Claims
- 1. An airbag cushion comprising at least one fabric panel and at least seam in order to connect either (a) at least two fabric panels or (b) at least two portions of said at least one fabric panel, wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective seam usage factor of less than 0.11 and wherein
said at least one fabric panel is symmetrical about a first line of symmetry and has a plurality of edges, said edges including:
first and second edges substantially parallel to said line of symmetry, each of said first and second edges having a respective first end and a respective second end; a third edge, said third edge having a first end and a second end, said first end of said third edge intersecting said first end of said first edge, said third edge extending from said first edge toward said line of symmetry, a fourth edge, said fourth edge having a first end and a second end, said first end of said fourth edge intersecting said first end of said second edge, said fourth edge extending from said second edge toward said line of symmetry, and at least one additional edge extending between said respective second ends of said first and second edges; said at least one fabric panel comprises a cutout adjacent said line of symmetry and said second ends of said third and fourth edges; and when said fabric blank is folded about said line of symmetry and said third edge is seamed to said fourth edge:
said first, second, third, and fourth edges and said at least one additional edge form a substantially oblong opening, and said cutout forms a second opening opposite said substantially oblong opening.
- 2. The airbag cushion of claim 1 further comprising a second fabric panel forming a substantially oblong closure portion, said substantially oblong closure portion being seamed to said substantially oblong opening.
- 3. The airbag cushion of claim 2 wherein:
said at least one additional edge comprises fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth edges; each of said fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth edges has a respective first and second end; said first end of said fifth edge intersects said second end of said first edge; said first end of said sixth edge intersects said second end of said second edge; said first end of said seventh edge intersects said second end of said fifth edge; said first end of said eighth edge intersects said second end of said sixth edge; and said second end of said seventh edge intersects said second end of said eighth edge.
- 4. The airbag cushion of claim 3 wherein said fifth and sixth edges form opposed substantially parallel first and second sides of said substantially oblong opening.
- 5. The airbag cushion of claim 3 wherein said seventh and eighth edges form a third side of said substantially oblong opening substantially perpendicular to said first and second sides.
- 6. The airbag cushion of claim 4 wherein said seventh and eighth edges are collinear.
- 7. The airbag cushion of claim 5 wherein said first and second edges form a fourth side of said substantially oblong opening substantially perpendicular to said first and second sides and substantially parallel to said third side.
- 8. The airbag cushion of claim 5 wherein said first and second edges form a fourth side of said substantially oblong opening substantially perpendicular to said first and second sides and substantially parallel to said third side.
- 9. The airbag cushion of claim 1 wherein:
said at least one additional edge comprises fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth edges; each of said fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth edges has a respective first and second end; said first end of said fifth edge intersects said second end of said first edge; said first end of said sixth edge intersects said second end of said second edge; said first end of said seventh edge intersects said second end of said fifth edge; said first end of said eighth edge intersects said second end of said sixth edge; and said second end of said seventh edge intersects said second end of said eighth edge.
- 10. The airbag cushion of claim 9 wherein said fifth and sixth edges form opposed parallel first and second sides of said substantially oblong opening.
- 11. The airbag cushion of claim 10 wherein said third and fourth edges form a third side of said substantially oblong opening substantially perpendicular to said first and second sides.
- 12. The airbag cushion of claim 11 wherein said third and fourth edges are collinear.
- 13. The airbag cushion of claim 12 wherein said first and second edges form a fourth side of said substantially oblong opening substantially perpendicular to said first and second sides and substantially parallel to said third side.
- 14. The airbag cushion of claim 11 wherein said first and second edges form a fourth side of said substantially oblong opening substantially perpendicular to said first and second sides and substantially parallel to said third side.
- 15. The airbag cushion of claim 1 wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective seam usage factor of less than about 0.10.
- 16. The airbag cushion of claim 3 wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective seam usage factor of less than about 0.10.
- 17. The airbag cushion of claim 9 wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective seam usage factor of less than about 0.10.
- 18. The airbag cushion of claim 1 wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective seam usage factor of less than about 0.09.
- 19. The airbag cushion of claim 3 wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective seam usage factor of less than about 0.09.
- 20. The airbag cushion of claim 9 wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective seam usage factor of less than about 0.09.
- 21. The airbag cushion of claim 1 wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective seam usage factor of less than about 0.07.
- 22. The airbag cushion of claim 3 wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective seam usage factor of less than about 0.07.
- 23. The airbag cushion of claim 9 wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective seam usage factor of less than about 0.07.
- 24. The airbag cushion of claim 1 wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective seam usage factor of less than about 0.06.
- 25. The airbag cushion of claim 3 wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective seam usage factor of less than about 0.06.
- 26. The airbag cushion of claim 9 wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective seam usage factor of less than about 0.06.
- 27. The airbag cushion of claim 1 wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective seam usage factor of less than about 0.05.
- 28. The airbag cushion of claim 3 wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective seam usage factor of less than about 0.05.
- 29. The airbag cushion of claim 9 wherein said airbag cushion possesses an effective seam usage factor of less than about 0.05.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of co-pending application Ser. No. 09/365,372, filed on Jul. 30, 1999. This parent application is herein entirely incorporated by reference.
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09365372 |
Jul 1999 |
US |
Child |
09953769 |
Sep 2001 |
US |