Air-bag
AssigneeAutoliv Development AB
InventorAlan Bradburn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air-bag is formed from a single element of laminar material such as fabric. The element defines a rectangular region having linear side edges. This region has a shape and configuration equivalent to that of the air-bag when inflated. Each side edge of the region carries a protruding flap. There are infill elements between adjacent flaps. The flaps are inwardly folded to overlie the rectangular region. Each infill element lies between two respective inwardly folded adjacent flaps. The folded element may be secured to form an air-tight air-bag with reinforced corners.
Claims11
An air-bag, being formed from a single element of a laminar material, the element defining a polygonal region having at least four side edges, and having a shape and configuration equivalent to that of the air-bag when inflated, the side edges of the central polygonal region carrying a protruding flap including upper and lower flaps and at least two side flaps, there being at least one infill element defined between the side flaps and the upper and lower flaps, the side flaps and the upper and lower flaps being inwardly folded to overlie the central polygonal region and at least partially to overlie each other, the infill element lying between two respective inwardly folded adjacent of the side flaps or the upper and lower flaps, the flaps being secured to form the air-bag.
A method of making an air-bag, the method comprising the steps of taking an element of laminar material, the element defining a square or rectangular central region, two opposed side edges of the central region carrying inwardly respective foldable first and second flaps, the first and second inwardly foldable flaps having a combined area greater than the area of the central region, two further opposed side edges of the central region having further inwardly foldable side flaps, there being infill elements between each of the adjacent flaps, applying adhesive to the first inwardly foldable flap adjacent two side edges of the first inwardly foldable flap, and folding the first flap inwardly to overlie the central region, applying adhesive to the second inwardly foldable flap adjacent two opposed side edges and a free edge of the second inwardly foldable flap, and folding the second inwardly foldable flap inwardly so that the adhesive secures the second flap to part of the central region and also part of the first inwardly folded flap, and applying adhesive to the further inwardly foldable side flaps and the infill elements, and folding the side flaps and infill elements inwardly to overly the central region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.