Fabric guide chute for automotive air bag

Claim 1

A device (10) for guiding the deployment of a passenger side automotive safety cushion comprising: first (20, 24) and second (22, 26) pairs of flexible spaced side walls defining a chute (16) in an unfolded condition, said chute having top and bottom openings (32, 34) said side walls each having a top edge (66, 68, 82, 84), a bottom edge (70, 72,78, 80), side edges (74, 76, 90, 92), a top portion (42, 44, 46, 48), a bottom portion (62, 64, 78, 80), and hinge means (94, 96,98, 100) between said top and bottom portions, said second pair of side walls (22, 26) being joined to said first pair of side walls (20, 24) along side edges (74a, 74b, 76a, 76b) thereof, wherein said top portions (42, 44) of said first pair of side walls (20, 24) are folded inwardly toward each other at said hinge means (94, 96) and said top portions (46, 48) of said second pair of side walls (22, 26) are folded inwardly toward each other at said hinge means (98, 100) covering said inwardly folded top portions of said first side walls, thereby forming a top panel having an inner side and an outer side; a folded inflatable occupant restraint cushion (12) covered by said inner side of said chute top panel, said inflatable occupant restraint cushion having an inlet for a gas for inflating and thereby deploying said cushion; a vehicle air bag canister (14) having an inside and an outside including a wall (28, 30) defining a cavity for a gas generator and at least part of a folded inflatable occupant restraint cushion, said wall further defining an opening (32) to said cavity in said canister, the gas generator being actuable to generate a gas under a pressure in said cavity, said folded inflatable occupant restraint cushion within said cavity of said vehicle air bag canister; and wherein upon said gas generator being actuated to generate a gas under a pressure in said cavity thereby expanding said cushion which engages said top panel of said chute, said inwardly folded top portions (42, 44) of said first walls and said inwardly folded top portions (46, 48) of said second walls are returned to their unfolded condition thus reforming said chute thereby guiding the deployment of said cushion.

Claim 2

A device (10) for guiding the deployment of a passenger side automotive safety cushion comprising: first (20, 24) and second (22, 26) pairs of flexible spaced side walls defining a chute (16) in an unfolded condition, said chute having top and bottom openings (32, 34) said side walls each having a top edge (66, 68, 82, 84), a bottom edge (70, 72,78, 80), side edges (74, 76, 90, 92), a top portion (42, 44, 46, 48), a bottom portion (62, 64, 78, 80), and hinge means (94, 96,98, 100) between said top and bottom portions, said second pair of side walls (22, 26) being joined to said first pair of side walls (20, 24) along side edges (74a, 74b, 76a, 76b) thereof, wherein said top portions (42, 44) of said first pair of side walls (20, 24) are folded inwardly toward each other at said hinge means (94, 96) and said top portions (46, 48) of said second pair of side walls (22, 26) are folded inwardly toward each other at said hinge means (98, 100) covering said inwardly folded top portions of said first side walls, thereby forming a top panel having an inner side and an outer side; a folded inflatable occupant restraint cushion (12) covered by said inner side of said chute top panel, said inflatable occupant restraint cushion having an inlet for a gas for inflating and thereby deploying said cushion; a vehicle air bag canister (14) having an inside and an outside including a wall (28, 30) defining a cavity for a gas generator and at least part of a folded inflatable occupant restraint cushion, said wall further defining an opening (32) to said cavity in said canister, the gas generator being actuable to generate a gas under a pressure in said cavity, said folded inflatable occupant restraint cushion within said cavity of said vehicle air bag canister; and wherein upon said gas generator being actuated to generate a gas under a pressure in said cavity thereby expanding said cushion which engages said top panel of said chute, said inwardly folded top portions (42, 44) of said first walls and said inwardly folded top portions (46, 48) of said second walls are returned to their unfolded condition thus reforming said chute thereby guiding the deployment of said cushion.