Method for folding airbag, airbag apparatus, and airbag
First Claim
1. A method for folding an airbag attached to a side of a vehicle seat, wherein the airbag is deployed and inflated from the side of the seat in a predetermined first direction such that the airbag is located between a sidewall of a body of the vehicle and an occupant seated on the seat, wherein, with respect to the first direction, the airbag has a proximal end close to the side of the seat and a distal end separated from the side of the seat, wherein the airbag includes a lower expansion portion, a central expansion portion, and an upper expansion portion, wherein, when the airbag is deployed, the lower expansion portion corresponds to the lumbar region of the occupant seated on the seat, the central expansion portion corresponds to the abdomen of the occupant, and the upper expansion portion corresponds to a shoulder of the occupant, wherein, with respect to a second direction that intersects the first direction, the lower expansion portion and the upper expansion portion are located at the sides of the central expansion portion, the method comprising:
- folding the lower expansion portion or the upper expansion portion along a folding line that extends along the first direction such that the folded expansion portion is tucked in the central expansion portion;
folding the airbag to form a pleated portion after tucking the expansion portion, such that the distal end and the proximal end of the airbag approach each other and that folded layers are laminated along the first direction; and
after forming the pleated portion, bending a part of the pleated portion that corresponds to the untucked one of the lower and upper expansion portions substantially by 180°
within a plane containing the first and second directions, so that the bent part approaches a part of the pleated portion that corresponds to the central expansion portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An airbag has a lower expansion portion, a central expansion portion, and an upper expansion portion. When the airbag is deployed, the lower expansion portion corresponds to the lumbar region of an occupant, the central expansion portion corresponds to the abdomen of the occupant, and the upper expansion portion corresponds to a shoulder of the occupant. The lower expansion portion is folded upward to be tucked in a pair of fabric sheets forming the central expansion portion. After tucking, the airbag is folded to form a bellows-like portion such that the distal end of the airbag approaches an inflator located in the proximal end of the airbag. After folding to form the bellows-like portion part of the bellows-like portion that corresponds to the upper expansion portion, which has not been tucked, is bent downward substantially by 180° so that the part contacts the front side of part of the bellows-like portion that corresponds to the central expansion portion. Accordingly, irrespective of the positions of a joined section or a narrow section, the packaged size of the folded airbag is made compact.
43 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for folding an airbag attached to a side of a vehicle seat, wherein the airbag is deployed and inflated from the side of the seat in a predetermined first direction such that the airbag is located between a sidewall of a body of the vehicle and an occupant seated on the seat, wherein, with respect to the first direction, the airbag has a proximal end close to the side of the seat and a distal end separated from the side of the seat, wherein the airbag includes a lower expansion portion, a central expansion portion, and an upper expansion portion, wherein, when the airbag is deployed, the lower expansion portion corresponds to the lumbar region of the occupant seated on the seat, the central expansion portion corresponds to the abdomen of the occupant, and the upper expansion portion corresponds to a shoulder of the occupant, wherein, with respect to a second direction that intersects the first direction, the lower expansion portion and the upper expansion portion are located at the sides of the central expansion portion, the method comprising:
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folding the lower expansion portion or the upper expansion portion along a folding line that extends along the first direction such that the folded expansion portion is tucked in the central expansion portion; folding the airbag to form a pleated portion after tucking the expansion portion, such that the distal end and the proximal end of the airbag approach each other and that folded layers are laminated along the first direction; and after forming the pleated portion, bending a part of the pleated portion that corresponds to the untucked one of the lower and upper expansion portions substantially by 180°
within a plane containing the first and second directions, so that the bent part approaches a part of the pleated portion that corresponds to the central expansion portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 10)
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3. An airbag apparatus for a vehicle, the airbag apparatus having an airbag and a gas supplying device, and being attached to a side of a vehicle seat, wherein, when gas is supplied to the airbag from the gas supplying device, the airbag is deployed and inflated from the side of the seat in a predetermined first direction such that the airbag is located between a sidewall of a body of the vehicle and an occupant seated on the seat, wherein, with respect to the first direction, the airbag has a proximal end close to the side of the seat and a distal end separated from the side of the seat, wherein the airbag includes:
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a lower expansion portion that corresponds to the lumbar region of the occupant seated on the seat when the airbag is deployed; a central expansion portion that corresponds to the abdomen of the occupant when the airbag is deployed; and an upper expansion portion that corresponds to a shoulder of the occupant when the airbag is deployed, wherein, with respect to a second direction that intersects the first direction, the lower expansion portion and the upper expansion portion are located at the sides of the central expansion portion, wherein, prior to deployment, the airbag is folded in a predetermined manner, in which manner, the lower expansion portion or the upper expansion portion is folded along a folding line that extends along the first direction such that the folded expansion portion is tucked in the central expansion portion, the airbag is folded to form a pleated portion such that the distal end and the proximal end approach each other and that folded layers are laminated along the first direction, and wherein a part of the pleated portion that corresponds to the untucked one of the lower and upper expansion portions is bent substantially by 180°
within a plane containing the first and second directions, so that the bent part approaches a part of the pleated portion that corresponds to the central expansion portion. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11)
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9. An airbag attached to a side of a vehicle seat, wherein the airbag is deployed and inflated from the side of the seat in a predetermined first direction such that the airbag is located between a sidewall of a body of the vehicle and an occupant seated on the seat, wherein, with respect to the first direction, the airbag has a proximal end close to the side of the seat and a distal end separated from the side of the seat, wherein the airbag includes a lower expansion portion, a central expansion portion, and an upper expansion portion, wherein, when the airbag is deployed, the lower expansion portion corresponds to the lumbar region of the occupant seated on the seat, the central expansion portion corresponds to the abdomen of the occupant, and the upper expansion portion corresponds to a shoulder of the occupant,
wherein, with respect to a second direction that intersects the first direction, the lower expansion portion and the upper expansion portion are located at the sides of the central expansion portion, and wherein, prior to deployment, the airbag is folded in a predetermined manner, in which manner, the lower expansion portion or the upper expansion portion is folded along a folding line that extends along the first direction such that the folded expansion portion is tucked in the central expansion portion, the airbag is folded to form a pleated portion such that the distal end and the proximal end approach each other and that folded layers are laminated along the first direction, and wherein a part of the pleated portion that corresponds to the untucked one of the lower and upper expansion portions is bent substantially by 180° - within a plane containing the first and second directions, so that the bent part approaches a part of the pleated portion that corresponds to the central expansion portion.
- View Dependent Claims (12)
Specification