Airbag cushion exhibiting low fabric usage and simultaneously high available inflation volume
First Claim
1. An airbag cushion comprising at least one fabric blank, wherein:
- said at least one fabric blank is symmetrical about a first line of symmetry and has a plurality of edges, said edges including;
two edges substantially perpendicular to said line of symmetry, each of said two edges having a respective first end remote from said line of symmetry and extending from said respective first end, toward said line of symmetry, to a respective second end, and at least one additional edge extending between said respective first ends of said two edges;
said fabric blank comprises a cutout adjacent said line of symmetry and said second ends of said two edges; and
when said fabric blank is folded about said line of symmetry and said two edges are seamed to one another;
a substantially oblong opening is formed;
said at least one additional edge defines a perimeter of said substantially oblong opening; and
said cutout forms a second opening opposite said substantially oblong opening.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to an airbag cushion, which simultaneously exhibits a very low amount of fabric utilized to produce the target airbag cushion in correlation to an overall high amount of available inflation airspace within the cushion itself. These two correlative elements are now combined for the first time in what is defined as an effective fabric usage index (being the quotient of the amount of fabric utilized in the construction of the airbag cushion and the available inflation airspace volume). The inventive airbag cushion must possess an effective fabric usage factor of at most 0.0330. A cushion exhibiting such low seam usage and fabric usage factors and also comprising an integrated looped pocket for the disposition of an inflator can is also provided as well as an overall vehicle restraint system comprising the inventive airbag cushion.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An airbag cushion comprising at least one fabric blank, wherein:
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said at least one fabric blank is symmetrical about a first line of symmetry and has a plurality of edges, said edges including;
two edges substantially perpendicular to said line of symmetry, each of said two edges having a respective first end remote from said line of symmetry and extending from said respective first end, toward said line of symmetry, to a respective second end, and at least one additional edge extending between said respective first ends of said two edges;
said fabric blank comprises a cutout adjacent said line of symmetry and said second ends of said two edges; and
when said fabric blank is folded about said line of symmetry and said two edges are seamed to one another;
a substantially oblong opening is formed;
said at least one additional edge defines a perimeter of said substantially oblong opening; and
said cutout forms a second opening opposite said substantially oblong opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An airbag cushion comprising at least one fabric blank, wherein:
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said at least one fabric blank is symmetrical about a first line of symmetry and has a plurality of edges, said edges including;
first and second edges substantially parallel to said line of symmetry, each of said first and second edges having a respective first end and a respective second end;
a third edge, said third edge having a first end and a second end, said first end of said third edge intersecting said first end of said first edge, said third edge extending from said first edge toward said line of symmetry, a fourth edge, said fourth edge having a first end and a second end, said first end of said fourth edge intersecting said first end of said second edge, said fourth edge extending from said second edge toward said line of symmetry, and four additional edges extending between said respective second ends of said first and second edges;
said fabric blank comprises a cutout adjacent said line of symmetry and said second ends of said third and fourth edges; and
when said fabric blank is folded about said line of symmetry and said third edge is seamed to said fourth edge, a substantially oblong opening is formed;
said first and second edges define one side of the perimeter of said oblong opening; and
said cutout forms a second opening opposite said substantially oblong opening. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An airbag cushion having at least one fabric component, wherein said airbag cushion comprises:
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a body fabric panel having a plurality of lateral boundary edges, the body fabric panel being folded along a fold line over itself, and joined along two of its lateral boundary edges adjacent and perpendicular to the fold line by a first substantially straight seam, and other lateral boundary edges define non-joined boundary edges;
a front fabric panel having a plurality of lateral boundary edges, the front fabric panel being joined around its perimeter to the non-joined boundary edges of the body fabric panel by at least one;
a mouth opening for introducing an inflation means, the mouth opening being formed by a cutout in the body fabric panel, said cutout being adjacent the fold line and said first seam. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification