GB2251184A - Reinforced throat for airbag - Google Patents

Reinforced throat for airbag Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2251184A
GB2251184A GB9028171A GB9028171A GB2251184A GB 2251184 A GB2251184 A GB 2251184A GB 9028171 A GB9028171 A GB 9028171A GB 9028171 A GB9028171 A GB 9028171A GB 2251184 A GB2251184 A GB 2251184A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
rubber
fabric
ring
airbag
throat
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB9028171A
Other versions
GB2251184B (en
GB9028171D0 (en
Inventor
Jack Beedham
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Airbags International Ltd
Original Assignee
Airbags International Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Airbags International Ltd filed Critical Airbags International Ltd
Priority to GB9028171A priority Critical patent/GB2251184B/en
Publication of GB9028171D0 publication Critical patent/GB9028171D0/en
Publication of GB2251184A publication Critical patent/GB2251184A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2251184B publication Critical patent/GB2251184B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/23—Inflatable members
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
    • A47C27/00—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas
    • A47C27/08—Fluid mattresses or cushions
    • A47C27/081—Fluid mattresses or cushions of pneumatic type

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Air Bags (AREA)

Abstract

A method of reinforcing the throat area 22 of an airbag 10 comprises placing a ring 24, 26 of unvulcanised rubber on either side of the bag fabric around the throat opening and heat treating the combination whereby to effect curing of the rubber. The heat treatment may be carried out by press moulding the sandwiched fabric and a locking ring for a gas generator may be moulded to the fabric simultaneously. After this the generator 16 is attached to the locking ring in order to complete the bag. <IMAGE>

Description

AIRI3AG Tlris invention relates to an airbag and in particular relates to an inflatable airbag for the protection of vehicle occupants in the event of a collision.
Considerable interest is at present being shown in the wider application of airbag safety restraints for use in transportation. These are in general bags stowed towards the front of the passenger compartment of a vehicle arranged to inflate rapidly in the event of a collision and thus restrain the occupants of the vehicle and prevent them being injured by being thrown against hard internal surfaces within the vehicle. Currently produced airbags, especially those for the driver side, tend to be manufactured from a chlorobutadiene rubber coated polyamide fabric.Our pCT publication WO/9O/09995 discloses a method of manufacturing an airbag by weaving on a loom which comprises forming upper and lower fabrics sImultaneously and causing them to be combined in selected areas whereby to defline and enclose the desired shape. By controlling weave density, permeability of the fabric can be selected to preclude the need for a coating.
Airbags are deployed by the use of a gas generator which rapidly inflates the bag when triggered. The generator is attached to the bag at a throat which may be reinforced.
Different methods of reInforcing the throat for attachmen-t of the gas generator are disclosed in our above-mentioned PCT publication.
The present Invention seeps to provide an improved throat reinorcement.
According to the present invention there is provided a method of reinforcing the throat area of an airbag which comprises placing a ring of unvulcanised rubber on either side of the bag fabric around the throat opening and heat treating the combination whereby to effect curing of the rubber.
Vnlile any suitable rubber composition can be employed, it is preferred to use a silicone rubber. this is particularly so owing to the fact that, in addition to providing physical reinforcement for carrying the gas generator, the rubber further provides a degree of heat protection for the fabric immediately adjacent the generator which may ordinarily be exposed to hot gases.
Often e sewn-n reinforced heat shield will be -ot~ovi ded adjacent the generator and this may be eliminated in accordance with the invention.
In the preferred form of construction the generator locking ring may be adhered to the rubber ring on one side of the fabric simultaneously with the curing step. Alternatively or additionally, additional reinforcement in the form of a mesh ring or glass fibre mat can also be Incorporated if extra strength or stability is called o.
While it is more economical to provide the rubber in the form of a ring to surround the cut-oui hole for the generator throat, if preferred a disc of rubber may be applied to the fabric before the throat is cut-out.
While the method of the invention may advantageouly be employed with the airbags disclosed in our above mentioned PCs publIcation, it may be used with other forms of currently available airbag, whether coated or uncoated, and in particular those formed by cut and sew methods Tlie invention will be described further, by way of example, witil reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the sole figure is a sectional diagrammatic view of an airbag manufactured in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to the drawling, an airbag is illustrated comprising an upper fabric 10 and a lower fabric 12 joined at a seam 14 (either woven or sewn ) . One of the two fabrics, in this case the upper fabric 10, is to receive a gas generator 16 having bolts 18 engagable with a locking ring 20.
A hole 22 is cut in the fabric 10 to provide a throat for the generator 16. In accordance with the invention, a silicone rubber ring 24 is placed above the fabric around the hole 22 and a similar ring 26 placed below. The locking ring 20 is then placed on the ring 24 and the combination is subjected to heat treatment, to vulcanise the rubber and adhere it both to the fabric 10 and to the locking ring 20. A typical treatment would be to press mould the sandwiched fabric at laOii for two to five minutes.
After treatment, the generator 16 canbe attached to the locking ring in order to complete the hag. It has been found that the method of the invention not only provides the necessary strength of reinforcement to carry the gas generator, but it also provides a degree of protection from heat to the fabric irnmediately adjacent the throat 22.

Claims (6)

1. A method of reinforcing the throat area of an airbag which comprises placing a ring of unvulcanised rubber on either side of the bag fabric around the throat opening and heat treating the combination whereby to effect curing of the rubber
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the rubber is a silicone rubber.
3. A method as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 in which a generator locking ring is adhered to the rubber ring on one side of the fabric simultaneously with the curing step.
4. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 in which additional reinforcement in the form of a mesh ring or glass fibre mat is incorporated with the rubber prior to the curing step.
5. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in which the curing step is effected by press moulding the sandwiched fabric at a temperature of 1400C for from two to five minutes.
6. A method of reinforcing the throat area of an airbag substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the foregoing examples and the accompanying drawings.
GB9028171A 1990-12-28 1990-12-28 Airbag Expired - Fee Related GB2251184B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9028171A GB2251184B (en) 1990-12-28 1990-12-28 Airbag

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9028171A GB2251184B (en) 1990-12-28 1990-12-28 Airbag

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9028171D0 GB9028171D0 (en) 1991-02-13
GB2251184A true GB2251184A (en) 1992-07-01
GB2251184B GB2251184B (en) 1993-09-08

Family

ID=10687663

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9028171A Expired - Fee Related GB2251184B (en) 1990-12-28 1990-12-28 Airbag

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2251184B (en)

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB300806A (en) * 1927-12-06 1928-11-22 Self Controlled Air Cushion Co Improvements in air cushions, air beds and the like
GB721252A (en) * 1951-09-27 1955-01-05 Norbert Jacquignon Improvements in or relating to pneumatic mattresses, cushions and attachments

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB300806A (en) * 1927-12-06 1928-11-22 Self Controlled Air Cushion Co Improvements in air cushions, air beds and the like
GB721252A (en) * 1951-09-27 1955-01-05 Norbert Jacquignon Improvements in or relating to pneumatic mattresses, cushions and attachments

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2251184B (en) 1993-09-08
GB9028171D0 (en) 1991-02-13

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20091228