Alliedsignal Inc.

Daniel G Zelenak, Jr

Robert J Bishop

Robert P Fontecchio

Michael J Watson

Air bag assembly

A method of folding an air bag and an air bag having a main panel 20 defining a top (26), front (24), and bottom (28) portions and side panels (44a,b) the top and bottom portions defining a neck 30 narrower than the front portion; comprising the steps of: laying bag with bottom portion (28) of main panel (22) flat and as fully extended as possible; flattening the front portion (24) of the main panel (20) to over the flattened bottom portion to form a first lateral extending fold (80) between the bottom (28) and front portions (24) of the bag; maintaining a portion of the front panel (24), proximate the bottom panel (28), relatively flat and folding over the front portion with the top portion to define a second lateral fold (82) between a top portion and the front portion with the top portion flattened and extended as fully as possible, aligning edges (86) of opposing top and bottom portions; placing bag material towards a centerline (70) of bag to form on each side of the bag (20) first (90) and second (92) exterior fore-aft folds and a first interior fold (94); moving the first interior fold out to the aligned edges, between the first and second fore-aft folds, to form a third fore-aft fold (94'); defining on the top (26) and bottom (28) portions of the air bag (20) respective sets of top and bottom fold lines (100a,b), the lateral spacing being approximately equal in dimension to the neck portion (30); moving the first, second and third fore-aft folds and associated air bag material toward the bag centerline and placing same between and aligned with a respective set of top and bottom fold lines forming a top fold (102) and bottom fold (104).

Air bag and folding technique

An assembly comprising: a hollow cylindrical member or can including an opening into which a gas generator may be inserted, the gas generator of the type responsive to a control signal, for generating gas to inflate an air bag. The assembly including the air bag, for protecting, when activated, an occupant of a vehicle, comprising an inflatable bag or sack, disposed in a compacted or stored condition, during periods prior to deployment, proximate a side of the cylindrical member containing at least one aperture, the inflatable bag, including an open end disposed about the cylindrical member to receive the gas an including relatively opposing flaps extending from proximate the open end and adapted to envelop the cylindrical member, the flaps, proximate a side of the cylindrical member, away from the at least one apature, disposed in an overlapping, condition, one to the other. A band of tearable material is provided to secure the air bag in its stored or predeployment condition.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, MI, United States of America

Daniel G Zelenak, Jr