Motor vehicle air bag and fabric for use in same

• US 6,632,753 B1
• Filed: 04/26/2000
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Safety Components Fabric Technologies Incorporated (Elevate Textiles, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Safety Components Fabric Technologies Incorporated (Elevate Textiles, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beasley, Alonzo W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): SINGH-PANDEY, ARTI R
• Application Number:
  US09/558,766
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 139/408-419, 139/420.R, 139/421-423, 442/76, 442/103, 442/104, 442/108, 442/168, 442/164, 442/181, 442/182, 442/183, 442/189, 442/203, 442/206, 442/207, 442/208, 442/218, 442/286, 280/728.1
• US Class Current: 442/203
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23514 coated fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/02 Inflatable articles
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 13/004 with weave pattern being non-standard or providing special effects
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/43 with differing diameters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1307 Bag or tubular film [e.g., pouch, flexible food casing, envelope, etc.]
• 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 442/2139 Coating or impregnation specified as porous or permeable to a specific substance [e.g., water vapor, air, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2369 Coating or impregnation improves elasticity, bendability, resiliency, flexibility, or shape retention of the fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2861 Coated or impregnated synthetic organic fiber fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2893 Coated or impregnated polyamide fiber fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/30 Woven fabric [i.e., woven strand or strip material]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3008 Woven fabric has an elastic quality
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3065 Including strand which is of specific structural definition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3179 Woven fabric is characterized by a particular or differential weave other than fabric in which the strand denier or warp/weft pick count is specified
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3203 Multi-planar warp layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3211 Multi-planar weft layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/322 : Warp differs from weft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3228 : Materials differ
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/326 : Including synthetic polymeric strand material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3276 : Including polyamide strand material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3301 : Coated, impregnated, or autogenous bonded
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3317 : Woven fabric contains synthetic polymeric strand material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3854 : Woven fabric with a preformed polymeric film or sheet

Abstract

An air bag of the type utilized in a vehicle occupant restraint system has at least one panel of coated air bag fabric comprising a base fabric coated with a urethane coating material. The base fabric is woven in warp and fill directions from synthetic multifilament yarns. In at least one of the weave directions, the yarns comprise first yarns of a first yarn size and second yarns of a second yarn size, with the second yarn size being a lesser yarn size than the first yarn size. The first yarns and the second yarns are in predetermined positions in the base fabric to produce a crest and trough pattern on a surface thereof.

Claims

1. A vehicle air bag for use with an on-board inflator mechanism, said vehicle air bag having at least one panel of coated air bag fabric, said fabric comprising:

a base fabric woven from synthetic multifilament yarns having a size of no greater than 650 denier, said yarns being arranged in warp and fill directions;

in at least one of said directions, said yarns comprising first yarns of a first yarn size and second yarns of a second yarn size, said second yarn size being a lesser yarn size than said first yarn size;

said first yarns and said second yarns being arranged in a predetermined yarn position in said fill direction of said base fabric to produce a crest and trough pattern on a surface thereof;

further comprising third yarns of a third yarn size located at predetermined positions in said fill direction of said base fabric, said third yarn size being a lesser yarn size than said second yarn size;

said base fabric being coated with an elastomeric coating material; and

said base fabric is woven to have a repeated arrangement of first yarn-second yarn-third yarn-second yarn-first yarn pattern.

2. A vehicle air bag as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first yarn size is 420 denier, said second yarn size is 315 denier and said third yarn size is 210 denier.

3. A coated fabric for use in a vehicle air bag, said coated fabric comprising:

a base fabric woven from synthetic multifilament yarns having a size no greater than 650 denier, said yarns being arranged in warp and fill directions;

in at least one of said directions, said yarns comprising first yarns of a first yarn size and second yarns of a second yarn size, said second yarn being a lesser yarn size that the first yarn size;

said first yarns and said second yarns being arranged in a predetermined positions in said base fabric to produce a crest and trough pattern on a surface thereof;

further comprising third yarns of a third yarn size located at a predetermined yarn position, said third yarn size being a lesser yarn size than said second yarn size;

said base fabric being coated with an elastomeric coating material; and

said base fabric is woven in the fill direction to have a repeated arrangement of first yarn-second yarn-third yarn-second yarn-first yarn.

4. A coated fabric as set forth in claim 3, wherein said first yarn size is 420 denier, said second yarn size is 315 denier and said third yarn size is 210 denier.