Tuck folded air bag

• US 5,732,973 A
• Filed: 07/22/1996
• Issued: 03/31/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Turnbull, Roy C., Maier, Bonnie L.
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US08/681,161
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743.1, 280/728.1, 280/729, 280/732, 280/730.1, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/743.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2342 Tear seams

Abstract

An air bag (10) comprises an elongate panel (20) having first and second longitudinally extending side portions (40,50) and a longitudinally extending central portion (60). The panel (20) has first and second opposite end portions (70,80). A first side seam (102) extends along the first side portion (40) of the panel (20). A second side seam (104) extends along the second side portion (50) of the panel (20). A transverse seam (100) joins the first end portion (70) of the panel (20) to the second end portion (80) of the panel. The seams (100, 102, 104) provide the air bag (10) with a pillow-shaped configuration when inflated. The first side portion (40) of the panel (20) is tucked inside the central portion (60) of the panel and is sewn to the central portion with a first tearable stitching section (110) when the air bag (10) is in the deflated condition. The first tearable stitching section (110) is tearable in response to the application of a force greater than a predetermined force due to inflation of the air bag (10) to enable movement of the first side portion (40) from the tucked position to an inflated position extending laterally outward from the central portion (60).

Claims

1. An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said protection device being inflatable from a deflated condition to an inflated, occupant protecting condition by inflation fluid from an inflation fluid source, said protection device comprising:

an elongate panel of material having first and second longitudinally extending side portions and a longitudinally extending central portion between said first and second side portions, said panel having first and second opposite end portions;

said protection device also comprising means for joining said first end portion of said panel to said second end portion of said panel, a first side seam extending along said first side portion of said panel, and a second side seam extending along said second side portion of said panel, said means for joining and said first and second side seams providing said protection device with a pillow-shaped configuration when inflated;

said first side portion of said panel being tucked inside said central portion of said panel to form two layers of material of said first side portion disposed inside said central portion of said panel, said first side portion being sewn to said central portion with a single first tearable stitching section when said protection device is in the deflated condition, said single first tearable stitching section extending through only one of said two layers of material of said tucked first side portion;

said single first tearable stitching section being tearable in response to the application of a force greater than a predetermined force due to inflation of said protection device to enable movement of said first side portion of said panel from the tucked position to an inflated position extending laterally outward from said central portion;

said single first tearable stitching section being disposed adjacent to a laterally inward edge of said tucked first side portion to form a flap of material disposed outside the remainder of said protection device, said flap defining an inflatable volume which is blocked from inflation when said single first tearable stitching section is untorn, said flap of material including said one layer of material of said tucked first side portion.

2. A protection device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first side seam is disposed intermediate said single first tearable stitching section and said laterally inward edge of said tucked first side portion.

3. A protection device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second side portion of said panel is tucked inside said central portion of said panel and is sewn to said central portion with a second tearable stitching section when said protection device is in the deflated condition, said second tearable stitching section being tearable in response to the application of a force greater than the predetermined force due to inflation of said protection device to enable movement of said second side portion of said panel from the tucked position to an inflated position extending laterally outward from said central portion.

4. A protection device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said single tearable stitching section is disposed adjacent to the laterally inward edge of said tucked first side portion and said second tearable stitching section is disposed adjacent to a laterally inward edge of said tucked second side portion.

5. An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said protection device being inflatable from a deflated condition to an inflated, occupant protecting condition by inflation fluid from an inflation fluid source, said protection device comprising:

an elongate panel of material having first and second longitudinally extending side portions and a longitudinally extending central portion between said first and second side portions, said panel having first and second opposite end portions;

said protection device also comprising means for joining said first end portion of said panel to said second end portion of said panel, a first side seam extending along said first side portion of said panel, and a second side seam extending along said second side portion of said panel, said means for joining and said first and second side seams providing said protection device with a pillow-shaped configuration when inflated;

said first side portion of said panel being tucked inside said central portion of said panel and being sewn to said central portion with a first tearable stitching section when said protection device is in the deflated condition;

said first tearable stitching section being tearable in response to the application of a force greater than a predetermined force due to inflation of said protection device to enable movement of said first side portion of said panel from the tucked position to an inflated position extending laterally outward from said central portion;

wherein said first tearable stitching section has a C-shaped configuration including (a) a base portion extending parallel to said first side seam at a location adjacent to a laterally inward edge of said tucked first side portion of said panel and (b) two arm portions extending laterally outward from said base portion in a direction toward an outer side edge of said tucked first side portion.

6. A protection device for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said protection device being inflatable from a deflated condition to an inflated, occupant protecting condition by inflation fluid from an inflation fluid source, said protection device comprising:

an elongate panel of material having a longitudinal central axis and having first and second longitudinally extending side portions and a longitudinally extending central portion between said first and second side portions, said panel having first and second opposite end portions;

said panel having opposite inner and outer major side surfaces, said inner major side surface including a first section on said first side portion of said panel and a second section on an adjacent part of said central portion of said panel;

said protection device also comprising means for joining said first end portion of said panel to said second end portion of said panel, a first side seam extending along said first side portion of said panel, and a second side seam extending along said second side portion of said panel, said means for joining and said first and second side seams providing said protection device with a pillow-shaped configuration when inflated;

said first side portion of said panel being folded laterally inward toward said axis when said protection device is in the deflated condition so that the first and second sections of said inner major side surface of said panel overlie each other and are in abutting engagement with each other;

said protection device further comprising a first tearable stitching section including a plurality of stitches which extend from said outer major side surface on said first side portion through said abutting first and second sections of said inner major side surface and through said outer major side surface on said adjacent part of said central portion of said panel;

said first tearable stitching section being tearable in response to the application of a force greater than a predetermined force due to inflation of said protection device to enable movement of said first side portion of said panel from the folded position to an inflated position extending laterally outward from said central portion;

wherein said first tearable stitching section has a C-shaped configuration including (a) a base portion extending parallel to said first side seam at a location adjacent to a laterally inward edge of said folded first side portion of said panel and (b) two arm portions extending laterally outward from said base portion in a direction toward an outer side edge of said folded first side portion.