Sewing apparatus and method for manufacturing vehicular air bags

Abstract

A sewing apparatus is provided for sewing vehicular air bags. Each air bag includes first and second side panels and a main body panel extending therebetween. First and second sewing machines are provided for sewing the seams between the respective first and second side panels and the main body panel. The sewing apparatus comprises at least one rotatable template to which the air bag side panels are mounted. Rotation of the templates advances peripheral portions of the side panels into proximity to the sewing machine, while longitudinal side edges of the main body panel are simultaneously advanced into the sewing machine. The apparatus includes motors and/or air cylinders for moving the first and second sewing machines and the templates towards or away from one another, and for adjusting the relative elevation of the templates and air bag side panels relative to the sewing machines. The apparatus further includes motors for moving the sewing machines toward or away from one another relative to the templates and for adjusting the rotational orientations of the sewing machines. A controller operatively controls the movements of the templates and sewing machines and the speeds of the sewing machines.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.