Airbag structure

Abstract

A strong lightweight airbag cushion for deployment in opposing relation to a vehicle occupant is provided. The cushion is formed from a body of wound yarn. The body includes an interior, a face portion for contact with the occupant and a rear portion including an inlet port for the introduction of an inflation medium. The body is formed by the continuous winding of yarn around a mandrel such that the yarn is spread across the face and is disposed preferentially across the back in the area surrounding the inlet port so as to provide added strength in that region.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 .) A strong lightweight airbag cushion for deployment in opposing relation to a vehicle occupant during a collision event, the cushion comprising: a body of wound yarn including an interior, a face portion for contact with the vehicle occupant and a rear portion including an inlet port for the introduction of an inflation medium into the body, wherein the body is formed by windings of yarn such that the yarn is spread across said face portion of said body and such that the yarn is disposed preferentially across the back of said body in the area surrounding the inlet port so as to form a localized region of enhanced thickness around the inlet.  
     
     
         2 .) The airbag cushion according to  claim 1 , wherein said body includes a flexible permeability blocking coating of material.  
     
     
         3 .) The airbag cushion according to  claim 2 , wherein said flexible permeability blocking coating of material is an elastomeric adhesive.  
     
     
         4 .) The airbag cushion according to  claim 3 , wherein said elastomeric adhesive is applied across the surface of said cushion in the form of a curable dispersion subsequent to the winding of said yarn around said mandrel.  
     
     
         5 .) The airbag cushion according to  claim 1 , further comprising a film disposed across at least a portion of the interior of said body.  
     
     
         6 .) The airbag cushion according to  claim 1 , wherein said windings comprise one yarn.  
     
     
         7 .) The airbag cushion according to  claim 6 , wherein said one yarn is a yarn formed from polymeric materials selected from the group consisting of polyester, Nylon 6, Nylon 6.6 Nylon 4.6 and blends thereof.  
     
     
         8 .) The airbag cushion according to  claim 6 , wherein said one yarn has a linear density in the range of about 40 to 400 denier.  
     
     
         9 .) A strong lightweight, inflatable airbag cushion for deployment in opposing relation to a vehicle occupant during a collision event, the cushion comprising; a body including an interior, a face portion for contact with the vehicle occupant and a rear portion including an inlet port for introduction of an inflation medium into the body, wherein the body is formed by substantially continuous windings of yarn disposed around a rotating collapsible mandrel of a shape substantially corresponding to the final desired shaped of the airbag cushion, while systematically shifting the angle of placement of the yarn with respect to the equatorial plane of said mandrel such that the yarn is spread across said face.  
     
     
         10 .) The airbag cushion according to  claim 9 , having a round spherodal shape wherein the ratio of depth to equatorial diameter is about 0.5 to 0.7.  
     
     
         11 .) The airbag cushion according to  claim 9 , further including a flexible, permeability blocking coating layer of elastomeric adhesive holding the yarn in place.  
     
     
         12 .) The airbag cushion according to  claim 11 , wherein said elastomeric adhesive is applied across the surface of said cushion in the form of a curable dispersion subsequent to the substantially continuous winding of yarn around said rotating mandrel.  
     
     
         13 .) The airbag cushion according to  claim 9 , further comprising a film disposed across at least a portion of the interior of said body.  
     
     
         14 .) The airbag cushion according to  claim 9 , wherein said windings comprise one yarn.  
     
     
         15 .) The airbag cushion according to  claim 14 , wherein said one yarn is a yarn formed from polymeric materials selected from the group consisting of polyester, Nylon 6, Nylon 6.6 Nylon 4.6 and blends thereof.  
     
     
         16 .) The airbag cushion according to  claim 14 , wherein said one yarn has a linear density in the range of about 40 to 400 denier.  
     
     
         17 .) An apparatus for manufacturing a strong lightweight airbag cushion for deployment in opposing relation to a vehicle occupant during a collision event, the cushion comprising: a body of wound yarn including an interior, a face portion for contact with the vehicle occupant and a rear portion including an inlet port for the introduction of an inflation medium into the body, wherein the body is formed by windings of yarn such that the yarn is evenly distributed across said face portion of said body, and such that the yarn is disposed preferentially across the back of said body in the area surrounding the inlet port so as to form a localized region of enhanced thickness around the inlet.  
     
     
         18 .) The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said windings comprise one continuous yarn.  
     
     
         19 .) The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said one yarn is a yarn formed from polymeric materials selected from the group consisting of polyester, Nylon 6, Nylon 6.6, Nylon 4.6 and blends thereof.  
     
     
         20 .) The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said one yarn has a linear density in the range of about 40 to 400 denier.  
     
     
         21 .) The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said airbag cushion is manufactured in a generally spheroidal shape.  
     
     
         22 .) The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said airbag cushion is manufactured using a plurality of continuous yarns.  
     
     
         23 .) An apparatus for manufacturing a seamless airbag cushion, said apparatus comprising: a winding apparatus and a rotating mandrel arranged so that said winding apparatus winds continuous yarns in a prearranged pattern about said rotating mandrel, and wherein said rotating mandrel is positioned within a winding plane formed by said winding apparatus.  
     
     
         24 .) The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein said winding apparatus includes at least two yarn delivery arms for winding yarn onto said mandrel.  
     
     
         25 .) The apparatus according to  claim 23 , further including a variable speed motor for controlling said winding apparatus.  
     
     
         26 .) The apparatus according to  claim 25 , further including control means for controlling the rate of winding and number of revolutions per minute.  
     
     
         27 .) The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein said winding apparatus includes four hollow symmetrical yarn delivery arms, each said delivery arm being capable of delivering a separate yarn from a separate yarn package.  
     
     
         28 .) A method for manufacturing a strong lightweight airbag cushion having a body portion, a face portion, and a rear portion, said method comprising the steps of: providing a rotating mandrel; winding at least one yarn around said mandrel such that the yarn is disposed substantially evenly across said face portion of said airbag cushion, and so that at least some of said yarn crosses an equatorial plane between said face portion and said rear portion at an angle of between about 46° and about 90° therewith.  
     
     
         29 .) The method set forth in  claim 28 , wherein a plurality of separate yarns are wound around said mandrel.  
     
     
         30 .) The method set forth in  claim 29 , wherein said separate yarns are fed from separate yarn packages.  
     
     
         31 .) The method set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said mandrel is collapsible.  
     
     
         32 .) The method set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said mandrel is at least partially covered by a releasable film.  
     
     
         33 .) The method set forth in  claim 32 , wherein said releasable film is selected from the group consisting of PVC, polypropylene, polyamide, polyurethane and any combination thereof.  
     
     
         34 .) The method set forth in  claim 32 , wherein said film is disposed across a surface of said mandrel corresponding to said face of said airbag cushion, and is not disposed across a surface of said mandrel corresponding to said rear of said airbag cushion.  
     
     
         35 .) The method set for in  claim 32 , wherein said mandrel is of a shape substantially corresponding to an ellipsoidal spheroid.  
     
     
         36 .) The method set forth in  claim 32 , wherein said yarn is formed from polymeric materials selected from the group consisting of polyester, Nylon 6, Nylon 6.6 and blends thereof.