Vehicle occupant protection apparatus with pocket and method of making same

A method for making an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

• removing an elongated portion of material from a first panel to define an elongated opening having a length, a width shorter than the length, and a perimeter;
• folding the first panel so that opposite ends of the first panel overlap;
• attaching a second panel to the first panel along a first edge to form a first side portion;
• attaching a third panel to the first panel along a second edge to form a second side portion;
• and
• attaching a fourth panel having a length and a width shorter than the length to the first panel along the perimeter of the opening, the length of the fourth panel extending along the width of the opening and the width of the fourth panel extending along the length of the opening such that, when the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is inflated, a downwardly open pocket is formed for helping to protect a child in the vehicle.

An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprising:

• an elongated center panel having opposite end portions and longitudinally extending first and second edge portions extending between said opposite end portions, said opposite end portions being positioned overlying each other and interconnected to place said center panel in a continuous loop, said first panel including an elongated opening having a length and a width substantially smaller than said length;
• a first side panel having a periphery interconnected with said first edge portions of said center panel;
• a second side panel having a periphery interconnected with said second edge portion of said center panel;
• and
• an elongated bottom panel having a length and a width substantially smaller than said length, a periphery of said bottom panel interconnected with said center panel along said periphery of said opening, said bottom panel having a transverse orientation relative to said center panel such that said length of said bottom panel is centered along said width of said opening and said width of said bottom panel is centered on said length of said opening, said transverse orientation causing said bottom panel and said center panel to define a downwardly open pocket for receiving a portion of a child size vehicle occupant when said inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is inflated.