Air bag for passenger and folding method thereof

• US 6,186,544 B1
• Filed: 04/06/1999
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Igawa, Tadahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/286,293
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 280/732, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/743.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

An air bag for a front passenger is provided with a loose portion on a windshield side, and after the loose portion is formed, edges of the air bag on the opposite side of the windshield are folded in concavities formed behind the loose portion. Then, the air bag is folded toward the passenger side. Therefore, the air bag starts to deploy from a part on the windshield side to provide suitable deployment to securely restrain an occupant. The air bag can be deployed smoothly, and prevent undesired pressure on the windshield without increasing the cost.

Claims

1. A method of folding an air bag to be deployed in front of a front passenger seat, comprising:

placing an air bag in a plane so that an inlet is located at one side of a rear portion of the air bag to extend laterally, forming a loose portion at a center of a front portion of the air bag on a windshield side, said loose portion having a width substantially corresponding to a width of an air bag case to be disposed and extending perpendicularly to an extending direction of the inlet from a portion near the opening of the air bag to a tip portion of the air bag away from the opening, and concavities behind the loose portion on two lateral sides of the loose portion to thereby place a main portion under the loose portion,

folding right and left edges of the main portion of the air bag toward the center of the air bag along the loose portion to be placed in the concavities so that the main portion after the right and left edges are folded has a width substantially same as the width of the loose portion and is located under the loose portion, and

folding the tip portion of the air bag to the passenger side so that when the air bag is deployed, the loose portion of the air bag at the windshield side is deployed from the portion near the opening to the tip portion to thereby reduce a striking force of the air bag against the windshield.

2. A method of folding an air bag according to claim 1, wherein said folding the right and left edges of the air bag and said folding the tip portion of the air bag include rolling the edges and tip portion of the air bag.

3. A method of folding an air bag according to claim 1, wherein said loose portion includes lateral recesses extending toward the center of the air bag on two sides along the loose portion.

4. A folded air bag to be deployed in front of a front passenger seat formed by steps comprising:

placing an air bag in a plane so that an inlet is located at one side of a rear portion of the air bag to extend laterally,

forming a loose portion at a center of a front portion of the air bag on a windshield side, said loose portion having a width substantially corresponding to a width of an air bag case to be disposed and extending perpendicularly to an extending direction of the inlet from a portion near the opening of the air bag to a tip portion of the air bag away from the opening, and concavities behind the loose portion on two lateral sides of the loose portion to thereby place a main portion under the loose portion,

folding right and left edges of the main portion of the air bag toward the center of the air bag along the loose portion to be placed in the concavities so that the main portion after the right and left edges are folded has a width substantially same as the width of the loose portion and is located under the loose portion, and

folding the tip portion of the air bag to the passenger side so that when the air bag is deployed, the loose portion of the air bag at the windshield side is deployed from the portion near the opening to the tip portion to thereby reduce a striking force of the air bag against the windshield.