Airbag cushion exhibiting low fabric usage and simultaneously high available inflation volume

Abstract

The present invention relates to an airbag cushion which simultaneously exhibits a very low amount of fabric utilized to produce the target airbag cushion in correlation to an overall high amount of available inflation airspace within the cushion itself. These two correlative elements are now combined for the first time in what is defined as an effective fabric usage index (being the quotient of the amount of fabric utilized in the construciton of the airbag cushion and the available inflation airspace volume). The inventive airbag cushion must possess an effective fabric usage factor of at most 0.0330. A cushion exhibiting such low seam usage and fabric usage factors and also comprising an integrated looped pocket for the disposition of an inflator can is also provided as well as an overall vehicle restraint system comprising the inventive airbag cushion.

What I claim is:  
     
         1 . An airbag cushion having at least one fabric component, wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective fabric usage factor of less than about 0.026.  
     
     
         2 . The airbag cushion of  claim 1  wherein said airbag cushion comprises a looped pocket into which an inflator can may be disposed.  
     
     
         3 . The airbag cushion of  claim 1  wherein said airbag cushion further comprises tie-rods.  
     
     
         4 . The airbag cushion of  claim 1  wherein said airbag cushion comprises at least two fabric components connected by at least one seam.  
     
     
         5 . A vehicle restraint system comprising the airbag cushion of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         6 . A vehicle restraint system comprising the airbag cushion of  claim 2 .  
     
     
         7 . A vehicle restraint system comprising the airbag cushion of  claim 3 .  
     
     
         8 . A vehicle restraint system comprising the airbag cushion of  claim 4 .  
     
     
         9 . An airbag cushion having at least one fabric component, wherein said airbag cushion forms a three-dimensional substantially pyramidal structure in its uninflated state, and wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective fabric usage factor of less than about 0.033.  
     
     
         10 . The airbag cushion of  claim 9  possessing an effective fabric usage factor of less than about 0.030.  
     
     
         11 . The airbag cushion of  claim 10  possessing an effective fabric usage factor of less than about 0.029.  
     
     
         12 . The airbag cushion of  claim 11  possessing an effective fabric usage factor of less than about 0.028.  
     
     
         13 . The airbag cushion of  claim 12  possessing an effective fabric usage factor of less than about 0.027.  
     
     
         14 . The airbag cushion of  claim 9  wherein said airbag cushion comprises a looped pocket into which an inflator can may be disposed.  
     
     
         15 . The airbag cushion of  claim 9  wherein said airbag cushion further comprises tie-rods.  
     
     
         16 . The airbag cushion of  claim 9  wherein said airbag cushion comprises at least two fabric components connected by at least one seam.  
     
     
         17 . A vehicle restraint system comprising the airbag cushion of  claim 9 .  
     
     
         18 . A vehicle restraint system comprising the airbag cushion of  claim 10 .  
     
     
         19 . A vehicle restraint system comprising the airbag cushion of  claim 11 .  
     
     
         20 . A vehicle restraint system comprising the airbag cushion of  claim 12 .  
     
     
         21 . A vehicle restraint system comprising the airbag cushion of claim  13 .