Method of manufacturing an airbag

• US 6,210,519 B1
• Filed: 09/09/1998
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata (Europe) Vehicle Safety Technology GmbH
• Original Assignee: Takata (Europe) Vehicle Safety Technology GmbH
• Inventors: Gloecker, Oliver, Einsiedel, Heinrich, Heudorfer, Benedikt, Klaiber, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): Ball, Michael W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rossi, Jessica
• Application Number:
  US09/150,100
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 156/93, 156/292, 156/310, 156/313, 280/728.1, 428/35.2
• US Class Current: 156/292
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23514 coated fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2359 Welding
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/02 Inflatable articles
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/283 synthetic polymer-based, e.g. polyamide or polyester fibres cellulose-based artificial fibres D03D15/225
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2331/02 polyamides D10B2331/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2331/04 polyesters, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate [PET]
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/063 high strength
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2505/124 Air bags
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1334 Nonself-supporting tubular film or bag [e.g., pouch, envelope, packet, etc.]

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing an airbag which consists of a plurality of airbag parts and has an airbag envelope. In the method at least one airbag part is provided at least regionally with a polyurethane coating through the heating of which the airbag part can be welded to a further airbag part.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an airbag comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning a first air bag part having at least two connection sections in an opposing relationship to a second air bag part having at least two attachment sections, the attachment and connection sections also opposing each other;

(b) coating at least one opposing surface of the first and second air bag parts with polyurethane, wherein the connection or attachment sections located on the at least one opposing surface are coated as well;

(c) contacting the opposing connection and attachment sections with each other; and

(d) heating the first and second air bag parts to thereby weld the first and second airbag parts together at the attachment and connection sections to form an inflatable region between the first and second air bag parts and a first non-inflatable region located within the inflatable region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first non-inflatable region has the outline of a bone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of heating the first and second air bag parts includes heating each of the attachment and connection sections.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the shape of the first and second air bag parts is rectangular.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the attachment and connection sections are positioned so that the non-inflatable region has a rectangular shape.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(e) positioning a third set of opposing attachment and connection sections so that heating the first and second air bag parts forms a second non-inflatable region located within the inflatable region.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second non-inflatable region has the shape of a bone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second air bag parts are welded together around a majority of an outer perimeter of the first and second air bag parts.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the attachment and connection sections are positioned so that the non-inflatable region has a rectangular shape.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the attachment and connection sections are positioned so that the non-inflatable region has a bone shape.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the welded attachment and connection sections forming the inflatable region are integrally connected with the attachment and connection sections forming the non-inflatable region.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the attachment and connection sections are postioned so that the non-inflatable region has the shape of a half-bone.

13. A method of manufacturing an airbag comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a single piece air bag envelope;

(b) coating at least one side of the air bag envelope with polyurethane;

(c) arranging the air bag envelope to form a first air bag part having an attachment section and a second air bag part having a connection section, wherein the first and second air bag parts are integrally connected and wherein the coated sides of each part are opposing and each of the attachment and connection sections are located at the periphery of the first and second air bag parts respectively;

(d) positioning a first parallel attachment section on the first air bag part and a first parallel connection section on the second air bag part, the first parallel attachment section being positioned opposite to the first parallel connection section;

(e) positioning the attachment section located at the periphery of the first air bag part in contact with the connection section located at the periphery of the second air bag part;

(f) positioning the first parallel attachment section in contact with the first parallel connection section; and

;

(g) heating the air bag envelope to thereby weld the attachment and connection sections together forming first and second inflatable regions divided by the first parallel connection and attachment sections.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of heating the air bag envelope includes heating each of the attachment sections.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of heating the air bag envelope includes heating each of the connection sections.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of heating the air bag envelope includes heating each of the attachment and connection sections.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of coating the air bag envelope includes coating each of the attachment sections.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of coating the air bag envelope includes coating each of the connection sections.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of coating the air bag envelope includes coating each of the attachment and the connection sections.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of positioning a second parallel attachment section on the first air bag part and a second parallel connection section on the second air bag part adjacent the first parallel attachment and connection sections, wherein the step of heating the air bag envelope welds the second parallel attachment and connection sections together to thereby reduce the size of the first inflatable region.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the strength of the weld between the second parallel attachment and connection sections is less than the strength of the weld between the peripheral attachment and connection sections located on the periphery of the air bag parts.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of positioning a third parallel attachment section on the first air bag part and a third parallel connection section on the second air bag part adjacent the first parallel attachment and connection sections, wherein the step of heating the air bag envelope welds the third parallel attachment and connection sections together to thereby reduce the size of the second inflatable region.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the strength of the weld between the third parallel attachment and connection sections is less than the strength of the weld between the peripheral attachment and connection sections.