Shrink wrap for inflatable curtain package

• US 6,808,199 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2002
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Saderholm, Davin, Hess, Travis, Heiner, Blake
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Application Number:
  US10/119,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20030188979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.1, 280/728.2, 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/201 Packaging straps or envelopes for inflatable members
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/002 in shrink films B65D71/08 takes precedence

Abstract

An inflatable curtain package that is made of an inflatable curtain wrapped around by a thin film is disclosed. The inflatable curtain has a number of mounting tabs that allows the inflatable curtain to be attached to a vehicle. The orientation of the thin film allows mounting tabs to extend out of a seam in thin film. The inflatable curtain package may be constructed by aligning a first edge of the thin film to a position near a location wherein the mounting tabs attach to the inflatable curtain. Next, the mounting tabs are positioned over the first edge of the thin film. Then a second edge of the thin film is positioned to overlap the first edge and the attachment location. The two overlapping edges cause the thin film to wrap around the inflatable curtain.

Claims

1. A method for wrapping a thin film around an undeployed inflatable curtain, wherein the thin film has a first edge and a second edge, and the undeployed inflatable curtain has a plurality of mounting tabs attached to the inflatable curtain at an attachment location, the method comprising:

selectively aligning the first edge of the thin film to a position proximate to the attachment location of the mounting tabs;

positioning the mounting tabs substantially over the first edge of the thin film;

selectively aligning the second edge of the thin film to a position overlapping the first edge and the attachment location, such that the thin film substantially enwraps the undeployed inflatable curtain.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising adhering the overlapping portion of the second edge of the thin film to the first edge of the thin film.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first edge of the thin film and the second edge of the thin film are heat bonded together.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first edge of the thin film and the second edge of the thin film are adhered by an adhesive.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising placing a perforation in the thin film.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

placing the thin film in a substantially elongated “

U”

shaped channel, such that the first edge extends out of a first side of the channel and the second edge extends out of the second side of the channel;

placing the undeployed inflatable curtain in the channel.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising cutting the thin film to a length larger than the circumference of the undeployed inflatable curtain.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising shrinking the thin film around the inflatable curtain.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein shrinking the thin film comprises placing the inflatable curtain enwrapped by the thin film in an oven.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the undeployed inflatable curtain is in a rolled state.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the undeployed inflatable curtain is in a folded state.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the mounting tabs are woven to the inflatable curtain.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the thin film is shrinkable.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising feeding the thin film from a roll, and cutting the thin film to a length generally equal to the length of the inflatable curtain.

15. A method for wrapping a thin film around an undeployed inflatable curtain, wherein the thin film has a first edge and a second edge, and the undeployed inflatable curtain has a plurality of mounting tabs attached to the inflatable curtain at an attachment location, the method comprising:

placing the thin film and undeployed inflatable curtain in a channel, such that the thin film is selectively situated between the undeployed inflatable curtain and the channel, wherein the first edge and the second edge protrude from the channel;

displacing a first blade tangentially to the undeployed inflatable curtain, wherein the blade displaces the first edge of the thin film over the undeployed inflatable curtain to a position proximate to the attachment location;

displacing a second blade tangentially to the undeployed inflatable curtain, wherein the blade further displaces the second edge of the thin film and the mounting tabs over the first blade;

retracting the first blade; and

adhering the first edge of the thin film to the second edge of the thin film.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the first edge is adhered to the second edge by a heating process.

17. The method as described in claim 15, wherein the first edge is adhered to the second edge by use of an adhesive.

18. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the channel in “

U”

shaped.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the inflatable curtain is substantially elongated.

20. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising shrinking the thin film around the inflatable curtain.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein shrinking the thin film comprises placing the inflatable curtain enwrapped by the thin film in an oven.

22. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the mounting tabs are woven to the inflatable curtain.

23. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising

feeding the thin film from a roll;

cutting the thin film to a length substantially similar to the length of the inflatable curtain.

24. An inflatable curtain package, comprising:

an inflatable curtain having a plurality of mounting tabs extending from the inflatable curtain; and

a thin film having a first edge and a second edge enwraping the inflatable curtain, such that first edge and the second edge form a overlap, and wherein a portion of the mounting tabs extend from the overlap and out of the thin film.

25. The inflatable curtain package of claim 24, wherein the thin film is configured to release the inflatable curtain when the inflatable curtain inflates.

26. The inflatable curtain package of claim 24, wherein the thin film comprises a perforation.

27. The inflatable curtain package of claim 24, further comprising an inflator fluidly coupled to the inflatable curtain.

28. The inflatable curtain package of claim 24, wherein the thin film maintains the inflatable curtain in a rolled configuration.

29. The inflatable curtain package of claim 24, wherein the thin film maintains the inflatable curtain in a folded configuration.

30. The inflatable curtain package of claim 24, wherein in the undeployed state the inflatable curtain is elongated.

31. The inflatable curtain package of claim 24, wherein the thin film is shrink fitted around the inflatable curtain.

32. The inflatable curtain package of claim 24, wherein the first edge and the second edge are heat sealed together.

33. The inflatable curtain package of claim 24, wherein the first edge and the second edge are adhered together by an adhesive.

34. The inflatable curtain package of claim 24, wherein the inflatable curtain is tapered.

35. An inflatable curtain package, comprising:

an inflatable curtain having a plurality of woven mounting tabs extending from the inflatable curtain, wherein the woven mounting tabs have a base portion and an end portion; and

a thin film having a first edge and a second edge enwraping the inflatable curtain, such that first edge and the second edge are heat sealed together, and wherein the base portions of the woven mounting tabs are positioned under the thin film and an end portion of the woven mounting tabs extend out from the thin film.

36. The inflatable curtain package of claim 35, wherein the first edge and the second edge form an overlap.

37. The inflatable curtain package of claim 36, wherein the end portion of the woven mounting tabs extend out from the thin film at the overlap.

38. The inflatable curtain package of claim 35, wherein the inflatable curtain and the woven mounting tabs are integrally formed.

39. The inflatable curtain package of claim 35, wherein in the undeployed state the inflatable curtain is substantially cylindrical, wherein the woven mounting tabs are spaced along the length of the cylindrically shaped inflatable curtain.