion, the second body panel section of the central body portion having a generally tapered configuration including boundary edge portions mateable in overlying relation with the boundary edge portions of the side panel structures such that the blank of material can be folded in loop fashion about the intersecting fold line between the first body panel section and the second body panel section with the boundary edge portions of the second body panel section being adjoined to the boundary edge portions of adjacent side panel structures by at least two separate seams so as to form a structure having an open mouth formed between terminal ends of the elongated central body portion through which an inflation medium may be introduced.