Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Structurally defined web or sheet – Fold at edge
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-22
2002-12-03
Cole, Elizabeth M. (Department: 1771)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Structurally defined web or sheet
Fold at edge
C428S034000, C428S035200, C428S036100, C428S043000, C428S057000, C428S059000, C428S066300, C428S069000, C428S076000, C428S102000, C428S119000, C428S121000, C428S123000, C428S124000, C428S129000, C442S076000, C442S181000, C442S239000, C280S728100, C280S729000, C280S743100, C139S38400B, C139S389000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06489006
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to inflatable fabrics which comprise two separated and distinct fabric layers in discrete areas of such fabrics as well as connecting seam-producing materials (such as C-, Y-, X-, H-, U-, Z-, and W-shaped fabric materials, as merely examples) to which such fabric layers are attached. The resultant inflatable fabric composite this includes inflatable areas separated, at least partially, by seamed barrier areas. This configuration will form “pillowed” structures within the target fabric upon inflation. Such connecting seam-producing materials are incorporated within the two-layer structure as peel seams in relation with the individual fabric layers. Upon inflation, the seams then act as shear seams which greatly increases the overall strength of the two-layer inflatable fabric. These shear seams thus provide a relatively effective manner of reducing air permeability within the entire fabric article. Such a fabric may be utilized in numerous and various applications wherein fabric inflation is desired or necessary. In particular, the inventive fabric may be incorporated within an airbag cushion.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART
All U.S. patents cited herein are hereby fully incorporated by reference. Inflatable protective cushions used in passenger vehicles are a component of relatively complex passive restraint systems. The main elements of these systems are: an impact sensing system, an ignition system, a propellant material, an attachment device, a system enclosure, and an inflatable protective cushion. Upon sensing an impact, the propellant is ignited causing an explosive release of gases filing the cushion to a deployed state which can absorb the impact of the forward movement of a body and dissipate its energy by means of rapid venting of the gas. The entire sequence of events occurs within about 30 milliseconds. In the undeployed state, the cushion is stored in or near the steering column, the dashboard, in a door, or in the back of a front seat placing the cushion in close proximity to the person or object it is to protect.
Inflatable cushion systems commonly referred to as air bag systems have been used in the past to protect both the operator of the vehicle and passengers. Systems for the protection of the vehicle operator have typically been mounted in the steering column of the vehicle and have utilized cushion constructions directly deployable towards the driver. These driver-side cushions are typically of a relatively simple configuration in that they function over a fairly small well-defined area between the driver and the steering column. One such configuration is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,755 to Nelsen et al., issued Jul. 9, 1996, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Inflatable cushions for use in the protection of passengers against frontal or side impacts must generally have a more complex configuration since the position of a vehicle passenger may not be well defined and greater distance may exist between the passenger and the surface of the vehicle against which that passenger might be thrown in the event of a collision. Prior cushions for use in such environments are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,416 to Bishop; U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,594 to Krickl; U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,273 to Hawthorn et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,337 to Yamaji et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,216 to Wehner et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,729 to Watanabe; U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,071 to Wallner et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,529 to Backhaus; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,792,873 to Buchner et al.
The majority of commercially used restraint cushions are formed of woven fabric materials utilizing multifilament synthetic yams of materials such as polyester, nylon 6 or nylon 6,6 polymers. Representative fabrics for such use are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,735 to Bloch; U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,163 to Krummheuer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,666 to Menzel et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,775 to Swoboda et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,230 to Sollars, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,680 to Krummheuer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,890 to Krummheuer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,073 to Krummheuer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,197 to Bower et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,402 to Bowen et al. A two-weave construction airbag cushion is exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,395 to Graham et al. but does not discuss the importance of narrow basket-weave single fabric layers.
As will be appreciated, the permeability of an airbag cushion structure is an important factor in determining the rate of inflation and subsequent rapid deflation following the impact event. Different airbag cushions are utilized for different purposes. For instance, some airbag cushions are installed within inflation modules for driver protection within the steering column of an automobile. Others are utilized as protection for front seat passengers and are installed in and around the glove compartment and/or on the dashboard in front of such a passenger seat. Still others have been developed in an effort to protect all passengers during a long-duration impact event, such as, for example, a rollover collision. In those types of crashes, the target airbag cushion must inflate quickly under high pressure (such as between about 10 and 40 psi) and remain inflated at a relatively high pressures in order to provide the greatest degree of protection to such passengers. Furthermore, such long-duration airbag cushions preferably comprise “pillow” formations created through the attachment of at least two different fabrics or fabric ends together and sealed, sewn, or the like, together. Upon inflation the free space between the attachment points inflate as well, thereby producing the desired cushioned “pillow” structures. Such long-duration, “pillowed” structures have been disclosed in the prior art as airbag cushions within U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,270 to Halano. However, in order to provide a suitable, effective airbag fabric and cushion comprising two or more points of attachment between fabrics or fabric ends, there has been a need to improve upon the structural integrity of the seams at such attachment points to prevent unwanted and potentially harmful leakage of gas or air from within the target airbag cushion. The prior art has discussed the development of coatings to place over the sewn seams at such attachment points in order to seal the potentially loose portions of such seams and/or to keep the individual yams of the airbag fabrics at the attachment points stationary in order to prevent yam shifting and thus possible openings for air or gas leakage. However, such coatings are actually supplemental to the seam structures in providing the necessary barrier to air or gas. A strong, effective, efficient weave construction is the primary method of initially producing an effective airbag fabric for incorporation within an airbag cushion.
These prior “pillowed” airbag cushions, however, have been produced solely through specific weaving patterns at the attachment points between the two fabric layers. The possibility of stitch movement during inflation is very high with such airbag cushions. As a result, very thick coatings, as noted above, are required to sustain very low air permeability over the fabric during and after an inflation event. Furthermore, individual sewn seams do not provide consistently low air permeability without utilization of large amounts of relatively expensive coating compositions for the same reasons. The strength and integrity of such seams, particularly present at the surfaces of both fabric layers, are not present without some type of coating to prevent the escape of air during high pressurization of the fabric. Such overall, highly coated, inflatable fabric structures may possess the necessary air permeability characteristics required for proper functioning within a side curtain airbag cushion; however, the costs are extremely high with the amounts of required coatings and the barrier to air leakage provided by such coatings is still suspect (yarn shifting will most likely occur during an inflation event
Cole Elizabeth M.
Milliken & Company
Moyer Terry T.
Parks William S.
Pierce Jeremy R
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