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US 7,441,804 B2Granted
Airbag cushion folding method
AssigneeAutoliv ASP, Inc.
InventorsLarry D. Rose, Marc Parker Russell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are embodiments of methods for folding an airbag cushion into a housing. In one implementation of the inventive method, an airbag cushion defined by an upper panel and a lower panel is provided. A first portion of the airbag cushion is tucked into a second portion of the airbag cushion such that the upper and lower panels of the first portion are positioned in between the upper and lower panels of the second portion. The tucked portion is folded in towards the housing. First and second halves of the tucked airbag cushion are folded in towards the housing. Finally, the folded first and second halves of the airbag cushion are folded into the housing.
Claims32
A method for folding an airbag cushion into a housing, comprising:
- obtaining an airbag cushion defined by an upper panel and a lower panel, wherein the airbag cushion is attached to a housing;
- tucking a first portion of the airbag cushion into a second portion of the airbag cushion such that the upper and lower panels of the first portion are positioned in between the upper and lower panels of the second portion;
- directly joining at least two adjacent layers of the tucked portion of the airbag cushion together, wherein the step of directly joining at least two adjacent layers is performed after the step of tucking a first portion of the airback cushion into a second portion of the airback cushion;
- folding the tucked portion until one side of the folded tucked portion is at least approximately even with a first side of the housing;
- folding a first half of the airbag cushion until a first side of the folded first half of the airbag cushion is at least approximately even with a second side of the housing, wherein the first half of the airbag cushion includes approximately half of the tucked portion, and wherein the step of folding a first half of the airbag cushion is performed after the steps of tucking a first portion of the airbag cushion and folding the tucked portion;
- folding a second half of the airbag cushion until a first side of the folded second half of the airbag cushion is at least approximately even with a third side of the housing, wherein the second half of the airbag cushion includes approximately half of the tucked portion, and wherein the step of folding a second half of the airbag cushion is performed after the steps of tucking a first portion of the airbag cushion and folding the tucked portion;
- and
- folding the folded first and second halves of the airbag cushion into the housing.
5 more elements
A method for folding an airbag cushion into a housing, comprising:
- obtaining an airbag cushion defined by an upper panel and a lower panel, wherein the airbag cushion is attached to a housing;
- tucking a first portion of the airbag cushion into a second portion of the airbag cushion such that the upper and lower panels of the first portion are positioned in between the upper and lower panels of the second portion;
- directly stitching at least two adjacent layers of the tucked portion of the airbag cushion together, wherein the step of directly stitching is performed after the step of tucking a first portion of the airback cushion into a second portion of the airback cushion;
- folding the tucked portion in towards the housing;
- folding a first half of the airbag cushion in towards the housing, wherein the first half of the airbag cushion includes approximately half of the tucked portion;
- folding a second half of the airbag cushion in towards the housing, wherein the second half of the airbag cushion includes approximately half of the tucked portion;
- and
- folding the folded first and second halves of the airbag cushion into the housing.
5 more elements
A method for folding an airbag cushion into a housing, comprising:
- obtaining an airbag cushion defined by an upper panel and a lower panel, wherein the airbag cushion is attached to a housing;
- tucking a first portion of the airbag cushion into a second portion of the airbag cushion such that the upper and lower panels of the first portion are positioned in between the upper and lower panels of the second portion, wherein the first portion of the airbag cushion is tucked into the second portion of the airbag cushion to a distance of at least about twenty percent of the length of the airbag cushion prior to the tucking step;
- stitching at least two layers of the tucked portion of the airbag cushion together, wherein a stitch placed in the tucked portion is a light stitch so as to allow the stitch to break away upon inflation of the airbag cushion without damaging the airbag cushion;
- folding the tucked portion until one side of the folded tucked portion is at least approximately even with a first side of the housing;
- folding a first half of the airbag cushion until a first side of the first half of the folded airbag cushion is at least approximately even with a second side of the housing, wherein the first half of the airbag cushion includes approximately half of the tucked portion, and wherein the step of folding a first half of the airbag cushion is performed after the steps of tucking a first portion of the airbag cushion and folding the tucked portion;
- folding a second half of the airbag cushion until a first side of the folded second half of the airbag cushion is at least approximately even with a third side of the housing, wherein the second half of the airbag cushion includes approximately half of the tucked portion, and wherein the step of folding a second half of the airbag cushion is performed after the steps of tucking a first portion of the airbag cushion and folding the tucked portion;
- and
- folding the folded first and second halves of the airbag cushion into the housing.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.