Roll-over air bag having a reinforced perimeter seal and associated method for producing a flat reinforced seal in a roll-over air bag

• US 6,355,123 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1999
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Methode Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Methode Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Baker, Robert S., Baker, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tolin, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US09/405,339
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 156/90, 156/273.7, 156/274.4, 156/274.8, 156/275.1, 156/275.3, 156/289, 156/308.2, 156/308.4, 280/730.2, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 156/90
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/04 Dielectric heating, e.g. high-frequency welding , i.e. radio frequency welding of plastic materials having dielectric properties, e.g. PVC
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/004 Preventing sticking together, e.g. of some areas of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1352 Single hem to hem joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/438 Joining sheets for making hollow-walled, channelled structures or multi-tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7392 characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/003 PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2077/00 Use of PA, i.e. polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/703 Bellows
• 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 2021/23576 Sewing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2358 Bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2359 Welding
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/1818 Belt guides
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 : Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 : characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/00 : Safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles safety belts or body harnesses in general A62B35/00

Abstract

A roll-over airbag 10 having an upper fabric panel 15 and a lower fabric panel 20 perimetrically bonded to the upper fabric panel 15. This perimetric joint is reinforced with a lap joint 30 defining a reinforced interior seal. The height and/or thickness of the roll-over airbag 10 can be limited by either selecting a configuration that is self limiting or by limiting the displacement of the upper and lower fabric panels 15 and 20 from one another during expansion of the roll-over airbag 10 by at least one tether member 40 disposed within roll-over airbag 10. Further, a method for producing a flat joint seam in a roll-over airbag in which the lap joint is sealed flat and steps are taken to prevent the upper and lower portions of the lap joint from adhering to one another.

Claims

1. A method of producing a flat joint seam in a roll-over airbag, in which the joint seam of the roll-over airbag is reinforced with a lap joint, said method comprising the steps;

overlaying a first fabric panel having a perimeter of a pre-selected length on a second fabric panel having a perimeter of said pre-selected length, wherein said first and second fabric panel are coated with a bonding agent reactive to RF energy;

bonding said perimeter of said first fabric panel to said perimeter of said second fabric panel using radio frequency energy by pressing a region of said perimeter between a metal form having a surface area selected to conform to said region to be bonded and a bottom plate, wherein said metal form and said bottom plate are in radio frequency conductive communication with a radio frequency generator;

disposing at least one securement member proximate said perimeter, said at least one securement member having said bonding agent coated on at least one side, wherein said at least one securement member includes an upper portion and a lower portion, such that said upper portion adjoins said first fabric panel and said lower portion adjoins said second fabric panel, wherein said at least one securement member is folded such that said upper portion is in contact with said lower portion;

disposing a barrier between said upper portion and said lower portion, wherein said barrier is not reactive to RF energy; and

bonding said upper portion to said first fabric panel and said lower portion to said second fabric panel thereby forming a lap joint reinforced seal using radio frequency energy by pressing a region of said lap joint reinforced seal between said metal form and said bottom plate, whereby said barrier prevents said bonding agent from bleeding through said at least one securement member thereby preventing said upper portion from bonding to said lower portion, wherein said step of disposing said barrier is achieved by constructing said at least one securement member of a material impervious to said bonding agent and non-reactive to radio frequency energy, wherein said bonding agent is coated only on a side of said at least one securement member in contact with said first fabric panel and said second fabric panel.