Method and system for folding an air bag

A method of folding an air bag for a vehicle supplemental inflatable restraint system comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing the air bag in a flattened position, said air bag in said flattened position including a front face, a rear face in facing relationship to said front face, upper and lower edges defined at junctions between said front face and said rear face, an inflation opening located on said front face between said upper and lower edges, and an upper portion defined between said upper edge and said inflation opening and a lower portion defined between said lower edge and said inflation opening;
• (b) successively folding said entire lower portion of said air bag upwardly onto said rear face, beginning at said lower edge and ending at said inflation opening, to form a series of unidirectional folds in said entire lower portion defining an entirely unidirectionally rolled portion of said air bag located over said inflation opening;
• and
• (c) folding said upper portion over said rolled portion.

An air bag for a vehicle supplemental inflatable restraint system, said air bag comprising:

• a front face and a rear face in facing relationship to said front face such that said front face and said rear face entirely abut each other in a flattened position;
• said front face comprising an inflation opening located in said front face for permitting passage of a gas into said bag;
• an upper edge defined at an upper junction between said front face and said rear face what said faces are in the flattened position and a lower edge defined at a lower junction between said front face and said rear face when said faces are in the flattened position wherein an upper portion is defined between said upper edge and said inflation opening and a lower portion is defined between said lower edge and said inflation opening;
• a series of unidirection folds extending over said rear face and formed in said entire lower portion, beginning at said lower edge and ending at said inflation opening, to define an entirely unidirectionally rolled portion located on top of said rear face over said inflation opening;
• and
• wherein said upper portion at least partially extends over said rolled portion.