US 5,671,935 A · Air bag and manufacturing method therefor

Abstract

An air bag is described which can be made of a single blank (50) of textile material or plastic sheet. The blank can be composed of several parts, but is preferably in one piece. Parts of the blank can be folded along fold pleats (52a,-i) in mutually parallel planes closely adjacent to each other. The folding pleats pass completely across the blank. Two sections (54) of the blank have mirror-image shapes along one folding pleat. After folding in superimposed planes, the edges which are to be joined lie over one another, and can therefore be easily sewn up. If the inner folding pleats (52i) and outer folding pleats (52a) alternate in the blank, the blank can be folded into a shape in the manner of a closed umbrella, the inner fold pleats (52i) corresponding to the ribs of the umbrella, and the sections (54) connected by the outer fold pleats (52a) projecting outwards. Two sections (54) adjoining an outer folding pleat (52a) are placed on one another, and their free edges (56) are joined to one another, in particular by sewing. By using a special sewing device, all of the edges to be sewn can be sewn simultaneously.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An air bag comprising:

a) a single, one-piece cutting comprising textile material or plastics film,
b) a plurality of sections of said cutting foldable about a plurality of inner and outer folding edges disposed in parallel planes closely juxtaposed,
c) said folding edges fully encompassing the width of said cutting,
d) a first and a second pair of said sections of said cutting being mirror-inverse about a first and a second of said plurality of outer folding edges, respectively, and having, after folding, joining edges in planes located one above the other for joining to each other,
e) said inner folding edges and said outer folding edges alternating within said cutting,
f) said juxtaposed folding edges covering acute angles with respect to each other;
g) said first pair of said mirror inverse sections having stitching edges that are mirror inverse about said first outer folding edge and said second pair of said mirror inverse sections having stitching edges that are mirror inverse about said second outer folding edge;
and
h) two outermost sections of said cutting having mirror inverse stitching edges;
wherein said air bag may be produced to any desired shape by altering the size and shape of said plurality of sections.

7 more elements

An air bag comprising:

a) a single, one-piece cutting comprising textile material or plastics film,
b) parts of said cutting being foldable about inner and outer folding edges in parallel planes closely juxtaposed,
c) said folding edges fully encompassing the width of said cutting,
d) two sections of said cutting being mirror-inverse about an outer folding edge and having, after folding, joining edges in planes located one above the other for joining to each other,
e) said inner folding edges and said outer folding edges alternating,
f) said sections having on both sides of said outer folding edges shapes which are mirror-inverse to each other,
g) said sections on both sides of said inner folding edges also having shapes which are mirror-inverse to each other, and
h) said juxtaposed folding edges covering acute angles with respect to each other such that said sections are adapted to be folded into a configuration of a closed umbrella.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Air bag and manufacturing method therefor

Life of this patent

Air bag and manufacturing method therefor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15