An air bag and a method of folding an air bag
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorSarbasubha Guha-Thakurta
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An air bag for a motor vehicle and a method of folding an air bag. The method includes the steps of positioning the air bag, extending the air bag in a first direction, positioning first and second perimeter sections of the air bag toward a center line to create upper and lower pleats, and rolling the air bag in a second direction disposed opposite the first direction.
Claims20
A method of folding an air bag for a motor vehicle, the air bag being initially uninflated and having a front panel and a back panel disposed opposite the front panel, the method comprising:
- positioning the air bag such that a center line divides the front and back panels into symmetrical first and second side portions;
- extending the air bag in a first direction along the center line;
- positioning a first perimeter section of the first side portion toward the center line to create a first upper pleat and a first lower pleat;
- positioning a second perimeter section of the second side portion toward the center line to create a second upper pleat and a second lower pleat;
- and
- rolling the air bag in a second direction disposed opposite the first direction.
A method of folding an inflatable air bag for a motor vehicle, the air bag being associated with an air bag module having a housing that includes a cavity and an inflator adapted to provide an inflator gas to actuate the air bag from a deflated condition to an inflated condition, the air bag having a front panel and a back panel disposed opposite the front panel, the method comprising:
- positioning the air bag such that at least a portion of the back panel is disposed proximate the housing and at least a portion of the front panel is disposed proximate the back panel;
- centering the air bag about the housing such that a center line divides the front and back panels into first and second side portions;
- extending the air bag in a first direction along the center line;
- positioning a first perimeter section of the first side portion toward the center line to create a first upper pleat and a first lower pleat;
- positioning a second perimeter section of the second side portion toward the center line to create a second upper pleat and a second lower pleat;
- rolling the air bag in a second direction disposed opposite the first direction;
- and
- packing the air bag into the cavity.
An air bag for a motor vehicle, the air bag being associated with an inflator adapted to provide an inflation gas to the air bag to actuate the air bag from a deflated condition to an inflated condition and a housing adapted to receive the air bag when in the deflated condition, the air bag comprising:
- a front portion and a back portion disposed opposite the front portion, the back portion having an inlet adapted to receive the inflation gas;
- first and second side portions disposed on opposite sides of a center line that symmetrically divides the front and back portions when the air bag is deflated and extended along the center line in a first direction;
- a first folded portion formed along the first side portion, the first folded portion including a first upper pleat, a first lower pleat, and a first fold disposed between the first upper and lower pleats and positioned near the center line;
- a second folded portion formed along the second side portion, the second folded portion including a second upper pleat, a second lower pleat, and a second fold disposed between the second upper and lower pleats and positioned near the center line;
- and
- a rolled portion incorporating the first and second folded portions;
- wherein the rolled portion unrolls away from a head of a vehicle occupant when the air bag is inflated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.