Airbag cushion and method of making airbag cushion
First Claim
1. An airbag cushion comprising at least(a) a first fabric blank and (b) a second fabric blank, said first and said second fabric blanks connected together through the utilization of at least two seams, wherein said airbag cushion has a first end and a second end such that said first end is closed and said second end is open, said second end forming a mouth opening having a seamed perimeter:
- (c) wherein only one of said at least two seams is in contact with both;
(i) said first end, and (ii) said perimeter of said mouth opening of said second end.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to an airbag cushion which exhibits a low amount of seam usage (in order to attach at least two fabric panels or portions of a panel together) in correlation to an overall high amount of available inflation airspace within the cushion itself. These correlated elements are now combined for the first time in what is defined as an effective seam usage index (being the quotient of the length of overall seams on the cushions and the available inflation airspace volume). The inventive cushion must have at least one substantially straight seam and must possess an effective seam usage factor of less than about 0.11. A cushion exhibiting such a low seam usage factor 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.
63 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An airbag cushion comprising at least
(a) a first fabric blank and (b) a second fabric blank, said first and said second fabric blanks connected together through the utilization of at least two seams, wherein said airbag cushion has a first end and a second end such that said first end is closed and said second end is open, said second end forming a mouth opening having a seamed perimeter: (c) wherein only one of said at least two seams is in contact with both;
(i) said first end, and (ii) said perimeter of said mouth opening of said second end. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A vehicle restraint system comprising an airbag cushion made by the method having the following steps
a) providing a first fabric blank having a first end and a second end with two shared edges, wherein said fabric blank also comprises a cut-out pattern for eventual placement of an inflation canister or attachment to an inflation assembly, and wherein said fabric blank optionally comprises reinforcing layers of fabric attached adjacent to said cut-out pattern; -
(b) folding said first fabric blank of step “
a”
such that at least one of said shared edges is in complete contact with itself;
(c) connecting only one of the said at least one shared edge in contact with itself to form a folded composite having a first opening and a second opening, wherein said first opening exhibits edges in a single plane and is wider than said second opening, and wherein said second opening is said cut-out pattern of step “
a”
;
(d) providing a second fabric blank; and
(e) connecting said second fabric blank to said edges of said first opening of said folded composite of step “
c”
. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification