Air bag impact protection arrangement and process for folding an air bag

• US 6,186,534 B1
• Filed: 07/28/1998
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Heinz, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): McKinley, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US09/123,351
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743.1, 280/728.1, 280/728.2, 280/730.2, 280/731, 280/732
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/201 Packaging straps or envelopes for inflatable members
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21 in vehicle side panels, e.g. doors pillar mounted arrangements B60R21/213
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

An air bag impact protection arrangement for vehicle occupants includes a trough-shaped housing in which an inflating device and the folded-together air bag are housed. The inflating device is formed by an elongated tube generator. The air bag is placed into a narrow elongated storage shape by bringing the air bag into its folded-together position by combined turning and rolling foldings. In its folded-together position, the air bag is held by a surrounding protective cover envelope.

Claims

1. Process for folding an air bag of an impact protection system for accommodation in a housing in which an inflating system and the folded air bag are accommodated, the inflating device being formed by an oblong tube generator, comprising:

folding a lower edge section of the air bag inside about a first folding line and folding an upper edge section of the air bag inside about a second folding line so that an elongated, approximately trapezoidal structure is obtained,

folding an edge area inside about a third folding line in an area of a narrow end of the trapezoidal structure,

rolling the edge area inside repeatedly toward a boundary line while forming a rolled package,

turning the rolled package in so that the rolled package extends approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis of the oblong tube generator and is longitudinally offset with respect to the generator,

turning the rolled package and an air bag region situated underneath the rolled package by approximately 180°

inside about a fourth folding line so that the rolled package becomes situated above the tube generator,

folding an upper air bag region inside about a fifth folding line onto the rolled package,

folding a lower air bag region inside about a sixth folding line onto the rolled package to form a folded air bag,

enveloping the folded air bag with a protective covering envelope fastened to the woven layer and suspending a free end of the protective covering envelope on fastening bolts of a generator carrier,

fitting lateral ends of the folded air bag under the protective covering envelope, and

suspending lateral holding tabs of the protective covering envelope on the fastening bolts of the generator carrier.