Polysiloxane coated fabrics for use in air bags

• US 6,239,046 B1
• Filed: 06/07/1999
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bradford Coatings, Llc
• Original Assignee: Bradford Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Veiga, Manuel J., Satin, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Copenheaver, Blaine
• Assistant Examiner(s): SINGH-PANDEY, ARTI R
• Application Number:
  US09/327,243
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 428/12, 428/35.7, 428/36.1, 428/36.2, 428/36.6, 428/36.7, 428/57, 428/58, 428/192, 442/67, 442/71, 442/76, 442/149, 442/157, 442/164, 280/728.1, 280/729, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/732
• US Class Current: 442/76
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23514 coated fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/128 with silicon polymers
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/14 with polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/183 the layers are one next to the other
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/186 one of the layers is on one surface of the fibrous web and the other layer is on the other surface of the fibrous web
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2505/124 Air bags
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1362 Textile, fabric, cloth, or pile containing [e.g., web, net, woven, knitted, mesh, nonwoven, matted, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1366 Textile, fabric, cloth, or pile is sandwiched between two distinct layers of material unlike the textile, fabric, cloth, or pile layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1379 Contains vapor or gas barrier, polymer derived from vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride, or polymer containing a vinyl alcohol unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1383 Vapor or gas barrier, polymer derived from vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride, or polymer containing a vinyl alcohol unit is sandwiched between layers [continuous layer]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/19 Sheets or webs edge spliced or joined
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/192 Sheets or webs coplanar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2066 Different coatings or impregnations on opposite faces of the fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2098 At least two coatings or impregnations of different chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2139 Coating or impregnation specified as porous or permeable to a specific substance [e.g., water vapor, air, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2738 Coating or impregnation intended to function as an adhesive to solid surfaces subsequently associated therewith
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2803 Polymeric coating or impregnation from a silane or siloxane not specified as lubricant or water repellent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2861 : Coated or impregnated synthetic organic fiber fabric

Abstract

The invention is directed to coating a knit, woven, or non-woven textile substrate with adhesive polyurethane layer and then with an elastomeric polysiloxane layer and to then form an air curtain or air bag therefrom with superior air-holding and superior heat resistance.

Claims

1. An air bag comprising:

a.) a textile substrate having opposed surfaces;

b.) a first coating layer of an adhesive polyurethane on one surface of said textile substrate; and

c.) a second coating layer of an elastomeric polysiloxane on said first coating layer.

2. The air bag of claim 1 wherein said textile substrate is a fabric constructed from synthetic fibers.

3. The air bag of claim 2 wherein the synthetic fibers are selected from the group consisting of polyamides and polyesters.

4. The air bag of claim 1 wherein said textile substrate is a knitted, woven, or non-woven fabric.

5. The air bag of claim 1 wherein the textile substrate is a woven nylon.

6. The air bag of claim 1 wherein the first coating layer is selected from the group consisting of aromatic or aliphatic polyester or polyether polyurethanes.

7. The air bag of claim 1 wherein the first coating layer has a coating weight of from about 0.3 ounces/square yard to about 1.5 ounces/sq. yd.

8. The air bag of claim 7 wherein the coating weight is about 0.5 ounces/sq. yd.

9. The air bag of claim 1 wherein the second coating layer has a coating weight of from about 0.5 ounces/sq. yd to about 5.0 ounces/per sq. yd.

10. The air bag of claim 9 wherein the second coating layer has a coating weight of about 1.2 ounces per sq. yd.

11. The air bag of claim 1 wherein the other surface of said textile substrate is coated with an adhesive polyurethane.

12. The air bag of claim 1 wherein the other surface of said textile substrate is coated with a polysiloxane.

13. An air bag comprising:

a pair of coated textile substrates which are joined together;

the outer surface of each substrate having an adhesive polyurethane layer coated thereto and an overlying elastomeric polysiloxane layer.

14. An air bag of claim 13 wherein the coated textile substrates are joined by heat sealing or by heat sealing and sewing.

15. The air bag of claim 14 wherein the coated textile substrates are heat sealed by radio frequency sealing, hot air sealing or ultrasonic sealing.

16. The air bag of claim 15 wherein the coated textile substrates are sealed by radio frequency sealing at from about 10 to about 80 megahertz.

17. The air bag of claim 13 wherein the coated textile substrates are joined about their peripheries.

18. The air bag of claim 13 wherein the air bag is an air-holding curtain.

19. The air bag of claim 13 wherein the coated textile substrates are selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyamides or other synthetic fibers.

20. The air bag of claim 13 wherein the coated textile substrates are woven nylon.

21. The air bag of claim 13 wherein the adhesive polyurethane coating layer is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic or aromatic polyester or polyether polyurethanes.

22. The air bag of claim 13 wherein the weight of the adhesive coating layer is from about 0.3 ounces per sq. yd to about 1.5 ounces per sq. yd.

23. The air bag of claim 22 wherein the weight of the adhesive coating layer is about 0.5 ounces per sq. yd.

24. The air bag of claim 13 wherein the weight of the polysiloxane coating layer is from about 0.5 ounces per sq. yd. to about 5.0 ounces per sq. yd.

25. The air bag of claim 24 wherein the weight of the polysiloxane layer is about 1.2 ounces per sq. yd.

26. The air bag of claim 13 wherein the inner surface of each of said textile substrates is coated with an adhesive polyurethane.

27. The air bag of claim 13 wherein the inner surface of each of said textile substrates is coated with an elastomeric polysiloxane.