# US 8,770,617 B2 · Airbag and method of manufacturing an airbag > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,770,617 B2 - Document ID: US8770617B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/351,264 - Filed: 2012-01-17 - Published: 2013-01-24 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2011-03-15 - Assignees: TRW Automotive GmbH - Applicants: Timo Abele; Werner Freisler - Inventors: Timo Abele; Werner Freisler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770617B2 ## CPC - B60R 21/206: in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees - B60R 21/233: comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other (B60R21/232 takes precedence) - B60R 21/2338: Tethers - B60R 2021/23169: {specially adapted for knee protection} - B60R 2021/23324: {Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents} - B60R 2021/23382: {Internal tether means} - B60R 2021/23509: {Fabric} - Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract The invention relates to an airbag (12) of a vehicle occupant restraint system (10) comprising plural juxtaposed compartments (16) delimited outwardly by opposing external walls (18) and against each other by partitions (20), wherein the airbag (12), in the inflated condition, has a form overall bent and elongate in cross-section. In the bending area the external wall (18) includes a cut-out (22) that is closed by an inserted insert (24) tensioned in the deployed condition which in the longitudinal direction has a length (LE) different in the bending area from the opposing external wall portion (28) of the chamber (16) so as to produce the bending. The invention furthermore relates to a method of manufacturing an airbag of this type. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An airbag (12) of a vehicle occupant restraint system (10), comprising plural juxtaposed compartments (16) delimited outwardly by opposing external walls (18) and against each other by partitions (20), wherein the airbag (12), when in the inflated condition, has an overall bent elongate form in cross-section, wherein in the bending area one of the opposing external walls (18) includes a cut-out (22) which is closed by an inserted insert comprising a panel (24) that is tensioned in the deployed condition and that has in the bending area a length (LE) different from an opposing external wall portion (28) so as to produce the bending, the panel (24) including a first edge portion attached to the one of the opposing external walls (18) along a first edge of the cut-out (22) and a second edge portion attached to the one of the opposing external walls (18) along an opposing second edge of the cut-out (22). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The airbag (12) according to claim 1, wherein the panel (24) is provided inwardly or outwardly of the bending. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The airbag (12) according to claim 1, wherein the panel (24) is also fastened to the one of the opposing external walls (18) by seams (26, 27) by which a partition (20) is fixed to the same external wall (18). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The airbag (12) according to claim 1, wherein the external wall (18) opposing the panel (24) is formed in one piece. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The airbag (12) according to claim 1, wherein the panel (24) extends over substantially the entire width of the airbag (12). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The airbag (12) according to claim 1, wherein the panel (24) extends from one partition (20) to a neighboring partition (20). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The airbag (12) according to claim 1, wherein the second edge portion of the panel (24) that is attached to the one of the opposing external walls (18) is an integral extension of a partition (20). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The airbag (12) according to claim 1, wherein the panel (24) is a woven fabric. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The airbag (12) according to claim 1, wherein the airbag (12) extends in curved shape from one mounting end. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The airbag (12) according to claim 1, wherein the airbag (12) is a knee airbag. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing an airbag (12) according to claim 1, for a vehicle occupant restraint system (10) comprising the method steps of: providing an airbag (12) elongate in cross-section including a plurality of compartments (16) arranged successively in the longitudinal direction, each having a predetermined length in a spreading direction in the inflated condition; providing a cut-out (22) in an external wall (18) of the airbag (12) that helps define at least one of the compartments (16); and inserting an insert comprising a panel (24) having a length (LE) in the spreading direction which is shorter or longer than a length (LA) of an external wall portion (28) opposing the cut-out (22). ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The airbag (12) according to claim 1, wherein the airbag (12) extends in curved shape from one mounting end against the direction of gravitation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The airbag (12) according to claim 1, wherein the panel (24) is configured such that the first and second edge portions overlap an outer surface of the external wall (18). ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The airbag (12) according to claim 1, wherein the panel (24) and the cut-out (22) are oriented in the same plane. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The airbag (12) according to claim 1, wherein a periphery of the panel (24) is connected to the external wall (18) along a periphery of the cut-out (22).