Folded airbag and airbag device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An airbag, folded and mounted in a steering wheel, wherein:
- the airbag is folded along a plurality of vertical folding lines and horizontal folding lines that extend in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, respectively, of the steering wheel in an inflated state, andwherein the airbag is substantially circular in an unfolded state, and a final folded shape of the airbag is obtained by folding the circular airbag a plurality of times along the vertical folding lines into a band-shaped folded body that extends vertically, and then folding an upper portion and a lower portion of the band-shaped folded body along the horizontal folding lines, andwherein the band-shaped folded body is obtained by;
folding a first half portion of the unfolded airbag in the horizontal direction onto a second half portion -along a first vertical folding line positioned in the first half portion so as to obtain a primary folded body;
folding the first half portion and the second half portion in the primary folded body along a second vertical folding line positioned in the second half portion so as to obtain a secondary folded body;
folding the second half portion in the secondary folded body along a third vertical folding line that substantially coincides with the first vertical folding line to obtain a tertiary folded body; and
folding the second half portion in the tertiary folded body along a fourth vertical folding line that substantially coincides with the second vertical folding line and folding the first half portion in the tertiary folded body along a fifth vertical folding line that substantially coincides with the first vertical folding line.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An airbag, airbag device and method provides a folded airbag that inflates leftward or rightward first and then inflates to a fully deployed shape. An airbag is folded along vertical folding lines into a band-shaped folded body that extends vertically, and the band-shaped folded body is folded along horizontal folding lines into a folded body. When the airbag inflates, a right half portion inflates faster than a left half portion.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. An airbag, folded and mounted in a steering wheel, wherein:
-
the airbag is folded along a plurality of vertical folding lines and horizontal folding lines that extend in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, respectively, of the steering wheel in an inflated state, and wherein the airbag is substantially circular in an unfolded state, and a final folded shape of the airbag is obtained by folding the circular airbag a plurality of times along the vertical folding lines into a band-shaped folded body that extends vertically, and then folding an upper portion and a lower portion of the band-shaped folded body along the horizontal folding lines, and wherein the band-shaped folded body is obtained by; folding a first half portion of the unfolded airbag in the horizontal direction onto a second half portion -along a first vertical folding line positioned in the first half portion so as to obtain a primary folded body; folding the first half portion and the second half portion in the primary folded body along a second vertical folding line positioned in the second half portion so as to obtain a secondary folded body; folding the second half portion in the secondary folded body along a third vertical folding line that substantially coincides with the first vertical folding line to obtain a tertiary folded body; and folding the second half portion in the tertiary folded body along a fourth vertical folding line that substantially coincides with the second vertical folding line and folding the first half portion in the tertiary folded body along a fifth vertical folding line that substantially coincides with the first vertical folding line. - View Dependent Claims (2)
-
-
3. An airbag, folded and mounted in a steering wheel, wherein:
-
the airbag is folded along a plurality of vertical folding lines and horizontal folding lines that extend in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, respectively, of a steering wheel in an inflated state, and wherein the airbag is substantially circular in an unfolded state, and a final folded shape of the airbag is obtained by folding the circular airbag a plurality of times along the vertical folding lines into a band-shaped folded body that extends vertically, and then folding an upper portion and a lower portion of the band-shaped folded body along the horizontal folding lines, and wherein the band-shaped folded body is obtained by; folding a first half portion of the unfolded airbag in the horizontal direction onto a second half portion along a first vertical folding line positioned in the first half portion so as to obtain a primary folded body; folding the first half portion and the second half portion in the primary folded body along a second vertical folding line positioned in the second half portion so as to obtain a secondary folded body; folding the second half portion along a third folding line to obtain a tertiary folded body, wherein the third folding line is positioned at a centerline of the airbag; and folding the first and second half portions in the secondary folded body so as to reduce the width in the horizontal direction. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. An airbag device, comprising:
-
an airbag, folded and mounted in a steering wheel, wherein the airbag is folded along a plurality of vertical folding lines and horizontal folding lines that extend in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, respectively, of the steering wheel in an inflated state, and wherein the airbag is substantially circular in an unfolded state, and a final folded shape of the airbag is obtained by folding the circular airbag a plurality of times along the vertical folding lines into a band-shaped folded body that extends vertically, and then folding an upper portion and a lower portion of the band-shaped folded body along the horizontal folding lines, and wherein the band-shaped folded body is obtained by; folding a first half portion of the unfolded airbag in the horizontal direction onto a second half portion along a first vertical folding line positioned in the first half portion so as to obtain a primary folded body; folding the first half portion and the second half portion in the primary folded body along a second vertical folding line positioned in the second half portion so as to obtain a secondary folded body; folding the second half portion in the secondary folded body along a third vertical folding line that substantially coincides with the first vertical folding line to obtain a tertiary folded body; and folding the second half portion in the tertiary folded body along a fourth vertical folding line that substantially coincides with the second vertical folding line and folding the first half portion in the tertiary folded body along a fifth vertical folding line that substantially coincides with the first vertical folding line. - View Dependent Claims (9)
-
-
10. An airbag device, comprising:
-
an airbag, folded and mounted in a steering wheel, wherein the airbag is folded along a plurality of vertical folding lines and horizontal folding lines that extend in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, respectively, of a steering wheel in an inflated state, and wherein the airbag is substantially circular in an unfolded state, and a final folded shape of the airbag is obtained by folding the circular airbag a plurality of times along the vertical folding lines into a band-shaped folded body that extends vertically, and then folding an upper portion and a lower portion of the band-shaped folded body along the horizontal folding lines, and wherein the band-shaped folded body is obtained by; folding a first half portion of the unfolded airbag in the horizontal direction onto a second half portion along a first vertical folding line positioned in the first half portion so as to obtain a primary folded body; folding the first half portion and the second half portion in the primary folded body along a second vertical folding line positioned in the second half portion so as to obtain a secondary folded body; folding the second half portion along a third folding line to obtain a tertiary folded body, wherein the third folding line is positioned at a centerline of the airbag and folding the first and second half portions in the secondary folded body so as to reduce the width in the horizontal direction. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method for folding an airbag, comprising the steps of:
-
providing an airbag, having a plurality of horizontal folding lines and vertical folding lines, in an unfolded state; folding a first half portion of the unfolded airbag in the horizontal direction onto a second half portion along a first vertical folding line positioned in the first half portion so as to obtain a primary folded body; folding the first half portion and the second half portion in the primary folded body along a second vertical folding line positioned in the second half portion so as to obtain a secondary folded body; folding the second half portion in the secondary folded body along a third vertical folding line that substantially coincides with the first vertical folding line to obtain a tertiary folded body; folding the second half portion in the tertiary folded body along a fourth vertical folding line that substantially coincides with the second vertical folding line and folding the first half portion in the tertiary folded body along a fifth vertical folding line that substantially coincides with the first vertical folding line to obtain a band-shaped body; and folding an upper portion and a lower portion of the band-shaped folded body along the horizontal folding lines.
-
-
16. A method for folding an airbag, comprising the steps of:
-
providing an airbag, having a plurality of horizontal folding lines and vertical folding lines, in an unfolded state; folding a first half portion of the unfolded airbag in the horizontal direction onto a second half portion along a first vertical folding line positioned in the first half portion so as to obtain a primary folded body; folding the first half portion and the second half portion in the primary folded body along a second vertical folding line positioned in the second half portion so as to obtain a secondary folded body; folding the second half portion along a third folding line to obtain a tertiary folded body, wherein the third folding line is positioned at a centerline of the airbag; folding the first and second half portions in the secondary folded body so as to reduce the width in the horizontal direction to obtain a band-shaped body; and folding an upper portion and a lower portion of the band-shaped folded body along the horizontal folding lines.
-
-
17. A driver side airbag module to be mounted in a steering wheel having a vertical and horizontal direction, comprising an airbag substantially circular in an unfolded state;
- wherein the airbag is folded a plurality of times along vertical folding lines into a band-shaped folded body that extends vertically, and then upper and lower portions of the band-shaped folded body are folded along horizontal folding lines, and wherein the band-shaped folded body is obtained by;
folding a first half portion of the unfolded airbag onto a second half portion along a first vertical folding line positioned in the first half portion to thereby form a primary folded body; folding the first half portion and the second half portion in the primary folded body along a second vertical folding line positioned in the second half portion to thereby form a secondary folded body; folding the second half portion in the secondary folded body along a third vertical folding line that substantially coincides with the first vertical folding line to thereby form a tertiary folded body; and folding the second half portion in the tertiary folded body along a fourth vertical folding line that substantially coincides with the second vertical folding line and folding the first half portion in the tertiary folded body along a fifth vertical folding line that substantially coincides with the first vertical folding line.
- wherein the airbag is folded a plurality of times along vertical folding lines into a band-shaped folded body that extends vertically, and then upper and lower portions of the band-shaped folded body are folded along horizontal folding lines, and wherein the band-shaped folded body is obtained by;
Specification