Method for storing a side curtain air bag

A method of folding together a vehicle side curtain airbag comprising the steps of:

• bending a base section of an unfolded air bag toward the outboard side of the vehicle and doubling over onto a middle section of the air bag located directly above the base section, the doubling over creating a crease line between the base and middle sections;
• rolling the adjacent base and middle sections, as a group, by first moving the crease line toward the outboard side of the vehicle, then curling the crease line back toward the unrolled portion of the base and middle sections and then rolling the remainder of the unrolled portion of the base and middle sections;
• and
• collapsing a top section of the extended airbag in a pleated manner.

A method of utilizing a side curtain air bag in a vehicle comprising the steps of:

• bending a base section of an unfolded air bag toward the outboard side of the vehicle and doubling over onto a middle section of the air bag located directly above the base section, the doubling over creating a crease line between the base and middle sections;
• rolling the adjacent base and middle sections, as a group, by first moving the crease line toward the outboard side of the vehicle, then curling the crease line back toward the unrolled portion of the middle section;
• creating a second crease within the base section and then rolling the remainder of the unrolled portion of the middle section;
• collapsing a top section of the extended airbag in a pleated manner;
• and
• fixing the folded airbag between a frame and headliner of a vehicle;
• wherein upon inflation of the air bag, the headliner is dislodged from an interlocked position with a garnish on the vehicle, but neither the headliner nor the garnish are broken.